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{{Short description|British actor (born 1968)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2012}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2012}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2012}}
{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
| name = James Dreyfus
| image = JamesDreyfus.jpg
| image = JamesDreyfus.jpg
| imagesize = 225px
| caption = Dreyfus in 2004
| caption =
| birth_name = James Louis de Zogheb Dreyfus
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1968|10|9|df=y}}
| birthname =
| birth_place = [[London]], England
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1968|10|9|df=y}}
| education = [[Royal Academy of Dramatic Art]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])
| birth_place = [[France]]
| occupation = Actor
| nationality = [[British people|British]]
| other_names =
| years_active = 1995–present
| television = ''[[The Thin Blue Line (British TV series)|The Thin Blue Line]]'' (1995–1996) <br /> ''[[Absolutely Fabulous]]'' (1995–1996) <br /> ''[[Gimme Gimme Gimme (TV series)|Gimme Gimme Gimme]]'' (1999–2001) <br /> ''[[The Sarah Jane Adventures]]'' (2011) <br /> ''[[Mount Pleasant (TV series)|Mount Pleasant]]'' (2012–2017)
| occupation = Actor
| years_active = 1993&ndash;present
| notable_works = ''[[The Thin Blue Line (TV series)|The Thin Blue Line]]'' <small>(1995&ndash;96)</small> <br /> ''[[Gimme Gimme Gimme (TV series)|Gimme Gimme Gimme]]'' <small>(1999&ndash;01)</small> <br /> ''[[Mount Pleasant (TV series)|Mount Pleasant]]'' <small>(2012&ndash;)</small>
}}
}}
'''James Louis de Zogheb Dreyfus''' (born 9 October 1968) is an English actor most notable for roles on television sitcoms ''[[The Thin Blue Line (British TV series)|The Thin Blue Line]]'' as Constable Kevin Goody, and ''[[Gimme Gimme Gimme (TV series)|Gimme Gimme Gimme]]'' as Tom Farrell. Dreyfus is most recently known for a role as Reverend Roger in ''[[Mount Pleasant (TV series)|Mount Pleasant]]''.


In London's [[West End theatre|West End]], Dreyfus starred in ''[[The Producers (musical)|The Producers]]'' in 2004 as [[Carmen Ghia]]. In 2006, he starred as the Emcee in ''[[Cabaret (musical)|Cabaret]]''.
'''James Dreyfus''' (born 9 October 1968) is an English actor. He is most notable for his roles on television sitcoms ''[[The Thin Blue Line (TV series)|The Thin Blue Line]]'' as Constable Kevin Goody, and ''[[Gimme Gimme Gimme (TV series)|Gimme Gimme Gimme]]'' as Tom Farrell. He is most recently known for his role as Reverend Roger in ''[[Mount Pleasant (TV series)|Mount Pleasant]]''.


== Early life and career ==
== Early life ==
James Louis de Zogheb Dreyfus was born on 9 October 1968 in [[Islington]], London.<ref>{{cite web |title=James Louis de Zogheb Dreyfus |url=https://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/search.pl |website=FreeBMD |access-date=8 June 2023}}</ref> His parents divorced when he was very young.<ref name="Fletcher">Fletcher, Mary, ''Why life's looking Goody for James'', TV Times, pg 31.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Interview%3A+James+Dreyfus+-+The+phone+call+that+destroyed+my+Hollywood...-a079734702|title=Interview: James Dreyfus |author=Thomas Quinn|publisher=thefreelibrary.com|access-date=24 January 2015}}</ref> His mother, Margo de Zoghels, was a model.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2013/jan/11/what-see-in-mirror-james-dreyfus|title=What I see in the mirror: James Dreyfus|website=The Guardian|last=Dreyfus|first=James|date=11 January 2013|access-date=11 January 2024}}</ref> She and his maternal grandparents were from Egypt.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/DreyfusJames/status/1773687536902173154|title=I'm not religious, but was brought up C of E, because the UK is where my mother eventually settled when she & my grandparents were forced out of Egypt. And she always made Easter such a fun time.|via=Twitter|date=29 March 2024|access-date=29 March 2024}}</ref>{{Primary source inline|date=March 2024}}
He was born in [[France]] but moved to England at an early age and was educated at [[Harrow School]]<ref>{{cite news|title=How We Met: James Dreyfus & Robert Portal|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/extras/sunday-review/regulars/how-we-met-james-dreyfus--robert-portal-823464.html|publisher=[[The Independent]]|date=11 May 2008}}</ref> and then trained at the [[Royal Academy of Dramatic Art]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/entertainment/film_and_tv/s/1028535_double_trouble_for_james
|title=Double trouble for James|publisher=[[Manchester Evening News]]|accessdate=2008-04-06|last=Wylie|first=Ian}}</ref> His parents divorced when he was very young.<ref name="Fletcher">Fletcher, Mary, ''Why life's looking Goody for James'', TV Times, pg 31.</ref> He is gay.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Interview%3A+James+Dreyfus+-+The+phone+call+that+destroyed+my+Hollywood...-a079734702|title=Interview: James Dreyfus |author=Thomas Quinn|publisher=thefreelibrary.com|accessdate=24 January 2015}}</ref>


