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James Villiers is a Actor British born on 29 september 1930 at London (United-kingdom)
James Michael Hyde Villiers (29 September 1933 – 18 January 1998) was an English character actor and a familiar face on British television. He was particularly memorable for his plummy voice and ripe articulation.
Born in London and educated at Wellington College, Berkshire and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, 'Gentleman Jim' Villiers (pronounced Villers) was from an upper class background, related to the Earls of Clarendon, and this was often reflected in the types of roles he played, such as King Charles II in the BBC series, The First Churchills (1969).
He made his film debut in 1958, and appeared in many British films over the years, including Joseph Losey's The Damned a.k.a. These Are the Damned, shot in 1961, but not released until 1963; Seth Holt's The Nanny (1965), Joseph Andrews (1977), For Your Eyes Only (1981), The Scarlet Pimpernel (1982), Mountains of the Moon (1990) and The Tichborne Claimant (1998), along with numerous other projects. He often specialised in playing cold, somewhat effete villains.
He played the role of Colonel Hensman in the children's television drama Brendon Chase and was heard on BBC Radio 4 as the voice of Roderick Spode in The Code of the Woosters and several other adaptations of the Jeeves stories of P. G. Wodehouse, which starred Michael Hordern and Richard Briers.
James Villiers died on 18 January 1998 at Arundel, Sussex, of cancer.
Villiers was married twice: In 1966 to Patricia Donovan (marriage dissolved 1984), and in 1994 to Lucy Jex until his death.
Villiers was a relative of Thomas Hyde Villiers, Charles Pelham Villiers, Henry Villiers and the current Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Theresa Villiers, in addition to the Earls of Clarendon.
Mentioned in Red Carpets And Other Banana Skins by Rupert Everett, p.88, who encountered him in an Indian restaurant some time in 1985, "leglessly drunk, booming orders and insults to the poor long-suffering waiter in a strange breathy vibrato that was pitched for the upper circle."
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James Villiers
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Birth name James Michael Hyde Villiers
Nationality United-kingdom
Birth 29 september 1930 at London (United-kingdom)
Death 18 january 1998 (at 67 years) at Arundel (United-kingdom)
Nationality United-kingdom
Birth 29 september 1930 at London (United-kingdom)
Death 18 january 1998 (at 67 years) at Arundel (United-kingdom)
James Michael Hyde Villiers (29 September 1933 – 18 January 1998) was an English character actor and a familiar face on British television. He was particularly memorable for his plummy voice and ripe articulation.
Born in London and educated at Wellington College, Berkshire and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, 'Gentleman Jim' Villiers (pronounced Villers) was from an upper class background, related to the Earls of Clarendon, and this was often reflected in the types of roles he played, such as King Charles II in the BBC series, The First Churchills (1969).
He made his film debut in 1958, and appeared in many British films over the years, including Joseph Losey's The Damned a.k.a. These Are the Damned, shot in 1961, but not released until 1963; Seth Holt's The Nanny (1965), Joseph Andrews (1977), For Your Eyes Only (1981), The Scarlet Pimpernel (1982), Mountains of the Moon (1990) and The Tichborne Claimant (1998), along with numerous other projects. He often specialised in playing cold, somewhat effete villains.
He played the role of Colonel Hensman in the children's television drama Brendon Chase and was heard on BBC Radio 4 as the voice of Roderick Spode in The Code of the Woosters and several other adaptations of the Jeeves stories of P. G. Wodehouse, which starred Michael Hordern and Richard Briers.
James Villiers died on 18 January 1998 at Arundel, Sussex, of cancer.
Biography
Nicholas Whittaker, author of Platform Souls and Blue Period, worked in the Belsize Tavern in 1979 and 1980 and recalls Villiers' visits to the pub in the company of local actor Ronald Fraser. After closing time, the pair would often be found in the Beer & Curry Restaurant opposite.Villiers was married twice: In 1966 to Patricia Donovan (marriage dissolved 1984), and in 1994 to Lucy Jex until his death.
