Acting
John Phillips
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).
Filmography
Merlin of the Crystal Cave
Series · 1991
Ascendancy
Film · 1983
The Executioner
Film · 1980
Quadrophenia
Film · 1979
Hazell
Series · 1978
Escape from Stalag Luft 112B
Film · 1977
Three Dangerous Ladies
Film · 1977
1990
Series · 1977
Jesus of Nazareth
Series · 1977
Ripping Yarns
Series · 1976
Days of Hope
Series · 1975
Mission: Monte Carlo
Film · 1974
Fall of Eagles
Series · 1974
The Pallisers
Series · 1974
Father Brown
Series · 1974
Man of Straw
Series · 1972
The Persuaders!
Series · 1971
The Onedin Line
Series · 1971
The Onedin Line
Series · 1971
The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes
Series · 1971
The Hallelujah Handshake
Film · 1970
Crime of Passion
Series · 1970
Manhunt
Series · 1970
Play for Today
Series · 1970
Crime of Passion
Series · 1970
The Main Chance
Series · 1969
Mrs. Lawrence Will Look After It
Film · 1968
The Caesars
Series · 1968
The Mummy's Shroud
Film · 1967
Torture Garden
Film · 1967
Mystery and Imagination
Series · 1966
Joey Boy
Film · 1965
Strife
Film · 1965
BBC Play of the Month
Series · 1965
Thirty-Minute Theatre
Series · 1965
Becket
Film · 1964
The Wednesday Play
Series · 1964
The Wednesday Play
Series · 1964
The Wednesday Play
Series · 1964
Theatre 625
Series · 1964
The Wednesday Play
Series · 1964
We Joined the Navy
Film · 1963
The Mouse on the Moon
Film · 1963
Sergeant Cork
Series · 1963
A Prize of Arms
Film · 1962
Z-Cars
Series · 1962
The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone
Film · 1961
Romanoff and Juliet
Film · 1961
Offbeat
Film · 1961
The Avengers
Series · 1961
Village of the Damned
Film · 1960
Man in the Moon
Film · 1960
Danger Man
Series · 1960
One Step Beyond
Series · 1959
Bleak House
Series · 1959
Dunkirk
Film · 1958
I Accuse!
Film · 1958
The Government Inspector
Film · 1958
Fortune Is a Woman
Film · 1957
The Shiralee
Film · 1957
Theatre Night
Series · 1957
The Count of Monte Cristo
Series · 1956
Dial Red O
Film · 1955
Dixon of Dock Green
Series · 1955
Dixon of Dock Green
Series · 1955
Angels One Five
Film · 1952
Sky High
Film · 1951