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Johnny Shannon (29 July 1932 – 17 March 2017) was an English actor. Best known for his role as gangster Harry Flowers in the cult film Performance, he appeared in numerous television and film productions over a 35-year period, often playing policemen or villains in crime dramas.
Johnny Shannon did not take up acting until he was in his late 30s. Previously, he had worked on market stalls in London and as a night driver for newspaper wholesalers.[1] As a young man he had also been a talented amateur boxer in the heavyweight division. During his national service in the army Shannon fought numerous bouts, including against such future British boxing luminaries as Joe Erskine and Henry Cooper.[2] Boxing out of the Fitzroy Lodge Club, Lambeth, he won the south-east London divisional heavyweight final in 1955 and reached the semi-finals of the all-London championship that same year.[3]
In the 1960s, Shannon managed a betting shop while also working part-time as a boxing trainer.[4]
He was in Henry Cooper's corner as a second when Cooper fought Muhammad Ali for the first time in 1963.[1]
Shannon helped James Fox prepare for his role in the film Performance (1970) by arranging sparring sessions in a London gym, and by reading the script with him to get the accent right. Shannon was subsequently auditioned for the part of crime boss Harry Flowers in the film. Performance gained mixed reviews on initial release, but even those who disliked the film praised Shannon's work in it and he was said to have brought a new level of authenticity to the portrayal of the London gangster.[2] On this foundation he was able to build an acting career in film and on television which lasted through the 1970s and 1980s, with occasional parts thereafter.
Among Shannon's other notable film roles were as Jack in That'll Be the Day (1973), the Agent in Slade In Flame (1975), the caged music executive in The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle (1980), Peter Rachman in Scandal (1989), and as a landlord in Stoned (2005). He also appeared as a policeman in the music video of Sade's Smooth Operator (1984), directed by Julien Temple.
On television, Shannon had a substantial role in the Yorkshire Television comedy drama series Beryl's Lot (1973 - 1977). He played bookie Wacky Waters, appearing in 44 of the 52 episodes broadcast. Between 1971 and 1976, he played 6 different characters in 6 separate episodes of Dixon of Dock Green. Shannon also appeared as several characters in the Thames Television comedy-drama series Minder. His first appearance was in the episode A Tethered Goat, in which he appeared as George Lewis, the owner of an escort agency. He later played "Roly-Poly Peter" in the episode Second Hand Pose. Other television appearances included: EastEnders, Z-Cars, Fawlty Towers, The Sweeney, The Bill and as London Gangster Charlie Turkel in The Professionals episode Old Dog with New Tricks.
In 2012 Johnny Shannon was photographed for John Claridge's series of portraits of members of the London Ex-Boxers Association.[5] He died in Lambeth on 17 March 2017, at the age of 84.[6]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Performance | Harry Flowers | |
| 1971 | Villain | Heavy | Uncredited |
| 1972 | Hide and Seek | Wykes | |
| 1972 | Something to Hide | Lorry Driver | |
| 1973 | That'll Be the Day | Jack | |
| 1975 | Slade in Flame | Ron Harding | |
| 1977 | Sweeney! | Scotland Yard Duty Sgt. | |
| 1978 | Sweeney 2 | Harry - Villain | |
| 1980 | The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle | Man in Prison Cage | |
| 1983 | Runners | The Hotel - Desk Porter | |
| 1986 | Absolute Beginners | Saltzman | |
| 1987 | Running Out of Luck | ||
| 1989 | Scandal | Peter Rachman | |
| 2005 | Stoned | Landlord |
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