James Smillie | |
---|---|
Born | Glasgow, Scotland | 28 November 1944
Other names |
|
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | - present |
Known for | Return to Eden as Dr. Dan Marshall Prisoner as Steve. Wilson |
James Smillie, (born 28 November 1944), also credited variously as James Smillie; Jim Smillie and Jim Smilie, is a Scottish-born Australian actor. He has worked in both Britain and Australia in film, extensively on stage, on television, with voice-over and animation work.
Smillie was born in Glasgow, Scotland and emigrated to Australia before returning to the United Kingdom to appear in stage roles in London's West End. On television, he's best remembered for the roles of Steve Wilson in Prisoner Cell Block H and Doctor Dan Marshall in the 1980s Australian mini-series and one full series of Return to Eden . [1]
Smillie has appeared in films and television shows as featured actor and host. His television credits include Return to Eden , Prisoner: Cell Block H , Adventure Island , Space: 1999 the episode End of Eternity, Thriller , The Gentle Touch , Skin Deep , Comedy Playhouse , The Mackinnons , Red Dwarf and Highlander: The Series .
He has also made numerous appearances in a variety of light entertainment shows, including Highway (with Sir Harry Secombe), An Evening with Barry Humphries, the BBC series Battle of the Sexes, A Tribute to Robbie Burns (for Scottish television), Crackerjack , and hosted his own series I Like Music. He was also the original voice of Sky, voicing programmes there for over a decade. [2]
In film, Smillie has had small roles in International Velvet and Jaguar Lives! . In 2005, he appeared in two German-made films – Dark Ride and Rich Girl, Poor Girl. Most recently he has had parts in the films La Correspondenza (directed by Giuseppe Tornatore), Tommy's Honour (director Jason Connery), Romans (directed by The Shammasian Brothers) and Boyz in the Wood (director Ninian Doff).
Smilie has appeared as a leading man on stage in both the UK and Australia.
On the London stage, he played Tony in West Side Story . The following years saw him playing leading men in a string of West End productions, notably: an Italian Lothario in Brian Clemens' whodunit Lover (Ambassadors Theatre); Henry II in Thomas and The King (Her Majesty's Theatre) music written by John Williams; Dr. Thomas Barnardo in Barnardo (Royalty Theatre); Nicos in Zorba ; Georges in La Cage aux Folles (London Palladium); and also as Fred Graham in Kiss Me Kate (Royal Shakespeare Company, Savoy), George Bernard Shaw's Candida as the Reverend James Mavor Morrell.
Other stage roles include Orin in Eugene O'Neill's Mourning Becomes Electra , Chance Williams in Tennessee Williams' Sweet Bird of Youth , Eilif in Mother Courage and Her Children , the lead in Tom Jones, Emile de Beque in South Pacific , and as Captain von Trapp in The Sound of Music . Followed by his success as Mack Sennet in the 1996 London production of Mack & Mabel , Smilie recorded the part of Fred / Petruchio again in the full live production of Kiss Me, Kate for the BBC in London with the BBC Concert Orchestra.
1998–99 and 2000 saw Smillie touring in the UK Productions tour of 42nd Street , playing the lead role of producer Julian Marsh. In 2001, he returned to Australia to play Pastor Manders in Henrik Ibsen's Ghosts for the Perth International Arts Festival. In 2003, he returned to the UK to play Charles in Stephen Sondheim's Putting It Together at the Library Theatre in Manchester. This was followed in 2004 by Daddy Warbucks in a touring production of Annie with Su Pollard and Caesar in a Sadlers Wells Lost Musicals production of Harold Rome, Joshua Logan and S. N. Behrman's Fanny .
In 2005, Smillie returned to Australia for 7 years for personal reasons to care for his ageing mother and took a break from the business. On his return to the UK, he settled back in Glasgow, and has since appeared in stage productions at the Traverse Theatre, Oran Mor and the Pitlochry Festival Theatre.
