Jack May (23 April 1922 – 19 September 1997) was an English actor. Born in Henley-on-Thames, he was educated at Forest School in Walthamstow and, after war service with the Royal Indian Navy in British India, was offered a place at RADA, but he instead went to Merton College, Oxford. Here, with the OUDS, he played parts, which included John of Gaunt in Richard II and Polonius in Hamlet.On television he became familiar as the butler William E. Simms in two series of the BBC 1 fantasy/adventure television series Adam Adamant Lives! from 1966–67.He provided the voice for Igor, long-suffering butler to Count Duckula in the cartoon series of the same name. He also appeared as the waiter Garkbit in the television version of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Théoden in the 1981 BBC Radio adaptation of The Lord of the Rings, as General Hermack in the 1969 Doctor Who serial The Space Pirates, and in Bachelor Father. The long-running BBC Radio 4 series, The Archers also featured the voice of May as Nelson Gabriel, son of Walter Gabriel. He played the voice of Muzzy in Muzzy in Gondoland.His other credits in film and television included Dr. Denny in the 1960 serial The Citadel, the sex-crazed Judge in the horror film Night After Night After Night (1970), the District Commissioner in The Man Who Would Be King (1975), and the prosecuting naval attorney in the remake of The Bounty (1984).On stage he played many leading and supporting roles, spending five years with Birmingham Repertory Theatre during which time he attracted considerable notice in the title part of Shakespeare's Henry VI. This trilogy of plays came to the Old Vic in London, and from then on began to be far more regularly revived. For Birmingham Rep, he also played parts as diverse as Richard II, Alec in Coward's Still Life (the story better known as Brief Encounter) and the Elephant in Obey's Noah. He returned to the Old Vic for the 1958-59 season, as Julius Caesar among other parts. Later stage roles included The Headmaster in A Voyage Round My Father, and Colonel Pickering in Pygmalion with Alec McCowen and Diana Rigg.In 1957, he married the actress Petra Davies. He died at 75, on 19 September 1997, survived by his wife, his daughter Henrietta, and his son David.
Appeared in The Bounty (1984), which also featured Bernard Hill. He and Hill have both played Theoden in productions of The Lord of the Rings.
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British character actor. Served in India during World War II. Studied at Merton College, Oxford, turning down an offer from RADA. First acted with the Oxford University Dramatic Society. Subsequently on stage with the Birmingham Repertory Theatre and with the Old Vic and at the West End in London. Prolific on British television and as a voice actor.
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He was the voice of "Nelson Gabriel" in the long running BBC Radio 4 series, "The Archers".
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Doctor and the Devils
1985
Dr. Stevens
Murder of a Moderate Man
1985
TV Mini-Series
Lennox
Bulman
1985
TV Series
Sir Thomas Boycott
The Shooting Party
1985
Sir Harry Stamp
The Last Place on Earth
1985
TV Mini-Series
Sir John Fisher - First Sea Lord
Scarecrow and Mrs. King
1984
TV Series
The Wind in the Willows
1984
TV Series
Sea Rat
The Brief
1984
TV Series
Chairman
The Bounty
1984
Prosecuting Captain
A Swarm in May
1983
Mr. Ardent the Headmaster
Andy Robson
1983
TV Series
Dr. Jones
The Boy Who Won the Pools
1983
TV Series
Charles Harrison
The Cleopatras
1983
TV Mini-Series
Criton
The Agatha Christie Hour
1982
TV Series
Colonel Jaggers
Something in Disguise
1982
TV Series
Mr. Pinkram
The Return of the Soldier
1982
Brigadier General
Seconds Out
1981
TV Series
Fishy Freddy
ITV Playhouse
1968-1981
TV Series
Mr. Franklyn / Lord McLinnie
The Life and Times of David Lloyd George
1981
TV Series
Lord Runciman
The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy
1981
TV Series
Garkbit (Head Waiter)
Shoestring
1980
TV Series
Judge
Escape
1980
TV Series
Noah's Castle
1980
TV Series
Mr. Gerald
Ripping Yarns
1979
TV Series
General Chapman
Henry VIII
1979
TV Movie
Lord Chancellor
The Innes Book of Records
1979
TV Series
Next Door Neighbour
A Horseman Riding By
1978
TV Series
Lord Gilroy
Hawkmoor
1978
TV Series
John Stedman
Sammy's Super T-Shirt
1978
Sportsmaster
The Children of the New Forest
1977
TV Series
Justice Booth
Poldark
1977
TV Series
Ralph Allen Daniell
Target
1977
TV Series
Chief Officer
Miss Jones and Son
1977
TV Series
Vicar
Dickens of London
1976
TV Mini-Series
Braham
The Seven-Per-Cent Solution
1976
Dr. Schultz
The Brothers
1976
TV Series
Denis Matthews
The Man Who Would Be King
1975
District Commissioner
Dawson's Weekly
1975
TV Series
Psychiatrist
Second Time Around
1975
TV Series
Watkins
Big Zapper
1973
Jeremiah Horn
Black and Blue
1973
TV Series
Detective
Soap Opera in Stockwell
1973
TV Movie
Detective
Van der Valk
1973
TV Series
Minister
Thirty Minutes Worth
1973
TV Series
Policeman
Away from It All
1973
TV Series
Graham
The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes
1973
TV Series
James Ladbroke, Q.C.
