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James Dreyfus

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James Dreyfus
Dreyfus in 2004
Born
James Louis de Zogheb Dreyfus

(1968-10-09) 9 October 1968 (age 56)
London, England
EducationRoyal Academy of Dramatic Art (BA)
OccupationActor
Years active1995–present
TelevisionThe Thin Blue Line (1995–1996)
Absolutely Fabulous (1995–1996)
Gimme Gimme Gimme (1999–2001)
The Sarah Jane Adventures (2011)
Mount Pleasant (2012–2017)

James Louis de Zogheb Dreyfus (born 9 October 1968) is an English actor most notable for roles on television sitcoms The Thin Blue Line as Constable Kevin Goody, and Gimme Gimme Gimme as Tom Farrell. Dreyfus is most recently known for a role as Reverend Roger in Mount Pleasant.

In London's West End, Dreyfus starred in The Producers in 2004 as Carmen Ghia. In 2006, he starred as the Emcee in Cabaret.

Early life

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James Louis de Zogheb Dreyfus was born on 9 October 1968 in Islington, London.[1] His parents divorced when he was very young.[2][3] His mother, Margo de Zoghels, was a model.[4] She and his maternal grandparents were from Egypt.[5][non-primary source needed]

He was educated at Harrow School.[6] He then trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.[7]

Career

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In 1998, Dreyfus won the Best Supporting Performance in a Musical Olivier Award for his work in The Lady in the Dark at the National Theatre. In the same year, Dreyfus won Second Prize at the Ian Charleson Awards for his 1997 performance as Cassius in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar at the Birmingham Rep.[8]

Dreyfus's first television break came with the BBC comedy series Absolutely Fabulous.[9] followed by roles as Constable Kevin Goody in Ben Elton's sitcom The Thin Blue Line and Tom Farrell, the gay flatmate of Linda (Kathy Burke) in Gimme Gimme Gimme. Dreyfus played opposite Bette Midler in the short-lived American sitcom Bette.

Known for portraying "camp, endearing characters," Dreyfus (in a Sheengate Publishing interview) compared the character Frank Spencer from Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em, whom he described as a campy but married heterosexual, to Dreyfus's character Kevin Goody from The Thin Blue Line. Regarding his character Tom Farrell from Gimme Gimme Gimme, Dreyfus hypothesized that, even if the character were heterosexual, the actor would still portray Tom as camp and flamboyant.[10] Furthermore, Dreyfus said that he felt that he became typecast due to his portrayals of "flamboyant" characters.[10]

He played Thermoman in the BBC One comedy My Hero, a role he took over in the sixth series from Ardal O'Hanlon. Although the same character, he used the name George Monday, as opposed to Ardal O'Hanlon's character's name, George Sunday. After disappointing ratings, the show was cancelled.

Dreyfus also starred as Mr Teasy-Weasy in the 2004 comedy film Churchill: The Hollywood Years.

From 2012 to 2017, Dreyfus appeared as Reverend Roger in the Sky Living series Mount Pleasant.

In 2017, he voiced an incarnation of The Master from Doctor Who in the Big Finish Productions release The First Doctor Adventures Volume One,[11] going on to appear as the character in 2019's 'The Home Guard',[12] 2020's 'The Psychic Circus'[13] and 2022's 'Blood of the Time Lords'. In an interview on SpectatorTV, Dreyfus claimed he was dismissed from the role following comments made on Twitter in support of author JK Rowling.[14]

Personal life

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Dreyfus is gay and a member of the LGB Alliance.[15]

