J. G. Devlin

James Gerard Devlin (8 October 1907 – 17 October 1991) was a Northern Irish actor who made his stage debut in 1931, and had long association with the Ulster Group Theatre.[1][2][3] In a career spanning nearly sixty years, he played parts in TV productions such as Z-Cars, Dad's Army, The New Avengers and Bread.[4][5] He also guest starred, alongside Leonard Rossiter, in an episode of Steptoe and Son, "The Desperate Hours".[6] The writers of Steptoe and Son - Ray Galton and Alan Simpson - have since revealed that Devlin was second choice to play the part of Albert Steptoe in the series, behind Wilfrid Brambell.[7] He also appeared as Father Dooley, a Catholic priest, in several episodes of Carla Lane's Bread, his last television appearance.[8]

J.G. Devlin
Born	James Gerard Devlin (1907-10-08)8 October 1907 Belfast, Ireland
Died	17 October 1991(1991-10-17) (aged 84) Belfast, Northern Ireland
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1955–91

In 1969 he was in the Abbey Theatre production of Macook's Corner.[9] where he played the part of Neal Macook.[10]

In 1956 he appeared in a play by Irish playwright Teresa Deevy "Light Falling"[11] where he played the part of Pat Scully, this was produced by Jack MacGowran in the Lyric Theatre (Hammersmith) as an 'opener' for Seán O'Casey play "The Shadow of a Gunman"

His was Vivian Stanshall's personal choice for the role of Old Scrotum, the Wrinkled Retainer in the Charisma Films version of Sir Henry at Rawlinson End, released in 1980.