Jerome Barry Willis (23 October 1928 – 11 January 2014
) was a prominent British stage and screen actor with more than 100 screen credits to his name.
[
Willis had a leading role in the ITV drama series '']The Sandbaggers
''The Sandbaggers'' is a British spy drama television series about men and women on the front lines of the Cold War. Set contemporaneously with its original broadcast on ITV in 1978 and 1980, ''The Sandbaggers'' examines the effect of espionag ...
'' as Matthew Peele. He also appeared in '' Z Cars'' as DCS Richards, ''Within These Walls
''Within These Walls'' is a British television drama programme made by London Weekend Television for ITV and shown between 1974 and 1978. It portrayed life in HMP Stone Park, a fictional women's prison. Unlike later women-in-prison TV series, ...
'' as Charles Radley, and ''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 ...
'' as corporate polluter Stevens in ''The Green Death
''The Green Death'' is the fifth and final serial of the tenth season of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', which was first broadcast in six weekly parts on BBC1 from 19 May to 23 June 1973. It was the last regular appe ...
''. He played Praetorian Guard
The Praetorian Guard (Latin: ''cohortēs praetōriae'') was a unit of the Imperial Roman army that served as personal bodyguards and intelligence agents for the Roman emperors. During the Roman Republic, the Praetorian Guard were an escort fo ...
commander Macro in the ITV Roman series '' The Caesars''. Other television appearances include the cult children's television series ''Freewheelers
''Freewheelers'' is a British television series made by Southern Television between 1968 and 1973 for the ITV network. It was created by the television producer Chris McMaster, who was aware of the popularity of adult action series such as '' ...
'' as the manic Professor Nero, and the science fiction police drama ''Space Precinct
''Space Precinct'' is a British television series that was first broadcast from 1994 to 1995 on Sky One and later on BBC Two from 1995 to 1996 in the UK, and in first-run syndication in the United States. Many US stations scheduled the show in ...
'' as Captain Podley.
In 2002 Willis appeared with 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 ...
, in ''Pericles
Pericles (; grc-gre, Περικλῆς; c. 495 – 429 BC) was a Greek politician and general during the Golden Age of Athens. He was prominent and influential in Athenian politics, particularly between the Greco-Persian Wars and the Pelo ...
'' at the Roundhouse in London.
His film credits included ''Siege of the Saxons
''Siege of the Saxons'' is a 1963 British adventure film directed by Nathan H. Juran and released by Columbia Pictures. Starring Janette Scott and Ronald Lewis, the film is set in the time of King Arthur, but, as with many Arthurian themed film ...
'' (1963), ''A Jolly Bad Fellow
''A Jolly Bad Fellow'' (US: ''They all Died Laughing'') is a 1964 British black comedy film directed by Don Chaffey. It stars Leo McKern and Janet Munro.[Khartoum
Khartoum or Khartum ( ; ar, الخرطوم, Al-Khurṭūm, din, Kaartuɔ̈m) is the capital of Sudan. With a population of 5,274,321, its metropolitan area is the largest in Sudan. It is located at the confluence of the White Nile, flowing n ...]
'' (1966), '' The Magus'' (1968), '' Doomwatch'' (1972), '' Yellow Dog'' (1973), '' Winstanley'' (1975), '' Lifeforce'' (1985), '' God's Outlaw'' (1986), ''Sherlock Holmes and the Leading Lady
''Sherlock Holmes and the Leading Lady'' and its sequel, ''Incident at Victoria Falls'' (1992), are a pair of TV films made in 1991 under the banner ''Sherlock Holmes the Golden Years''. Harry Alan Towers was executive producer and Bob Shayne wa ...
'' (1991), '' Incident at Victoria Falls'' (1992) and ''Orlando
Orlando () is a city in the U.S. state of Florida and is the county seat of Orange County. In Central Florida, it is the center of the Orlando metropolitan area, which had a population of 2,509,831, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures re ...
'' (1992).
Early career
Jerome Willis started his career as a newsreader, disc jockey and actor when he was posted to Ceylon
Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
, now Sri Lanka, in 1946 as a part of his national service in the Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...
. He served in communications for the Ceylonese station Radio SEACOld Vic school
The Bristol Old Vic Theatre School is a drama school in Bristol, England. The institution provides training in acting and production for careers in film, television and theatre.
BOVTS is an affiliate of the Conservatoire for Dance and Drama. I ...
, ran by Michel Saint-Denis, Fellow students included Joan Plowright and Prunella Scales
Prunella Margaret Rumney West Scales (''née'' Illingworth; born 22 June 1932) is an English former actress, best known for playing Sybil Fawlty, wife of Basil Fawlty (John Cleese), in the BBC comedy '' Fawlty Towers'', her nomination for a ...
. Upon graduating in 1951, he joined the West of England Touring Company, alongside fellow student Plowright.
Filmography
References
External links
*
Obituary in ''Doctor Who online''
1928 births
2014 deaths
English male film actors
English male television actors
{{UK-screen-actor-stub