Villiers was a relative of Thomas Hyde Villiers, Charles Pelham Villiers, Henry Villiers and the current Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Theresa Villiers, in addition to the Earls of Clarendon.
Mentioned in Red Carpets And Other Banana Skins by Rupert Everett, p.88, who encountered him in an Indian restaurant some time in 1985, "leglessly drunk, booming orders and insults to the poor long-suffering waiter in a strange breathy vibrato that was pitched for the upper circle."
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Filmography of James Villiers (46 films)
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The Wind in the Willows (2006)
, 1h39Directed by Terry Jones, Arthur Rankin Jr., Jules Bass, Rachel Talalay
Genres Drama
Themes Children's films
Actors Matt Lucas, Mark Gatiss, Lee Ingleby, Bob Hoskins, Michael Murphy, Imelda Staunton
Rating63%
Matt Lucas comme un crapaud merveilleux, Mark Gatiss comme un rat hérissés, Lee Ingleby comme une taupe nerveux, et Bob Hoskins comme un vieux grincheux Badger faire un casting de classe à l'intérieur une autre version du livre classique de Kenneth Grahame.
The Tichborne Claimant (1999)
, 1h38Directed by David Yates
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama
Actors Robert Pugh, Stephen Fry, John Kani, Robert Hardy, John Gielgud, Charles Gray
Roles Uncle Henry
Rating60%
Based on a true story, the film is set in the late 19th century. Lord Tichborne, the ninth richest nobleman in England, disappears after a South American shipwreck. Some years later his erudite Afro-English valet, Bogle, is sent to investigate rumors that Tichborne survived and settled in Australia. An alcoholic ruffian answers Bogle's inquiries claiming to be the lost heir. Bogle suspects fraud, but conspires with the claimant to split the inheritance should the latter successfully pass himself off to friends, family and the courts. As the claimant returns to England to continue his charade, enough people confirm his identity to make both the claimant and Bogle believe that he just might be the rightful heir after all.
The Wind in the Willows (1996)
, 1h27Directed by Terry Jones, Arthur Rankin Jr., Jules Bass, Rachel Talalay
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, Comedy, Fantasy, Adventure
Themes Films about animals, Children's films
Actors Steve Coogan, Bob Hoskins, Eric Idle, Mark Gatiss, Terry Jones, Matt Lucas
Rating62%
Mole's (Steve Coogan) underground home is knocked in when the field above it is bulldozed by the Weasels; the field was owned by Mr. Toad (Terry Jones), who has sold it to finance his latest fad: caravanning. Mole flees to the river and meets the Water Rat (Eric Idle), who is preparing to embark on a picnic. Seeing Mole's distress, Rat decides to take Mole to see Toad. Toad encourages them to travel with him on the open road, in his newly bought canary-coloured cart. Disaster strikes when a pair of joyriders in a motor car knock over the cart. Rat calms Toad's horse instead of Mole. Toad, however, instantly discards the cart and becomes obsessed with motoring. He is a reckless driver, however, and ends up needing more money from the Weasels. Their volatile Chief (Antony Sher) tries to persuade him to sell Toad Hall.
Uncovered (1995)
, 1h52Directed by Jim McBride
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Thriller, Action
Themes Peinture, Sports films, Films about chess
Actors Kate Beckinsale, John Wood, Sinéad Cusack, Helen McCrory, Paudge Behan, Art Malik
Roles Montegrifo
Rating57%
Julia, an art restorer living in Barcelona, Spain, discovers a painted-over message on a 1471 Flemish masterpiece called La partida de ajedrez (The Chess Game) reading "Qvis Necavit Eqvitem", written in Latin (English: "Who killed the knight?").
