Jeremy Hawk


Jeremy Hawk was a character actor with a long career in music halls and on London's West End stage.

Early life

Hawk was born Cedric Joseph Lange in Johannesburg, South Africa; his father was a matinee idol who used the name Douglas Drew, and his mother, June, of Irish origin, was of the third generation of an acting family. After his parents' divorce and his mother's subsequent marriage to a wealthy Yorkshire wool merchant, he was educated at Harrow School. Already nicknamed "Hawk" because of the shape of his nose, Lange began using the name 'Jeremy Hawk' on entering RADA. By his first wife, Tuli, he had a daughter, Berenice Hawk; he married secondly actress Joan Heal, with whom he had a daughter, the actress Belinda Lang.

Career

Hawk appeared on television as straight man to Benny Hill, Arthur Askey, Norman Wisdom and Sid Caesar as well as hosting the ITV programme Criss Cross Quiz and the junior version for children's television from 1957 to 1962. He later presented the improvisation comedy show Impromptu. He also appeared in several films, including Lucky Jim. He found little other work though is remembered for a long running famous Cadbury's chocolate tropical style advert in the 1970s: "Nuts, who-le ha-zelnuts. Cadbury's take 'em and they cover 'em in chocolate". He died, aged 83, in Reading, Berkshire, survived by his third wife, Lisa.

Filmography