Jack Klaff is a South African academic, actor, director, and writer who portrayed John D. Branon in A New Hope. Born on August 6, 1951 in Johannesburg, South Africa, Klaff began his acting career with the Brook Theater in Johannesburg. By 1976, he moved to the United Kingdom. He joined the Royal Shakespeare Academy in 1978. His television and movie credits outside of Star Wars include roles in For Your Eyes Only, Space: 1999 and Red Dwarf.