The son of a police superintendent in India, the character actor James Hayter was educated in Scotland, where he was urged into acting by his headmaster. After one year .
Made his stage debut in 1925. He played Alfred Doolittle in Pygmalion in the West End at the Drury Lane Theatre and on tour for five years.
He did not return to "Are You Being Served?" after his first season on the show, even though he intended to, as he was made a better offer NOT to appear on it. He had been doing the TV voice-overs for Mr. Kiplings Cakes, but the firm did not like him playing Mr. Tebbs, as they thought the character was unpleasant and it would hurt their products image. When Hayter defied Mr. Kiplings request that he quit the show, saying he would continue in the part, the firm offered him three times his BBC salary if he terminated his connection with "Are You Being Served?". According to co-star Nicholas Smith , who was co-starring in a farce with Hayter during the off-season, "I said, what was he going to decide? Well, my boy, he growled, if they will pay me three times as much not to do it, then I wont do it. At my time of life I have no more ambition!" Hayter, who had replaced Arthur Brough on the show, was himself replaced by Alfie Bass , who also lasted just one season.
He died only four days before his Four Sided Triangle co-star Stephen Murray.
He played Friar Tuck in two unrelated Robin Hood films: The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men (1952) and A Challenge for Robin Hood .
Grandfather of Charity Wakefield.
Father of Robin Hayter.
