- Joined the British army and served in India and Burma during World War II.
- He was drunk through much of the production of Tom Jones (1963). The scene in which his horse falls on him was not planned, and many believe he was saved only by virtue of his inebriated condition. The film incorporated every frame of footage before rescuers entered the scene to assist him.
- Appeared in three Best Picture Oscar winners: Ben-Hur (1959), Tom Jones (1963) and Oliver! (1968); and one Best Picture Oscar nominee: Mutiny on the Bounty (1962).
- Was nominated for Broadway's 1958 Tony Award as Best Actor (Dramatic) for "Look Homeward, Angel."
- His sister Elen Roger Jones was a well-known actress in her native Wales.
- With his Oscar win for Ben-Hur (1959), he became the second Welsh performer to win an Oscar for acting. The first was Ray Milland.
- During production of How to Steal a Million (1966), he was fired for persistent bad behavior, including walking around naked through the corridors of the George V Hotel holding a 'Do not disturb' sign over his privates, which he'd altered to read 'Do disturb'.
- He was affectionately described by Charlton Heston as "that wild Welsh goat", but others were less affectionate - it is known that Edith Evans, who played his sister in Tom Jones (1963), actively couldn't stand him, any more than he could her. However, as they were supposed to be antagonists in the film, each used this hostility to the film's advantage.
- He may have also appeared in a 1954 short entitled Outpost.
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content