Smillie also has a Royal Variety Performance to his credit. [3]
Smillie is also a regular radio and concert broadcaster for the BBC, particularly on the series Friday Night is Music Night , presenting special occasions such as Sondheim on the South Bank, An Evening with Cole Porter at the Royal Festival Hall, and as Pilate in Jesus Christ Superstar at the Barbican Centre.
He is also a voice-over artist working in animation and on commercials, dubbing, audiovisuals, documentaries, and talking books.
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1967 | Adventure Island | Prince Charming | TV series, 1 episode |
1969 | Good Morning Mr Doubleday | TV series, 1 episode | |
1970 | Delta | Derek | TV series, 1 episode |
1971 | Dynasty | TV Interviewer | TV series, 1 episode |
1966-72 | Homicide | Various roles | TV series, 5 episodes |
1972 | Dead of Night | Keith Hopkirk | TV series, 1 episode |
1969-73 | Division 4 | Various roles | TV series, 8 episodes |
1974 | Dial M for Murder | Larry Peters | TV series, 1 episode |
Z-Cars | Roy Prentiss | TV series, 1 episode | |
1975 | Thriller | Bob Mallory | TV series, 1 episode |
Wodehouse Playhouse | Police Sergeant | TV series, 1 episode | |
Space: 1999 | Baxter | TV series, 1 episode | |
1976 | Jumbo Spencer | Mr. Spencer (credited as Jim Smillie) | TV series, 3 episodes |
Battle of the Sexes | Various roles (credited as James Smilie) | TV series, 6 episodes | |
1977 | The Tomorrow People | Mike Harding | TV series, 2 episodes |
The Mackinnons | James Grant | TV series, 2 episodes | |
The Barry Humphries Show | TV series, 1 episode | ||
1978 | Life at Stake | Wayne Grant | TV series, 1 episode |
1979 | Prisoner (aka Prisoner: Cell Block H) | Steve Wilson | TV series, 28 episodes |
1980 | The Gentle Touch | Harry | TV series, 1 episode |
The Latchkey Children | Malcolm McCrae | TV series, 3 episodes | |
Metal Mickey | Manager | TV series, 1 episode | |
1981 | Take a Letter, Mr. Jones | Dr. Norton (credited as James Smilie) | TV series, 1 episode |
1983 | Return to Eden | Dr. Dan Marshall (credited as Jim Smilie) | TV miniseries, 3 episodes |
1984 | Skin Deep | Cliff Hudson | TV film |
Special Squad | Donaghue | TV series, 1 episode | |
1985 | Return to Eden | Doctor Dan Marshall (credited as James Smillie) | TV series, 22 episodes |
1988 | 1987 Laurence Olivier Awards | TV special | |
1990 | The Word | Mission | TV series, 1 episode |
1991 | Red Dwarf | Justice computer (voice) | TV series, 1 episode |
4 Play | Maggot (voice) | TV series, 1 episode | |
1994 | Highlander | John Bower | TV series, 1 episode |
1994 | Red Dwarf: Smeg Ups | Justice computer (voice) | Video |
2002 | Always Greener | Frank | TV series, 1 episode |
The Junction Boys | Dwayne Hess | TV film | |
2006 | Final Contract: Death on Delivery | TV film | |
2006 | Good Girl, Bad Girl | TV film | |
2021 | Star Wars: Battlefront Fan Cast | Saesse Tiin | TV series, 1 episode |
2022 | Doctor Who: The Sixth Doctor Adventures | A.M (voice) | TV series, 1 episode |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1978 | International Velvet | Commentator | Feature film |
1979 | Jaguar Lives! | Reardon | Feature film |
1983 | Abra Cadabra | Mr Pig (voice) | Animated film |
1993 | Opéra imaginaire | Narrator | Animated film (English version) |
2016 | The Correspondence (aka La corrispondenza) | Preside / Dean of Faculty | Feature film |
Tommy's Honour | A.K.H. Boyd | Feature film | |
Boyz in the Wood | Duke 1 | TV movie | |
2017 | Romans (aka Retaliation) | The Priest (Jimmy) | Feature film |
2019 | Get Duked! | Duke #1 | Feature film |
2023 | The Man from Oghuz | Vazir Imran | Short film |