He was educated at [[Harrow School]].<ref>{{cite news|title=How We Met: James Dreyfus & Robert Portal|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/extras/sunday-review/regulars/how-we-met-james-dreyfus--robert-portal-823464.html|work=[[The Independent]]|date=11 May 2008}}</ref> He then trained at the [[Royal Academy of Dramatic Art]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/entertainment/film_and_tv/s/1028535_double_trouble_for_james
In 1998, Dreyfus won the Best Supporting Performance in a Musical [[Olivier Award]] for his work in ''The Lady In The Dark'' at the [[Royal National Theatre|National Theatre]]. In the same year he was nominated for the [[Ian Charleson Award]] for his performance as Cassius in Shakespeare's ''Julius Caesar'' at the [[Birmingham Rep]].
|title=Double trouble for James|work=[[Manchester Evening News]]|access-date=2008-04-06|last=Wylie|first=Ian|date=14 December 2007}}</ref>


==Career ==
== Career ==
Dreyfus' first television break came with the BBC comedy series ''[[Absolutely Fabulous]]''.<ref name=sheengate>{{cite web|url=http://www.sheengate.co.uk/richmond-and-barnes/2013/01/31/our-interview-with-james-dreyfus/|title=Our interview with James Dreyfus|publisher=sheengate.co.uk|accessdate=24 January 2015}}</ref>


In 1998, Dreyfus won the Best Supporting Performance in a Musical [[Olivier Award]] for his work in ''The Lady in the Dark'' at the [[Royal National Theatre|National Theatre]]. In the same year, Dreyfus won Second Prize at the [[Ian Charleson Awards]] for his 1997 performance as Cassius in Shakespeare's ''Julius Caesar'' at the [[Birmingham Rep]].<ref>Harlow, John. "Winning in a double act". ''Sunday Times''. 26 April 1998. (Online reprint: [https://web.archive.org/web/20140424093731/http://monszter.tripod.com/JHmultimedia/Winning-in-double-act.htm]).</ref>
Dreyfus has created some memorable comedy characters, particularly on British television, including Constable Kevin Goody in [[Ben Elton]]'s [[sitcom]] ''[[The Thin Blue Line (TV series)|The Thin Blue Line]]'' and [[Tom Farrell (Gimme Gimme Gimme)|Tom Farrell]], the gay flatmate of Linda ([[Kathy Burke]]) in ''[[Gimme Gimme Gimme (TV series)|Gimme Gimme Gimme]]''. Dreyfus played opposite [[Bette Midler]] in the short-lived [[United States|American]] sitcom ''[[Bette (TV series)|Bette]]''.


Dreyfus's first television break came with the BBC comedy series ''[[Absolutely Fabulous]]''.<ref name=sheengate>{{cite web|url=http://www.sheengate.co.uk/richmond-and-barnes/2013/01/31/our-interview-with-james-dreyfus/|title=Our interview with James Dreyfus|publisher=sheengate.co.uk|access-date=24 January 2015|archive-date=25 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170625195010/http://www.sheengate.co.uk/richmond-and-barnes/2013/01/31/our-interview-with-james-dreyfus/|url-status=dead}}</ref> followed by roles as Constable Kevin Goody in [[Ben Elton]]'s [[sitcom]] ''[[The Thin Blue Line (British TV series)|The Thin Blue Line]]'' and [[Tom Farrell (Gimme Gimme Gimme)|Tom Farrell]], the gay flatmate of Linda ([[Kathy Burke]]) in ''[[Gimme Gimme Gimme (TV series)|Gimme Gimme Gimme]]''. Dreyfus played opposite [[Bette Midler]] in the short-lived [[United States|American]] sitcom ''[[Bette (TV series)|Bette]]''.
In November 2004, Dreyfus played Carmen Ghia in the London premiere of [[Mel Brooks]]' musical ''[[The Producers (musical)|The Producers]]'', at the [[Theatre Royal, Drury Lane]]. He played the role for 10 months until August 2005.


