Jack May

Jack May

Acting

Born April 23, 1922Died September 19, 1997Henley on Thames, Oxfordshire, England, UK

Biography

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.

Movies

See All
Willie's War
8.5

Willie's War

1994

Hard Road
6.5

Hard Road

1988

The Doctor and the Devils
6.3

The Doctor and the Devils

1985

The Shooting Party
6.6

The Shooting Party

1985

The Bounty
6.8

The Bounty

1984

A Swarm in May
6.5

A Swarm in May

1983

The Return of the Soldier
6.3

The Return of the Soldier

1983

The Life and Times of David Lloyd George
0.0

The Life and Times of David Lloyd George

1981

The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy
7.3

The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy

1981

Whinfrey's Last Case
9.5

Whinfrey's Last Case

1979

Henry VIII
6.6

Henry VIII

1979

The Seven-Per-Cent Solution
6.2

The Seven-Per-Cent Solution

1976

The Man Who Would Be King
7.5

The Man Who Would Be King

1975

Soap Opera in Stockwell
8.0

Soap Opera in Stockwell

1973

Big Zapper
4.0

Big Zapper

1973

The Yes Girls
2.6

The Yes Girls

1971

Emma's Time
0.0

Emma's Time

1970

Goodbye, Mr. Chips
6.8

Goodbye, Mr. Chips

1969

Doctor Who: The Space Pirates
5.2

Doctor Who: The Space Pirates

1969

Night After Night After Night
5.6

Night After Night After Night

1969

A Twist of Sand
4.9

A Twist of Sand

1968

How I Won the War
5.7

How I Won the War

1967

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
6.1

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum

1966

Stranger in the Family
7.0

Stranger in the Family

1965

A Prize of Arms
6.7

A Prize of Arms

1962

Solo for Sparrow
0.0

Solo for Sparrow

1962

The Traitors
5.8

The Traitors

1962

Two-Way Stretch
6.7

Two-Way Stretch

1960

There Was a Crooked Man
6.6

There Was a Crooked Man

1960

The Professionals
5.5

The Professionals

1960

A Night to Remember
7.7

A Night to Remember

1958

The Silent Enemy
5.9

The Silent Enemy

1958

Cat Girl
4.9

Cat Girl

1957

The Men of Sherwood Forest
6.9

The Men of Sherwood Forest

1954

Child's Play
6.0

Child's Play

1954

The Gay Dog
7.0

The Gay Dog

1954

Trouble in Store
6.1

Trouble in Store

1953

Behind the Headlines
4.5

Behind the Headlines

1953

Pool of London
6.6

Pool of London

1951

The Blue Lamp
6.6

The Blue Lamp

1950

Saraband for Dead Lovers
6.6

Saraband for Dead Lovers

1948

Brief Encounter
7.7

Brief Encounter

1945

Johnny Frenchman
6.8

Johnny Frenchman

1945

This Happy Breed
7.1

This Happy Breed

1944

Deadlock
5.5

Deadlock

1943

Millions Like Us
5.6

Millions Like Us

1943

The Gentle Sex
7.0

The Gentle Sex

1943

TV Shows

See All
Jeeves and Wooster
8.1

Jeeves and Wooster

Count Duckula
7.9

Count Duckula

Scarecrow and Mrs. King
6.6

Scarecrow and Mrs. King

The Agatha Christie Hour
6.8

The Agatha Christie Hour

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
8.0

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

A Horseman Riding By
7.0

A Horseman Riding By

All Creatures Great and Small
7.8

All Creatures Great and Small

Dawson's Weekly
7.0

Dawson's Weekly

Van der Valk
6.2

Van der Valk

The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes
7.5

The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes

The Main Chance
8.2

The Main Chance

The Main Chance
8.2

The Main Chance

You Can't Win
0.0

You Can't Win

Adam Adamant Lives!
7.5

Adam Adamant Lives!

Out of the Unknown
7.1

Out of the Unknown

The Wednesday Play
5.2

The Wednesday Play

The Protectors
8.0

The Protectors

The Spread of the Eagle
0.0

The Spread of the Eagle

Dr. Finlay's Casebook
6.7

Dr. Finlay's Casebook

Richard the Lionheart
9.0

Richard the Lionheart

A for Andromeda
5.5

A for Andromeda

The Avengers
7.8

The Avengers

An Age of Kings
5.2

An Age of Kings

An Age of Kings
5.2

An Age of Kings

No Hiding Place
4.8

No Hiding Place

No Hiding Place
4.8

No Hiding Place

Pride and Prejudice
7.0

Pride and Prejudice

The Adventures of Sir Lancelot
7.0

The Adventures of Sir Lancelot

The Adventures of the Scarlet Pimpernel
8.0

The Adventures of the Scarlet Pimpernel

Sunday Night Theatre
3.5

Sunday Night Theatre

Sunday Night Theatre
3.5

Sunday Night Theatre