First, though, Jones was to play the TV role which clinched his appeal with the British public. He played Claudius in the Granada miniseries "The Caesars" (1968), which, though less well-known than the similar "I, Claudius" in the US, was a witty and strikingly acted telling of the machinations which led to the fall of Rome. Subsequent TV work in England and the US has included "All Creatures Great and Small" (1975), Dennis Potter's landmark miniseries "Pennies from Heaven" (1979) and a number of adaptations of classic novels and plays ("Sweeney Todd" 1982, "Silas Marner" 1987, "Vanity Fair" 1988, "Adam Bede" 1992), for which Jones's theatrical manner and Dickensian sense of caricature have been well suited.
Jones's film career has varied from "Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed" (1969) to "Antony and Cleopatra" (1970), to such outlandish fare as "Dune" (1985) and "Wild at Heart" (1990). He enjoyed one of his biggest roles as an agent who assists Clint Eastwood in the otherwise mediocre "Firefox" (1982), was memorable as the cruel carnival barker who sells "The Elephant Man" (1980), and twinkled as the aging and frequently drunk journalist of Fellini's "And the Ship Sails On" (1983).