Known for portraying "camp, endearing characters," Dreyfus (in a ''Sheengate Publishing'' interview) compared the character Frank Spencer from ''[[Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em]]'', whom he described as a campy but married heterosexual, to Dreyfus's character Kevin Goody from ''The Thin Blue Line''. Regarding his character Tom Farrell from ''Gimme Gimme Gimme'', Dreyfus hypothesized that, even if the character were heterosexual, the actor would still portray Tom as camp and flamboyant.<ref name=interview2010s/> Furthermore, Dreyfus said that he felt that he became [[Typecasting (acting)|typecast]] due to his portrayals of "flamboyant" characters.<ref name=interview2010s>[http://www.sheengate.co.uk/richmond-and-barnes/2013/01/31/our-interview-with-james-dreyfus/ Our interview with James Dreyfus] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170625195010/http://www.sheengate.co.uk/richmond-and-barnes/2013/01/31/our-interview-with-james-dreyfus/ |date=25 June 2017 }}. Interviewed by Rob Edwards. ''Sheengate Publishing''. 31 January 2013.</ref>
He played Thermoman in the [[BBC One]] comedy ''[[My Hero (UK TV series)|My Hero]]'', a role he took over in the sixth series from [[Ardal O'Hanlon]]. Although the same character, he used the name George Monday, as opposed to Ardal O'Hanlon's character's name, George Sunday. After disappointing ratings, the show was axed.


He played Thermoman in the [[BBC One]] comedy ''[[My Hero (British TV series)|My Hero]]'', a role he took over in the sixth series from [[Ardal O'Hanlon]]. Although the same character, he used the name George Monday, as opposed to Ardal O'Hanlon's character's name, George Sunday. After disappointing ratings, the show was cancelled.
Dreyfus also starred as [[Raymond Bessone|Mr. Teasy-Weasy]] in the 2004 comedy film ''[[Churchill: The Hollywood Years]]''.


Dreyfus also starred as [[Raymond Bessone|Mr Teasy-Weasy]] in the 2004 comedy film ''[[Churchill: The Hollywood Years]]''.
In March 2006, he returned to the [[West End theatre|West End]] stage in a revival of [[Michael Frayn]]'s comedy ''[[Donkeys' Years]]'' at the [[Comedy Theatre]] alongside [[Samantha Bond]], [[David Haig]] and [[Mark Addy]]. He left in August of that year to prepare for his new lead role as the Emcee in a West End revival of ''[[Cabaret (musical)|Cabaret]]''. In 2008 he appeared in revival of [[Simon Gray]]'s ''The Common Pursuit'' at the [[Menier Chocolate Factory]].


From 2012 to 2017, Dreyfus appeared as Reverend Roger in the [[Sky Living]] series ''[[Mount Pleasant (TV series)|Mount Pleasant]]''.
From September 2009 to January 2010 he appeared in ''[[Breakfast at Tiffany's (musical)|Breakfast At Tiffany's]]'' at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket, London.


In 2017, he voiced an incarnation of [[The Master (Doctor Who)|The Master]] from ''[[Doctor Who]]'' in the [[Big Finish Productions]] release [[Doctor Who: The First Doctor Adventures|The First Doctor Adventures Volume One]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/doctor-who-the-first-doctor-adventures-volume-01-1692|title=1. Doctor Who: The First Doctor Adventures Volume 01 - Doctor Who - The First Doctor Adventures - Big Finish|website=bigfinish.com|access-date=18 May 2020}}</ref> going on to appear as the character in 2019's 'The Home Guard',<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/doctor-who-the-home-guard-2060|title=6.1. Doctor Who: The Home Guard - Doctor Who - The Early Adventures - Big Finish|website=bigfinish.com|access-date=18 May 2020}}</ref> 2020's 'The Psychic Circus'<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/doctor-who-the-psychic-circus-1291|title=261. Doctor Who: The Psychic Circus - Doctor Who - The Monthly Adventures - Big Finish|website=bigfinish.com|access-date=18 May 2020}}</ref> and 2022's 'Blood of the Time Lords'. In an interview on SpectatorTV, Dreyfus claimed he was dismissed from the role following comments made on Twitter in support of author [[JK Rowling]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCzAEVzDAW8&list=TLPQMDcwMTIwMjMfcUwrLZGlCQ&index=2&ab_channel=TheSpectator|title=James Dreyfus: cancelled from Dr Who for supporting JK Rowling |publisher= SpectatorTV|access-date=7 January 2022}}</ref>
In January 2012 he appeared in the ''[[Midsomer Murders]]'' episode "A Rare Bird" as Ralph Ford.


