Biography

John Alderson led a colorful life considering his origins in a mining village in the north of England. After spending all of two weeks as a miner, he lied about his age, joined the British Army and attained the rank of Major. Leaving for the US, he married a General's secretary and got into the movies, often playing villains. He played (uncredited) the Gum Chewer in Blazing Saddles (1974).
- IMDb mini biography by: simsaltuk

Born into a mining family in Horden, County Durham, England, John "Basher" Alderson vowed that he would never go down the pit but when his father was hospitalised he was left with no choice in order to bring a wage into the house. However, he only lasted a couple of weeks before being so horrified by the conditions that he left and joined the army, lying about his age to make himself two years older.

He quickly rose to become a sergeant instructor in the Royal Artillery based at Crawley, West Sussex, then rose to major serving during the blockade in Berlin where he met and married Mary Brown, the general's secretary. Leaving the army, he and his wife decided to emigrate to the United States. In order to do so, he reportedly had to register as a male war bride.

Moving to Hollywood, he was went to Griffith Park to see actor C. Aubrey Smith and to sign for his cricket team and to get in with agents resulting in him getting his first job 8 months later and was soon getting work in films appearing with Audrey Hepburn in 'My Fair Lady', Elvis Presley in 'Double Trouble', Cary Grant in 'To Catch a Thief', Audie Murphy in 'No Name on the Bullet', and John Wayne in 'Hellfighters'.

He also appeared in many television westerns usually as a heavy. He made his television debut in the 1950s Western series Boots and Saddles (1956), playing Sergeant Bullock, and later, in England, he appeared in The Beiderbecke Tapes (1987).
- IMDb mini biography by: Tonyman 5

John 'Basher' Alderson, the son of a coal miner, was born in the town of Horden in the North East of England. After leaving school, he joined his father in the pits but after two weeks left and lied about his age to join the army where he rose through the ranks the rank of major before heading to America. There, he married a general's secretary and started a 50-year career as an actor. He soon became known for playing villains in films and television programs, He became a close friend of John Wayne and appeared in over 150 films, among which were To Catch a Thief, The Desert Fox,, My Fair Lady,, Blazing Saddles,, Evil Under the Sun and Young Guns II. He will also be remembered as Sergeant Bullock in the television series Boots and Saddles. He appeared in such programs as Quincy, Boon, The Onedin Line, Bonanza and Mission Impossible. He also played Wyatt Earp in an episode of Dr Who. He was a friend of many of the screen legends from Audrey Hepburn to Catherine Zeta Jones. He never forgot his North East roots and paid his home town a visit in 2002, walking along the old familiar streets and visiting the local fish and chip shop. His film fame was highlighted in a book on Horden which was published to mark the Millennium. On the news of his death, the local council were going to make a permanent tribute to him.
- IMDb mini biography by: Tonyman 5