Jules Tavernier (EastEnders)
Jules Tavernier | |
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EastEnders character | |
Kofi Tavernier |
Jules Tavernier is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Tommy Eytle between 5 July 1990 and 23 December 1997. Jules is depicted as a flirtatious older gentleman. He is introduced in 1990 and remains in the show after the departures of all of his on-screen family. He is largely semi-regular during the latter part of his stint, and is not featured again after December 1997. Jules Tavernier appeared in more than 150 episodes over his seven-year tenure.[1]
Storylines
Jules is from Trinidad but lived in Jamaica until he came to England on holiday in 1968. He stayed to help look after his son's newborn child, so that his daughter-in-law could do teacher training and work part-time. Jules' wife had died young and he had never settled in Jamaica, so when his other grandchildren came along, he had a full-time job helping the family and stayed in England.
Jules arrives in
In 1993, Jules received an unannounced visit from
Creation and development
In the latter part of 1989 EastEnders acquired a new executive producer named
Following a relatively unsuccessful inclination towards comic storylines throughout 1989, Ferguson decided to take the soap in a new direction in 1990. Big changes were implemented both off-screen and on-screen.[2] Ferguson altered the way the episodes were produced, changed the way the storylines were conceptualised and introduced a far greater amount of location work than had previously been seen. EastEnders scriptwriter Colin Brake said that it was a challenging period, but "the results on-screen were a programme with a new sense of vitality, and a programme more in touch with the real world than it had been for a while".[2]
As a consequence of these changes, a large number of characters were axed in early 1990 as the new production machine cleared way for a new direction and new characters.
Author Hilary Kingsley described Jules as a character who "enjoys turning on the charm [...] and raising his hat to all the ladies with a smile and a twinkle in his eye. He's not a moaner and his old-world flirting makes a pleasant change."[3] Stephen Bourne in The Independent stated that Jules "found himself recognised everywhere as the wise senior citizen, always ready to offer sensible advice and often recalling his involvement in the 1937 oilfield strikes back home in Trinidad."[4] Author Kate Lock suggested that Jules "revelled in his mildly eccentric reputation. He loved to talk about the old days in Trinidad and had always been a bit of a ladykiller [...] Even in his 70s, Jules was still chasing women."[5] Tommy Eytle, who played Jules was a musician, and his part in EastEnders occasionally gave him an opportunity to sing, usually in the soap's public house the Queen Vic.[4]
Jules appeared less frequently during the latter part of his time in EastEnders because of Eytle's ill health.[6] He was never officially written out of the serial, but was not featured again after December 1997.[6] Eytle died in 2007.[6]
References
- ^ "Tommy Eytle: Calypso musician who found fame in EastEnders", The Times. URL last accessed 30 June 2007.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-563-37057-4.
- ISBN 978-0-685-52957-7.
- ^ a b "Obituary: Tommy Eytle Archived 3 December 2007 at the Wayback Machine", The Independent. URL last accessed 30 June 2007.
- ISBN 978-0-563-55178-2.
- ^ a b c "Obituary: Tommy Eytle", The Stage. URL last accessed on 3 July 2007.