Jack May

Jack May

Acting
Born 1922-04-23 - Died 1997-09-19Henley 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 (57)

The Bounty
6.8

The Bounty

1984Movie6.8
Brief Encounter
7.7

Brief Encounter

1945Movie7.7
The Man Who Would Be King
7.5

The Man Who Would Be King

1975Movie7.5
Cat Girl
4.9

Cat Girl

1957Movie4.9
A Night to Remember
7.6

A Night to Remember

1958Movie7.6
The Doctor and the Devils
6.2

The Doctor and the Devils

1985Movie6.2
Goodbye, Mr. Chips
6.8

Goodbye, Mr. Chips

1969Movie6.8
The Seven-Per-Cent Solution
6.2

The Seven-Per-Cent Solution

1976Movie6.2
Trog
4.6

Trog

1970Movie4.6
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
6.1

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum

1966Movie6.1
The Silent Enemy
5.9

The Silent Enemy

1958Movie5.9
The Return of the Soldier
6.2

The Return of the Soldier

1983Movie6.2
The Traitors
5.8

The Traitors

1962Movie5.8
Two-Way Stretch
6.8

Two-Way Stretch

1960Movie6.8
Pool of London
6.6

Pool of London

1951Movie6.6
Saraband for Dead Lovers
6.6

Saraband for Dead Lovers

1948Movie6.6
The Blue Lamp
6.6

The Blue Lamp

1950Movie6.6
A Prize of Arms
6.7

A Prize of Arms

1962Movie6.7
Millions Like Us
5.6

Millions Like Us

1943Movie5.6
More Children's Summer Stories

More Children's Summer Stories

1989Movie
This Happy Breed
7.1

This Happy Breed

1944Movie7.1
Lollipop Children's Favourites - Volume 2

Lollipop Children's Favourites - Volume 2

1989Movie
How I Won the War
5.6

How I Won the War

1967Movie5.6
The Men of Sherwood Forest
6.9

The Men of Sherwood Forest

1954Movie6.9
Children's Favourites - Volume 1

Children's Favourites - Volume 1

1988Movie
A Twist of Sand
4.9

A Twist of Sand

1968Movie4.9
The Life and Times of David Lloyd George

The Life and Times of David Lloyd George

1981Movie
The Shooting Party
6.6

The Shooting Party

1985Movie6.6
Trouble in Store
6.1

Trouble in Store

1953Movie6.1
The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy
7.3

The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy

1981Movie7.3
The Gentle Sex
7.0

The Gentle Sex

1943Movie7.0
Henry VIII
6.6

Henry VIII

1979Movie6.6
There Was a Crooked Man
6.6

There Was a Crooked Man

1960Movie6.6
Lollipop Children's Favourites - Volume 1

Lollipop Children's Favourites - Volume 1

1989Movie
Solo for Sparrow

Solo for Sparrow

1962Movie
Friends and Other Lovers
8.0

Friends and Other Lovers

1981Movie8.0
In Search of Sierra Nine

In Search of Sierra Nine

1963Movie
The Gay Dog
7.0

The Gay Dog

1954Movie7.0
Johnny Frenchman
6.8

Johnny Frenchman

1945Movie6.8
Emma's Time

Emma's Time

1970Movie
Without Air
10.0

Without Air

1997Movie10.0
The Yes Girls
2.6

The Yes Girls

1971Movie2.6
The Professionals
5.5

The Professionals

1960Movie5.5
Doctor Who: The Space Pirates
5.2

Doctor Who: The Space Pirates

1969Movie5.2
Night After Night After Night
5.6

Night After Night After Night

1969Movie5.6
The Last Invasion

The Last Invasion

1966Movie
Big Zapper
4.0

Big Zapper

1973Movie4.0
The Breaking of Colonel Keyser

The Breaking of Colonel Keyser

1972Movie
Hard Road
