What jobs other than acting have you had?

"I had many jobs before becoming an actor. I was a trainee manager in a  supermarket and I also sold cameras in a high street electronics store. When I was at college I spent my evenings working in a theatre tearing tickets."

You have worked it many different countries.  Which was your favorite location?

"My favourite location was probably the Sahara Desert where I filmed "In The Beginning" It's vast, beautiful and almost completely empty, unlike anywhere I'd been before."

What was your most difficult role to date?

"I'd say my most difficult role was probably Prince Albert. It was a  challenge to play a whole life- it was the first time I played a parent for example. We had very little rehearsal and I really didn't know how I was going to play it until I walked onto the set."
 

questions posed to Jon May/June 2004 more random questions here

++ New or updated information

 

I.	Jonathan Firth

This youthful-looking, thirty-something actor unfairly seems to be best known as the younger brother of British heartthrob, Colin Firth. This is indeed a pity because Jonathan Firth has developed a distinct and interesting resume of his own with performances in radio, theatre, feature films, but more prominently in very high quality television work.After graduating from the Central School of Speech and Drama, London (1989), Firth landed several television roles, most notably as the "struggling to find himself" Fred Vincy in the wonderful British mini-series "Middlemarch" (1994) (mini). Firth later had an opportunity to showcase a fuller range of emotion and acting skill as the very complicated Sergeant Troy in a superior remake of Far from the Madding Crowd (1998) (TV). More recently, Mr. Firth was cast as the morally upright Prince Albert in A & E's production of Victoria & Albert (2001) (TV). by DMT (imdb)
 
 

 

II.

Films

Luther (2003) .... Girolamo Aleandro
Dir. Eric Till

Bait (2002) (TV) .... Vincent White
Dir. Nicholas Renton

An Ideal Husband (1998) .... Lord Arthur Goring
Dir. William P. Cartlidge

Six Pack (2000) .... Blade
Dir. Alain Berberian (a French Film)

Breed of Heroes, A (1994) (TV) .... LCpl. Winn

Wuthering Heights (1992) .... Linton Heathcliff
... aka Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights (1992) (USA: complete title)
Dir. Peter Kosminsky, Paramount

American Friends,(1991) .... Cable
Dir: Tristram Powell, Prominent

Kangaroo Palace (1997) (TV) .... Terence Foster-Burrowes
Dir. Rob Marchand, Artist Services

 

III.

Stage

1.   In what plays has Mr. Firth performed?

Henry, in Henry VI, Part III, Dir: Katie Mitchell, Royal Shakepeare Co.

Schwartz, in The Lulu Plays, Dir: Ian McDiarmid, Almeida

Ian, in Bad Company, Dir: Paul Miller, National Th. Studio

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IV.	Television

"Spine Chillers" (2003) playing "Marcus" in episode: "Intuition" (episode # 1.2) 23 June 2003 - Dir. 

Pompeii: The Last Day (2003) (TV) .... Stephanus  - Dir. Peter Nicholson
(available as an extra feature in Coloseum: A Gladiator's Story region 1 dvd)

Sparkling Cyanide (2003) (TV) .... Mark Drake 
Dir. Tristram Powell (based on a story by Agatha Christie)

Inspector Lynley Mysteries: Payment in Blood, The (2002) (TV) .... "Rhys Davies Jones"  BBC One  Dir. Kim Flitcroft (dvd reg 1)
Victoria & Albert (2001) (TV) ....'Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha"  Dir. John Erman
(dvd reg 1)  V&A presskit

"In the Beginning" (2000) (mini) TV Series .... Joshua 
Dir. Kevin Connor (dvd reg 1, 2)

A Likeness In Stone (2000) (TV) .... Stephen Gilmore  Dir. Charles Beeson

Magical Legend of the Leprechauns, The (1999) (TV) .... Count Grogan    Dir. John Henderson
(dvd reg 1, 2)

"Relic Hunter" (1999) playing "Eric Dalt" in episode: "Possessed" (episode # 1.20) 8 May 2000 

"Heat of the Sun" (1999) (mini) TV Series .... Capt. Charles Keaton   Dir.  Paul Seed, Carlton
(NTSC vhs, dvd reg 1 avail 4/17)

Far From The Madding Crowd (1998) (TV) .... Sergeant Frank Troy   Dir. Nicholas Renton

"Highlander" (1992) playing "Lord Byron" in episode: "The Modern Prometheus" (episode # 5.19) 12 May 1997 Dir: Adrian Paul, Filmline

