Although he did not turn to the stage until middle age after two
decades in the Royal Navy, Jack Gwillim was a notable actor on both
sides of the Atlantic. During the 1950s he was a member of the Royal
Shakespeare company in Stratford, England, for three years during Sir
Anthony Quayle's stint as artistic
director, and a member of the Old Vic Company for a further three
years. His extensive theatre credits included many leading roles in the
West End including "Sacred Flame" with
Gladys Cooper and
Wendy Hiller, "The Right Honourable
Gentleman" with Quayle, "The Dark is Light Enough" with Dame
Edith Evans, "Castle In Sweden" with
Diane Cilento, "Portrait Of Murder", "A
Kind Of Folly" with Dame Flora Robson, "You
Never Can Tell" and "Merchant Of Venice" with Sir
Ralph Richardson. In 1969 he
emigrated to the United States, working in top regional theaters,
off-Broadway and Broadway. His Broadway credits include the role of
Col. Pickering in Rex Harrison
revival of "My Fair Lady", and
Ingrid Bergman's husband in "The
Constant Wife" directed by Sir
John Gielgud. Other Broadway shows included
"Ari", "MacBeth" with
Christopher Plummer and
'Glenda Jackson (I)', "Romeo and
Juliet", "Lost in the Stars" with
Brock Peters,
"The Iceman Cometh" with
James Earl Jones and with the Old Vic
"MacBeth", "Romeo and Juliet" with
Claire Bloom, "Richard II" and
"Troilus and Cressida." He did numerous tours in the U.S including
"Laurette" with Judy Holliday.
On stage he has worked with such actors as Sir
Ralph Richardson, Sir
Anthony Quayle, Dame
Judith Anderson,
Judi Dench, Sir
Michael Redgrave and
Richard Burton. He is also known
for war films such as
Panzerschiff Graf Spee (1956)
with Peter Finch,
Einer kam durch (1957),
Brennendes Indien (1959)
with Lauren Bacall and
Die letzte Fahrt der Bismarck (1960). His
work in epics includes
Salomon und die Königin von Saba (1959) with
Yul Brynner,
Cromwell - Krieg dem König (1970) with
Richard Harris, Oscar-winning
films
Lawrence von Arabien (1962),
Patton: Rebell in Uniform (1970) and
Ein Mann zu jeder Jahreszeit (1966).
His work in cult favorites includes
Jason und die Argonauten (1963)
and
Kampf der Titanen (1981)
with Sir Laurence Olivier. His work in
"Hammer" films includes
Das Schwert des Robin Hood (1960)
with Peter Cushing,
Der rote Schatten (1960) and
Die Rache Des Pharao (1964).
He also co-starred in the Disney hit
Die Abenteuer des Kapitän Grant (1962)
with Maurice Chevalier and
Hayley Mills.
His voice work can be heard on Caedmon Records in "Anthony &
Cleopatra", "King John", "Macbeth", "Richard II", "Titus Andronicus",
"Troilus and Cressida", "Hamlet", "A Midsummer Night's Dream", and
"Henry IV" parts I and II and "Henry V".
