The son of a solicitor, British character actor John Le Mesurier attended public school in Dorset, England, before embarking on a career in law. However, acting was his true calling, and at age 20, with his parents' approval, he began his acting career by studying drama at the Fay Compton School of Acting, where one of his classmates was 'Alec Guinness' ". In 1977, during "Dad's Army", he had become very ill, but he recovered and continued acting until his death six years later.
He had two sons with actress Hattie Jacques : Robin Le Mesurier (born 22 March 1953) and Kim Le Mesurier (born 12 October 1956). Kim died of an accidental drugs overdose on 6 October 1991, exactly 11 years after his mothers death.
He was asked his wife Joan to place in The Times the following announcement of his death: "John Le Mesurier wishes it to be known that he conked out on November 15th. He sadly misses his family and friends.".
He was quoted as saying "Its all been rather lovely" before slipping into a final coma.
In her book, "Dear John", Joan Le Mesurier gives her husbands date of death as 16th November 1983.
He separated from his wife Joan Le Mesurier in the mid-1960s when she had an affair with their mutual friend Tony Hancock. John was understanding, and they began living together again after Hancocks death in 1968.
His autobiography "A Jobbing Actor" was released posthumously in 1984.
His surname was pronounced like "measurer" - the "i" was silent.
A memorial service for him took place at St Pauls, Covent Garden (commonly known as the Actors Church) on 16 February 1984.
He is best known for his role on "Dads Army" . He also went on to play Bilbo Baggins in the BBC Radio production of The Lord of the Rings, opposite Ian Holm and Bill Nighy. Holm went on to play Bilbo in Peter Jackson s films, while Nighy appeared in Dads Army .
He was the son of Charles Elton (1881-1964) and Amy Michelle Halliley (ne Le Mesurier) (1878-1968).
He says in his autobiography that the original idea for "Dads Army" was for him to play Captain Mainwaring and for Arthur Lowe to be an NCO. He says I hate to think how we would have fared if we had followed that.
He made a series of commercials for Australian television advertising British Airways.
He voiced the Home Pride Flour commercials on television for 16 years.
He loved jazz and going to Ronnie Scotts famous jazz club in London.
He grew up in Bury St Edmunds where, following his fathers wishes, he studied law for a while and worked in a solicitors office, but his love was acting and he eventually joined a rep company.
In 1977 he was diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver but recovered and lived for another six years before dying in Ramsgate Hospital.
He met Joan Malin, who would become his third wife, in 1964. His then wife, Hattie Jacques , was having an affair with her driver, John Schofield, and John agreed to take the blame in the divorce case so as not to damage her reputation or career. He and Joan remained good friends with Hattie until her death in 1980.
A few months into their marriage, John Le Mesurierss third wife, Joan, left him for his best friend, Tony Hancock. A year later, having found Hancock an alcoholic, violent and impossible to live with, Joan returned to John. Hancock committed suicide in Australia in 1968. John was very forgiving of Joan and defended her for the rest of his days.
Would ruefully deflect congratulation on his BAFTA win (for his role as Adrian Harris in Dennis Potter s acclaimed "Play for Today" {Traitor (#2.1)} by pointing out that the inscription it carried was the somewhat less-than-complimentary "John Le Mesurier - Traitor".
Could play the piano.
