Robert Emrys James (1 September 1928 – 5 February 1989) was a Welsh

Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

an actor. He also performed in many theatre and TV parts between 1960 and 1989, and was an Associate Artist of the

Royal Shakespeare Company The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs over 1,000 staff and produces around 20 productions a year. The RSC plays regularly in London, St ...

. He was born in

Machynlleth Machynlleth () is a market town, community and electoral ward in Powys, Wales and within the historic boundaries of Montgomeryshire. It is in the Dyfi Valley at the intersection of the A487 and the A489 roads. At the 2001 Census it had a popul ...

, the son of a railwayman, and attended the

University of Wales, Aberystwyth , mottoeng = A world without knowledge is no world at all , established = 1872 (as ''The University College of Wales'') , former_names = University of Wales, Aberystwyth , type = Public , endowment = ...

Selected theatre work

After training at

RADA The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA; ) is a drama school in London, England, that provides vocational conservatoire training for theatre, film, television, and radio. It is based in the Bloomsbury area of Central London, close to the Senat ...

, in 1953 James joined Peter Hall and John Barton's

Oxford Playhouse Oxford Playhouse is a theatre designed by Edward Maufe and F.G.M. Chancellor. It is situated in Beaumont Street, Oxford, opposite the Ashmolean Museum. History The Playhouse was founded as ''The Red Barn'' at 12 Woodstock Road, North Oxfor ...

-based Elizabethan Theatre Company. In 1956 he played his first season at Stratford, taking the roles of Guildernstern, Salerio in ''The Merchant of Venice'' and Claudio in ''Measure for Measure''. Seasons at the Bristol Old Vic and the Old Vic, London, followed. Notable roles at the RSC included Sir Hugh Evans in ''

The Merry Wives of Windsor ''The Merry Wives of Windsor'' or ''Sir John Falstaff and the Merry Wives of Windsor'' is a comedy by William Shakespeare first published in 1602, though believed to have been written in or before 1597. The Windsor of the play's title is a ref ...

'', 1968; Gower in '' Pericles'', 1969; Feste in ''

Twelfth Night ''Twelfth Night'', or ''What You Will'' is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written around 1601–1602 as a Twelfth Night's entertainment for the close of the Christmas season. The play centres on the twins Vio ...

'', 1969; The Boss in

Günter Grass Günter Wilhelm Grass (born Graß; ; 16 October 1927 – 13 April 2015) was a German novelist, poet, playwright, illustrator, graphic artist, sculptor, and recipient of the 1999 Nobel Prize in Literature. He was born in the Free City of Da ...

' ''

The Plebeians Rehearse the Uprising ''The Plebeians Rehearse the Uprising'' (German: ''Die Plebejer proben den Aufstand'') is a 1966 play by German writer Günter Grass. It was premiered at the Berlin Schillertheater on 15 January 1966. In the play, Grass criticizes Bertolt Brech ...

'', 1970; The Cardinal in John Webster's ''

The Duchess of Malfi ''The Duchess of Malfi'' (originally published as ''The Tragedy of the Dutchesse of Malfy'') is a Jacobean revenge tragedy written by English dramatist John Webster in 1612–1613. It was first performed privately at the Blackfriars Theatre, ...

'', 1971;

Shylock Shylock is a fictional character in William Shakespeare's play ''The Merchant of Venice'' (c. 1600). A Venetian Jewish moneylender, Shylock is the play's principal antagonist. His defeat and conversion to Christianity form the climax of the ...

in ''

The Merchant of Venice ''The Merchant of Venice'' is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1596 and 1598. A merchant in Venice named Antonio defaults on a large loan provided by a Jewish moneylender, Shylock. Although classified as ...

'', 1971; Iago in ''

Othello ''Othello'' (full title: ''The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice'') is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare, probably in 1603, set in the contemporary Ottoman–Venetian War (1570–1573) fought for the control of the Island of Cypru ...

'', 1971; the title role in ''

King John King John may refer to: Rulers * John, King of England (1166–1216) * John I of Jerusalem (c. 1170–1237) * John Balliol, King of Scotland (c. 1249–1314) * John I of France (15–20 November 1316) * John II of France (1319–1364) * John I o ...

