Sir David Jason has reflected candidly on the difficult beginnings of his acting career. The Only Fools and Horses star, also celebrated for Open All Hours, The Darling Buds of May and A Touch of Frost, opened up about the challenges he faced before finding lasting success on television.
The 86-year-old made his TV debut in ITV soap Crossroads in 1964. Seventeen years later, he secured the role that would make him a household name: lovable wheeler-dealer Derek “Del Boy” Trotter in the BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses.
Before establishing himself on screen, Jason began his career in theatre. Recalling a production of The Wizard of Oz, in which he played the Scarecrow alongside Wendy Padbury, the actor revealed that landing a professional role did not immediately provide financial security. He soon had to return to his previous job as an electrician.
During a recent event in London, the veteran comedian discussed his career in front of a live audience and BBC presenter Mike Bushell.
“I had to go back to earn a living,” the legendary actor and comedian told guests at An Evening with Sir David Jason. “Before I managed to get my first job as a professional actor, I had trained to become an electrician.”
Jason explained that even after finding work in the West End, he still needed to rely on his former trade between acting jobs.
He had previously worked as an electrician and joined the Bromley Repertory Company at around the age of 25.
David added: “The point of the story was that I was able to go back to doing that job [as an electrician] when I hadn’t got any work as an actor.”
Now regarded as one of Britain’s most accomplished and versatile performers, Jason has enjoyed a career spanning more than six decades, beginning in 1963.
His first television appearance came in Crossroads in 1964. Three years later, he turned to comedy with the sketch series Do Not Adjust Your Set.
After catching the attention of Ronnie Barker, Jason joined the cast of Hark at Barker in 1969. The pair went on to star in a pilot for Open All Hours in 1973, which became a full series in 1976.
The following year, Jason led his own sitcom, A Sharp Intake of Breath, which ran until 1981. That was when he took on his defining role as Del Trotter in Only Fools and Horses.
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, he continued to appear in a succession of much-loved productions, including The Darling Buds of May and A Touch of Frost.
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