The Wind in the Willows (1995)
, 1h13Directed by Terry Jones, Arthur Rankin Jr., Jules Bass, Rachel Talalay
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Comedy, Adventure, Animation
Themes Children's films
Actors Alan Bennett, Bob Hoskins, Michael Gambon, Mark Gatiss, Rik Mayall, Matt Lucas
Roles Magistrate (voice)
Rating73%
Tired from spring cleaning, Mole ventures out of his hole for the first time and stumbles across a river and a new-found friend Ratty. The two friends enjoy themselves then call on Mr. Toad, who takes them for a trip on the open road by gypsy caravan until a passing motor car causes the caravan to crash and Toad to develop a mania for driving motor cars. Back at the riverbank Ratty gets a temporary phase of a desire to emigrate but Mole snaps him out of it.
King Ralph (1991)
, 1h37Directed by David S. Ward
Origin USA
Genres Comedy
Actors John Goodman, Peter O'Toole, John Hurt, Camille Coduri, Richard Griffiths, Leslie Phillips
Roles Prime Minister Jeffrey Hale
Rating53%
The entire House of Wyndham (based on the House of Windsor), the ruling family of the United Kingdom in the film, is electrocuted in a freak accident while posing for a family photograph, after a cable becomes wet during a storm. The British government immediately begins a search led by courtier and royal private secretary Sir Cedric Willingham to look for any surviving heirs to whom to pass the crown. A researcher finally locates a living heir named Ralph Jones, an American rock and roll musician.
Let Him Have It (1991)
, 1h55Directed by Peter Medak
Genres Drama, Biography, Crime
Themes Prison films, Films about capital punishment
Actors Christopher Eccleston, Paul Reynolds, Tom Courtenay, Eileen Atkins, Tom Bell, Edward Hardwicke
Roles Cassels
Rating70%
The film is based on the true story of Derek Bentley. Within the film, Bentley (Eccleston) is an illiterate young adult with developmental disabilities who falls into a gang led by a younger teenager named Chris Craig (Reynolds). The two become trapped by the police, who tell Chris to put down his gun. Bentley says, "Let him have it, Chris." Chris begins firing, killing one officer and wounding another. Because he is a minor (under 18), Chris is given a minor sentence, but Bentley, although he did not shoot anyone, is sentenced to death, on the basis that his statement to Chris was an instigation to begin shooting.
Mountains of the Moon (1990)
, 2h16Directed by Bob Rafelson
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Action, Adventure, Historical
Themes Films set in Africa
Actors Patrick Bergin, Iain Glen, Richard E. Grant, Fiona Shaw, Roshan Seth, John Savident
Roles Lord Oliphant
Rating70%
Exploratory adventures of 1857, Sir Richard Burton (Patrick Bergin) and John Henning Speke (Iain Glen), try to discover the true source of the Nile river.
Scandal (1989)
, 1h55Directed by Michael Caton-Jones
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, Historical, Politic, Romance
Actors John Hurt, Joanne Whalley, Bridget Fonda, Ian McKellen, Leslie Phillips, Britt Ekland
Roles Conservative M.P.
Rating63%
An English bon-vivant osteopath is enchanted with a young exotic dancer and invites her to live with him. He serves as friend and mentor, and through his wide range of contacts and his parties she and her friend meet and date members of the Conservative Party. A scandal develops when her affair with the Minister of War comes to public attention.
The Wind in the Willows (1987)
, 1h36Directed by Terry Jones, Arthur Rankin Jr., Jules Bass, Rachel Talalay
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Animation
Themes Musical films, Children's films
Actors Charles Nelson Reilly, Bob Hoskins, Roddy McDowall, Mark Gatiss, José Ferrer, Matt Lucas
Rating71%
The "well-known and popular" Mr. Toad of Toad Hall (voice of Charles Nelson Reilly), a conceited and impulsive animal, embarks on a madcap river voyage in a paddleboat, nearly shipwrecking his friend Ratty (voice of Roddy McDowall) who is out for a leisurely row. At the same time, Toad whelms the entrance to the subterranean home of Moley (voice of Eddie Bracken). So disturbed, Moley comes above ground for the first time in his life, and is positively amazed by the surface world. At once he meets Ratty, who invites him to come along on his river cruise ("Wind in the Willows"). All too soon, Toad returns and recklessly overturns Ratty's boat, nearly drowning Moley, but Ratty saves him and pushes him along to shore.
