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 ''Prisoner'' (known in the UK and the US as ''Prisoner: Cell Block H'') is an Australian television soap opera, which broadcast on Network Ten (originally The 0-10 Network) from February 27 (Melbourne) February 26 (Sydney) 1979 to December 1 ...

'' and Doctor Dan Marshall in the 1980s Australian mini-series and one full series of ''

Return to Eden ''Return to Eden'' is an Australian television drama series starring Rebecca Gilling, James Reyne, Wendy Hughes and James Smillie. It began as a three-part, six-hour mini-series shown on Network Ten on September 27–29, 1983. Gilling and Smil ...

''.

Career

Television and film

Smillie has appeared in films and television shows as featured actor and host, and as leading man on stage in the UK and Australia. His television credits include ''

'', '' Prisoner: Cell Block H'', '' Adventure Island'', '' Space: 1999'' the episode ''End of Eternity'', '' Thriller'', ''

The Gentle Touch ''The Gentle Touch'' is a British police drama television series made by London Weekend Television for ITV which began on 11 April 1980 and ran until 1984. The series is notable for being the first British series to feature a female police off ...

'', '' Skin Deep'', ''

Comedy Playhouse ''Comedy Playhouse'' is a long-running British anthology series of one-off unrelated sitcoms that aired for 120 episodes from 1961 to 1975. Many episodes later graduated to their own series, including ''Steptoe and Son'', '' Meet the Wife'', ...

'', ''

The Mackinnons The Mackinnons was a BBC Scotland drama series, which started in 1977. It starred Bill Simpson as the head of the Mackinnon family, a vet in the fictional Argyll town of Inverglen (the opening shot actually showed Inveraray). It was seen as inhabit ...

'', ''

Red Dwarf ''Red Dwarf'' is a British science fiction comedy franchise created by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, which primarily consists of a television sitcom that aired on BBC Two between 1988 and 1999, and on Dave since 2009, gaining a cult following. T ...

'' and '' Highlander: The Series''. He has also made numerous appearances in a variety of light entertainment shows, including ''

Highway A highway is any public or private road or other public way on land. It is used for major roads, but also includes other public roads and public tracks. In some areas of the United States, it is used as an equivalent term to controlled-access ...

'' with Sir

Harry Secombe Sir Harold Donald Secombe (8 September 1921 – 11 April 2001) was a Welsh comedian, actor, singer and television presenter. Secombe was a member of the British radio comedy programme ''The Goon Show'' (1951–1960), playing many characters, m ...

, ''An Evening with Barry Humphries'', the BBC series ''Battle of the Sexes'', and ''A Tribute to Robbie Burns'' for Scottish television. '' Crackerjack'', and hosted his own series ''I Like Music''. Smillie also has a

Royal Variety Performance The ''Royal Variety Performance'' is a televised variety show held annually in the United Kingdom to raise money for the Royal Variety Charity (of which King Charles III is life-patron). It is attended by senior members of the British royal f ...

s to his credit. He was also the original voice of

Sky The sky is an unobstructed view upward from the surface of the Earth. It includes the atmosphere and outer space. It may also be considered a place between the ground and outer space, thus distinct from outer space. In the field of astronomy, ...

, voicing programmes there for over a decade.Sky TV Advertisement, 1990. YouTube.
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International Theatre

On the London stage, he played Tony in ''

West Side Story ''West Side Story'' is a musical conceived by Jerome Robbins with music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by Arthur Laurents. Inspired by William Shakespeare's play ''Romeo and Juliet'', the story is set in the mid-1 ...

'' . The following years saw him playing leading men in a string of West End productions, notably: an Italian Lothario in

Brian Clemens Brian Horace Clemens (30 July 1931 – 10 January 2015) was an English screenwriter and television producer, possibly best known for his work on '' The Avengers'' and '' The Professionals''. Clemens claimed to be related to Mark Twain (Samuel ...

' whodunit ''Lover'' ( Ambassadors Theatre); Henry II in ''

Thomas and The King ''Thomas and the King'' is a stage musical with music by John Williams, lyrics by James Harbert, and a book by Edward Anhalt. It is based on the story of Thomas Becket and Henry II of England, and set in 12th century England. It opened at Her ...

'' (Her Majesty's Theatre) music written by

John Williams John Towner Williams (born February 8, 1932)Nylund, Rob (15 November 2022)Classic Connection review ''WBOI'' ("For the second time this year, the Fort Wayne Philharmonic honored American composer, conductor, and arranger John Williams, who wa ...