==Personal life==
Since 2012 Dreyfus has been appearing as Reverend Roger in the [[Sky Living]] series ''[[Mount Pleasant (TV series)|Mount Pleasant]]''.
Dreyfus is gay and a member of the anti-trans<ref name="Constructing">{{cite journal |last1=Guyan |first1=Kevin |date=4 January 2021 |title=Constructing a queer population? Asking about sexual orientation in Scotland's 2022 census |journal=Journal of Gender Studies |pages=1–11 |doi=10.1080/09589236.2020.1866513 |quote=LGB Alliance (2019) (a UK trans-exclusionary LGB organization) argued the NRS proposal 'would suggest that other sexual orientations exist beyond attraction to the opposite sex, same sex or both sexes' (p. 2) and requested that the census not include the term 'Other sexual orientation' as a response option |doi-access=free |url= https://eprints.gla.ac.uk/245375/1/245375.pdf |access-date=19 December 2023 |archive-date=9 March 2024 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20240309224504/https://eprints.gla.ac.uk/245375/1/245375.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Protect">{{cite journal |title="Protect the women!" Trans-exclusionary feminist issue framing and support for transgender rights |last1=Turnbull-Dugarte |first1=Stuart J. |last2=McMillan |first2=Fraser |date=3 November 2022 |journal=Policy Studies Journal |volume=51 |issue=3 |pages=629–666 |issn=0190-292X|doi=10.1111/psj.12484|quote=The case of the LGB Alliance charity is of note. The trans-exclusionary position of the organization engendered significant debate among the LGBT+ community in Scotland. |doi-access=free |url= https://eprints.gla.ac.uk/284644/1/284644.pdf}}</ref><ref name="On Decolonizing">{{cite journal |last1=Monque |first1=Pedro |date=3 February 2021 |title=On Decolonizing Social Ontology and the Feminist Canon for Transnational Feminisms: Comments on Serene J. Khader's Decolonizing Universalism |journal= Metaphilosophy |pages=meta.12468 |doi=10.1111/meta.12468 |quote=some trans‐exclusionary LGB movements have begun to form around TERF ideology (for example, the LGB Alliance in the United Kingdom and the Red LGB movement in Spain). |s2cid=234040622}}</ref><ref name="Sociology">{{cite journal |title=The Growth of the Anti-Transgender Movement in the United Kingdom. The Silent Radicalization of the British Electorate |last1=McLean |first1=Craig |date=2 November 2021 |journal=International Journal of Sociology |volume=51 |issue=6 |pages=473–482 |issn= 0020-7659 |doi=10.1080/00207659.2021.1939946 |doi-access=free}}</ref> <ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=16 March 2022 |title=Transphobia and The Far Right |url= https://hopenothate.org.uk/2022/03/16/transphobia-and-the-far-right/#_ftn1 |access-date=6 August 2022 |website=Hope not Hate |quote=LGB Alliance is an anti-trans campaign group... |archive-date=16 November 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20221116104647/https://hopenothate.org.uk/2022/03/16/transphobia-and-the-far-right/#_ftn1 |url-status=live }}</ref> group <ref name="iwgb" /><ref name="independent">{{cite news |url= https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/matt-lucas-lgb-alliance-trans-b1929993.html |title=Matt Lucas calls LGB Alliance 'anti-trans': 'It doesn't represent me or any gay people I care to know' |website=The Independent |location= London |date=30 September 2021 |last=Lewis |first=Isobel |access-date=11 October 2021 |archive-date=3 November 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20221103000517/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/matt-lucas-lgb-alliance-trans-b1929993.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="manchestereveningnews">{{cite news |url= https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/whats-on/man-evicted-manchester-pride-protest-21438362 |last=Maidment |first=Adam |title=Man 'evicted' from Manchester Pride protest after crowds turn on him over 'hateful' shirt |website=Manchester Evening News |date=30 August 2021 |access-date=11 October 2021 |archive-date=28 June 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220628093622/https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/whats-on/man-evicted-manchester-pride-protest-21438362 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/10/14/russell-t-davies-lgb-alliance-attitude-awards/ |last=Maurice |first=Emma Powys |title=Russell T Davies takes down LGB Alliance in incendiary speech: 'To cut out the T is to kill' |website=PinkNews |location=London |date=14 October 2021 |access-date=15 October 2021 |archive-date=15 October 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20211015210924/https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/10/14/russell-t-davies-lgb-alliance-attitude-awards/ |url-status=live }}</ref> [[LGB Alliance]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AOHskjAeMc|title=James Dreyfus on being 'erased' from Dr Who: 'When people say cancel culture doesn't exist I laugh''|website=GB News|date=17 October 2021|access-date=11 March 2023}}</ref>


== Filmography ==
In February 2015 Dreyfus is to appear on stage in ''[[Harvey (play)|Harvey]]'', directed by [[Lindsay Posner]]. The production opens at [[Birmingham Repertory Theatre]] and runs until 21 February, before a UK tour and the [[West End theatre|West End]].<ref>{{Cite web
| url = http://britishtheatre.com/james-freyfus-star-new-production-harvey/
| title = James Dreyfus To Star In New Production Of Harvey
| website = British Theatre
| language = en-GB
| access-date = 2016-02-27
}}</ref>

In January 2016, he appeared as Dr Herdal in "The Master Builder" at the Old Vic Theatre.

