Robert James (actor)
Robert James | |
|---|---|
 James in Doctor Who: The Power of the Daleks (1966) | |
| Born | Robert James McAllister 28 March 1924 Paisley, Renfrewshire, UK |
| Died | 31 July 2004 (aged 80) Middlesex, England, |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Spouse | Mona Bruce |
Robert James (28 March 1924 – 31 July 2004) was a Scottish actor, who was best known for his television work.[1][2][3]
Career
Born in Paisley, Scotland, James trained to be a lawyer, before being spotted by a professional director while performing in amateur dramatics.[4]
A handful of James' television performances have survived, but many of were amongst those discarded by UK broadcasters throughout the 1960s and 70s. One of his most remembered roles was in Doctor Who, playing the character Lesterson in the 1966 serial The Power of the Daleks. These six missing episodes now only exist as still photographs and audio recordings, although the serial was recreated as an animation in 2016.[5] He would later return to the show in the serial The Masque of Mandragora.
Marriage
He was married to actress Mona Bruce (1924-2008),[6] until his death; they had one child, Clair Mcallister.[7]
Death
James died in 2004, aged 80, from Alzheimer's disease in Middlesex, England.
Theatre
| Year | Title | Role | Theatre Company | Director | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | Confessions of a Justified Sinner | Wringhim | Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh | Richard Eyre | Edinburgh International Festival |
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | Around the World in 80 Days | Extra (uncredited) | |
| 1958 | A Night to Remember | Engineer (uncredited) | |
| 1959 | The Bridal Path | Inspector | |
| 1960 | Two-Way Stretch | Police Superintendent | |
| 1962 | Masters of Venus | Stewart | Film serial |
| 1963 | Bitter Harvest | Police Sergeant (uncredited) | |
| 1968 | The Love Bug | Driver #31 | |
| 1971 | Mary, Queen of Scots | John Knox | |
| 1974 | Captain Kronos – Vampire Hunter | Pointer | |
| 1984 | John Wycliffe: The Morning Star | Bishop Courtenay | |
| 1993 | Soft Top Hard Shoulder | Campbell | |
| The Satan Killer | Radio DJ (voice) | ||
| 1996 | The Innocent Sleep | Hopkin |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | The Diary of Samuel Pepys[8][9] | Father of Child and Duke of Buckingham | 3 episodes |
| 1961 | A Chance of Thunder | Hilton | 3 episodes |
| Pathfinders to Venus | Colonel Korolyov | Third sequel to Target Luna | |
| Triton | Lord Nelson | 2 episodes | |
| 1961–1968 | The Avengers | Merlin / Jenkins / Mellor / Ronnie Vance / Ronnie Vance | 5 episodes |
| 1962–1969 | Dr. Finlay's Casebook | James Gibson | 11 episodes |
| 1963 | Z-Cars | Maison | Episode: "Enquiry" |
| 1964 | Smuggler's Bay | Mr. Glennie | 5 episodes |
| 1965 | Scales of Justice | Mr. Durrant | Episode: "The Hidden Face" |
| For Whom the Bell Tolls | Lieutenant Berrendo | 2 episodes | |
| 1965–1969 | Out of the Unknown | Kelvin Brooke / Dr. Kersh | 2 episodes |
| 1965–1971 | The Troubleshooters | Alastair McFee / Barry / Eldridge | 3 episodes |
| 1966; 1976 | Doctor Who | Lesterson / High Priest / Man | 2 serials: The Power of the Daleks; The Masque of Mandragora |
| 1969 | Counterstrike | Pythian | Episode: "The Lemming Syndrome" |
| 1970 | The Six Wives of Henry VIII | Robert Barnes | Episode: "Anne of Cleves" |
| The Borderers | Maitland of Lethington | 2 episodes | |
| 1970–1972 | Doomwatch | Halliday (GLC Man) / Barker | 2 episodes |
| 1972 | The Shadow of the Tower | Earl of Derby / Lord Stanley | 5 episodes |
| The Befrienders | Shaky Man | Episode: "Nobody Understands Miranda" | |
| 1973 | Orson Welles Great Mysteries | Mr. Granger | Episode: "The Monkey's Paw" |
| 1973–1974 | Sutherland's Law | Hamish McNab | 2 episodes |
| 1973–1979 | The Onedin Line | Rowland Biddulph / Major Nesbitt | 6 episodes |
| 1974 | Steptoe and Son | Doctor | Episode: "Upstairs, Downstairs, Upstairs, Downstairs" |
| 1975 | The Five Red Herrings | Sir Maxwell Jamieson | 3 episodes (Adaptation of the Lord Peter Wimsey story) |
| 1977 | Nicholas Nickleby | Newman Noggs | 6 episodes |
| The Mackinnons | James Pringle | ||
| 1978 | The Four Feathers | John (the butler) | TV movie |
| A Horseman Riding By | Captain Gleeson | Episode 12 | |
| Blake's 7 | Ven Glynd | Episode: "The Way Back" | |
| The Professionals | David Merlin / Cusak | 2 episodes | |
| Robin's Nest | Doctor | Episode: “As Long as He Needs Me” | |
| 1979 | The Ravelled Thread | Silas Tremble | 6 episodes |
| 1983 | Shackleton | Sir John Scott-Keltie | 3 episodes |
| 1984 | The Jewel in the Crown | Col. Beames | Episode: "Daughters of the Regiment" |
| 1988 | Rumpole of the Bailey | Dr. McAndrew | Episode: "Rumpole and the Quality of Life" |
| 1992 | Casualty | Gerry Mitchell | Episode: "Cascade" |
| 1993 | Century Falls | Dr. Josiah Naismith | 4 episodes |
| 1995 | Taggart | Robert Menzies | Episode: "Black Orchid" |
| 1998 | Looking After Jo Jo | High Court Judge | |
| 1999 | Existo | Bar Tender |
References
- ↑ "Robert James". BFI. Archived from the original on 24 February 2019.
- ↑ "Robert James". www.aveleyman.com.
- ↑ "BBC - Doctor Who Classic Episode Guide - The Power of the Daleks - Details". www.bbc.co.uk.
- ↑ Cano, Marina (22 January 2017). Jane Austen and Performance. Springer. ISBN 9783319439884 – via Google Books.
- ↑ "Lost Doctor Who adventure to return in animated form". BBC News. 7 September 2016. Retrieved 7 September 2016.
- ↑ Mona Bruce
- ↑ Hogg, James (27 September 2018). More Than Just A Good Life: The Authorised Biography of Richard Briers. Little, Brown Book Group. ISBN 9781472129215 – via Google Books.
- ↑ "The Diary of Samuel Pepys: Episode 8". BBC Genome Project. 2 May 1958. Retrieved 12 April 2026.
- ↑ "The Diary of Samuel Pepys: Episode 12". BBC Genome Project. 30 May 1958. Retrieved 12 April 2026.
External links
- Robert James at IMDb