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
1995 Thin Ice Greg
1995–96 The Thin Blue Line Constable Kevin Goody TV series (14 episodes)
1995–96 Absolutely Fabulous Christopher TV series (2 episodes)
1996 Boyfriends Paul
1999 Notting Hill Martin
1999–2001 Gimme Gimme Gimme Tom Farrell TV series (19 episodes)
2000 Gormenghast Professor Fluke TV
2000–2001 Bette Oscar U.S. TV series (18 episodes)
2004 Fat Slags Fidor Konstantin TV
Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London Gordon
The Producers Carmen Ghia Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
Waking the Dead Raymond Carstairs
2005 Willo the Wisp All voices Revival to original 1981 series
2006 Colour Me Kubrick Melvyn Prescott
My Hero George Monday / Thermoman TV series (8 episodes)
2006–07 Cabaret Emcee Lyric Theatre, London
2007 Double Time Lawrence Nixon/George McCabe
Nina and the Neurons Felix (voice)
2009 Casualty Rory TV
2011 The Sarah Jane Adventures Harrison Episode: "The Man Who Never Was"
2012 Midsomer Murders Ralph Ford Episode: "A Rare Bird"
Holby City Felix TV
Whitechapel Charlie Cross TV series, 2 episodes
2012–2017 Mount Pleasant Reverend Roger TV series
2013 Dandelion & Burdock Dandelion TV
2013–14 Candide Dr Pangloss Menier Chocolate Factory, London
2013 Shameless Edward Clayhill Episode: "An Inspector Calls"
2015 Father Brown Binkie Cadwaller Episode 3.10 "The Judgment of Man"
Scottish Mussel Headmaster
2019 Harry & Meghan: Becoming Royal Sir Leonard Briggs TV movie
The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Lath'N
Agatha Raisin Harry Witherspoon S3 E1 Episode: "Agatha Raisin and The Haunted House"
2020 Supernova Tim
The Hollow TV movie
The Harbour Robert Short
2021 The Kindred Mr. Mulvaney
2022 Lips Michael Short[16]
2023 One Foot in the Grave - 30 Years Of Laughs Himself Documentary
2024 House of the Dragon Lord Gormon Massey TV series, 6 episodes
TBA Cara Greg Wilson Pre-production

References

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  1. ^ "James Louis de Zogheb Dreyfus". FreeBMD. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  2. ^ Fletcher, Mary, Why life's looking Goody for James, TV Times, pg 31.
  3. ^ Thomas Quinn. "Interview: James Dreyfus". thefreelibrary.com. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
  4. ^ Dreyfus, James (11 January 2013). "What I see in the mirror: James Dreyfus". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  5. ^ "I'm not religious, but was brought up C of E, because the UK is where my mother eventually settled when she & my grandparents were forced out of Egypt. And she always made Easter such a fun time". 29 March 2024. Retrieved 29 March 2024 – via Twitter.
  6. ^ "How We Met: James Dreyfus & Robert Portal". The Independent. 11 May 2008.
  7. ^ Wylie, Ian (14 December 2007). "Double trouble for James". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 6 April 2008.
  8. ^ Harlow, John. "Winning in a double act". Sunday Times. 26 April 1998. (Online reprint: [1]).
  9. ^ "Our interview with James Dreyfus". sheengate.co.uk. Archived from the original on 25 June 2017. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
  10. ^ a b Our interview with James Dreyfus Archived 25 June 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Interviewed by Rob Edwards. Sheengate Publishing. 31 January 2013.
  11. ^ "1. Doctor Who: The First Doctor Adventures Volume 01 - Doctor Who - The First Doctor Adventures - Big Finish". bigfinish.com. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  12. ^ "6.1. Doctor Who: The Home Guard - Doctor Who - The Early Adventures - Big Finish". bigfinish.com. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  13. ^ "261. Doctor Who: The Psychic Circus - Doctor Who - The Monthly Adventures - Big Finish". bigfinish.com. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  14. ^ "James Dreyfus: cancelled from Dr Who for supporting JK Rowling". SpectatorTV. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
  15. ^ "James Dreyfus on being 'erased' from Dr Who: 'When people say cancel culture doesn't exist I laugh". GB News. 17 October 2021. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  16. ^ "Lips". IMDb. 1 April 2022.
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