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John Nettles

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Biography

Recent Role:
Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby on Midsomer Murders
Gender:
Male
Born:
10-11-1943
Birthplace:
Manchester, England
John's birth mother was an Irish nurse who came to work in England during the Second World War, but John was adopted by Eric and Elsie Nettles as a baby, and grew up as an only child. After having spent his early childhood years in Roe Green, Manchester, he moved to St. Austell, Cornwall with his parents. Here he went to St. Blazey Primary School and then on to St Austell Grammar School. In 1962 he started studying history and philosophy at Southampton University with the aim of becoming a teacher, and it was there that he was persuaded to participate in a play for the first time.



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After university he started out as an actor at the Royal Court Theatre where he mainly played spear-holders and other small parts, then went on to play most theatres up and down the country, ending up a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon. It was when he was there that he, after several interviews at the BBC, was phoned up one morning and offered the part of Detective Sergeant Jim Bergerac. This was to change John Nettles's life. Bergerac (1981-1991) became a huge success. Before this he had also worked in television, as he got his TV break during the early 1970s in the BBC sitcom The Liver Birds as Paul, and as Dr. Ian McKenzie in the immensely popular series A Family At War, but Bergerac became something completely different for John. John Nettles and Jim Bergerac were two names that for ten years seemed interchangable. In the public perception John Nettles always wore a bomber jacket, and spent his waking hours driving around the roads of Jersey, Channel Islands, in his red Triumph Roadster. This was of course not quite true.



After Bergerac finished, he re-joined the Royal Shakespeare Company, where he did five seasons. Then in 1995 he was approached by Brian True-May who was thinking of dramatizing the Inspector Barnaby novels, and thought John would be suitable for the role. A year later John had a call from True-May saying it was going to happen, the making of Midsomer Murders started.



John is also a much used narrator, and we can hear his voice in several documentaries, such as Airport, Disaster and Violent Planet, as well as a number of audiobooks. He has himself written three books: Bergerac's Jersey, John Nettles' Jersey and Nudity in a Public Place.



For people who are friends of the theatre, John is a well known and acclaimed interpreter of Shakespeare. Despite being a cal actor, he also used to enjoy very much appearing in pantos. The filming of Midsomer Murders now takes up 10 months of the year (May to March), and consequently does not give room for very much else.



John is currently living in Evesham with his wife Cathryn, whom he married in 1995. He was married to his first wife, Joyce, for 13 years, and together they have a daughter, Emma (born 1970).

John received an OBE (Order of the British Empire) in June 2010.

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  •  
    10 Perfect
    Nettles is one of the few actors that has managed to transend time. For decades he has excelled in parts from rakish leading men to incredible characters . He's a venerable star that I wish would do more US TV and feature flms. hide show

    John Nettles is a classic. I wish there were more of his ilk on U.S. TV. If so maybe more programs would last more than a few episodes or seasons. While I'm a little outside of U.S. advertisers gen-x demographic, it's nice to be 54 and still have a hero on the silver screen.

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    mcortner Added Nov 5, 2006 All my reviews
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    10 Perfect
    John Nettles is a sweet and handsom Brittish actor you migh have seen in popular shows such as Midsomer Murders or French and Saunders. hide show

    The first time I saw John Nettles was in Midsomer Murders and I absolutely fell in love with his acting immediately. There are so many layers of Tom Barnaby and John Nettles manages to capture them all in a magnificent way. Crime solvers are usually very easy to play since they are usually written to be very one dimensional. Tom Barnaby is far from one dimensional and John plays him well.

    Since my first encounter with John and Midsomer Murders I’ve tried to watch as many of his Tv performances as I possibly can. I haven’t been able to get my hands on all his work but I have to admit John has not disappointed me so far. I am a big fan of his work.

    I did however find a small flaw… It turns out John Nettles shares my love for crime shows on TV, such as CSI: Miami. It turns out he is a big fan of David Caruso’s acting, and lets just say… I am not.

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    menalovestv Added May 8, 2006 All my reviews
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    10 Perfect
    John Nettles is a very talented actor, who has perhaps not been given the recognition he deserves. hide show

    John Nettles is a very talented actor, who in my opinion, despite his success on the TV screen, has not been given the recognition he deserves. He now plays the lead in one of Britain's best selling TV series ever, Midsomer Murders, which can now be seen in about 200 countries. John started out as a classical actor in the theatre, and to see him on stage is pure pleasure. This is really where you understand what an incredibly talented man he is. I have been lucky to meet him quite a few times now, and he is not only talented, but also a very sympathtic and charming man with a big heart.

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    Annane Added Jun 19, 2005 All my reviews
 
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