James Aubrey (actor)

James Aubrey (28 August 1947 – 6 April 2010) was an English stage and screen actor.^[1][2] He trained for the stage at the Drama Centre London. He made his professional acting debut in a 1962 production of Isle of Children. Aubrey made his screen acting debut in the 1963 adaptation of Lord of the Flies. Aubrey performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company during their 1974–1975 season. Theatres at which Aubrey performed included the Birmingham Repertory Theatre, the Comedy Theatre and the Old Vic. His last television work was in an episode of Brief Encounters in 2006.

Early life and education

James Aubrey Tregidgo was born in 1947 in Klagenfurt, Austria. His parents were Major Aubrey James Tregidgo and Edna May Tregidgo (née Boxall). He was educated at the Wolmer's Boys' School in Kingston, Jamaica, the Windsor Boys' School (Germany) and St. John's School (Singapore). He married Agnes Kristin Hallander, although the marriage ended in divorce. Aubrey trained for the stage at the Drama Centre London from 1967 to 1970. He is survived by his daughter Sarah Barzyk-Aubrey, a French actress.^[3]

Stage work

Aubrey made his first professional stage appearance at the Wilmington Playhouse in March 1962 in the role of Philip in Isle of Children. It was in this same role that he made his Broadway theatre debut,^[3] appearing in a 1962 production at the Cort Theatre which lasted only 11 performances.^[4] From 1970 to 1972, Aubrey performed at the Citizens' Theatre in Glasgow, appearing in such roles as Andrew Aguecheek in Twelfth Night and Theridamas in Tamburlaine.^[3]

Aubrey made his London stage debut at the Royal Court Theatre in June 1973 as a police constable in the premiere of Howard Brenton's Magnificence. From 1973 to 1974, Aubrey toured with the Cambridge Theatre Company as Diggory in She Stoops to Conquer and again as Aguecheek. Aubrey performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company for their 1974–75 season, appearing in such roles as Sebastian in The Tempest and Froth in Measure for Measure. He toured with the Cambridge Theatre Company again in 1979 in the roles of Mark in The Shadow Box and Tony in From the Greek. Other venues at which Aubrey appeared include the Birmingham Repertory Theatre, the Comedy Theatre and the Old Vic.^[3]

Film work

Aubrey made his film debut at the age of 14 in the 1963 (release date) adaptation of Lord of the Flies in the lead role of Ralph.^[3][5] Aubrey portrayed Gavin Sorenson in the television adaptation of Bouquet of Barbed Wire (1976) and its sequel, Another Bouquet (1977). He also worked with two cult British filmmakers, Norman J. Warren (Terror, 1978) and Pete Walker (Home Before Midnight, 1979), and played the ill-fated pop singer B.J. in the Sex Pistols film The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle (1980).

In 1986, Aubrey starred in Forever Young directed by David Drury. Aubrey portrayed Mark in three episodes of Lytton's Diary in 1986. In 1997, Aubrey appeared in an adaptation of Robert Ludlum's The Apocalypse Watch. He appeared in an episode of the TV series Brief Encounters in 2006.^[5]

During his final months, Aubrey worked with a group of local independent filmmakers. Overseeing casting sessions for Shadows of a Stranger at the Hub in Sleaford in early 2010, Aubrey was also set to play the lead role in the production, but died a month before filming began.^[6]

Death

Aubrey died at his home on 6 April 2010 due to pancreatitis at the age of 62.^[7]

Selected filmography

• Lord of the Flies (1963)
• The Sex Thief (1973)
• Galileo (1974)
• Terror (1978)
• Home Before Midnight (1979)
• The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle (1980)
• The Hunger (1983)
• Forever Young (1983)
• Cry Freedom (1987)
• The Rift (1989)
• Buddy's Song (1991)
• Spy Game (2001)

References