An English actor and bodyguard, born in London, England, United Kingdom. Among his most important works are Trial by Combat (1976), Barry Lyndon (1975), Department S (1969), and Get Carter (1971). He had close ties with the underworld in London. He is the son of a sailor who became a taxi driver in London. He got into a lot of trouble and fights as a young man and was arrested twice in an orthodontic center. Director Ken Loach saw him in a London bar and asked him to appear in his film Poor Cow (1967). He played the roles of gangsters or tough police detectives, and he became the archetypal villain actor. He was known for having many girlfriends, such as the model Christine Keeler and actress Vicki Hodge, who brought him into aristocratic circles. John lived a difficult life on and off the screen. He ran protection groups (bullies) in West London bars and had ties with London gangs. John died in Chelsea, London, England, United Kingdom on October 10, 1993, from AIDS at the age of 50.