; Dr. Thomas Barnardo in ''Barnardo'' (Royalty Theatre); Nicos in '' Zorba''; Georges in '' La Cage aux Folles'' (

London Palladium The London Palladium () is a Grade II* West End theatre located on Argyll Street, London, in the famous area of Soho. The theatre holds 2,286 seats. Of the roster of stars who have played there, many have televised performances. Between 1955 an ...

); and also as Fred Graham in 'Kiss Me Kate' (RSC

Savoy Savoy (; frp, Savouè ; french: Savoie ) is a cultural-historical region in the Western Alps. Situated on the cultural boundary between Occitania and Piedmont, the area extends from Lake Geneva in the north to the Dauphiné in the south. Savo ...

George Bernard Shaw George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856 – 2 November 1950), known at his insistence simply as Bernard Shaw, was an Irish playwright, critic, polemicist and political activist. His influence on Western theatre, culture and politics extended from ...

's '' Candida'' as the Reverend James Mavor Morrell. His other stage credits include Orin in

Eugene O'Neill Eugene Gladstone O'Neill (October 16, 1888 – November 27, 1953) was an American playwright and Nobel laureate in literature. His poetically titled plays were among the first to introduce into the U.S. the drama techniques of realism, earlier ...

's ''

Mourning Becomes Electra ''Mourning Becomes Electra'' is a play cycle written by American playwright Eugene O'Neill. The play premiered on Broadway at the Guild Theatre on 26 October 1931 where it ran for 150 performances before closing in March 1932, starring Lee Baker ...

'', Chance Williams in

Tennessee Williams Thomas Lanier Williams III (March 26, 1911 – February 25, 1983), known by his pen name Tennessee Williams, was an American playwright and screenwriter. Along with contemporaries Eugene O'Neill and Arthur Miller, he is considered among the thre ...

' ''

Sweet Bird of Youth ''Sweet Bird of Youth'' is a 1959 play by Tennessee Williams which tells the story of a gigolo and drifter, Chance Wayne, who returns to his home town as the companion of a faded movie star, Alexandra del Lago (travelling incognito as Princess ...

'', Eilif in ''

Mother Courage and Her Children ''Mother Courage and Her Children'' (german: Mutter Courage und ihre Kinder, links=no) is a play written in 1939 by the German dramatist and poet Bertolt Brecht (1898–1956), with significant contributions from Margarete Steffin. Four theatrical ...

'', the lead in ''Tom Jones'', Emile de Beque in '' South Pacific'', and as Captain von Trapp in ''

The Sound of Music ''The Sound of Music'' is a musical with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, and a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. It is based on the 1949 memoir of Maria von Trapp, '' The Story of the Trapp Family Singers''. Se ...

''. Followed by his success as Mack Sennet in the 1996 London production of ''

Mack & Mabel ''Mack and Mabel'' (often stylized as Mack & Mabel) is a musical with a book by Michael Stewart and music and lyrics by Jerry Herman. The plot involves the tumultuous romantic relationship between Hollywood director Mack Sennett and Mabel Norman ...

'', 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 The BBC Concert Orchestra is a British concert orchestra based in London, one of the British Broadcasting Corporation's five radio orchestras. With around fifty players, it is the only one of the five BBC orchestras which is not a full-scale symp ...

. 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 Henrik Johan Ibsen (; ; 20 March 1828 – 23 May 1906) was a Norwegian playwright and theatre director. As one of the founders of modernism in theatre, Ibsen is often referred to as "the father of realism" and one of the most influential playw ...

's ''

Ghosts A ghost is the soul or spirit of a dead person or animal that is believed to be able to appear to the living. In ghostlore, descriptions of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to rea ...

'' for the

Perth International Arts Festival Perth Festival, named Perth International Arts Festival (PIAF) between 2000 and 2017, and sometimes referred to as the Festival of Perth, is Australia's longest-running cultural festival, held annually in Western Australia. The program features ...

. In 2003, he returned to the UK to play Charles in

Stephen Sondheim Stephen Joshua Sondheim (; March 22, 1930November 26, 2021) was an American composer and lyricist. One of the most important figures in twentieth-century musical theater, Sondheim is credited for having "reinvented the American musical" with sho ...

's ''

Putting It Together ''Putting it Together'' is a musical revue showcasing the songs of Stephen Sondheim. Drawing its title from a song in '' Sunday in the Park with George'', it was devised by Sondheim and Julia McKenzie. The revue has received several productions ...

'' at the

Library Theatre Manchester Central Library is the headquarters of the city's library and information service in Manchester, England. Facing St Peter's Square, it was designed by E. Vincent Harris and constructed between 1930 and 1934. The form of the buildin ...

Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...

. This was followed in 2004 by Daddy Warbucks in a touring production of ''

Annie Annie may refer to: People and fictional characters * Annie (given name), a given name and a list of people and fictional characters with the name * Annie (actress) (born 1975), Indian actress * Annie (singer) (born 1977), Norwegian singer The ...

