Jack May
Encyclopedia
Jack May was an English actor. Born in Henley-on-Thames, he was educated at Forest School, Walthamstow and after war service with the Royal Indian Navy in India was offered a place at RADA
, but he instead went to Merton College, Oxford
. Here with the OUDS
he played parts, which included John of Gaunt in Richard II
and Polonius in Hamlet
.
On television he became familiar as the butler William E. Simms in two series of the BBC1
fantasy/adventure television series Adam Adamant Lives!
from 1966–67.
A noted voice actor, he provided the voice for Igor, long-suffering butler to Count Duckula
in the cartoon series of the same name. He also appeared as the waiter Garkbit in the television version of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
, Théoden
in the 1981 BBC Radio adaptation of The Lord of the Rings
, as General Hermack in the 1969 Doctor Who
serial The Space Pirates
, and in Bachelor Father. The long-running BBC Radio 4 series, The Archers
also featured the voice of May as Nelson Gabriel
, son of Walter Gabriel.
His other credits in film and television included Dr. Denny in the 1960 serial The Citadel
, and the District Commissioner in The Man Who Would Be King
(1975).
On stage he played many leading and supporting roles, spending five years with Birmingham Repertory Theatre
during which time he attracted considerable notice in the title part of Shakespeare's Henry VI
. This trilogy of plays came to the Old Vic in London, and from then on began to be far more regularly revived. For Birmingham Rep, he also played parts as diverse as Richard II, Alec in Coward's Still Life (the story better known as Brief Encounter
) and the Elephant in Obey's Noah. He returned to the Old Vic for the 1958-59 season, as Julius Caesar
among other parts. Later stage roles included The Headmaster in A Voyage Round My Father
, and Colonel Pickering in Pygmalion
with Alec McCowen
and Diana Rigg
.
In 1957, he married the actress Petra Davies
who survives him together with his daughter Henrietta and his son, David.
He played the voice of Muzzy in Muzzy in Gondoland
.
Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art is a drama school located in London, United Kingdom. It is generally regarded as one of the most renowned drama schools in the world, and is one of the oldest drama schools in the United Kingdom, having been founded in 1904.RADA is an affiliate school of the...
, but he instead went to Merton College, Oxford
Merton College, Oxford
Merton College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its foundation can be traced back to the 1260s when Walter de Merton, chancellor to Henry III and later to Edward I, first drew up statutes for an independent academic community and established endowments to...
. Here with the OUDS
Oxford University Dramatic Society
The Oxford University Dramatic Society is the principal funding body and provider of theatrical services to the many independent student productions put on by students in Oxford, England...
he played parts, which included John of Gaunt in Richard II
Richard II (play)
King Richard the Second is a history play by William Shakespeare believed to be written in approximately 1595. It is based on the life of King Richard II of England and is the first part of a tetralogy, referred to by some scholars as the Henriad, followed by three plays concerning Richard's...
and Polonius in Hamlet
Hamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
.
On television he became familiar as the butler William E. Simms in two series of the BBC1
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
fantasy/adventure television series Adam Adamant Lives!
Adam Adamant Lives!
Adam Adamant Lives! is a British television series which ran from 1966 to 1967 on the BBC. Proposing that an adventurer born in 1867 had been revived from hibernation in 1966, the show was a comedy adventure that took a satirical look at life in the 1960s through the eyes of an Edwardian .- Character...
from 1966–67.
A noted voice actor, he provided the voice for Igor, long-suffering butler to Count Duckula
Count Duckula
Count Duckula is a British animated television series created by British studio Cosgrove Hall, and a spin-off from DangerMouse, a show in which the Count Duckula character was a recurring villain. The series first aired on September 6, 1988 and was produced by Thames Television for 3 seasons and...
in the cartoon series of the same name. He also appeared as the waiter Garkbit in the television version of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a science fiction comedy series created by Douglas Adams. Originally a radio comedy broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 1978, it was later adapted to other formats, and over several years it gradually became an international multi-media phenomenon...
, Théoden
Théoden
Théoden is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy novel, The Lord of the Rings. He appears as a major supporting character in The Two Towers and The Return of the King.-Appearances:...
in the 1981 BBC Radio adaptation of The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings (1981 radio series)
In 1981 the UK radio station BBC Radio 4 broadcast a dramatisation of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings in 26 half-hour stereo instalments...