The Pathfinders
1972-1973
TV Series
Squadron Leader Shanks / Sqn. Ldr. Shanks
Armchair Theatre
1972
TV Series
Watts
The Yes Girls
1971
King Reiter
Brett
1971
TV Series
Mason
UFO
1971
TV Series
English Delegate
Budgie
1971
TV Series
Mr. Pratt
Doctor at Large
1971
TV Series
Terence Medwin
The Ten Commandments
1971
TV Series
Herbert Ward
Bachelor Father
1970
TV Series
Mr. Moore
The Main Chance
1969-1970
TV Series
Harry Turner / Derrick Asher
Trog
1970
Dr. Selbourne
The Wednesday Play
1964-1970
TV Series
Emma's Father / Voice of God / Lieutenant Kirov
Kate
1970
TV Series
Dr. Price
Goodbye, Mr. Chips
1969
Price (uncredited)
Doctor Who
1969
TV Series
General Nicolai Hermack
Night After Night After Night
1969
Judge Charles Lomax
A Twist of Sand
1968
Inspector Seekert
Detective
1968
TV Series
Inspector Dubois
Orlando
1968
TV Series
Col. Snitzenbaumer
Dr. Finlay's Casebook
1967
TV Series
Rev. John Crawford
How I Won the War
1967
Toby
Adam Adamant Lives!
1966-1967
TV Series
William E. Simms
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
1966
Shopkeeper
The Last Invasion
1966
TV Movie
Death Is a Good Living
1966
TV Mini-Series
Major Gates
Softly Softly
1966
TV Series
Harrison
No Hiding Place
1960-1965
TV Series
John Ferrers / Arnold Hurst / Major Westbrook / ...
Out of the Unknown
1965
TV Series
Evans
R3
1965
TV Series
Peter Thompson
Emergency-Ward 10
1965
TV Series
Leslie Warner
A Tale of Two Cities
1965
TV Series
Mr. Stryver
Six Shades of Black
1965
TV Series
Gregory Hawk
Front Page Story
1965
TV Series
P.P.S.
Secret Agent
1965
TV Series
Third Secretary
Thorndyke
1964
TV Series
Percival Bland
The Hidden Truth
1964
TV Series
Edward Hallowes
ITV Play of the Week
1956-1964
TV Series
Alex Martin / Barratt / Pascoe / ...
Espionage
1964
TV Series
Brent
Festival
1964
TV Series
Voice of God
Z Cars
1964
TV Series
Andrews
The Plane Makers
1964
TV Series
J. Ashley Pender
The Avengers
1964
TV Series
Waller
ITV Television Playhouse
1963
TV Series
Tupman
Maupassant
1963
TV Series
Baron D'Etraville
Sierra Nine
1963
TV Series
Father Gabriel
The Spread of the Eagle
1963
TV Mini-Series
Casca
The Odd Man
1963
TV Series
Michael Sayers
August for the People
1963
TV Movie
Lord Woodham
The Verdict Is Yours
1962-1963
TV Series
Barrister
BBC Sunday-Night Play
1961-1962
TV Mini-Series
Charles Napier
Squire
Wilson
A Prize of Arms
1962
MO
Richard the Lionheart
1962
TV Series
2nd Knight
The Edgar Wallace Mystery Theatre
1962
TV Series
Insp. Hudson
The Franchise Affair
1962
TV Series
Kevin Macdermott
Drama 61-67
1962
TV Series
Lt-Col. Farrow
The Traitors
1962
Burton
The Cheaters
1962
TV Series
Mike
Solo for Sparrow
1962
Insp. Hudson
The Night of the Match
1961
TV Movie
Toddy
A for Andromeda
1961
TV Series
Major Quadring
You Can't Win
1961
TV Series
Wilton
She Died Young
1961
TV Movie
Major Robert Moss
Amelia
1961
TV Series
Lieutenant-Colonel Bath / Major Bath
Knight Errant Limited
1961
TV Series
Morrow
Seven Keys
1961
Prison Officer (uncredited)
The Citadel
1960-1961
TV Mini-Series
Dr. Philip Denny
An Age of Kings
1960
TV Series
Lord Stanley, Earl of Derby
Richard, Duke of York
Duke of York
...