PROFILE:JAMES BELCHAMBER  Born to an English father, Charles Frederick and an Irish mother, Elizabeth, at No 3 Chuter's Cottages, Lion Lane, Shottermill, Surrey, on 12 March 1926.

He was schooled locally at Shottermill and at the adjoining town of Haslemere, to which the family had moved. After a short period living in Dublin, Ireland, with relatives -as evacuees, he and his brothers and sisters returned to England. The family then relocated to Woking, Surrey.

In 1943, Jim was awarded a Leverhulme Scholarship to The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art but was unable to complete the course owing to National Service, being called up to The Royal Armoured Corps in 1944. His service took him to India and after V.J. Day on to Malaya and Singapore. In Singapore at that time, was a thriving, "Stage Club" where professional actors, of all ranks, serving in the forces, could perform. It was with that Society that Jim not only acted but also found his ability to direct. When his regiment disbanded he transferred, as an administrator, to E.N.S.A. (The Artistes performing for ENSA were transient civilians but given Officer Status.) When ENSA folded, he was transferred again to its replacement, -The Combined Services Entertainment. Some of his colleagues, becoming, later in life, nationally and internationally well known.

James was demobbed in 1948.

He decided not to take up the remainder of his scholarship with the RADA and was fortunate to walk straight into a contract for two shows with The Liverpool Rep. A minor-role-in" a seasen-at the-Open Air-Theatre, Regents Park, this was followed by an engagement with The Glyndebourne Children's' Theatre which opened at The Edinburgh Festival, (subsequently touring the country), this led to him being selected from that company, to become a founding members of the first municipally funded theatre and company in the country, The Civic Theatre, Chesterfield, Derbyshire. James remained an actor there for the next four happy years in 1952 Jim left Chesterfield to join a friend, Bernard Archard, in running a Summer Season at Cromer, Norfolk (both as actor and Assistant Director.)

Later that year Jim was lucky to take over the role of one of the sons in the play "Dear Charles" then running at The New Theatre, London, starring Yvonne Arnaud as the mother, who became a great friend until her early and lamented death. He had to leave before the end of the run in order to honour a pre-arranged engagement for the summer of 1953 at The Pitlochry Festival Theatre where he was to play the leading role in "Charley's Aunt" and other rewarding parts. In the autumn of that year, he again joined up with Bernard to run The Malvern Players, a touring Repertory Company with two resident seasons a year at The Pavilion Theatre, Torquay.

The Malvern Company became a company of excellence. Along with a brilliant Set Designer, Stanley Mills, each actor was capable of carrying a play in a leading role and all have remained friends ever since, the company only foundered at the death of one-half of the management partnership. It had lasted for about three years.

From then on James's professional life was much less secure, ill health, a legacy of his time in India, more than somewhat interfered. Nevertheless, he survived a long period of being out of work, sometimes taking casual work outside the profession in order to exist.At last, he managed to get into Television.

Live television was pretty scary, the theatre was good training. He had good roles in a few plays and serials, -"Z Cars"; "Softly Softly"; "The Avengers", "Randall & Hopkirk" among others. He was in a few films, too.

He was in several plays on tour and at one time directed a production of a play starring several stars from the TV series, " Coronation Street", which successfully toured the country's premium Theatres.

In 1964 James directed the play “Firm Foundations” written by John Finch and Vince Powell.The cast included:Kate Allitt,Jennifer Hill,Doreen Keogh,Simon Merrick,Lynne Carol,Frank Pemberton,Ivan Beavis and Ruth Holden one of the theatres played was the Grand Theatre,Wolverhampton it was from this theatre programme that the above information was gotten.For many years, he both played and directed for The Richmond Theatre in Surrey,- and under that management was Director of Productions for two seasons at the New Theatre Hull. At Richmond, one Christmas, owing to illness, he had to take over at extremely short notice the role of "Dame", in the pantomime, "Sinbad the Sailor", he continued to play the role until the end of the run and, in consequence, was asked to play Dame again for the following two years. At a later date, he played the Dame in Pantomime at the Belgrade Theatre, Coventry.

In 1969, he was asked to direct the premiere production in Ireland of the musical, "My Fair Lady", for the Eamonn Andrews Organisation at the Gaiety Theatre, Dublin. This was very successful and took him into another area of work and a long association with the Irish musical scene. Producing shows in all the principal cities both North and South. Forty two productions in all, including the premieres in Ireland of both, "Fiddler on the Roof' and "Gigi".
He bowed out with the Dublin production of "Hello Dolly".

At The Garrick Theatre, London, he was in the play, "The Homecoming" by Harold Pinter and later, after touring in Israel, (under the auspices of The British Council), with "Habeas Corpus", by Alan Bennett, and in Canada and the UK in, "A Picture of Innocence" a play starring Robert Morley, he decided it was time to retire from the profession. He now lives in Somerset with his partner and where they see more of their friends than they ever did living in London.

James is very close to his siblings and so is delighted when they, too, are able to visit.