Jason, David (1949– )

English actor specializing in comic television roles with enduring appeal, but who is equally adept at straight acting. Best known as the cockney wide boy Del Boy Trotter in the long-running BBC sitcom Only Fools And Horses (from 1981, Christmas specials in 1993, 2002, and 2003), he also took a lead role in Open All Hours (from 1976) and played Pop Larkin in The Darling Buds of May (1991). His portrayal of a quirky, widowed detective in several series of A Touch of Frost in the 1990s underlined his versatility.

Jason's other television roles include the film All the King's Men (1999), the series Micawber (2001), and the film The Quest (2002). He has won numerous awards, including five BAFTAs during the 1980s and 1990s, as well as the People's Award for Best Actor (2000), the National Television Award for Most Popular Actor (2000) for the second time, and a Lifetime Achievement Award for the British Comedy Awards 2001.