== Selected works ==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Year
! Year
Line 61: Line 52:
|1995||''Thin Ice'' ||Greg||
|1995||''Thin Ice'' ||Greg||
|-
|-
|1995–96||''[[The Thin Blue Line (TV series)|The Thin Blue Line]]''||Constable Kevin Goody ||TV series (14 episodes)
|1995–96||''[[The Thin Blue Line (British TV series)|The Thin Blue Line]]''||Constable Kevin Goody ||TV series (14 episodes)
|-
|-
|1995–96||''[[Absolutely Fabulous]]''||Christopher ||TV series (2 episodes)
|1995–96||''[[Absolutely Fabulous]]''||Christopher ||TV series (2 episodes)
Line 71: Line 62:
|1999–2001||''[[Gimme Gimme Gimme (TV series)|Gimme Gimme Gimme]]''||[[Tom Farrell (Gimme Gimme Gimme)|Tom Farrell]]||TV series (19 episodes)
|1999–2001||''[[Gimme Gimme Gimme (TV series)|Gimme Gimme Gimme]]''||[[Tom Farrell (Gimme Gimme Gimme)|Tom Farrell]]||TV series (19 episodes)
|-
|-
|Rowspan=2|2000||''[[The Nearly Complete and Utter History of Everything]]''||Swedish Ambassador||Two-part BBC special celebration for the new millennium.
|2000||''[[Gormenghast (TV serial)|Gormenghast]]''||Professor Fluke||TV
|-
|-
|2000||''[[Bette (TV series)|Bette]]''||Oscar||U.S. TV series (18 episodes)
|''[[Gormenghast (TV serial)|Gormenghast]]''||Professor Fluke||TV
|-
|-
|2000–2001||''[[Bette (TV series)|Bette]]''||Oscar||U.S. TV series (18 episodes)
|2004||''Fat Slags''||Fidor||TV
|-
|-
|2004||''[[Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London]]''||Gordon||
| rowspan="4" |2004||''[[Fat Slags (film)|Fat Slags]]''||Fidor Konstantin||TV
|-
|-
|2005||''[[Willo the Wisp]]''||Voice||
|''[[Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London]]''||Gordon||
|-
|-
|''[[The Producers (musical)|The Producers]]''||[[List of The Producers characters#Carmen Ghia|Carmen Ghia]]||[[Theatre Royal, Drury Lane]]
|2006||''[[Colour Me Kubrick]]''||Melvyn Prescott ||
|-
|-
|2006||''[[My Hero (UK TV series)|My Hero]]''||George Monday / Thermoman ||TV series (8 episodes)
|''[[Waking the Dead (TV series)|Waking the Dead]]''||Raymond Carstairs||
|-
|-
|2005||''[[Willo the Wisp]]''||All voices||Revival to original 1981 series
|2007||''Cabaret''||Emcee||West End theatre production
|-
|-
| rowspan="2" |2006||''[[Colour Me Kubrick]]''||Melvyn Prescott ||
|2007||''Double Time''||Lawrence Nixon/George McCabe ||
|-
|-
|''[[My Hero (British TV series)|My Hero]]''||George Monday / Thermoman ||TV series (8 episodes)
|2007||''[[Nina and the Neurons]]''||Felix (voice)||
|-
|-
|2009||''[[Casualty (TV series)|Casualty]]''||Rory||TV
|2006–07||''[[Cabaret (musical)|Cabaret]]''||Emcee||[[Lyric Theatre, London]]
|-
|-
| rowspan="2" |2007||''[[Double Time (film)|Double Time]]''||Lawrence Nixon/George McCabe ||
|2011||''[[The Sarah Jane Adventures]]''||Harrison||TV
|-
|-
|2012||''[[Midsomer Murders]]''||Ralph Ford||TV
|''[[Nina and the Neurons]]''||Felix (voice)||
|-
|-
|2012||''[[Holby City]]''||Felix||TV
|2009||''[[Casualty (TV series)|Casualty]]''||Rory||TV
|-
|-
|2011||''[[The Sarah Jane Adventures]]''||Harrison||Episode: "The Man Who Never Was"
|2012||''[[Whitechapel (TV series)|Whitechapel]]''||Ripperologist Charlie Cross||TV
|-
|-
| rowspan="3" |2012||''[[Midsomer Murders]]''||Ralph Ford||Episode: "A Rare Bird"
|2012–present||''[[Mount Pleasant (TV series)|Mount Pleasant]]''||Reverend Roger||TV
|-
|-
|2013||''[[Shameless (UK TV series)|Shameless]]''||School Inspector||TV
|''[[Holby City]]''||Felix||TV
|-
|''[[Whitechapel (TV series)|Whitechapel]]''||[[Jack the Ripper suspects#Charles Allen Lechmere|Charlie Cross]]||TV series, 2 episodes
|-
|2012–2017||''[[Mount Pleasant (TV series)|Mount Pleasant]]''||Reverend Roger||TV series
|-
|-
|2013||''Dandelion & Burdock''||Dandelion||TV
|2013||''Dandelion & Burdock''||Dandelion||TV
|-
|-
|2013–14||Candide||Dr Pangloss||Menier Chocolate Factory, London
|2015 || ''[[Father Brown (2013 TV series)|Father Brown]]'' || Binkie Cadwaller || Episode 3.10 "The Judgment of Man"
|-
|2013||''[[Shameless (British TV series)|Shameless]]''||Edward Clayhill||Episode: "An Inspector Calls"
|-
| rowspan="2" |2015 || ''[[Father Brown (2013 TV series)|Father Brown]]'' || Binkie Cadwaller || Episode 3.10 "The Judgment of Man"
|-
| ''[[Scottish Mussel]]'' || Headmaster ||
|-
| rowspan="3" |2019 || ''[[Harry & Meghan: Becoming Royal]]'' || Sir Leonard Briggs || TV movie
|-
| ''[[The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance]]'' || Lath'N ||
|-
|''[[Agatha Raisin (TV series)|Agatha Raisin]]''||Harry Witherspoon||S3 E1 Episode: "Agatha Raisin and The Haunted House"
|-
| rowspan="3" |2020 ||''[[Supernova (2020 film)|Supernova]]'' || Tim ||
|-
| ''The Hollow'' || || TV movie
|-
| ''The Harbour'' || Robert || Short
|-
|2021 || ''[[The Kindred (2021 film)|The Kindred]]'' || Mr. Mulvaney ||
|-
|2022 || ''Lips''|| Michael || Short | Short<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt16397804/|title=Lips|date=1 April 2022|publisher=IMDb}}</ref>
|-
|2023 || ''[[One Foot in the Grave#One Foot in the Grave - 30 Years Of Laughs|One Foot in the Grave - 30 Years Of Laughs]]'' || Himself || Documentary
|-
|2024 || ''[[House of the Dragon]]'' || [[List of House of the Dragon characters#Dragonstone|Lord Gormon Massey]]||TV series, 6 episodes
|-
|TBA || ''Cara'' || Greg Wilson || Pre-production
|}
|}