"Midsomer Murders" (1997) playing "Michael Lacey" in episode: "The Killings at Badger's Drift" (episode # 1.0) 23 March 1997 
Dir. Jeremy Silberston, YTV

"Tales from the Crypt" (1989) playing Malcolm in episode: "Report from the Grave" (episode # 7.8) 14 June 1996 

"Poirot" (1989) playing "Nigel Chapman" in episode: "Hickory Dickory Dock" (episode # 6.2) 12 February 1995 

"Middlemarch" (1994) (mini) TV Series .... Fred Vincy  Dir. Anthony Page, BBC

"Cadfael" (1994) playing "Joscelin" in episode: "The Leper of St. Giles" (episode # 1.3) 12 June 1994  Dir. Graham Theakston, Central

Romeo & Juliet (1994) (TV) .... Romeo Dir. Alan Horrox, C4

Hal, in Henry IV, Dir: John Caird, BBC 

"Inspector Morse" (1987) playing "Peter Thornton" in episode: "Absolute Conviction" (episode # 6.4) 8 April 1992  Dir. Antonia Bird, Zenith

"Covington Cross," (1992) TV Series .... Richard Grey ... aka "Charring Cross" (1992) 

The Student, in Shoot the Revolution, Dir: Jane Howell, BBC

Black Velvet Gown, The (1991) (TV) .... Paul Gallmington ... aka Catherine Cookson's The Black Velvet Gown (1991) (TV) (UK: complete title) Dir. Norman Stone, Worldwide

Stephen (lead) in All About Laura, Dir: Tim Flywell, Warner Sisters

Michael, in Van Der Valk, Dir: Herbie Wise, Thames

Roland (lead) in Centrepoint, Dir: Piers Haggard, C4-Part Series 

Shakespeare: The Animated Tales

• return to Media Watch

 

V.	Recordings

1.   Has Mr. Firth made any audio recordings?

• War and Peace: Starring Emily Mortimer, Jonathan Firth & Nicola Pagett (BBC Radio Collection) ~Leo Tolstoy, et al BBC Audiobooks Audio Cassette - November 1997 
• Twelfth Night ~ William Shakespeare Starring Niamh Cusack, Jonathan Firth, Amanda Root, and Julian Glover. Unabridged. 2 cassettes. isbn 0-14-086778-3 Penguin May 1st, 1998 
• Julius Caesar: A Radio 3 Full-cast Dramatisation. Starring Gerard Murphy & Cast (BBC Radio Collection) ~William Shakespeare, et al  BBC Audiobooks  Audio CD - September 1999 
• Measure for Measure ~ William Shakespeare Penguin Audiobooks; ISBN: 0140868909
• Heathrow Nights (unabr.) ~ Barbara Wysocki,Jonathan Firth (Narrator), Chivers Children's Audio Books. Dist. by BBC Audiobooks America. 2002. ISBN 0-7540-5276-1 
• The Dark Horse ~Marcus Sedgwick, Jonathan Firth (Narrator), Chivers Children's Audio Books Audio Cassette - May 2003 
• I'll Never Be Young Again ~Daphne Du Maurier, Jonathan Firth (Narrator), Chivers Audio Books  Audio Cassette - August 2003 
• Shadows of Glory and Sepulcher  ~James Herbert.  Jonathan Firth (Narrator), Audio Cassette Publisher: Macmillan Audio ISBN: 1405021284 (March 5, 2004) 

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VI.	Radio Plays

1.   In what radio plays has Mr. Firth performed?

The Parasites
New Grub Street
Double Vision
Othello
Stars of the Orange River
The Diamond Jousts
The Cold Embrace
War and Peace
In Praise of Progress
Emerald Green 
Measure for Measure - audio book play
Lady Audley's Secret
The Golden Triangle
Letters From A Lost Generation
Mr Percy and the Prophet
The Two Noble Kinsmen - audio book play
Julius Caesar
Angel on the Roof
The Captain's Daughter
Byron's Fancy
The Luck of the Bodkins
The Teahouse Detective
Red House Mystery
The Man Who Knew Everthing
Wainewright The Poisoner
The Weather in the Street

 

VII.

Projects

1.   What are Mr. Firth's future projects?

 

 

VIII.

Media Watch

1.  Has Mr. Firth made any recent appearances?

2.   Is Mr. Firth scheduled for any future appearances?
 

3.   Where can I find recent articles about Mr. Firth?

4.   Are any of Mr. Firth's films being shown on television?

See What's On tv

5.  Are any other television programs being shown about Mr. Firth or his work?

No information available.

