Brian Jackson: Star of Man from Del Monte adverts dies aged 91

Brian Jackson: Star of Man from Del Monte adverts dies aged 91

Postby rebbonk » Fri Jul 08, 2022 9:08 pm

The actor who starred in the catchy Man from Del Monte TV adverts of the 1980s has died at the age of 91.

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Bolton-born Brian Jackson died at his home in London's West End after being treated for prostate cancer.

A statement from his family said the father-of-five's final moments were with his wife and youngest daughter.

Jackson played a suave white-suited businessman in a panama hat in the fruit juice commercials, which continued to run for some 20 years.

In them, he would be asked to approve fruit produce for the Del Monte company, to which he would reply: "The man from Del Monte, he say yes!"

He starred in 25 of the adverts, which were viewed around the world and saw his catchphrase becoming a familiar cultural reference around playgrounds, television shows and comedy acts.

The commercials also inspired the name of 1980s Manchester indie band Man From Delmonte.

His daughter Jo said: "I definitely got teased in the playground. It's crazy he is still part of the 80s culture yet he did so much in his life.

"Every actor would like to be remembered for their Macbeth but when we went to Italy on holiday he was treated like a pop star, which he found quite funny."

Jackson's career saw him begin life as a Royal Navy press photographer before becoming an actor, director and producer with his credits spanning TV, film and the stage.

He made film appearances in Carry On Sergeant, Revenge of the Pink Panther and The Heroes of Telemark as well as roles in landmark television series such as The Avengers, The Persuaders, Z Cars and Casualty.

His family said he was "particularly proud" of Hamden Gurney Studios in London's West End, which he founded.

The studios' resident musician Vangelis recorded his Oscar-winning scores for Chariots of Fire and Blade Runner there.

Over the years Jackson performed alongside stellar names including Roger Moore and Ginger Rodgers, while his memoirs are peppered with stories of encounters as singer Eartha Kitt, Joan Collins and Zsa Zsa Gabor.

He also voiced and appeared in hundreds of documentaries and was a regular on BBC radio.

His stage career included time with The Royal Shakespeare Company.

But it was his Del Monte fame that resonated as loud as ever, and Mr Jackson's daughter said people would sometimes shout out the advert's catchphrase in the street.

She added: "We've got life-sized cardboard cut-outs of him in the Del Monte suit.

"He was acting from the 1950s until about three years ago. There are some hilarious stories from his past."


Source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-62098144
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Re: Brian Jackson: Star of Man from Del Monte adverts dies aged 91

Postby dutchman » Sat Jul 09, 2022 3:12 am

He also appeared in 35 different TV series including "Quatermass and the Pit" which I've got on DVD.

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0413319/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0

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