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== External links ==
== External links ==
*{{IMDb name|0237834}}
* {{IMDb name|0237834}}

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{{OlivierAward MusicalSupportingPerformance 1991–2000}}
{{OlivierAward MusicalSupportingPerformance 1991–2000}}
{{My Hero}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Authority control}}



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[[Category:1968 births]]
[[Category:1968 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century English LGBTQ people]]
[[Category:English atheists]]
[[Category:20th-century English male actors]]
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[[Category:21st-century English male actors]]
[[Category:Actors from the London Borough of Hounslow]]
[[Category:Actors from the London Borough of Islington]]
[[Category:Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art]]
[[Category:Comedians from the London Borough of Hounslow]]
[[Category:Comedians from the London Borough of Islington]]
[[Category:English gay actors]]
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[[Category:English male film actors]]
[[Category:English male film actors]]
[[Category:English male television actors]]
[[Category:English male stage actors]]
[[Category:English male musical theatre actors]]
[[Category:English male musical theatre actors]]
[[Category:English male voice actors]]
[[Category:English male radio actors]]
[[Category:English male radio actors]]
[[Category:People from Chiswick]]
[[Category:English male Shakespearean actors]]
[[Category:Male actors from London]]
[[Category:English male stage actors]]
[[Category:Gay actors]]
[[Category:English male television actors]]
[[Category:LGBT entertainers from England]]
[[Category:English male voice actors]]
[[Category:Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art]]
[[Category:Gay comedians]]
[[Category:Laurence Olivier Award winners]]
[[Category:Laurence Olivier Award winners]]
[[Category:LGBTQ people from London]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Male actors from London]]
[[Category:People educated at Harrow School]]
[[Category:People educated at Harrow School]]
[[Category:English male Shakespearean actors]]
[[Category:People from Chiswick]]
[[Category:British people of Egyptian descent]]
[[Category:People from Islington (district)]]

Latest revision as of 12:22, 30 December 2024

James Dreyfus
Dreyfus in 2004
Born
James Louis de Zogheb Dreyfus

(1968-10-09) 9 October 1968 (age 56)
London, England
EducationRoyal Academy of Dramatic Art (BA)
OccupationActor
Years active1995–present
TelevisionThe Thin Blue Line (1995–1996)
Absolutely Fabulous (1995–1996)
Gimme Gimme Gimme (1999–2001)
The Sarah Jane Adventures (2011)
Mount Pleasant (2012–2017)

James Louis de Zogheb Dreyfus (born 9 October 1968) is an English actor most notable for roles on television sitcoms The Thin Blue Line as Constable Kevin Goody, and Gimme Gimme Gimme as Tom Farrell. Dreyfus is most recently known for a role as Reverend Roger in Mount Pleasant.

In London's West End, Dreyfus starred in The Producers in 2004 as Carmen Ghia. In 2006, he starred as the Emcee in Cabaret.

