John Robert Milton (born 13 May 1938), known professionally as Milton Johns, is an English retired character actor who worked almost continuously throughout his career. A versatile talent, he specialises in sinister or obsequious roles and featured regularly in many British popular television series for both adults and children. He trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.
Biography Johns was born on 13 May 1938 in Bristol."Milton Johns" BFI. Retrieved 8 September 2025. He trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School between 1959-62, after graduating he continued to work at the Bristol Old Vic until 1965. The same year he made his West End debut in War & Peace. He subsequently did seasons in repetory theatre in Belgrave, Coventry and Sheffield.
Career Johns' early television roles include Object Z, Orlando, No Hiding Place, Softly, Softly and The Troubleshooters. In 1966, Johns featured in the recurring part as Grimaud in the BBC adaption of The Three Musketeers. Other roles have included parts in Poldark, Born and Bred, Ever Decreasing Circles, Home to Roost, Dempsey and Makepeace, Murder Most English, Shoestring, Yes Minister, Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em, Softly, Softly, Going Straight, The Good Life, The Saint, Don't Wait Up, Butterflies, Minder, A Horseman Riding By, Campion and Z-Cars.
Johns also appeared in the TV mini-series Moll Flanders in 1996, where he played a pawnshop owner.
He is best known for being in Happy Families (1989) as Mr Alphonso, the café manager of Mrs Wobble, Coronation Street as Brendan Scott (1991–93), the shopkeeper who died of a heart attack while pedalling along the eponymous cobbled street. He played the landlord in The Basil Brush Show (2002–07). He also played jobsworth Derek Cassidy in Murphy's Mob, an ITV children's television drama series (1982–85) his character helped to manage the building used by the junior supporters of the football club, Dunmore United. Johns appeared in Doctor Who on three occasions: as Theodore Benik in The Enemy of the World (1967-68); Guy Crayford in The Android Invasion (1975); and Castellan Kelner in The Invasion of Time (1978).
In 1972 Johns starred in the children's Sunday evening series The Intruder and in 1977, appeared in another children's series, Midnight Is A Place. In 1983 he also appeared in the Grange Hill spin-off Tucker's Luck. Johns also appeared as an Imperial Officer (Captain Bewil) in the 1980 film, The Empire Strikes Back. He played Perker in the 1985 adaptation of The Pickwick Papers. In the 1988 television mini-series War and Remembrance, he took the role of Nazi SS officer Adolf Eichmann.
Selected Filmography YearTitleRole Notes1965Hereward the WakeFirst WitchEpisode: "Face to Face" Object Z Haziz Episode: "The Solution"OrlandoDarlingtonEpisode: "A Code for Life"1966No Hiding PlaceSmithy SmithEpisode: "A Bottle Full of Sixpence"Softly, SoftlyRalph Rayburn Sammy Roach3 episodesThe TroubleshootersLarry DwyerEpisode: "Four Cheers for Godfrey"1966 - 1967The Three MusketeersGrimaud6 episodes1967The Newcomers Mr. Rowe2 episodesThe SaintVargasEpisode: "Island of Chance"1967-68 Doctor Who Theodore Benik Serial: "The Enemy of the World"1968Mr. RoseLarryEpisode: "The Less-Than-Iron-Duke"Public EyeTerry StretonEpisode: "If This Is Lucky, I'd Rather Be Jonah"Sexton BlakeGullyEpisode: "The Case of the Gaping Goldfish" (Part 2 - "Menace for Miranda")1969The First ChurchillsFergusonEpisode: "Rebellion"The Flaxton BoysJosiah Meekin2 episodesPaul TempleMateEpisode: "Which One of Us is Me?"1970ManhuntRenardEpisode: "One More River"1970 - 1975Softly, Softly: Task ForceMaurice Hobbes Charley Smith2 episodes1971The Mind of Mr. J.G. ReederLidgettEpisode: "The Treasure House"The MisfitEvansEpisode: "On Paperback Revolutionaries"1971 - 1973Z-CarsKeogh Cyril Johnson3 episodes1972BudgieNervous DochertyEpisode: "The Outside Man"The IntruderSonny6 episodesNew Scotland YardMarty LewisEpisode: "The Banker"1973 Baffled! Dr. Reed Film Crown Court Gus Enderby Episode: "The Most Expensive Steak in the World" (3 episodes) The Protectors ConwayEpisode: "Petard"1975 Doctor Who Guy Crayford Serial: "The Android Invasion"PoldarkMatthew Sanson3 episodes1977The Good LifeErnieEpisode: "The Weaver's Tale"King of the CastleErgon Hawker5 episodesMurder Most EnglishGeorge Lintz2 episodes1977 - 1978Midnight Is A PlaceBob Bludward4 episodes1978A Horseman Riding ByReverend Horsey5 episodes Doctor Who Castellan Kelner Serial: "The Invasion of Time"Going StraightMr. KirbyEpisode: "Going Home"Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'EmMr. Denham (uncredited)Episode: "Moving House"1979Two's CompanyCharlesEpisode: "The Friendly Aristocrats"1979 - 1983ButterfliesMr. Conrad6 episodes1980CowboysShopkeeperEpisode: "Was it Eddie Croucher?" The Empire Strikes Back Captain Bewil (Imperial Officer) FilmHammer House of HorrorA.J. PowersSerial: The House that Bled to DeathShoestringPorterEpisode: "Looking for Mr Wright"Yes MinisterRon WatsonEpisode: "The Economy Drive"1981 - 1983The GafferWilliams3 episodes1982In Loving MemoryGerald BoothEpisode: "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen"SoloMr. BreckEpisode #2.31982 - 1985Murphy's MobDerek Cassidy49 episodes1983The CitadelAneurin Rees2 episodesThe ProfessionalsClerkEpisode: "No Stone"Tucker's LuckMr. Powell4 episodes1985Dempsey and MakepeaceSid LoweEpisode: "Tequila Sunrise"Full HouseMr. FriendlyEpisode: "First Time Buyers"Home to RoostCharles SmithEpisode: "Suspect"The Pickwick PapersPerker7 episodes (TV mini-series)1986Ever Decreasing CirclesDan DanbyEpisode: "House to Let"Fresh FieldsCustoms OfficerEpisode: "Happy Returns"1987 Bergerac Lonny Rice Episode: "A Desirable Little Residence"Remington SteeleRoderick SmithersEpisode: "Steele Hanging in There" (Part 2)Super GranMr. L. ChopEpisode: "Super Gran and the Rookie Recruit"1988 - 1990Don't Wait UpRegistrar2 episodes1988 - 1989War and RemembranceAdolf Eichmann2 episodes1989BrooksideDr. Medley2 episodesCampionWilliam PotterEpisode: "Death of a Ghost" (2 parts)MinderMr. SinclairEpisode: "The Last Video Show"1989 - 1990Happy FamiliesVarious13 episodes1990El C.I.D.WebbEpisode: "Spanish Eyes"1991BoonRoland SalmonEpisode: "When Harry Met Janice"1991 - 1993Coronation StreetBrendan Scott32 episodes1992HaggardRectorEpisode: "Just Cause"1994Class ActPhilip ParkesEpisode #1.3 Stanley's Dragon Mr. Batley Film1995Down to EarthMr. WilkinsEpisode #1.41996 Moll Flanders Mr Mickeljohn Episode #1.3 (TV mini-series)The Upper HandStore ManagerEpisode: "Oh Baby, Oh Baby"1997ChalkHugoEpisode: "The Interview"SharpeHopkinsonEpisode: "Sharpe's Revenge"1998Knight SchoolGrim ReaperEpisode: "The Wooden Badger of St. Cuthbert's" The X-Files British Valet Film1999 - 2000The Scarlet PimpernelFisher4 episodes (TV mini-series)2001MicawberMr. ChettleEpisode: "Micawber Learns the Truth"2002Born and BredErnest Gilles2 episodes Making a Killing L.T. Harvey Film2002 - 2007The Basil Brush ShowMr. Rossiter7 episodes
References
External links
Milton Johns at the British Film Institute Milton Johns