Charles Sebastian Thomas Cabot (July 6, 1918 – August 22, 1977) was an English film and television actor, best remembered as the gentleman's gentleman, Giles French, opposite Brian Keith's character, in the sitcom Family Affair (1966–1971). He was also known for playing the Wazir in Kismet and Dr. Carl Hyatt in the series Checkmate (1960–1962), as well as for voicing Bagheera in The Jungle Book (1967) The Spy Killer (1969) and narrating The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977).
Grammy Award for Best Album for Children, TV Land Best Broadcast Butler Award
Nominations
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, TV Land Favorite Nanny Award
Movies
The Jungle Book, The Sword in the Stone, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, The Time Machine, Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree, The Family Jewels, Twice-Told Tales, Terror in a Texas Town, Johnny Tremain, Kismet, Seven Thieves, Westward Ho the Wagons!, Ivanhoe, The Captain's Paradise, Dick Ba...
TV Shows
Ghost Story, Family Affair, Journey to the Unknown, Checkmate, The Beachcomber
He and his Dick Barton Strikes Back (1949) co-star Don Stannard were involved in a car crash in Cookham Dean, Berkshire, England, UK on July 9, 1949. Stannard, who was driving, was killed instantly but Cabot escaped with only minor injuries.
Sebastian Cabot had the same name (and may have been named after) the Sebastian Cabot who lived from 1474 to 1557 and was a famous explorer of the Americas shortly after Columbus' discovery of the New World.
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At one point, due to illness, it was necessary for him to take a leave of absence from portraying his character of Giles French during the popular run of Family Affair (1966). He was temporarily replaced by veteran British character actor John Williams, as French's brother Nigel, or Niles. His absence was explained as Giles being summoned to assist the Queen (of England).
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Highly popular with the Disney franchise, he worked well in voice roles (Bagheera in The Jungle Book (1967); the narrator of Winnie the Pooh tales; the voice of Sir Ector in The Sword in the Stone (1963).
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Interestingly, on a spoken word album, he delivered dramatic recitations of songs by Bob Dylan on the album: "Sebastian Cabot, actor a dramatic reading with music Bob Dylan, poet".
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Best remembered for his role as gentleman's gentleman (also known as a valet) Giles French on Family Affair (1966).
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For an actor who specialized in elegant and upper-class, educated roles, he was actually born a Cockney, a decidedly lower, or working class, group of people, who typically live in London's East End or close-in eastern suburbs.
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When his father's business failed, Cabot left school at age 14 and began working as a garage helper, the first of many menial jobs. Well into his fifties, his first love was cars and tinkering with them and their engines.
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After leaving school at age 14, he never had another day of formal education, and later worked as a chef - which helped precipitate his growth to 260 pounds - and spent three years as a professional wrestler in London before World War II, an activity ended by an injury.
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When the war ended, he made his London stage debut in 1945, at age 27, in "A Bell for Adano".
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Entertained the troops during World War II.
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Approached with the script for the pilot of Family Affair (1966), he originally did not want to do it, and did not care for the writing or his role - a stereotypical, staid, dignified English butler - but the money being offered for the pilot was better than decent, so he reluctantly agreed. The series sold, and for the next five seasons he endeared himself to a generation of viewers as the manservant Giles French. Cabot became bored with the role and the series very early. He confided that both he and Brian Keith were bored to the point of exhaustion for the last two seasons. Once the series ended, he appeared on talk shows and even a game show or two to break a serious typecast.
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He was cremated after death and his ashes were interred at Westwood Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles, California.
$15 Million
