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1-50 of 285
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Joss Ackland, the distinguished English actor who has appeared in over 100 movies, scores of plays and a plethora of television programs in his six-decade career, was born Sidney Edmond Jocelyn Ackland on February 29, 1928, in North Kensington, London. After attending London's Central School of Speech and Drama, the 17-year-old Ackland made his professional stage debut in "The Hasty Heart" in 1945.
Although he first appeared on film in John Boulting's and Roy Boulting's Oscar-winning thriller Seven Days to Noon (1950) in an uncredited bit role, he made his credited debut in a supporting role in Vernon Sewell's Ghost Ship (1952). He would not again grace the big screen until the end of the decade. Instead, Ackland spent the latter half of the 1940s and the first half of the 1950s honing his craft in regional theatrical companies.
In 1955 he left the English stage behind and moved to Africa to manage a tea plantation, an experience that likely informed his heralded performance 20 years later in White Mischief (1987). In his two years in Africa he wrote plays and did service as a radio disc jockey. Upon his return to England in 1957, he joined the Old Vic company.
From 1962-64 he served as associate director of the Mermaid Theatre. Subsequently, his stage acting career primarily was in London's commercial West End theater, where he made a name for himself in musicals. He was distinguished as Captain Hook in the musical version of "Peter Pan" and as Juan Peron in "Evita". In the straight theater he was a memorable Falstaff in William Shakespeare's "Henry IV Parts 1 & 2" and as Captain Shotover in George Bernard Shaw's "Heartbreak House". In the 1960s Ackland began appearing more regularly in films, and his career as a movie character actor picked up rapidly in the 1970s and began to flourish in the 1980s. It has shown little sign of abating in the 21st century, even though he's well into his 70s.
In addition to his performance in "White Mischief", among his more notable turns as an actor before the camera came in the BBC-TV production of Shadowlands (1986), in which he played 'C.S. Lewis', and in Lethal Weapon 2 (1989) as the ruthless South African heavy, Arjen Rudd.
He is the father of seven children, whom he listed as his "hobby" in a 1981 interview. On December 31, 2000, Joss Ackland was named a Commander of the British Empire on the New Year's Honours List for his 50 years of service to the English stage, cinema and television.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Cathryn Harrison was born on 25 May 1959 in London, England, UK. She was an actress, known for Black Moon (1975), Images (1972) and The Dresser (1983). She was married to Paul Laing. She died on 1 October 2018 in Plymouth, Devon, England, UK.- Actor
- Director
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Drewe Henley was born in 1940 in Malvern, Worcestershire, England, UK. He was an actor and director, known for Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977), Space: 1999 (1975) and Wuthering Heights (1967). He was married to Linda Lee Henley, Felicity Kendal and Jacqueline Pearce. He died on 14 February 2016 in Exeter, Devon, England, UK.- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Soundtrack
Noel Harrison was born on 29 January 1934 in London, England, UK. He was an actor, known for The Girl from U.N.C.L.E. (1966), The Thomas Crown Affair (1968) and The Citadel (1960). He was married to Margaret Benson, Sara Lee Eberts Tufnell and Lori Chapman. He died on 19 October 2013 in Devon, England, UK.- Actor
- Writer
Reg Varney was born on 11 July 1916 in Canning Town, London, England, UK. He was an actor and writer, known for Holiday on the Buses (1973), Down the 'Gate (1975) and The Best Pair of Legs in the Business (1973). He was married to Lilian Emma Flavell. He died on 16 November 2008 in Budleigh Salterton, Devon, England, UK.- David Ellison was born in 1939 in Stalybridge, Lancashire, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Juliet Bravo (1980), The Franchise Affair (1988) and Stanley's Dragon (1994). He died on 10 June 2010 in Beer, Devon, England, UK.
- Gwenllian Davies was born in 1914 in Bedlinog, Glamorgan, Wales, UK. She was an actress, known for Kinky Boots (2005), Onegin (1999) and According to Bex (2005). She died on 24 July 2007 in Torbay, Devon, England, UK.
- Cinematographer
- Camera and Electrical Department
- Director
Dick Bush was born on 2 December 1931. He was a cinematographer and director, known for Sorcerer (1977), Victor/Victoria (1982) and The Philadelphia Experiment (1984). He died on 4 August 1997 in Devon, England, UK.- Director
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Bob Spiers was born on 27 September 1945 in Glasgow, Scotland, UK. He was a director and producer, known for Spice World (1997), Fawlty Towers (1975) and Absolutely Fabulous (1992). He was married to Sophie Richardson and Anne Spiers. He died on 8 December 2008 in Widecombe, Devon, England, UK.- Danny Schiller was born on 29 April 1935 in Hendon, London, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Erik the Viking (1989), Revenge of the Pink Panther (1978) and Lorna Doone (1976). He died on 8 May 2003 in Devon, England, UK.