TBA | The Pleasures of the Damned | Voics | Short film |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2020 | Making the Cut: The (Mostly) True Story of a Retired Surgeon | Father / Mr Maingot / Education Dept Secretary / British Man 2 | Podcast |
2021 | Lady Christina | John Flint | Podcast, 1 episode |
2021 | Missy | Alfredo | Podcast, 1 episode |
2023 | Folktown | Narrator | Podcast, 4 episodes |
Once Upon a Time in Zombieville | Voom Buckstop / Dr Smillie | Podcast, BBC |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2022 | Vox Machinae | Hands | Video game |
Year | Category | Award | Result |
---|---|---|---|
2019 | Gold Podcast Award –Children's Radio Series (3 series as Voom BuckStop / Dr Smillie) | Podcast Awards | Won |
2021 | Best Indie Game – Narrator | Devgamm! | Won |
2021 | Best Demo Reel – Character | One Voice Awards | Won |
2021 | Best Character Voice | Vox Awards | Won |
2032 | Best Performance – TV Promo | One Voice Awards | Won |
2022 | Best Visual Advertising Campaign | Vox Awards | Won |
2022 | Vox Judges' Choice Award | Vox Awards | Won |
2022 | Best Male Voice Performance | Vox Awards | Won |
2022 | Voiceover of the Year | Vox Awards | Won |
2023 | Best Male Performance – Gaming | One Voice Awards | Won |
2023 | Best Male Performance – Radio Commercials | One Voice Awards | Won |
2023 | Voiceover Artist of the Year (Male) | One Voice Awards | Won |
Denis Clifford Quilley, OBE was an English actor and singer. From a family with no theatrical connections, Quilley was determined from an early age to become an actor. He was taken on by the Birmingham Repertory Theatre in his teens, and after a break for compulsory military service he began a West End career in 1950, succeeding Richard Burton in The Lady's Not For Burning. In the 1950s he appeared in revue, musicals, operetta and on television as well as in classic and modern drama in the theatre.
Millicent Mary Lillian Martin is an English actress, singer, and comedian. She was the lone female singer of topical songs on the weekly BBC Television satirical show That Was the Week That Was, and won a BAFTA TV Award in 1964. For her work on Broadway, she received Tony Award nominations for Side by Side by Sondheim (1977) and King of Hearts (1978), both for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. Other television roles include her recurring role as Gertrude Moon in the NBC sitcom Frasier (2000–04) and Joan Margaret in Grace & Frankie (2017–2022).
Robert Brydon Jones is a Welsh actor, comedian, impressionist, presenter, singer and writer. Brydon gained prominence for his roles in film, television and radio. Brydon was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in Queen Elizabeth II's Birthday Honours in 2013 for services to comedy and broadcasting, and for charitable services.
Michael Ashley Ball is an English singer, presenter and actor. In 1985, he made his West End debut as Marius Pontmercy in the original production of Les Misérables. In 1989, he reached number two in the UK Singles Chart with "Love Changes Everything", from the musical Aspects of Love, where he played Alex Dillingham. He played the role in the West End and on Broadway. His album Coming Home To You reached number one in the UK making it his 4th number one album to date. On 24 April 2020, Ball and Captain Tom Moore entered the UK Singles Chart at number one with a cover of "You'll Never Walk Alone", with combined chart sales of 82,000 making it the fastest-selling single of 2020.
Michael Beckley is an Australian actor. He has worked with major theatre companies in both Australia and the United Kingdom, and appeared on London's West End in A Few Good Men and Cabaret. He is probably best known for playing Rhys Sutherland, the patriarch of a new family that arrived in the fictional town of Summer Bay in the internationally televised series Home and Away.
