Jack Gwillim


Jack William Frederick Gwillim was an English character actor.

Career

Born in Canterbury, Kent, England, he joined the Royal Navy at 17 and served for over twenty years. During his time in the Navy, he became a champion boxer and rugby player, and was invalided out in 1946. After training at Central School of Speech and Drama, Gwillim began his acting career in earnest in the 1950s, working on both stage and screen. On stage, he appeared both at the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre in Stratford and at the Old Vic. He performed in an extensive amount of theatre, both classics and modern plays, in the West End of London and on Broadway.
Some of his most notable roles include: playing in Ralph Richardson's production of The Merchant of Venice; The Right Honourable Gentleman with lifelong friend Anthony Quayle; a revival of My Fair Lady with Rex Harrison, playing Colonel Pickering; John Gielgud's The Constant Wife, with Ingrid Bergman; and The Iceman Cometh, with James Earl Jones.
Gwillim also featured in over fifty films and television series, usually war films or historical epics. His military background, commanding presence and deep, booming voice typecast him as soldiers and authority figures. Some of his most notable roles include playing a warship captain in Sink the Bismarck!, the archbishop Hubert Walter in Sword of Sherwood Forest, the obnoxious club secretary in Lawrence of Arabia, King Aeëtes in Jason and the Argonauts, an RAF officer in the James Bond film Thunderball, the Lord Chief Justice in A Man for All Seasons, General Harold Alexander in Patton, Poseidon in Clash of the Titans, and Van Helsing in The Monster Squad. He also had a recurring role on the TV series Danger Man, The Saint, and The Troubleshooters.
He also appeared in The Avengers in the episode "The Hidden Tiger" as Sir David Harper.
He took part in a number of recordings for Caedmon Shakespeare Records.

Personal life

Gwillim was twice married: to Peggy Bollard, until 1958, and Olivia Selby, from 1969 until his death. He had two children from his first marriage, Sarah-Jane Gwillim and David Gwillim, and a third, Jaxon Duff Gwillim, from his second marriage. His children also became actors, and he acted onstage with them in 1995 in a production of On Borrowed Time, which was his last on stage performance.

Death

Gwillim died in Los Angeles, California on 2 July 2001 at the age of 91. He is buried in Lot 136, Section 15 of Albany Rural Cemetery in Upstate New York.

Filmography

The Battle of the River Plate – Captain Parry – H.M.N.Z.S. AchillesThe One That Got Away – Commandant GrizedaleA Midsummer Night's Dream – Oberon North West Frontier – Brigadier AmesSolomon and Sheba – JosiahSink the Bismarck! – Captain Let's Get Married – Dr. SandersCircus of Horrors – Supt. AndrewsOscar Wilde – BarristerSword of Sherwood Forest – Archbishop of Canterbury Hubert WalterSentenced for Life – John RichardsNo Love for Johnnie – MP Lisa – Insp. CobbIn Search of the Castaways – Captain GrantLawrence of Arabia – Club SecretaryHeart to Heart – Controller of ProgrammesSammy Going South – District CommissionerJason and the Argonauts – King AeëtesThe World Ten Times Over – BoltonThe Curse of the Mummy's Tomb – Sir Giles DalrympleThe Rivals – Rolf NeilsonThunderball – Senior RAF Staff Officer Kiss the Girls and Make Them Die – British ambassadorA Man for All Seasons – Chief JusticeCasino Royale – British Officer at Auction The Bushbaby – ArdsleyBattle of Britain – Senior Air Staff OfficerPatton – General Sir Harold AlexanderCromwell – General ByronThe Adams Chronicles – Lord CarmarthenClash of the Titans – PoseidonSicilian Connection – Blind Date – ArtistThe Monster Squad – Abraham Van HelsingBlue Shark Hash – Jonah