Ken Jones was an English character actor born in Liverpool on 20 February 1930. Over several decades he built a steady career in British television, film and theatre, often cast in working‑class or comic supporting parts. He is widely remembered for his television work rather than for a single long film career, and he remained active in a variety of programmes and stage productions through the later 20th century.
Career and notable roles
Jones appeared in numerous television programmes and films and took a leading part in the sitcom The Squirrels (1974–77). He gained wider public recognition for playing the petty criminal nicknamed "Horrible" Ives in the BBC sitcom Porridge, a popular series set in a prison and fronted by Ronnie Barker. His career can be surveyed in actor listings and contemporary profiles: career overview.
Acting style and typical parts
As a character actor Jones was noted for reliable comic timing and an ability to give small roles memorable colour. He frequently portrayed blunt, no‑nonsense, rough‑edged characters — often from northern, working‑class backgrounds — and moved between comedy and straight drama. He worked on stage as well as on screen, which informed his strong ensemble work and presence in supporting casts.
Personal life
Jones married fellow Liverpool native and actress Sheila Fay on 30 October 1964; the couple remained together until Fay's death on 31 August 2013. Their long marriage was a recurring note in short biographies and obituaries of both performers. Further biographical details and accounts of his family life appear in contemporary notices and theatre records: biography and family.
Death and legacy
Ken Jones died in mid‑February 2014; reports commonly give the date as 14 February 2014. He was 83 and died in a nursing home in Prescot, Merseyside, after a battle with bowel cancer. His passing was noted across British arts coverage and in tributes from colleagues who recalled his dependable character work and comic gifts. Obituaries and memorial pieces provide more context: obituary and tributes.
Further reading and resources
- Selected credits and appearances — see a consolidated listing: selected credits.
- Contemporary reviews and cast lists from the original runs of The Squirrels and Porridge provide examples of his work and its reception.
Jones is typically cited in discussions of British television character actors of the mid to late 20th century: performers whose careers were built around many small but distinctive roles rather than a single star vehicle. His work remains of interest to those studying British sitcoms and repertory acting in that period.