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Jack May

Jack May

Acting April 23, 1922 (75 years old) September 19, 1997 Henley on Thames, Oxfordshire, England, UK

Biography

Jack May was a mellifluous-voiced actor best known for playing butlers and establishment figures, often representing Britain's interests in far-flung corners of the empire. With regards the former, he memorably played William E. Simms, former music hall artise turned manservant to Gerald Harper's titular swashbuckling adventurer in '60s TV cult classic Adam Adamant Lives! as well as providing the voice of Igor, the long-suffering valet in Cosgrove Hall's 1980s animation Count Duckula. His film credits included the district commissioner in 1975's The Man Who Would Be King and the prosecuting naval attorney in the remake of The Bounty (1984). For many, May was Nelson Gabriel 'the most disreputable character in Ambridge' in BBC Radio 4's long-running soap The Archers. May took the role of the shady rogue, later antique dealer and wine bar owner, in 1952 and continued to play him right up until the year of his death, 1997. This 45 year stint made May, at the time, the fourth-longest serving soap opera star in the world. He died at the age of 75, on 19 September 1997, survived by his wife, the actress Petra Davies, his daughter Henrietta, and son David.

Movies 58

A Night to Remember 7.7

A Night to Remember

as Steerage Passenger (uncredited)

1958
The Bounty 6.8

The Bounty

as Prosecuting Captain

1984
The Man Who Would Be King 7.5

The Man Who Would Be King

as District Commissioner

1975
Brief Encounter 7.7

Brief Encounter

as Boat Rental Man (uncredited)

1945
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum 6.1

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum

as Shopkeeper

1966
The Doctor and the Devils 6.3

The Doctor and the Devils

as Dr Stevens

1985
The Seven-Per-Cent Solution 6.2

The Seven-Per-Cent Solution

as Dr. Schultz

1976
The Return of the Soldier 6.3

The Return of the Soldier

as Brigadier General

1983
Goodbye, Mr. Chips 6.8

Goodbye, Mr. Chips

as Price (uncredited)

1969
How I Won the War 5.7

How I Won the War

as Toby

1967
The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy 7.3

The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy

as Garkbit (Head Waiter)

1981
The Men of Sherwood Forest 6.9

The Men of Sherwood Forest

1954
Two-Way Stretch 6.7

Two-Way Stretch

as Prison Visitor (uncredited)

1960
This Happy Breed 7.1

This Happy Breed

as Mourner

1944
Saraband for Dead Lovers 6.6

Saraband for Dead Lovers

as Reveller

1948
The Blue Lamp 6.6

The Blue Lamp

as Old Man in Crowd (Uncredited)

1950
The Life and Times of David Lloyd George

The Life and Times of David Lloyd George

as Lord Runciman

1981
Trog 4.6

Trog

as Dr. Selbourne

1970
The Shooting Party 6.6

The Shooting Party

as Sir Harry Stamp

1985
Pool of London 6.6

Pool of London

as Sailor on the Dunbar (uncredited)

1951
The Silent Enemy 5.9

The Silent Enemy

as Navy Doctor

1958
Cat Girl 4.9

Cat Girl

as Richard Johnson

1957
A Prize of Arms 6.7

A Prize of Arms

as MO

1962
Stranger in the Family 7.0

Stranger in the Family

as Evans

1965
Whinfrey's Last Case 9.5

Whinfrey's Last Case

as General Chapman

1979
A Twist of Sand 4.9

A Twist of Sand

as Inspector Seekert

1968
Doctor Who: The Space Pirates 5.2

Doctor Who: The Space Pirates

as General Hermack

1969
There Was a Crooked Man 6.6

There Was a Crooked Man

as Police Sergeant

1960
Millions Like Us 5.6

Millions Like Us

as Old Man

1943
Solo for Sparrow

Solo for Sparrow

as Inspector Hudson

1962
Trouble in Store 6.1

Trouble in Store

as Bus Passenger (uncredited)

1953
The Breaking of Colonel Keyser

The Breaking of Colonel Keyser

as Watts

1972
Night After Night After Night 5.6

Night After Night After Night

as Judge Lomax

1969
The Professionals 5.5

The Professionals

as Edwards

1960
The Gentle Sex 7.0

The Gentle Sex

as Postman (uncredited)

1943
Soap Opera in Stockwell 8.0

Soap Opera in Stockwell

as Detective

1973
A Swarm in May 6.5

A Swarm in May

as Mr. Ardent - the Headmaster

1983
Big Zapper 4.0

Big Zapper

as Jeremiah Horn

1973
Friends and Other Lovers 8.0

Friends and Other Lovers

as Mr. Franklyn

1981
Henry VIII 6.6

Henry VIII

as Lord Chancellor

1979
Lollipop Children's Favourites - Volume 1

Lollipop Children's Favourites - Volume 1

as Igor/Giant (voice)

1989
Emma's Time

Emma's Time

as Emma's father

1970
Children's Favourites - Volume 1

Children's Favourites - Volume 1

as Sea Rat (voice)

1988
Lollipop Children's Favourites - Volume 2

Lollipop Children's Favourites - Volume 2

as Igor (voice)