'' with

Su Pollard Susan Georgina Pollard (born 7 November 1949) is an English actress and singer. Her career has spanned over 45 years; she is most famous for her role in the sitcom ''Hi-de-Hi!''. She also appeared in '' You Rang, M'Lord?'' and ''Oh, Doctor Beec ...

and Caesar in a Sadlers Wells Lost Musicals production of

Harold Rome Harold Jacob "Hecky" Rome (May 27, 1908 – October 26, 1993) was an American composer, lyricist, and writer for musical theater. Biography Rome was born in Hartford, Connecticut and graduated from Hartford Public High School. Originally, he ch ...

Joshua Logan Joshua Lockwood Logan III (October 5, 1908 – July 12, 1988) was an American director, writer, and actor. He shared a Pulitzer Prize for co-writing the musical '' South Pacific'' and was involved in writing other musicals. Early years Logan ...

and S. N. Behrman's '' Fanny''.

Further films and local theatre productions

In film, Smillie has had small roles in '' International Velvet'' and ''

Jaguar Lives! ''Jaguar Lives!'' is a 1979 American action film directed by Ernest Pintoff and starring Joe Lewis, Christopher Lee, Donald Pleasence and Barbara Bach. Its plot follows a secret agent who battles an international drugs ring. Plot Cast * Joe ...

''. In 2005, he appeared in two German-made films – ''

Dark Ride A dark ride or ghost train is an indoor amusement ride on which passengers aboard guided vehicles travel through specially lit scenes that typically contain Animatronics, animation, sound, music and Special effect#Live special effects, special e ...

'' and ''Rich Girl, Poor Girl''. Smillie is also a regular radio and concert broadcaster for the

BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board ex ...

, 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 The Royal Festival Hall is a 2,700-seat concert, dance and talks venue within Southbank Centre in London. It is situated on the South Bank of the River Thames, not far from Hungerford Bridge, in the London Borough of Lambeth. It is a Grade I l ...

, and as Pilate in ''

Jesus Christ Superstar ''Jesus Christ Superstar'' is a sung-through rock opera with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice. Loosely based on the Gospels' accounts of the Passion, the work interprets the psychology of Jesus and other characters, with ...

'' at the

Barbican Centre The Barbican Centre is a performing arts centre in the Barbican Estate of the City of London and the largest of its kind in Europe. The centre hosts classical and contemporary music concerts, theatre performances, film screenings and art exhi ...

. He is also a voice-over artist working in animation and on commercials, dubbing, audiovisuals, documentaries, and talking books. 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 stage productions at the

Traverse Theatre The Traverse Theatre is a theatre in Edinburgh, Scotland. It was founded in 1963 by John Calder, John Malcolm, Jim Haynes and Richard Demarco. The Traverse Theatre company commissions and develops new plays or adaptations from contemporary pla ...

, Oran Mor and the

Pitlochry Festival Theatre The Pitlochry Festival Theatre is large performing arts theatre located in the town and burgh of Pitlochry in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. The idea of a performance space in the area was conceived in the late 1940s by John Stewart, a leading p ...

. Most recently he has been more involved in film; '' La Correspondenza'', directed by

Giuseppe Tornatore Giuseppe Tornatore (born 27 May 1956) is an Italian film director and screenwriter. He is considered one of the directors who brought critical acclaim back to Italian cinema.Katz, Ephraim, "Italy," ''The Film Encyclopedia'' (New York: HarperRes ...

, ''

Tommy's Honour ''Tommy's Honour'' is a 2016 List of historical drama films, historical drama film depicting the lives and careers of, and the complex relationship between, the pioneering Scottish golfing champions Old Tom Morris and his son Young Tom Morris. The ...

'', director

Jason Connery Jason Joseph Connery (born 11 January 1963) is a British actor and director. He is the son of Sean Connery and Diane Cilento. On screen, he is best known for appearing in the third series of the ITV drama series ''Robin of Sherwood'' in 1986. He ...

, ''

Romans Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy * Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...

'', directed by The Shammasian Brothers and ''Boyz in The Wood'', director Ninian Doff.

Selected stage roles

Selected screen and television

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Smillie, James 1944 births Living people Australian male film actors Australian male musical theatre actors Australian male soap opera actors Australian male voice actors Male actors from Glasgow Scottish male film actors Scottish male musical theatre actors Scottish male soap opera actors Scottish male television actors Scottish male voice actors People educated at Mount Lawley Senior High School 20th-century Australian male actors 20th-century Scottish male actors 21st-century Australian male actors 21st-century Scottish male actors