Acting
John Phillips
Born Jul 20, 1914 · Birmingham, West Midlands, England, UK · Died May 11, 1995
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).
Read more
Acting
Merlin of the Crystal Cave
1991
Drama · Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Ascendancy
1983
Drama · War · History
The Executioner
1980
Crime · Drama · TV Movie
Quadrophenia
1979
Drama · Music
Hazell
1978
Crime · Drama
Escape from Stalag Luft 112B
1977
Comedy
1990
1977
Drama
Three Dangerous Ladies
1977
Horror
Jesus of Nazareth
1977
Drama
Ripping Yarns
1976
Comedy
Days of Hope
1975
Drama
Father Brown
1974
Mystery · Crime · Drama
Fall of Eagles
1974
Drama
The Pallisers
1974
Drama
Mission: Monte Carlo
1974
Adventure · Crime
Man of Straw
1972
Drama
The Onedin Line
1971
Drama
The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes
1971
Mystery · Crime · Drama
The Persuaders!
1971
Comedy · Action & Adventure · Crime
The Hallelujah Handshake
1970
Drama · TV Movie
Play for Today
1970
Drama
Crime of Passion
1970
Drama
Manhunt
1970
Drama · War & Politics
The Main Chance
1969
Drama
The Caesars
1968
Drama · War & Politics
Mrs. Lawrence Will Look After It
1968
TV Movie
Torture Garden
1967
Horror
The Mummy's Shroud
1967
Horror
Mystery and Imagination
1966
Drama · Mystery
BBC Play of the Month
1965
Drama
Thirty-Minute Theatre
1965
Drama
Strife
1965
Joey Boy
1965
Comedy
The Wednesday Play
1964
Drama
Theatre 625
1964
Drama
Becket
1964
Drama · History
Sergeant Cork
1963
Drama · Crime
We Joined the Navy
1963
Comedy
The Mouse on the Moon
1963
Comedy · Science Fiction
A Prize of Arms
1962
Crime · Drama
Z-Cars
1962
Drama
The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone
1961
Drama · Romance
Romanoff and Juliet
1961
Comedy
The Avengers
1961
Action & Adventure · Crime · Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Offbeat
1961
Crime
Man in the Moon
1960
Comedy · Romance
Danger Man
1960
Action & Adventure · Drama
Village of the Damned
1960
Horror · Science Fiction
Bleak House
1959
Drama
One Step Beyond
1959
Mystery · Drama · Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Dunkirk
1958
Drama · War
I Accuse!
1958
Drama · History
The Government Inspector
1958
The Shiralee
1957
Drama
Fortune Is a Woman
1957
Thriller · Crime
Theatre Night
1957
Drama
The Count of Monte Cristo
1956
Drama · Action & Adventure
Dixon of Dock Green
1955
Drama
Dial Red O
1955
Crime · Drama · Mystery
Angels One Five
1952
Drama · War
Sky High
1951
Comedy