Jerome Willis

Jerome Barry Willis (23 October 1928 – 11 January 2014) was a British stage and screen actor with more than 100 screen credits to his name.[1][2][3]

Jerome Willis
Willis as Edward Pengelley in Poirot (1990)
Born
Jerome Barry Willis

(1928-10-23)23 October 1928
Balham, London, England
Died11 January 2014(2014-01-11) (aged 85)
Wimbledon, London, England
Occupation(s)Actor, news reader, disk jockey
Height180 cm (5 ft 11 in)
SpouseDilys Elstone (1952–2014)
Relatives
  • Nuala Willis (Sister
  • John Rawnsley (Brother-in-law)

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] 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

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]

On his return to London in 1948, he was accepted as a student at the Old Vic school, ran 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
Year Title Role Notes
1956 Abigail and Roger[11] 4 episodes
1960Foxhole in Cairo1st British Signals Sergeant
1963Siege of the SaxonsThe Limping Man
1964A Jolly Bad FellowDetective Inspector Armstrong
1966KhartoumFrank PowerUncredited
1968The Magus'False' German Officer
1972DoomwatchLt. Com. Tavener
1973Yellow DogHawk Curtis
1975WinstanleyGeneral Lord Fairfax
1985LifeforcePathologist
1986God's OutlawBishop Stokesley
1991Sherlock Holmes and the Leading LadyMycroft Holmes
1992Incident at Victoria FallsMycroft Holmes
1992OrlandoTranslator
1994A Business AffairModerator
1998The Sea ChangeOlder Board Member
2006Perfume: The Story of a MurdererCouncillor 1

References
  1. "Jerome Willis: Character actor and Shakespearian specialist who was". Independent.co.uk. March 2014. Archived from the original on 8 June 2022.
  2. "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.


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