Mackenzie Crook is an English actor, director and writer. He played Gareth Keenan in The Office, Ragetti in the Pirates of the Caribbean films, Orell in the HBO series Game of Thrones, and the title role of Worzel Gummidge. He is also the creator and star of BBC Four's Detectorists (2014–2022), for which he won two BAFTA awards. He also plays major roles in TV series Britannia, as the opposite leading druids Veran and Harka.
Valentine Ruth Henshall, known professionally as Ruthie Henshall, is an English actress, singer and dancer, known for her work in musical theatre. She began her professional stage career in 1986, before making her West End debut in Cats in 1987. A five-time Olivier Award nominee, she won the 1995 Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her role as Amalia Balash in the London revival of She Loves Me (1994).
Lucy Montgomery is a British actress, comedian and writer.
David John Tennant is a Scottish actor. He is best known for portraying the tenth incarnation of the Doctor in the sci-fi series Doctor Who. In 2023, he returned to the show as the fourteenth incarnation. His other notable screen roles include DI Alec Hardy in the crime drama series Broadchurch (2013–2017) and its 2014 remake, Kilgrave in the superhero series Jessica Jones (2015–2019), Crowley in the fantasy series Good Omens (2019–present) and various fictionalised versions of himself in the comedy series Staged (2020–2022).
Henry Goodman is a RADA trained British actor. He has appeared on television and radio, in film and in the theatre.
James Edward Fleet is an English actor of theatre, radio and screen. He is most famous for his roles as the bumbling and well-meaning Tom in the 1994 British romantic comedy film Four Weddings and a Funeral and the dim-witted but kind hearted Hugo Horton in the BBC sitcom television series The Vicar of Dibley.
Julia Kathleen Nancy McKenzie is an English actress, singer, presenter, and theatre director. She has premièred leading roles written by both Alan Ayckbourn and Stephen Sondheim. On television, she is known for her BAFTA Award nominated role as Hester Fields in the sitcom Fresh Fields (1984–1986) and its sequel French Fields (1989–1991), and as Miss Marple in Agatha Christie's Marple (2009–2013).
Georgia Brown was an English singer and actress.
Richard Dempsey is an English actor.
Janie Dee is a British actress. She won the Olivier Award for Best Actress, Evening Standard Award and Critics' Circle Theatre Award for Best Actress in a Play, and in New York the Obie and Theatre World Award for Best Newcomer, for her performance as Jacie Triplethree in Alan Ayckbourn's Comic Potential.
Daniel Boys is an English actor. He starred in the West End productions of the musicals Rent and Grease before being a 2007 contestant on the BBC talent series Any Dream Will Do. Boys went on to star in many more musicals including Avenue Q, Spamalot, Falsettos and Hamilton.
Caroline Ann O'Connor is an Anglo-Australian singer, dancer, and actress. For her theatre work she has won three Helpmann Awards: Best Female Actor in a Play for Edith Piaf in Piaf in 2001 and the same category for Judy Garland in End of the Rainbow in 2006, and Best Female Actor in a Musical for Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes in 2015.
Paul Keating is an English actor. He has been nominated twice for an Olivier Award for his performances on the West End stage. He began acting at the age of 12, appearing as Gavroche in Les Misérables at The Palace Theatre for 10 months.
Lost Musicals is a British musical theatre project established in 1989 by Ian Marshall Fisher. It is dedicated to presenting lost or forgotten musicals by famous American writers, and has been responsible for the first revivals of the lesser-known works of writers such as Stephen Sondheim, Cole Porter, Alan Jay Lerner, Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II, Harold Arlen and Jerome Kern.
David Firth is an English actor, writer and singer for stage, film, radio and television. Firth created the role of Monsieur André in the original cast of Phantom of the Opera, among other roles in the West End, and originated the role of John Wilkes Booth in the first London production of Assassins, in a career spanning more than 40 years.