Robert Newton

Newton was the director's first choice to play Heathcliff in the classic romance drama Wuthering Heights but the studio wanted Laurence Olivier and he was cast instead.

Newton's biggest fan group in Great Britain was teenage boys.

Newton is the Patron Saint of International Talk Like a Pirate Day which is celebrated on September 19.

Newton is buried in Westwood Memorial Park in Los Angeles.

Newton became good friends with future Untouchables star Robert Stack when the two appeared together in The High and the Mighty.

Newton was given leave from his duties with the British Navy in 1944 to appear in Henry V.

Newton served four years on board a minesweeper in the Royal Navy during World War II.

Shaw's Captain Brasshound's Conversion was the first stage play in which Newton appeared.

Newton's first show biz stint was with the Birmingham Reperatory Company in 1920 as an assistant stage manager.

Newton's youngest son, Kim, is a photojournalist.

Newton's oldest son, Nicholas, is a London theatre producer.

Newton's daughter, Sally, was an actress. She died in 2001.

On June 1, 2005, Newton's hometown of Shaftesbury unveiled a plaque on the house where he was born.

Newton had one brother and two sisters.

Newton's mother was a writer and his father was an artist and a member of the Royal Academy.

Coward appeared in several Noel Coward plays during the 1920's.

Newton's alcoholism resulted in an erratic acting career as he frequently found himself unemployed for long periods of time.

Newton was an alcoholic and his alchoholism led to a steep decline in is personal health.

Newton was married three times to Petronella Walton, Natalie Newhouse, and Vera Budnik. Budnik was his wife at the time of death.

Newton was 6 feet tall when he strangled Kay Francis in Oliver Twist.

Newton menaced Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr in the 1948 film Kiss the Blood Off My Hands.

Newton's final film role was as Inspector Fix in the 1956 film Around the World in 80 Days. The film was released after his death.

Newton co-starred with John Wayne and Robert Stack in the 1954 disaster film The High and the Mighty.

Newton played Blackbeard the Pirate in the 1952 film of the same name.

Newton was good friends with Laurence Olivier.

Newton played Bill Sikes opposite Alec Guinness' Fagin in David Lean's 1948 film version of Oliver Twist.

Newton was cited as a role model by actor Oliver Reed and Who drummer Keith Moon.