James Smillie

Infobox actor


imagesize = 150px
name = James Smillie
birthdate = flagicon|Scotland Birth year and age|1944
birthplace = Scotland
birthname =
othername = James Smilie, Jim Smillie, Jim Smilie
spouse = Caroline Smillie (nee Lea)
notable role = Dr. Dan Marshall in "Return to Eden"
Steve Wilson in "Prisoner"

James Smillie (born 1944) in Scotland emigrated from the Glasgow tenements, carving out a highly successful career in Australia before returning to the UK to star in London's West End. A dynamic & versatile leading man, he has played the starring role in 'Kiss Me Kate' at the Old Vic for the Royal Shakespeare Company, and is known internationally as Dr. Dan Marshall, the bearded plastic surgeon from the blockbuster television series 'Return to Eden'.

Television drama and light entertainment shows were interwoven with stage successes, among them: Orin in Eugene O'Neill's 'Mourning Becomes Electra'; Chance Williams in Tennessee William's 'Sweet Bird of Youth'; Eilif in 'Mother Courage'; Tom Jones in 'Tom Jones'; the national children's television series 'Crackerjack' and 'Advenure Island'. His own show 'I Like Music' helped to make him one of Australia’s best known and most respected performers.

In 1972, he left for London to play Tony in 'West Side Story'. The following years saw him playing leading men in a string of West End productions, notably: an Italian Lothario in Brian Clemens' whodunit ‘Lover' (Ambassadors); Henry II, who martyred Thomas Becket in 'Thomas and the King' (Her Majestys); Dr. Thomas Barnardo, responsible for saving homeless children in Victorian London, in 'Barnardo (Royalty); Nicos, the English teacher, in 'Zorba'; Georges, opposite Georges Hearn in 'La Cage aux Folles' (London Palladium); and ultimately his "tour de force" as Fred Graham in 'Kiss Me Kate' (RSC Savoy) - James has played this role on three occasions, most recently on tour in 1991/92.

Following this, he toured in George Bernard Shaw's 'Candida' as the Rev James Mavor Morrell, which Val May directed. He has worked extensively on TV and film; with Anthony Hopkins in 'International Velvet', John Huston in 'The Jaguar Lives'. More recently in 'The Junction Boys' with Tom Berenger. James' leading TV roles include: 'Dial M for Murder', 'Space 1999', 'Thriller', 'The Gentle Touch', 'Skin Deep', 'Comedy Playhouse', 'The Mackinnons', 'Red Dwarf' and 'Highlander'. Numerous appearances in a variety of light entertainment shows from 'Highway' with Sir Harry Secombe to 'An Evening with Barry Humphries', the BBC series 'Battle of the Sexes' and 'A Tribute to Robbie Burns' for Scottish TV.

James has four Royal Command Performances to his credit. He is also a regular radio/concert broadcaster for the BBC, particularly on the ever popular series 'Friday Night is Music Night', on special occasions such as 'Sondheim on the South Bank', 'An Evening with Cole Porter' at the Royal Festival Hall, and as Pilate in 'Jesus Christ Superstar' at the Barbican. James still spends a lot of time behind the microphone, but these days as a highly accomplished voice-over artist on commercial, audiovisuals, documentaries, and talking books. He was last heard playing Satan in a dramatised version of Milton's epic poem 'Paradise Lost'.

In 35 years since he left Australia, James has returned on several occasions for concert and personal appearances. He has appeared in 26 early episodes of "Prisoner", as Emile de Beque in 'South Pacific', and as Captain von Trapp in 'Sound of Music'. Followed by his success as Mack Sennet in the 1996 London production of 'Mack and Mabel', James recorded the part of Fred/Petruchio yet again in the full live production of 'Kiss Me Kate' for the BBC in London with the BBC Concert Orchestra.

1998/99 and 2000 saw James touring England in the UK Productions tour of '42nd Street', playing the lead role of producer Julian Marsh. In 2001 James traveled to Australia to play the lead, Pastor Manders, in Ibsen's 'Ghosts' for the Festival of Perth. In 2003, James returned to the UK to play Charles in Sondheim's 'Putting it Together' at the Library Theatre, Manchester. This was followed in 2004 by Daddy Warbucks in a touring production of 'Annie' with Su Pollard and Caesar in a Sadlers Wells Lost Musicals production of Harold Rome, Joshua Logan & S.N. Behrman's 'Fanny'. In 2005, James appeared in two films in Germany: 'Dark Ride' and 'Rich Girl, Poor Girl'. James is currently living in Australia where he has most recently played Buffalo Bill in a concert version of 'Annie Get Your Gun' at His Majesty's Theatre. He is also performing voice-overs and commentaries on a regular basis.

External links

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* [http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/Studio/8118/Smillie.html Interview with James Smillie]