6.   Is Mr. Firth scheduled for any radio appearances?

No information available at this time. 

7.   Where else can I find Mr. Firth's work?

 

IX.

Biography

1.  Where and when was Mr. Firth born? 

The sixth of April 1967 in Essex.

2.  When did Mr. Firth decide he wanted to become an actor?

According to an article released around the time Far From the Madding Crowd, "I was always interested in acting, but Colin made me certain it was the career for me...He always seemed to be having such a good time."

3.  Where did he train to become an actor? For how long?

The Central Drama School for three years (1986-89). "Central was considered the best school in the 80's. The training is different."

4.  Is Mr. Firth married? Does he have children?

No to both questions

5.  What is Mr. Firth's family background?

 

6.  What are Mr. Firth's hobbies?

Horseback riding, scuba diving

7.  What actors does Mr. Firth admire?

Kathy Burke-Queen Mary in Elizabeth.
Henry Dean Stanton-Paris Texas

8.  What was his favorite role to date?

Troy in Madding Crowd.  "Troy was a complex and challenging role."
'Playing Troy was a fantastic experience. I got to be Dick Turpin and seduce a girl
with a sword, and throw myself in the sea." On a more serious note, Jonathan said, "One of the things I loved about filming was that you get to go to places that you wouldn't usually dream of. Some of the locations we went to were beautiful - especially Bathsheba’s house. I just wouldn't have known it existed." 

9.  Where did Mr. Firth attend school?

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X.	On-line Information

1.  Does Mr. Firth have any sources of on-line information?

Related sites:

• Jonathan Firth Website
• Friends of Firth Website

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XI.

Addresses

1.   Where may I send mail to Mr. Firth?

Mr. Jonathan Firth
c/o Markham and Froggatt
4 Windmill Street
London, UK W1P1HF

 

XII.

Fun Facts

1. By coincidence (or highly coincidental if it wasn't done by design) both Jon and his brother Colin have worked with Nathaniel Parker and his brother Oliver. Jon worked with Nathaniel in both Far From the Madding Crowd and Inspector Lynley Mysteries. Colin was directed in The Importance of Being Ernest by Oliver Parker.
2. Did you know his ex flat mate from the struggling early days was Rufus Sewell?
3. Both brothers worked in Lyme Park. Jonathan Firth in Far From the Madding Crowd and Colin Firth while filming Pride and Prejudice (it was the location for Pemberley)
4. Does he drive a car?  Yes, a 10 year old Peugot 
5. How tall? What color eyes? Height: 5'11" -- Color of eyes: Green
6. Does he have pierced ears? NOT ANY LONGER BUT HE USED TO 
7. What kind of music does he like? TOO ECLECTIC TO DETAIL 
8. Do you think that you and your brother will ever appear together in a film?

"Would love to but that has never been offered."
9. Of all the jobs you've had since drama school, what's been your favorite, and why?

Far From the Madding Crowd- Troy was a complex and challenging role.
10. Jonathan got the good news that he'd landed the part on the platform of Troy at Highbury London Underground station
11. His brother is Colin Firth not Peter or Julian

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1.  Have any actors, actresses or production staff worked with Mr. Firth two or more times?

• Nathaniel Parker-Far in the Madding Crowd and Inspector Lynley Mysteries: Payment in Blood
• Cherie Lunghi in Covington Cross, Inspector Lynley Mysteries: Payment in Blood and Victoria and Albert
• Nigel Terry in Covington Cross and Far From a Madding Crowd
• Emily Mortimer in Midsomer Murders: The Killings at Badger's Drift and the radio play War and Peace
• Amanda Root in the radio dramas Byron's Fancy and Twelfth Night
• John Nettles in American Friends, Romeo & Juliet and Midsommer Murders
• Nicholas Farrell in Bait and A Breed of Heroes

2.  Has Mr. Firth ever worked as anything other than an actor?

3.  What does Mr. Firth think about Method acting?

4.  What does Mr. Firth think of fame?

5.  How does Mr. Firth compare working in the theater and in film?
 

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XIII.

Merchandise

 

XIV.

Thanks

1.  Thanks to the Internet Movie Database for all film links.

2. Article sources:

 

XV.

Comments

1.  The Jon  Firth FAQ will be updated when changes occur. Please note update date at the top of the page. 

2.  This FAQ is copyrighted, but I'm happy to have it distributed:
a) with prior notice for more than ten copies
b) with author credit
c) without change or addition, and
d) without charge or pay.

3.  If you have any additional questions, information or comments,
please e-mail me at: byebar17@email.msn.com