'', 1974;

Mephistopheles Mephistopheles (, ), also known as Mephisto, is a demon featured in German folklore. He originally appeared in literature as the demon in the Faust legend, and he has since appeared in other works as a stock character (see: Mephistopheles in t ...

Christopher Marlowe Christopher Marlowe, also known as Kit Marlowe (; baptised 26 February 156430 May 1593), was an English playwright, poet and translator of the Elizabethan era. Marlowe is among the most famous of the Elizabethan playwrights. Based upon the ...

's '' Doctor Faustus'', 1974; Chorus in ''

Henry V Henry V may refer to: People * Henry V, Duke of Bavaria (died 1026) * Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor (1081/86–1125) * Henry V, Duke of Carinthia (died 1161) * Henry V, Count Palatine of the Rhine (c. 1173–1227) * Henry V, Count of Luxembourg (121 ...

'', 1975; the title role in ''Henry IV, Parts 1 and 2, 1975–76; York in ''Henry VI'', parts I, II and

III III or iii may refer to: Companies * Information International, Inc., a computer technology company * Innovative Interfaces, Inc., a library-software company * 3i, formerly Investors in Industry, a British investment company Other uses * Ins ...

, 1977–78; Jaques in ''

As You Like It ''As You Like It'' is a pastoral comedy by William Shakespeare believed to have been written in 1599 and first published in the First Folio in 1623. The play's first performance is uncertain, though a performance at Wilton House in 1603 has b ...

'', 1977; Edgar in Strindberg's ''The Dance of Death'', 1978; Cassius in ''Julius Caesar'', 1983;

Malvolio Malvolio is a fictional character in William Shakespeare's comedy ''Twelfth Night, or What You Will''. His name means "ill will" in Italian, referencing his disagreeable nature. He is the vain, pompous, authoritarian steward of Olivia's househo ...

in ''

'', 1984; and Sir Giles Overreach in Philip Massinger's ''A New Way to Pay Old Debts'', 1984. In 1981, he played Lopakhin in ''The Cherry Orchard'' at Chichester Festival Theatre.

Family life

In 1958 he married the novelist Sian James, whom he had met while they were both students at the University of Wales. The couple set up home, firstly in London then in

Warwickshire Warwickshire (; abbreviated Warks) is a county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, and the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare at Stratford-upon-Avon an ...

, when James began his lasting association with the RSC at Stratford. They had four children: William, Owen, Jo and Anna.

Selected TV and films

* ''

How Green Was My Valley ''How Green Was My Valley'' is a 1939 novel by Richard Llewellyn, narrated by Huw Morgan, the main character, about his Welsh family and the mining community in which they live. The author had claimed that he based the book on his own persona ...

'' (1960, TV series) - Gwilym Morgan Jr. * ''

The House Under the Water ''The House Under the Water'' is a 1932 novel by the British writer Francis Brett Young.Cannadine p.161 It is one of his "Mercian novels", set in the West Midlands and Welsh borders. It portrays the construction of the Elan Valley Reservoirs to ...

'' (1961, TV series) – Rob Tregaron *''

Z-Cars ''Z-Cars'' or ''Z Cars'' (pronounced "zed cars") is a British television police procedural series centred on the work of mobile uniformed police in the fictional town of Newtown, based on Kirkby, near Liverpool. Produced by the BBC, it debuted ...

'' (1963, TV Series) – Cyclist *''Moulded in Earth'' (1965, TV Series) – Edwin Peele * '' Broome Stages'' (1966, TV Series) – Morgan *''

Talking to a Stranger ''Talking to a Stranger'' (1966) is a British television drama, written by John Hopkins for the BBC, which consists of four separate plays recounting the events of one weekend from the viewpoints of four members of the same family. The play cycl ...

'' (1966, TV Series) – Gordon Lester *''

Seven of One ''Seven of One'' was a British comedy series that aired on BBC2 in 1973. Starring Ronnie Barker, ''Seven of One'' was a series of seven separate comedies that would serve as possible pilots for sitcoms. Originally it was to be called ''Six of O ...

'' (1973, TV Series) – Reverend Simmonds *'' Softly, Softly'' (1973, TV Series) – Jack Hodder *''

Wessex Tales ''Wessex Tales'' is an 1888 collection of tales written by English novelist and poet Thomas Hardy, many of which are set before Hardy's birth in 1840. In the various short stories, Hardy writes of the true nature of nineteenth-century marria ...

