John Standing


Sir John Ronald Leon, 4th Baronet, known professionally as John Standing, is an English actor.
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Early life

Standing was born in London, the son of Kay Hammond, an actress, and Sir Ronald George Leon, 3rd Baronet, a stockbroker descended from Sir Herbert Leon, the builder of Bletchley Park. He succeeded his father as the 4th baronet in 1964, but does not use the title. The Leon family were, until 1937, owners of Bletchley Park. After the government acquired it, the country house in Buckinghamshire was used in the Second World War as a code-breaking centre.
Leon was educated at Eton College and Millfield School, Somerset. He did his National Service in the King's Royal Rifle Corps as a second lieutenant from 1954 to 1955, when he transferred to the Territorial Army. Later he studied at the Byam Shaw School of Art in London.

Career

Standing began his theatre career in Peter Brook's 1955 production of Titus Andronicus starring Laurence Olivier and wife Vivien Leigh. He later played leading parts in Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest, Christopher Fry's Ring Round the Moon, A Sense of Detachment by John Osborne, and Noël Coward's Private Lives, with Maggie Smith. He was nominated for an Olivier award for Close of Play at the National Theatre.
He made his film debut in The Wild and the Willing, going on to appear in King Rat, Walk, Don't Run, The Psychopath, The Eagle Has Landed, The Elephant Man, Nightflyers, Mrs Dalloway and A Good Woman.
One of his first major television roles was as Sidney Godolphin in the BBC twelve-part serial, The First Churchills. Other television appearances include Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy ; the ITV sitcom The Other 'Arf, with Lorraine Chase; The Choir and King Solomon's Mines. In the United States, he made guest appearances in numerous weekly programmes including L.A. Law, Civil Wars and Murder, She Wrote, and co-starred briefly with Robert Wagner and Samantha Smith in the action series Lime Street. In 1976, he also appeared opposite Peter O'Toole in the little-seen BBC thriller film, Rogue Male, directed by Clive Donner.
He appeared in the horror film Nightflyers adapted from a short story by George R. R. Martin. In 2002, he had a speaking credit on Lost Horizons, the second studio album from the British electronic duo Lemon Jelly. On track 1, "Elements", he lists the basic “elements" that make up the world: ash, metal, water, wood, fire and sky. On track 3, "Ramblin' Man", Standing reads a long list of various locations around the world, ranging from small Sussex villages to major world capitals.
In July 2010, it was confirmed that he would be appearing as Jon Arryn in the HBO series Game of Thrones, based on Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire novels.

Filmography

Film roles

A Pair of Briefs – Hubert ShannonThe Wild and the Willing – ArthurThe Iron Maiden – Humphrey Gore-BrownHot Enough for June – Men's Room Attendant King Rat – DavenThe Psychopath – Mark Von SturmWalk, Don't Run – Julius D. HaversackTorture Garden – Leo Winston A Touch of Love – Roger HendersonAll the Right Noises – NigelX Y & Zee – GordonAu Pair Girls – BusterRogue Male – Major Quive-SmithThe Eagle Has Landed – Father Philip VereckerSpace: 1999, The Mark of Archanon – PascThe Legacy – Jason MountoliveThe Class of Miss MacMichael – Charles FairbrotherThe Sea Wolves – FinleyThe Elephant Man – FoxPrivates on Parade – Captain Sholto SavoryTo Catch a King – Duke of WindsorThe Young Visiters – Prince of WalesInvitation to the Wedding – Earl HarryNightflyers – Michael D'BranninChaplin – ButlerMrs Dalloway – Richard DallowayThe Man Who Knew Too Little – Gilbert Embleton8½ Women – Philip EmmenthalRogue Trader – Peter BaringMad Cows – PoliticianPandaemonium – Rev. HollandThe Calling – Jack PlummerQueen's Messenger – Foreign SecretaryWitness to a Kill – Foreign SecretaryShoreditch – Jenson ThackeryJack Brown and the Curse of the Crown – Sheldon GottiA Good Woman – DumbyAnimal – Dean FrydmanV for Vendetta – Bishop Anthony LillimanLassie – FrenchScoop – Garden Party GuestsRabbit Fever – Ally's dadOutlaw – Captain MardellI Want Candy – Michael de VereBefore the Rains – Charles HumphriesCheerful Weather for the Wedding – Horace SpigottQueen and Country – Grandfather GeorgeThe Hippopotamus – PodmoreThe Happy Prince – Dr. TuckerThe Great Escaper - Arthur

Television roles

The Avengers – EastThe Saint – GendarmeArmchair Theatre – SiaruDanger Man – JamesThe First Churchills – Sidney GodolphinSpace: 1999 – PascVan der Valk – EhrlichTinker Tailor Soldier Spy – Sam CollinsPygmalion – Col. PickeringMurder, She Wrote – Chief Daniel Trent / Arthur ConstableThe Endless Game – BelfrageL.A. Law – Nigel MorrisEerie, Indiana - Professor Zirchon The Old Boy Network – Peter DuckhamRiders – Malise GordonGulliver's Travels – Admiral BolgolamA Dance to the Music of Time – Nicholas JenkinsNYPD Blue – Jimmy CheathamThe Real Jane Austen - Mr. AustenMidsomer Murders - Charles Rust - “Bad Tidings”The Line of Beauty – Lord Kessler