, as General Hermack in the 1969 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...
serial The Space Pirates
The Space Pirates
The Space Pirates is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which originally aired in six weekly parts from 8 March to 12 April 1969.-Plot:...
, and in Bachelor Father. The long-running BBC Radio 4 series, The Archers
The Archers
The Archers is a long-running British soap opera broadcast on the BBC's main spoken-word channel, Radio 4. It was originally billed as "an everyday story of country folk", but is now described on its Radio 4 web site as "contemporary drama in a rural setting"...
also featured the voice of May as Nelson Gabriel
Nelson Gabriel
Nelson Gabriel was a character in the long-running BBC Radio series The Archers. The son of Walter Gabriel, the village carrier and self-appointed "character," Nelson was for many years the most disreputable character in the village. He was charged with the Borchester mail-van robbery in 1967, but...
, son of Walter Gabriel.
His other credits in film and television included Dr. Denny in the 1960 serial The Citadel
The Citadel (1960 British miniseries)
The Citadel is a 1960 British television adaptation of A. J. Cronin's 1937 novel, The Citadel. The series was directed by John Frankau and produced by Peter Graham Scott. It starred Eric Lander as Dr. Andrew Manson, and Zena Walker as Christine, his wife...
, and the District Commissioner in The Man Who Would Be King
The Man Who Would Be King (film)
The Man Who Would Be King is a 1975 film adapted from the Rudyard Kipling short story of the same title. It was adapted and directed by John Huston and starred Sean Connery, Michael Caine, Saeed Jaffrey, and Christopher Plummer as Kipling .The film follows two rogue ex-non-commissioned officers of...
(1975).
On stage he played many leading and supporting roles, spending five years with Birmingham Repertory Theatre
Birmingham Repertory Theatre
Birmingham Repertory Theatre is a theatre and theatre company based on Centenary Square in Birmingham, England...
during which time he attracted considerable notice in the title part of Shakespeare's Henry VI
Henry VI
Henry VI may refer to:* Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor .* Henry VI of Luxembourg, Count of Luxembourg, * Henry VI of England...
. This trilogy of plays came to the Old Vic in London, and from then on began to be far more regularly revived. For Birmingham Rep, he also played parts as diverse as Richard II, Alec in Coward's Still Life (the story better known as Brief Encounter
Brief Encounter
Brief Encounter is a 1945 British film directed by David Lean about the conventions of British suburban life, centring on a housewife for whom real love brings unexpectedly violent emotions. The film stars Celia Johnson, Trevor Howard, Stanley Holloway and Joyce Carey...
) and the Elephant in Obey's Noah. He returned to the Old Vic for the 1958-59 season, as Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
among other parts. Later stage roles included The Headmaster in A Voyage Round My Father
A Voyage Round My Father
A Voyage Round My Father is an autobiographical play by John Mortimer, later adapted for television.The first version of the play appeared as a series of three half-hour sketches for BBC radio in 1963. It then became a television play with Ian Richardson playing Mortimer, Tim Good as the young...
, and Colonel Pickering in Pygmalion
Pygmalion (play)
Pygmalion: A Romance in Five Acts is a play by Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw. Professor of phonetics Henry Higgins makes a bet that he can train a bedraggled Cockney flower girl, Eliza Doolittle, to pass for a duchess at an ambassador's garden party by teaching her to assume a veneer of...
with Alec McCowen
Alec McCowen
Alexander Duncan "Alec" McCowen CBE is an English actor. He is known for his work in numerous film and stage productions. He was awarded the CBE in the 1985 New Year's Honours List.-Personal:...
and Diana Rigg
Diana Rigg
Dame Enid Diana Elizabeth Rigg, DBE is an English actress. She is probably best known for her portrayals of Emma Peel in The Avengers and Countess Teresa di Vicenzo in the 1969 James Bond film On Her Majesty's Secret Service....
.
In 1957, he married the actress Petra Davies
Petra Davies
Petra Davies is a British actress. She trained at Rada between 1947 - 1949. She has had many television appearances and has worked in films and theatre....
who survives him together with his daughter Henrietta and his son, David.
He played the voice of Muzzy in Muzzy in Gondoland
Muzzy in Gondoland
Muzzy in Gondoland is an animated film first created by the BBC in 1986 as a way of teaching English as a second language. Sometime afterwards, Early Advantage acquired the rights to Muzzy and translated it into Spanish, French, German, and Italian in order to teach these languages as seconds...
.