'' (1973, TV Movie) – David Lloyd George *'' Play of the Month'' (1973, TV Series) – Doolittle / Dr. Pangloss *'' Fall of Eagles'' (1974, TV Mini-Series) – Count Taaffe *'' Days of Hope'' (1975, TV Mini-Series) – Thomas Jones *'' The Man in The Iron Mask'' (1977) – Percerin *''

Testament of Youth ''Testament of Youth'' is the first instalment, covering 1900–1925, in the memoir of Vera Brittain (1893–1970). It was published in 1933. Brittain's memoir continues with ''Testament of Experience'', published in 1957, and encompassing th ...

'' (1979, TV Series) – Mr Brittain *''

Hammer House of Horror ''Hammer House of Horror'' is a British television series made in 1980. An anthology series created by Hammer Films in association with Cinema Arts International and ITC Entertainment, it consists of 13 hour-long episodes, originally broadcas ...

'' (1980, TV Series) – Dr. Harris *''

Hamlet, Prince of Denmark ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...

'' (1980, TV Movie) – Player King *''

Gauguin the Savage ''Gauguin the Savage'' is a 1980 American TV film. It is a biopic of the artist Paul Gauguin starring David Carradine.Gauguin biography is a tame affair Groen, Rick. The Globe and Mail; Toronto, Ont. oronto, Ont9 Apr 1980: P.15. Cast *David Car ...

'' (1980, TV movie) - Maurice Schuffenecker *''

Doctor Who ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the u ...

'' (1981, TV Series: '' State of Decay'') – Aukon / Anthony O'Connor *'' Open All Hours'' (1981, TV Series) – Eli Bickerdyke *''

Antony and Cleopatra ''Antony and Cleopatra'' (First Folio title: ''The Tragedie of Anthonie, and Cleopatra'') is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. The play was first performed, by the King's Men, at either the Blackfriars Theatre or the Globe Theatre in around ...

'' (BBC, 1981, TV Movie) – Enobarbus *''

Dragonslayer A dragonslayer is a person or being that slays dragons. Dragonslayers and the creatures they hunt have been popular in traditional stories from around the world: they are a type of story classified as type 300 in the Aarne–Thompson classifica ...

'' (1981) – Valerian's Father *''

Giro City ''Giro City'' is a 1982 British television drama film written and directed by Karl Francis. It stars Glenda Jackson, Jon Finch and Kenneth Colley. The film was released in the United States under the title ''And Nothing But the Truth'' in 1984. ...

'' (1982) – Tommy Williams *''

Dombey & Son ''Dombey and Son'' is a novel by English author Charles Dickens. It follows the fortunes of a shipping firm owner, who is frustrated at the lack of a son to follow him in his footsteps; he initially rejects his daughter's love before eventual ...

'' (TV Mini-Series) – Captain Cuttle *'' Eureka'' (1983) – Judge *''

Anna of the Five Towns ''Anna of the Five Towns'' is a novel by Arnold Bennett, first published in 1902 and one of his best-known works. Plot background The plot centres on Anna Tellwright, daughter of a wealthy but miserly and dictatorial father, living in the P ...

'' (1985, TV Mini-Series) – Ephraim Tellwright *''God's Chosen Carpark'' (1986, TV Movie) – Nathaniel Box *'' The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes'' (1987, TV Series: ''The Sign of Four'') - Inspector Athelney Jones *''

The Diary of Anne Frank ''The Diary of a Young Girl'', also known as ''The Diary of Anne Frank'', is a book of the writings from the Dutch-language diary kept by Anne Frank while she was in hiding for two years with her family during the Nazi occupation of the Netherl ...

'' (1987, TV Series) – Otto Frank *'' Out of Love'' (1988, TV film) – Emrys Price *''Father Brown'' (1988?, Italian TV Series - Padre Brown

References

External links

*
Obituary
from BBC Wales {{DEFAULTSORT:James, Emrys 1928 births 1989 deaths People from Machynlleth Royal Shakespeare Company members Welsh male stage actors Welsh male television actors Welsh-speaking actors Alumni of Aberystwyth University 20th-century Welsh male actors Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art Welsh male Shakespearean actors

Selected theatre work

Family life

Selected TV and films

Further reading

References

External links