- Actress
- Writer
- Soundtrack
Denise trained at the College of Dramatic Art and the Royal Scottish Academy of Music. She began her career in rep. at the Gateway Theatre in Edinburgh and then transferred to the Palladium Theatre, also in Edinburgh, where she appeared in various variety shows. She worked as an interviewer for BBC radio before finding work as an actress on the West End stage. Her theatre credits include West End productions of 'High Spirits', 'The Beggars Opera' and 'Let's Get a Divorce' and numerous productions at the Mermaid Theatre. Denise appeared in the feature films "Waltz of the Toreadors", "Georgy Girl" and "Far From the Madding Crowd" and made many television appearances, most notably the "Stanley Baxter" series, "Do Not Adjust Your Set", "Captain Fantastic" and "Girls About Town". Denise's pastime interests include sea angling and playing the flute.- Freda Bamford was born on 11 February 1909 in Ashford, Middlesex, England, UK. She was an actress, known for The Avengers (1961), North and South (1966) and The Ipcress File (1965). She was married to Ian Atkins. She died on 15 May 1986 in Torbay, Devon, England, UK.
- Roger Gage was born in November 1928 in Bath, Somerset, England, UK. He was an actor, known for World Theatre (1959), BBC Sunday-Night Theatre (1950) and Villette (1957). He was married to Burda Cann and Joan Plowright. He died on 13 March 2018 in Devon, England, UK.
- James Walker was born on 31 March 1940 in Bournemouth, Hampshire, England, UK. He was an actor, known for 1984 (1984), Empire of the Sun (1987) and Twelfth Night (1996). He was married to Sandra Walker. He died on 27 December 2016 in Devon, England, UK.
- Martin Wyldeck was born on 11 January 1914 in Warwickshire, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Swizzlewick (1964), Night Must Fall (1964) and Ivanhoe (1958). He was married to Betty Clayton. He died on 29 April 1988 in Exeter, Devon, England, UK.
- Writer
- Actor
- Producer
Jethro was born on 8 March 1948 in St Buryan, Cornwall, England, UK. He was a writer and actor, known for Mick Miller: In the Club (2005), Jethro: The Beast of Bodmin Moor (1997) and Let It Be All Right on the Night (1987). He died on 14 December 2021 in Plymouth, Devon, England, UK.- Bartlett Mullins was born on 13 August 1904 in Crosby, Lancashire, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Nicholas Nickleby (1957), Half a Sixpence (1967) and The Likely Lads (1964). He died on 15 May 1992 in Devon, England, UK.
- Actor
- Composer
Hugh Sinclair was born on 19 May 1903 in St George Hanover Square, London, England, UK. He was an actor and composer, known for The Saint's Vacation (1941), The Saint Meets the Tiger (1941) and The Secret Four (1939). He was married to Mary Rosalie Williams and Valerie Taylor. He died on 29 December 1962 in Slapton, Devon, England, UK.- Writer
- Script and Continuity Department
Leigh Jackson was born on 15 July 1950 in Shortlands, Kent, England, UK. He was a writer, known for Warriors (1999), To the Ends of the Earth (2005) and Grange Hill (1978). He died on 27 March 2003 in Bampton, Devon, England, UK.- Writer
- Actor
- Additional Crew
Ted Hughes was born on 17 August 1930 in Mytholmroyd, Yorkshire, England, UK. He was a writer and actor, known for The Iron Giant (1999), MultiVersus (2024) and Jackanory (1965). He was married to Carol Orchard and Sylvia Plath. He died on 28 October 1998 in Devon, England, UK.- Ian Wilson was born on 2 July 1901 in Hampstead, London, England, UK. He was an actor, known for The Wicker Man (1973), The Good Companions (1957) and The Day of the Triffids (1963). He died in December 1987 in Exeter, Devon, England, UK.
- Hilary Mantel was born on 6 July 1952 in Glossop, Derbyshire, England, UK. She was a writer, known for Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light (2024), Comma and Wolf Hall (2015). She was married to Gerald McEwen. She died on 22 September 2022 in Exeter, Devon, England, UK.
- R.F. Delderfield was born on 12 February 1912 in New Cross, London, England, UK. He was a writer, known for Now and Forever (1956), All Over the Town (1949) and Glad Tidings! (1953). He was married to May ("Marnie") Evans. He died on 24 June 1972 in Sidmouth, Devon, England, UK.
- Mary Norton was born on 10 December 1903 in Highbury, London, England, UK. She was a writer, known for Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971), The Secret World of Arrietty (2010) and The Borrowers Reboot. She was married to Lionel Boncey and Robert Norton. She died on 29 August 1992 in Hartland, Bideford, Devon, England, UK.
- Writer
- Actor
- Director
Bill Douglas was born on 17 April 1934 in Newcraighall, Scotland, UK. He was a writer and actor, known for My Childhood (1972), Comrades (1986) and My Way Home (1978). He died on 18 June 1991 in Barnstaple, Devon, England, UK.