Early life

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James Louis de Zogheb Dreyfus was born on 9 October 1968 in Islington, London.[1] His parents divorced when he was very young.[2][3] His mother, Margo de Zoghels, was a model.[4] She and his maternal grandparents were from Egypt.[5][non-primary source needed]

He was educated at Harrow School.[6] He then trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.[7]

Career

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In 1998, Dreyfus won the Best Supporting Performance in a Musical Olivier Award for his work in The Lady in the Dark at the National Theatre. In the same year, Dreyfus won Second Prize at the Ian Charleson Awards for his 1997 performance as Cassius in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar at the Birmingham Rep.[8]

Dreyfus's first television break came with the BBC comedy series Absolutely Fabulous.[9] followed by roles as Constable Kevin Goody in Ben Elton's sitcom The Thin Blue Line and Tom Farrell, the gay flatmate of Linda (Kathy Burke) in Gimme Gimme Gimme. Dreyfus played opposite Bette Midler in the short-lived American sitcom Bette.

Known for portraying "camp, endearing characters," Dreyfus (in a Sheengate Publishing interview) compared the character Frank Spencer from Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em, whom he described as a campy but married heterosexual, to Dreyfus's character Kevin Goody from The Thin Blue Line. Regarding his character Tom Farrell from Gimme Gimme Gimme, Dreyfus hypothesized that, even if the character were heterosexual, the actor would still portray Tom as camp and flamboyant.[10] Furthermore, Dreyfus said that he felt that he became typecast due to his portrayals of "flamboyant" characters.[10]

He played Thermoman in the BBC One comedy My Hero, a role he took over in the sixth series from Ardal O'Hanlon. Although the same character, he used the name George Monday, as opposed to Ardal O'Hanlon's character's name, George Sunday. After disappointing ratings, the show was cancelled.

Dreyfus also starred as Mr Teasy-Weasy in the 2004 comedy film Churchill: The Hollywood Years.

From 2012 to 2017, Dreyfus appeared as Reverend Roger in the Sky Living series Mount Pleasant.

In 2017, he voiced an incarnation of The Master from Doctor Who in the Big Finish Productions release The First Doctor Adventures Volume One,[11] going on to appear as the character in 2019's 'The Home Guard',[12] 2020's 'The Psychic Circus'[13] and 2022's 'Blood of the Time Lords'. In an interview on SpectatorTV, Dreyfus claimed he was dismissed from the role following comments made on Twitter in support of author JK Rowling.[14]

Personal life

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Dreyfus is gay and a member of the anti-trans[15][16][17][18] [19][20] group [21][22][23][24] LGB Alliance.[25]

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
1995 Thin Ice Greg
1995–96 The Thin Blue Line Constable Kevin Goody TV series (14 episodes)
1995–96 Absolutely Fabulous Christopher TV series (2 episodes)
1996 Boyfriends Paul
1999 Notting Hill Martin
1999–2001 Gimme Gimme Gimme Tom Farrell TV series (19 episodes)
2000 The Nearly Complete and Utter History of Everything Swedish Ambassador Two-part BBC special celebration for the new millennium.
Gormenghast Professor Fluke TV
2000–2001 Bette Oscar U.S. TV series (18 episodes)
2004 Fat Slags Fidor Konstantin TV
Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London Gordon
The Producers Carmen Ghia Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
Waking the Dead Raymond Carstairs
2005 Willo the Wisp All voices Revival to original 1981 series
2006 Colour Me Kubrick Melvyn Prescott
My Hero George Monday / Thermoman TV series (8 episodes)
2006–07 Cabaret Emcee Lyric Theatre, London
2007 Double Time Lawrence Nixon/George McCabe
Nina and the Neurons Felix (voice)
2009 Casualty Rory TV
2011 The Sarah Jane Adventures Harrison Episode: "The Man Who Never Was"
2012 Midsomer Murders Ralph Ford Episode: "A Rare Bird"
Holby City Felix TV
Whitechapel Charlie Cross TV series, 2 episodes
2012–2017 Mount Pleasant Reverend Roger TV series
2013 Dandelion & Burdock Dandelion TV
2013–14 Candide Dr Pangloss Menier Chocolate Factory, London
2013 Shameless Edward Clayhill Episode: "An Inspector Calls"
2015 Father Brown Binkie Cadwaller Episode 3.10 "The Judgment of Man"
Scottish Mussel Headmaster
2019 Harry & Meghan: Becoming Royal Sir Leonard Briggs TV movie
The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Lath'N
Agatha Raisin Harry Witherspoon S3 E1 Episode: "Agatha Raisin and The Haunted House"
2020 Supernova Tim
The Hollow TV movie
The Harbour Robert Short
2021 The Kindred Mr. Mulvaney
2022 Lips Michael Short[26]
2023 One Foot in the Grave - 30 Years Of Laughs Himself Documentary
2024 House of the Dragon Lord Gormon Massey TV series, 6 episodes
TBA Cara Greg Wilson Pre-production

