Denis Lill
Encyclopedia
Denis Lill is a New Zealand
-born British
actor.
Some of his many film and television roles include Fall of Eagles
(1974), Edward the Seventh (1975), Survivors
(1975–1977), The Scarlet Pimpernel
(1982), as William Knox d-Arcy, the Australian oil pioneer in Persia, in Reilly: Ace of Spies (1983), Rumpole of the Bailey
(1983–1992), Mapp & Lucia (1985–1986), Only Fools and Horses
(1989–1992), Richard III
(1995), Evita
(1996), and Rebecca (1997).
Lill twice appeared in the BBC's
science fiction
series Doctor Who
: as Dr Fendelman in the 1977 serial Image of the Fendahl
and as Sir George Hutchinson in 1984's The Awakening
, and starred in the second (1976 and 1977) two series of Terry Nation's
post-apocalyptic BBC
drama Survivors
as Charles Vaughan. In the 1990s sitcom Outside Edge
he played Dennis.
Lill's first appearance in a Doctor Who serial was in "Image of the Fendahl" alongside Wanda Ventham. Wanda would go on to play Lill's on screen wife, Pamela, when he played Alan Parry in Only Fools and Horses.
He also appeared as the drunken MP
Sir Talbot Buxomly who died onscreen in an episode of Blackadder the Third
. He also appeared as Sir Reuben Astwell in "The Underdog" (1993) of the detective series Poirot
. He appeared in Red Dwarf
, playing a rogue simulant in "Gunmen of the Apocalypse
" and from 2003 until 2011 Lill starred in the ITV1
drama The Royal
. as Consultant General Surgeon Mr. Rose.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
-born British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
actor.
Some of his many film and television roles include Fall of Eagles
Fall of Eagles
Fall of Eagles is a 13-part British television drama aired by the BBC in 1974. The series was created by John Elliot and produced by Stuart Burge....
(1974), Edward the Seventh (1975), Survivors
Survivors
Survivors is a British post-apocalyptic fiction television series devised by Terry Nation and produced by Terence Dudley at the BBC from 1975 to 1977...
(1975–1977), The Scarlet Pimpernel
The Scarlet Pimpernel (1982 film)
The Scarlet Pimpernel is a 1982 film set during the French Revolution. It is based on the novels The Scarlet Pimpernel and Eldorado by Baroness Emmuska Orczy, and stars Anthony Andrews as Sir Percy Blakeney/The Scarlet Pimpernel, the protagonist, Jane Seymour as Marguerite St...
(1982), as William Knox d-Arcy, the Australian oil pioneer in Persia, in Reilly: Ace of Spies (1983), Rumpole of the Bailey
Rumpole of the Bailey
Rumpole of the Bailey is a British television series created and written by the British writer and barrister John Mortimer which starred Leo McKern as Horace Rumpole, an ageing London barrister who defends any and all clients...
(1983–1992), Mapp & Lucia (1985–1986), Only Fools and Horses
Only Fools and Horses
Only Fools and Horses is a British sitcom, created and written by John Sullivan. Seven series were originally broadcast on BBC One in the United Kingdom between 1981 and 1991, with sporadic Christmas specials until 2003...
(1989–1992), Richard III
Richard III (1995 film)
Richard III is a 1995 drama film adapted from William Shakespeare's play of the same name, starring Ian McKellen, Annette Bening, Jim Broadbent, Robert Downey Jr., Nigel Hawthorne, Kristin Scott Thomas, Maggie Smith, John Wood and Dominic West....
(1995), Evita
Evita (film)
Evita is the 1996 film adaptation of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical of the same name based on the life of Eva Perón. It was directed by Alan Parker and written by Parker and Oliver Stone. It starred Madonna, Antonio Banderas, and Jonathan Pryce...
(1996), and Rebecca (1997).
Lill twice appeared in the BBC's
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
series Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
: as Dr Fendelman in the 1977 serial Image of the Fendahl
Image of the Fendahl
Image of the Fendahl is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 29 October to 19 November 1977.-Plot:...
and as Sir George Hutchinson in 1984's The Awakening
The Awakening (Doctor Who)
The Awakening is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was originally broadcast in two parts on 19 and 20 January 1984.-Synopsis:...
, and starred in the second (1976 and 1977) two series of Terry Nation's
Terry Nation
Terry Nation was a Welsh screenwriter and novelist.He is probably best known for creating the villainous Daleks in the long-running science fiction television series Doctor Who...
post-apocalyptic BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
drama Survivors
Survivors
Survivors is a British post-apocalyptic fiction television series devised by Terry Nation and produced by Terence Dudley at the BBC from 1975 to 1977...
as Charles Vaughan. In the 1990s sitcom Outside Edge
Outside Edge
Outside Edge is a play by Richard Harris about a cricket team trying to win a game of cricket whilst sorting out their various marital problems.-Plot:...
he played Dennis.
Lill's first appearance in a Doctor Who serial was in "Image of the Fendahl" alongside Wanda Ventham. Wanda would go on to play Lill's on screen wife, Pamela, when he played Alan Parry in Only Fools and Horses.
He also appeared as the drunken MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
Sir Talbot Buxomly who died onscreen in an episode of Blackadder the Third
Blackadder the Third
Blackadder the Third is the third series of the BBC situation comedy Blackadder, written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, which aired from 17 September to 22 October 1987....
. He also appeared as Sir Reuben Astwell in "The Underdog" (1993) of the detective series Poirot
Agatha Christie's Poirot
Agatha Christie's Poirot is a British television drama that has aired on ITV since 1989. It stars David Suchet as Agatha Christie's fictional detective Hercule Poirot. It was originally made by LWT and is now made by ITV Studios...
. He appeared in Red Dwarf
Red Dwarf
Red Dwarf is a British comedy franchise which primarily comprises eight series of a television science fiction sitcom that aired on BBC Two between 1988 and 1999 and Dave from 2009–present. It gained cult following. It was created by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, who also wrote the first six series...
, playing a rogue simulant in "Gunmen of the Apocalypse
Gunmen of the Apocalypse
"Gunmen of the Apocalypse" is the third episode of series VI of the science fiction sit-com Red Dwarf. It was first broadcast on 21 October 1993, on BBC2, and went on to win an International Emmy Award. The episode was written by Rob Grant & Doug Naylor, and directed by Andy de Emmony...
" and from 2003 until 2011 Lill starred in the ITV1
ITV1
ITV1 is a generic brand that is used by twelve franchises of the British ITV Network in the English regions, Wales, southern Scotland , the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey. The ITV1 brand was introduced by Carlton and Granada in 2001, alongside the regional identities of their...
drama The Royal
The Royal
The Royal is a British medical drama series produced by ITV. The show comprises one hour episodes which were normally first aired on ITV in the Sunday early evening slot....
. as Consultant General Surgeon Mr. Rose.