Jerome Willis

British stage and screen actor (1928–2014)

Jerome Willis

Willis as Edward Pengelley in Poirot (1990)

Born|

Jerome Barry Willis

(1928-10-23)23 October 1928

Balham, London, England

Died| 11 January 2014(2014-01-11) (aged 85)

Wimbledon, London, England

Occupation(s)| Actor, news reader, disc jockey
Height| 180 cm (5 ft 11 in)
Spouse|

Dilys Elstone

(m. 1952)​

Jerome Barry Willis (23 October 1928 – 11 January 2014) was a British stage and screen actor, with a strong reputation for Shakespearean roles in the theatre.[1][2][3]

Willis had a leading role in the ITV drama series The Sandbaggers as Matthew Peele.[4] He also appeared in Z-Cars as DCS Richards, Within These Walls as Charles Radley, and Doctor Who as corporate polluter Stevens in The Green Death.[5] He played Praetorian Guard commander Macro in the ITV Roman series The Caesars.[6] His other television appearances include the cult children's television series Freewheelers as the manic Professor Nero, and the science fiction police drama Space Precinct as Captain Podley.[7][8]

In 2002 Willis appeared with the Royal Shakespeare Company, in Pericles at the Roundhouse in London.[9]

His film credits included Siege of the Saxons (1963), A Jolly Bad Fellow (1964), Khartoum (1966), The Magus (1968), Doomwatch (1972), Yellow Dog (1973), Winstanley (1975), Lifeforce (1985), God's Outlaw (1986), Sherlock Holmes and the Leading Lady (1991), Incident at Victoria Falls (1992) and Orlando (1992).[2]

## Early career

[edit]

Jerome Willis started his career as a newsreader, disc jockey and actor when he was posted to Ceylon, now Sri Lanka, in 1946 as a part of his national service in the Royal Air Force. He served in communications for the Ceylonese station Radio SEAC.[10]

Upon his return to London in 1948, he was accepted as a student at the Bristol Old Vic school, run by Michel Saint-Denis. Fellow students included Joan Plowright and Prunella Scales. Upon graduating in 1951, he joined the West of England Touring Company, alongside fellow student Plowright.

## Filmography

[edit]

Year  | Title  | Role  | Notes

|
|
|

1956  | Abigail and Roger[11] |  | 4 episodes
1960 | Foxhole in Cairo | 1st British Signals Sergeant |
1963 | Siege of the Saxons | The Limping Man |
1964 | A Jolly Bad Fellow | Detective Inspector Armstrong |
1966 | Khartoum | Frank Power | Uncredited
1968 | The Magus | 'False' German Officer |
1972 | Doomwatch | Lt. Com. Tavener |
1973 | Yellow Dog | Hawk Curtis |
1975 | Winstanley | General Lord Fairfax |
1985 | Lifeforce | Pathologist |
1986 | God's Outlaw | Bishop Stokesley |
1991 | Sherlock Holmes and the Leading Lady | Mycroft Holmes |
1992 | Incident at Victoria Falls | Mycroft Holmes |
1992 | Orlando | Translator |
1994 | A Business Affair | Moderator |
1998 | The Sea Change | Older Board Member |
2006 | Perfume: The Story of a Murderer | Councillor 1 |

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Farquar, Simon (1 March 2014). "Jerome Willis: Character actor and Shakespearian specialist who was equally at home as the dignified victim or devilish villian [sic]". The Independent. Archived from the original on 8 June 2022.
2. ^ a b "Jerome Willis". Archived from the original on 25 April 2017.
3. ^ Jerome Willis obituary The Guardian, 26 January 2014
4. ^ "BFI Screenonline: Sandbaggers, The (1978-80) Credits". www.screenonline.org.uk.
5. ^ "Jerome Willis". www.aveleyman.com.
6. ^ "The Caesars: S". www.aveleyman.com.
7. ^ "Jerome Willis – Obituaries". The Stage. 3 February 2014.
8. ^ "Jerome Willis". TVGuide.com.
9. ^ "Production of Pericles - Theatricalia". theatricalia.com.
10. ^ "Jerome Willis obituary". The Guardian. 26 January 2014. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
11. ^ "Jerome Willis". IMDb. Retrieved 5 October 2022.

## External links

[edit]

* Jerome Willis at IMDb
* Obituary in Doctor Who online

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF
* WorldCat

National|

* United States
* France
* BnF data

Other|

* IdRef

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