John Phillips
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- July 20, 1914
- Died
- May 11, 1995 (aged 80)
- Birthplace
- Birmingham, West Midlands, England, UK
Biography
A tall, imposing character actor with a voice to match, John Phillips brought an authoritative manner and dignified military bearing to his many roles on stage and screen. A decorated veteran of the 1944 Normandy Campaign, Phillips frequently appeared on television as uniformed senior officers and police chief constables, from Frontier (1968) to Z Cars (1962). His piercing eyes and forthright manner made him equally suited to portraying magistrates, academics and clergymen. After a long innings with the Birmingham Repertory prior to 1945, he appeared post-war in Bristol and at the Old Vic in London, playing anything from Henrik Ibsen to Shakespeare. He was critically acclaimed for his roles as Henry VIII and Timon of Athens, Prospero and Tamburlaine the Great (in Christopher Marlowe's play)). Acting on screen from the early 1950's, he was insidious as lawyer Tulkinghorn in Bleak House (1959), and lent gravitas to his Norfolk in Richard III (1955) and Grand Duke Nicholas in Fall of Eagles (1974). He was not beyond parodying his screen personae, being droll and stereotypically stiff-upper-lip, as Colonel Harcourt Badger Owen in the uproarious Ripping Yarns (1976) episode 'Escape from Stalag Luft 112 B'. Phillips retired from the stage in the 1980's and made his celluloid curtain call in the eccentric, off-beat comedy Leon the Pig Farmer (1992).
Known For
Filmography
Merlin of the Crystal Cave
TV · as King Dafydd · 2 eps
Ascendancy
Movie · as Wintour
The Old Men at the Zoo
TV · as Dr. Charles Langley-Beard · 4 eps
The Executioner
Movie · as Examining Judge
Quadrophenia
Movie · as Magistrate
Hazell
TV · as DS Bull · 1 ep
Escape from Stalag Luft 112B
Movie · as Colonel Harcourt Badger Owen
Three Dangerous Ladies
Movie · as Francis Urcombe
1990
TV · 1 ep
Jesus of Nazareth
TV · as Naso · 4 eps
Mr Big
TV · as Leopold Ruchworth · 1 ep
Ripping Yarns
TV · 1 ep
Mrs. Amworth
Movie · as Francis Urcombe
Days of Hope
TV · as Josiah Wedgwood · 1 ep
Mission: Monte Carlo
Movie · as Koestler (archive footage)
Fall of Eagles
TV · as Grand Duke Nicholas · 1 ep
The Pallisers
TV · as Sir Gregory Grogram · 2 eps
Father Brown
TV · as Brander Merton · 1 ep
Man of Straw
TV · as Dr. Heuteufel · 6 eps
The Persuaders!
TV · as Lanning Koestler · 1 ep
The Onedin Line
TV · as Mr. Frazer, Jack - Frazer Senior · 1 ep
The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes
TV · as Professor Dyne · 1 ep
The Hallelujah Handshake
Movie · as Rev. Howard Whithead
Crime of Passion
TV · as Maitre Lacan · 1 ep
Manhunt
TV · as Klintzch · 2 eps
Play for Today
TV · as Examining Judge · 1 ep
The Main Chance
TV · as Arnold Bingley · 1 ep
W. Somerset Maugham
TV · as Commandant · 1 ep
Christ Recrucified
TV · as Pope Grigoris · 6 eps
Mrs. Lawrence Will Look After It
Movie · as Councillor Percival
The Caesars
TV · as Piso · 1 ep
The Mummy's Shroud
Movie · as Stanley Preston
Torture Garden
Movie · as Eddie Storm (segment 2 "Terror Over Hollywood")
The Devil's Eggshell
Movie · as Major General Atkins
Mystery and Imagination
TV · as Colonel Gaillarde · 1 ep
Out of Town Theatre
TV · as Sir Howard Price · 1 ep
Joey Boy
Movie · as Insp. Morgan
Strife
Movie · as John Anthony
BBC Play of the Month
TV · as Major General Atkins · 1 ep
Thirty-Minute Theatre
TV · as Mr. Tredgold · 1 ep
Legend of Death
TV · as Edward Gargan · 5 eps
Becket
Movie · as Bishop of Winchester
The Wednesday Play
TV · as Councillor Percival, Cardinal Runan, Forbes-Wainwright, Sir Gilbert Hardacre · 1 ep
Theatre 625
TV · as Alfred Truelove · 1 ep
Smuggler's Bay
TV · as Elzevir Block · 6 eps
Rupert of Hentzau
TV · as Colonel Zapt · 6 eps
We Joined the Navy
Movie · as Rear Admiral
The Mouse on the Moon
Movie · as Bracewell - U.S. Delegate
Sergeant Cork
TV · as Big Ben Lewis · 1 ep
A Prize of Arms
Movie · as Col. Fowler
Z-Cars
TV · as Det. Chief Superintendent Robins · 1 ep
The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone
Movie · as Tom Stone
Romanoff and Juliet
Movie · as Hooper Moulsworth
Offbeat
Movie · as Chief Superintendent Gault
A Call on Kuprin: Part 1
Movie · as Trifonov
A Call on Kuprin: Part 2
Movie · as Trifonov
The Avengers
TV · as Nesbitt · 1 ep
Village of the Damned
Movie · as General Leighton
Man in the Moon
Movie · as Professor Stephens
Sunday-Night Play
TV · as Trifonov, Prince Galitzin · 2 eps
Danger Man
TV · as Coyannis · 1 ep
One Step Beyond
TV · as Frank · 1 ep
Bleak House
TV · as Mr Tulkinghorn · 8 eps
Dunkirk
Movie · as Boat Owner Spokesman (uncredited)
I Accuse!
Movie · as Prosecutor at Esterhazy Trial
The Government Inspector
Movie · as The Mayor
Fortune Is a Woman
Movie · as Willis Croft
The Shiralee
Movie · as Doctor
Theatre Night
TV · as Hooper Moulsworth · 1 ep
The Count of Monte Cristo
TV · 1 ep
Dial Red O
Movie · as Deputy Morgan
Dixon of Dock Green
TV · as Magistrate, Mr. Parry · 1 ep
Angels One Five
Movie · as Engineer Officer
Sky High
Movie · as Lt. Col. Turbojet
Hallmark Hall of Fame
TV · as Von Brondorff · 1 ep