Robert Newton

'Robert Newton' (qv) was one of the great character actors -- and great characters -- of the British cinema, best remembered today for playing Long John Silver in _Treasure Island (1950)_ (qv) and its sequel in 1954. His portrayal of Long John Silver and of _Blackbeard, the Pirate (1952)_ (qv) created a persona that was so indelible that his vocal intonations created the paradigm for scores of people who want to "Talk Like a Pirate." The performance overshadows Newton's legacy, which is based on many first-rate performances in such movies as _This Happy Breed (1944)_ (qv), _Odd Man Out (1947)_ (qv) and _Oliver Twist (1948)_ (qv), where his Bill Sykes is truly chilling. 'Oliver Reed' (qv), who played Sykes in the Oscar-winning movie musical _Oliver! (1968)_ (qv) was influenced by Newton.::Jon C. Hopwood