Jack May
Known for: Acting
Born: April 23, 1922
Died: September 19, 1997
Place of birth: Henley on Thames, Oxfordshire, England, UK
Jack May was a mellifluous-voiced actor best known for playing butlers and establishment figures, often representing Britain's interests in far-flung corners of the empire. With regards the former, he memorably played William E. Simms, former music hall artise turned manservant to Gerald Harper's titular swashbuckling adventurer in '60s TV cult classic Adam Adamant Lives! as well as providing the voice of Igor, the long-suffering valet in Cosgrove Hall's 1980s animation Count Duckula. His film credits included the district commissioner in 1975's The Man Who Would Be King and the prosecuting naval attorney in the remake of The Bounty (1984). For many, May was Nelson Gabriel 'the most disreputable character in Ambridge' in BBC Radio 4's long-running soap The Archers. May took the role of the shady rogue, later antique dealer and wine bar owner, in 1952 and continued to play him right up until the year of his death, 1997. This 45 year stint made May, at the time, the fourth-longest serving soap opera star in the world. He died at the age of 75, on 19 September 1997, survived by his wife, the actress Petra Davies, his daughter Henrietta, and son David.
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Filmography
57 movies · 49 TV shows, newest first
10.0
Without Air
1997
8.5
Willie's War
1994NR
More Children's Holiday Favourites
1990
8.1
Jeeves and Wooster
1990NR
More Children's Summer Stories
1989NR
Lollipop Children's Favourites - Volume 1
1989NR
Lollipop Children's Favourites - Volume 2
1989
7.9
Count Duckula
1988NR
Children's Favourites - Volume 1
1988
6.5
Hard Road
1988
8.5
Big Muzzy
1987
6.2
The Doctor and the Devils
1985
7.0
Bulman
1985
6.6
The Shooting Party
1985
6.8
The Bounty
1984
6.5
A Swarm in May
1983
6.7
Scarecrow and Mrs. King
1983
6.2
The Return of the Soldier
1983
6.8
The Agatha Christie Hour
19828.0
Friends and Other Lovers
1981
NR
The Life and Times of David Lloyd George
1981
7.3
The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy
1981
8.0
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
1981NR
Escape
1980
9.5
Whinfrey's Last Case
1979
7.7
Shoestring
1979
6.6
Henry VIII
1979
7.0
A Horseman Riding By
19789.0
Hawkmoor
1978
7.8
All Creatures Great and Small
19789.0
The Children of the New Forest
1977
7.0
Target
1977
6.2
The Seven-Per-Cent Solution
1976
7.5
The Man Who Would Be King
1975
6.9
Poldark
1975
7.0
Dawson's Weekly
1975
8.0
Soap Opera in Stockwell
19736.5
Black and Blue
1973
4.0
Big Zapper
1973NR
Away from It All
1973NR
The Breaking of Colonel Keyser
1972
6.2
Van der Valk
1972
7.5
The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes
19715.0
Brett
1971
7.2
Budgie
1971NR
The Ten Commandments
1971
2.6
The Yes Girls
1971
4.6
Trog
1970
7.8
UFO
1970
NR
Emma's Time
1970
6.8
Goodbye, Mr. Chips
1969
8.3
The Main Chance
1969
5.2
Doctor Who: The Space Pirates
1969
5.6
Night After Night After Night
1969
4.9
A Twist of Sand
1968
5.6
How I Won the War
1967
6.1
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
1966NR
The Last Invasion
1966
NR
You Can't Win
1966
7.5
Adam Adamant Lives!
1966
7.0
Stranger in the Family
1965
7.1
Out of the Unknown
1965NR
Six Shades of Black
1965
5.2
The Wednesday Play
1964
9.0
Detective
1964
8.0
The Protectors
1964
7.9
Doctor Who
19638.0
Festival
1963
10.0
Espionage
1963NR
In Search of Sierra Nine
1963
NR
The Spread of the Eagle
1963
6.7
A Prize of Arms
1962
NR
Solo for Sparrow
1962
6.7
Dr. Finlay's Casebook
1962
9.0
Richard the Lionheart
1962
5.8
The Traitors
1962
5.5
A for Andromeda
1961
7.8
The Avengers
1961
6.8
Two-Way Stretch
1960
7.3
Danger Man
1960
6.6
There Was a Crooked Man
1960
5.3
An Age of Kings
1960
5.5
The Professionals
1960
4.8
No Hiding Place
1959
7.6
A Night to Remember
1958
5.9
The Silent Enemy
1958
7.0
Pride and Prejudice
1958NR
Nicholas Nickleby
1957
4.9
Cat Girl
1957
7.0
The Adventures of Sir Lancelot
1956
8.0
The Adventures of the Scarlet Pimpernel
1955
6.9
The Men of Sherwood Forest
1954
8.0
Mark Saber
1954
7.0
The Gay Dog
1954
6.1
Trouble in Store
1953
4.5
Behind the Headlines
1953
6.6
Pool of London
1951
6.6
The Blue Lamp
1950
3.5
Sunday Night Theatre
1950
6.6
Saraband for Dead Lovers
1948
7.7
Brief Encounter
1945
6.8
Johnny Frenchman
1945
7.1
This Happy Breed
1944
5.5
Deadlock
1943
5.6
Millions Like Us
1943
7.0
The Gentle Sex
1943