Running Out of Luck (1987)
Directed by Julien Temple
Genres Drama, Comedy, Fantasy, Adventure, Musical
Actors Rae Dawn Chong, Mick Jagger, Dennis Hopper, Jerry Hall, Norma Bengell, Nicholas Ball
Rating49%
Ghost in the Noonday Sun (1984)
, 1h33Directed by Peter Medak
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Comedy, Adventure
Themes Seafaring films, Transport films, Pirate films
Actors Peter Sellers, Anthony Franciosa, Spike Milligan, Clive Revill, Peter Boyle, James Villiers
Roles Parsley-Freck
Rating46%
Bumbling pirate crewman (Sellers) kills his captain after learning where he has hidden buried treasure. However as he begins to lose his memory, he relies more and more on the ghost of the man he's murdered to help him find the treasure.
Under the Volcano (1984)
, 1h52Directed by John Huston, Danny Huston
Origin USA
Genres Drama
Themes Films about alcoholism, Medical-themed films, Films about drugs
Actors Albert Finney, Jacqueline Bisset, Anthony Andrews, Katy Jurado, Ignacio López Tarso, James Villiers
Roles Brit
Rating67%
Cuernavaca, capitale de l'État de Morelos au Mexique, le 1er novembre 1938 traditionnel jour des Morts, fêté en grande liesse par toute la population locale. Geoffrey Firmin, ancien consul britannique, qui a (été) démissionné de sa fonction, déambule, copieusement imbibé, de cantinas en cervecerias, de souvenirs en palabres, parmi l'étrange liesse mortuaire. Son épouse a quitté le Mexique, depuis presque une année. Ils semblent désormais, d'après un vague courrier d'avocat, officiellement divorcés. Anis, brandy, tequila, whisky, mezcal (la boisson des damnés), la brûlure de l'alcool lui permet d'oublier cet invivable abandon et de survivre à sa déchéance, (« les tremblements, voilà ce qui rend cette vie insupportable. Mais ils s'apaisent, si on s'y prend bien, avec la nécessaire lampée, la dose thérapeutique »).
Mantrap (1983)
, 55minutesDirected by Julien Temple
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Musical
Themes Films about music and musicians, Musical films
Actors James Villiers, Lisa Vanderpump
Roles Walmsley
Rating79%
Martin Fry is asked to join the band as they embark on tour heading east through Europe. But at the height of their popularity the band tries to secretly replace Fry with a Russian spy in order to sneak him back behind the iron curtain. It is then up to Martin to battle his doppelganger and make the world safe for New Romantic Synth Pop.
The Scarlet Pimpernel (1982)
, 2h22Directed by Clive Donner
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, Action, Romance
Themes Political films, French Revolution films
Actors Anthony Andrews, Jane Seymour, Ian McKellen, James Villiers, Eleanor David, Dominic Jephcott
Roles Baron de Batz
Rating75%
In 1792 during the Reign of Terror of the French Revolution, a secret league of brave Englishmen are rescuing French aristocrats from the guillotine. The leader of this secret society is a mysterious English nobleman known only as the Scarlet Pimpernel, whose signature sign is a humble wayside flower. In society he hides his identity by posing as the wealthy but foppish and seemingly empty-headed Sir Percy Blakeney (Anthony Andrews). After rescuing the Count de Beaulieu and his family, Percy is introduced to the beautiful French actress Marguerite St. Just (Jane Seymour) through her brother, Armand (Malcolm Jamieson), whom he rescued from an attack. Percy is attracted to Marguerite, but she is in a relationship with Paul Chauvelin (Ian McKellen), an agent of Maximilien Robespierre. Due to the Scarlet Pimpernel's past successes, Chauvelin is assigned to discover his identity and capture him.