Advanced search
- TITLES
- NAMES
- COLLABORATIONS
Search filters
Enter full date
to
or just enter yyyy, or yyyy-mm below
to
Only includes names with the selected topics
to
or just enter yyyy, or yyyy-mm below
to
1-50 of 284
- 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
- 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.- 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.- 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 Rob Roy (1961). He was married to Betty Clayton. He died on 29 April 1988 in Exeter, 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.
- 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.- Jane Barrett was born on 7 May 1922 in Highgate, London, England, UK. She was an actress, known for The Avengers (1961), BBC Sunday-Night Theatre (1950) and Eureka Stockade (1949). She was married to Hans Heinrich Helweg and Derek Glynne. She died on 20 July 1969 in Torbay, 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.- 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.- 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.- 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.
- 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.- 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.
- 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.- 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.- 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.
- Actress
- Additional Crew
Margo was an accomplished and vivacious actress who trained as a dancer. She worked steadily,mainly on stage and television until her retirement. She began her career in Stars in Battledress at the end of World War 2. Her first big break was as Noelle Gordon's understudy in Brigadoon, in London in the late 1940s. Other musicals included Wedding in Paris, The Water Gypsies, Maggie May and Showboat. She was a member of the National Theatre from 1965-9 and toured with the company led by Sir Lawrence Oliver when they went to Canada. For many years she was in panto, often as a fairy, and worked with Ricki Fulton. She played Caribosse the wicked witch in Sleeping Beauty at Glasgow. Margo appeared in Z Cars, Take Three Girls, Crossroads and Scotch and Rye. She was the murder victim in the long running 'Mousetrap'. She once told me that she had a longer career because believed she was a character actress. She retired to Devon, and a later marriage to John, who had been a love of her youth. She was still able to do the splits and cartwheels on her seventieth birthday. Unfortunately, she passed away due to cancer. Margo remarked that of her movies, she never realised one was so raunchy until it was released, as she missed that part!- 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.- C.R. Milne was born on 21 August 1920 in Chelsea, London, England, UK. He was married to Lesley de Selincourt. He died on 20 April 1996 in Devon, England, UK.
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Myrtle Devenish (29 July 1912 - 21 January 2007) was a Welsh-born, film and television actress whose career spanned more than four decades.
She appeared in Terry Gilliam's 1985 cult film Brazil as well as several other films.
She also made a number of appearances on British television including in Victoria Wood: As Seen on TV and later in her career in One Foot in the Grave.- 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.
- Actor
- Writer
Alexander Von Giannini was born on 6 June 1958 in Northamptonshire to an English mother and an Italian father and was educated in England and Luxembourg, where his father worked for the European Commission. In fact he reckoned that he changed schools thirteen times in line with his father's work. Prior to acting he was the lead singer - as Sandy Fontaine - of rockabilly group Coast To Coast, with whom he appeared on TV's 'Top of the Pops' but got into acting after meeting Steven Berkoff and trained at the East 15 school in Essex. On television he appeared in many populist series such as 'The Bill' and 'Inspector Morse' and also wrote two short films 'The other Side of My Sleep' and 'Strawberries'. A prolific stage performer, frequently in musicals including 'Oklahoma!' and 'Oh What a Lovely War' Alex was appearing in a revival of 'Mack and Mabel' in Plymouth, Devon, when he died unexpectedly on October 2nd 2015. He leaves a widow, Jennifer Secombe, daughter of comic actor and singer Harry Secombe, whom he married in 1998.- 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 BBC Sunday-Night Theatre (1950). She was married to Ian Atkins. She died on 15 May 1986 in Torbay, Devon, England, UK.