1989
The Yes Girls 2.6

The Yes Girls

as King Reiter

1971
Johnny Frenchman 6.8

Johnny Frenchman

as Choir Member (uncredited)

1945
Child's Play 6.0

Child's Play

as Bob Crouch

1954
The Last Invasion

The Last Invasion

1966
More Children's Holiday Favourites

More Children's Holiday Favourites

as Igor (voice)

1990
The Traitors 5.8

The Traitors

as Burton

1962
More Children's Summer Stories

More Children's Summer Stories

as Igor (voice)

1989
Without Air 10.0

Without Air

1997
Hard Road 6.5

Hard Road

as Psychiatrist

1988
Willie's War 8.5

Willie's War

as Grandfather

1994
The Gay Dog 7.0

The Gay Dog

as Pub Customer

1954
Behind the Headlines 4.5

Behind the Headlines

1953
Deadlock 5.5

Deadlock

as Postman

1943
In Search of Sierra Nine

In Search of Sierra Nine

as Father Gabriel

1963

TV Shows 54

Doctor Who 7.9

Doctor Who

as General Nicolai Hermack

1963
The Avengers 7.8

The Avengers

1961
The Wednesday Play 5.2

The Wednesday Play

as Lt. Krov

1964
No Hiding Place 4.8

No Hiding Place

1959
No Hiding Place 4.8

No Hiding Place

as Major Westbrook

1959
All Creatures Great and Small 7.8

All Creatures Great and Small

as Reverend Henty

1978
Scarecrow and Mrs. King 6.6

Scarecrow and Mrs. King

1983
Sunday Night Theatre 3.5

Sunday Night Theatre

as David Gottlieb

1950
Sunday Night Theatre 3.5

Sunday Night Theatre

as Burton

1950
Danger Man 7.3

Danger Man

as Third Secretary

1960
Dr. Finlay's Casebook 6.7

Dr. Finlay's Casebook

1962
Jeeves and Wooster 8.1

Jeeves and Wooster

as Vicar

1990
UFO 7.7

UFO

as English Delegate

1970
Mark Saber 8.0

Mark Saber

as Newsvendor

1954
Count Duckula 7.9

Count Duckula

as Igor (voice)

1988
Richard the Lionheart 9.0

Richard the Lionheart

as Knight

1962
Van der Valk 6.2

Van der Valk

as Minister

1972
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy 8.0

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

as Garkbit (Head Waiter)

1981
Out of the Unknown 7.1

Out of the Unknown

as Evans

1965
The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes 7.5

The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes

as James Ladbroke, Q.C.

1971
The Main Chance 8.2

The Main Chance

as Derrick Asher

1969
The Main Chance 8.2

The Main Chance

as Harry Turner

1969
The Agatha Christie Hour 6.8

The Agatha Christie Hour

as Colonel Jaggers

1982
Poldark 6.9

Poldark

as Ralph Allen Daniell

1975
The Adventures of Sir Lancelot 7.0

The Adventures of Sir Lancelot

as Caradoc

1956
Shoestring 7.7

Shoestring

as Judge

1979
Espionage 10.0

Espionage

as Brent

1963
Budgie 7.2

Budgie

as Mr. Pratt

1971
Detective 9.0

Detective

as Inspector Dubois

1964
Festival 8.0

Festival

as Voice of God (voice)

1963
An Age of Kings 5.2

An Age of Kings

1960
An Age of Kings 5.2

An Age of Kings

as Duke of York

1960
Target 7.0

Target

as Chief Officer

1977
Adam Adamant Lives! 7.5

Adam Adamant Lives!

as William E. Simms

1966
Big Muzzy 8.5

Big Muzzy

as Muzzy (voice)

1987
The Adventures of the Scarlet Pimpernel 8.0

The Adventures of the Scarlet Pimpernel

as Citizen (uncredited)

1955
Bulman 7.0

Bulman

as Sir Thomas Boycott

1985
Black and Blue 6.5

Black and Blue

as Detective

1973
A Horseman Riding By 7.0

A Horseman Riding By

as Lord Gilroy

1978
The Protectors 8.0

The Protectors

as Hartnell

1964
A for Andromeda 5.5

A for Andromeda

as Major Quadring

1961
The Ten Commandments

The Ten Commandments

as Herbert Ward

1971
You Can't Win

You Can't Win

1966
The Spread of the Eagle

The Spread of the Eagle

as Casca

1963
Escape

Escape

1980
Away from It All

Away from It All

as Graham

1973
Brett 5.0

Brett

1971
Brett 5.0

Brett

as Mason

1971
Pride and Prejudice 7.0

Pride and Prejudice

as Mr Collins

1958
Nicholas Nickleby

Nicholas Nickleby

as Lord Frederick Verisopht

1957
Six Shades of Black

Six Shades of Black

as Gregory Hawk

1965
Dawson's Weekly 7.0

Dawson's Weekly

1975
Hawkmoor 9.0

Hawkmoor

as John Stedman

1978
The Children of the New Forest 9.0

The Children of the New Forest

as Justice Booth

1977

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