References

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  1. ^ "James Louis de Zogheb Dreyfus". FreeBMD. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  2. ^ Fletcher, Mary, Why life's looking Goody for James, TV Times, pg 31.
  3. ^ Thomas Quinn. "Interview: James Dreyfus". thefreelibrary.com. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
  4. ^ Dreyfus, James (11 January 2013). "What I see in the mirror: James Dreyfus". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  5. ^ "I'm not religious, but was brought up C of E, because the UK is where my mother eventually settled when she & my grandparents were forced out of Egypt. And she always made Easter such a fun time". 29 March 2024. Retrieved 29 March 2024 – via Twitter.
  6. ^ "How We Met: James Dreyfus & Robert Portal". The Independent. 11 May 2008.
  7. ^ Wylie, Ian (14 December 2007). "Double trouble for James". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 6 April 2008.
  8. ^ Harlow, John. "Winning in a double act". Sunday Times. 26 April 1998. (Online reprint: [1]).
  9. ^ "Our interview with James Dreyfus". sheengate.co.uk. Archived from the original on 25 June 2017. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
  10. ^ a b Our interview with James Dreyfus Archived 25 June 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Interviewed by Rob Edwards. Sheengate Publishing. 31 January 2013.
  11. ^ "1. Doctor Who: The First Doctor Adventures Volume 01 - Doctor Who - The First Doctor Adventures - Big Finish". bigfinish.com. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  12. ^ "6.1. Doctor Who: The Home Guard - Doctor Who - The Early Adventures - Big Finish". bigfinish.com. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  13. ^ "261. Doctor Who: The Psychic Circus - Doctor Who - The Monthly Adventures - Big Finish". bigfinish.com. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  14. ^ "James Dreyfus: cancelled from Dr Who for supporting JK Rowling". SpectatorTV. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
  15. ^ Guyan, Kevin (4 January 2021). "Constructing a queer population? Asking about sexual orientation in Scotland's 2022 census" (PDF). Journal of Gender Studies: 1–11. doi:10.1080/09589236.2020.1866513. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 March 2024. Retrieved 19 December 2023. LGB Alliance (2019) (a UK trans-exclusionary LGB organization) argued the NRS proposal 'would suggest that other sexual orientations exist beyond attraction to the opposite sex, same sex or both sexes' (p. 2) and requested that the census not include the term 'Other sexual orientation' as a response option
  16. ^ Turnbull-Dugarte, Stuart J.; McMillan, Fraser (3 November 2022). ""Protect the women!" Trans-exclusionary feminist issue framing and support for transgender rights" (PDF). Policy Studies Journal. 51 (3): 629–666. doi:10.1111/psj.12484. ISSN 0190-292X. The case of the LGB Alliance charity is of note. The trans-exclusionary position of the organization engendered significant debate among the LGBT+ community in Scotland.
  17. ^ Monque, Pedro (3 February 2021). "On Decolonizing Social Ontology and the Feminist Canon for Transnational Feminisms: Comments on Serene J. Khader's Decolonizing Universalism". Metaphilosophy: meta.12468. doi:10.1111/meta.12468. S2CID 234040622. some trans‐exclusionary LGB movements have begun to form around TERF ideology (for example, the LGB Alliance in the United Kingdom and the Red LGB movement in Spain).
  18. ^ McLean, Craig (2 November 2021). "The Growth of the Anti-Transgender Movement in the United Kingdom. The Silent Radicalization of the British Electorate". International Journal of Sociology. 51 (6): 473–482. doi:10.1080/00207659.2021.1939946. ISSN 0020-7659.
  19. ^ Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  20. ^ "Transphobia and The Far Right". Hope not Hate. 16 March 2022. Archived from the original on 16 November 2022. Retrieved 6 August 2022. LGB Alliance is an anti-trans campaign group...
  21. ^ Cite error: The named reference iwgb was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  22. ^ Lewis, Isobel (30 September 2021). "Matt Lucas calls LGB Alliance 'anti-trans': 'It doesn't represent me or any gay people I care to know'". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 3 November 2022. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
  23. ^ Maidment, Adam (30 August 2021). "Man 'evicted' from Manchester Pride protest after crowds turn on him over 'hateful' shirt". Manchester Evening News. Archived from the original on 28 June 2022. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
  24. ^ Maurice, Emma Powys (14 October 2021). "Russell T Davies takes down LGB Alliance in incendiary speech: 'To cut out the T is to kill'". PinkNews. London. Archived from the original on 15 October 2021. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  25. ^ "James Dreyfus on being 'erased' from Dr Who: 'When people say cancel culture doesn't exist I laugh". GB News. 17 October 2021. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  26. ^ "Lips". IMDb. 1 April 2022.
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