6.5

Hard Road

1988Movie6.5
Whinfrey's Last Case
9.5

Whinfrey's Last Case

1979Movie9.5
Soap Opera in Stockwell
8.0

Soap Opera in Stockwell

1973Movie8.0
Stranger in the Family
7.0

Stranger in the Family

1965Movie7.0
More Children's Holiday Favourites

More Children's Holiday Favourites

1990Movie
Deadlock
5.5

Deadlock

1943Movie5.5
A Swarm in May
6.5

A Swarm in May

1983Movie6.5
Willie's War
8.5

Willie's War

1994Movie8.5
Behind the Headlines
4.5

Behind the Headlines

1953Movie4.5

TV Shows (49)

Doctor Who
7.9

Doctor Who

1963Series7.9
The Avengers
7.8

The Avengers

1961Series7.8
Scarecrow and Mrs. King
6.7

Scarecrow and Mrs. King

1983Series6.7
The Wednesday Play
5.2

The Wednesday Play

1964Series5.2
Danger Man
7.3

Danger Man

1960Series7.3
No Hiding Place
4.8

No Hiding Place

1959Series4.8
All Creatures Great and Small
7.8

All Creatures Great and Small

1978Series7.8
Mark Saber
8.0

Mark Saber

1954Series8.0
UFO
7.8

UFO

1970Series7.8
Dr. Finlay's Casebook
6.7

Dr. Finlay's Casebook

1962Series6.7
Count Duckula
7.9

Count Duckula

1988Series7.9
Out of the Unknown
7.1

Out of the Unknown

1965Series7.1
Sunday Night Theatre
3.5

Sunday Night Theatre

1950Series3.5
Poldark
6.9

Poldark

1975Series6.9
Jeeves and Wooster
8.1

Jeeves and Wooster

1990Series8.1
An Age of Kings
5.3

An Age of Kings

1960Series5.3
Richard the Lionheart
9.0

Richard the Lionheart

1962Series9.0
The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes
7.5

The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes

1971Series7.5
Detective
9.0

Detective

1964Series9.0
Van der Valk
6.2

Van der Valk

1972Series6.2
The Adventures of Sir Lancelot
7.0

The Adventures of Sir Lancelot

1956Series7.0
Espionage
10.0

Espionage

1963Series10.0
The Adventures of the Scarlet Pimpernel
8.0

The Adventures of the Scarlet Pimpernel

1955Series8.0
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
8.0

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

1981Series8.0
Festival
8.0

Festival

1963Series8.0
Shoestring
7.7

Shoestring

1979Series7.7
The Main Chance
8.3

The Main Chance

1969Series8.3
The Agatha Christie Hour
6.8

The Agatha Christie Hour

1982Series6.8
Target
7.0

Target

1977Series7.0
Budgie
7.2

Budgie

1971Series7.2
Big Muzzy
8.5

Big Muzzy

1987Series8.5
The Protectors
8.0

The Protectors

1964Series8.0
Adam Adamant Lives!
7.5

Adam Adamant Lives!

1966Series7.5
The Ten Commandments

The Ten Commandments

1971Series
Black and Blue
6.5

Black and Blue

1973Series6.5
Bulman
7.0

Bulman

1985Series7.0
A Horseman Riding By
7.0

A Horseman Riding By

1978Series7.0
Away from It All

Away from It All

1973Series
A for Andromeda
5.5

A for Andromeda

1961Series5.5
You Can't Win

You Can't Win

1966Series
Brett
5.0

Brett

1971Series5.0
The Spread of the Eagle

The Spread of the Eagle

1963Series
Escape

Escape

1980Series
Dawson's Weekly
7.0

Dawson's Weekly

1975Series7.0
Six Shades of Black

Six Shades of Black

1965Series
Nicholas Nickleby

Nicholas Nickleby

1957Series
Pride and Prejudice
7.0

Pride and Prejudice

1958Series7.0
Hawkmoor
9.0

Hawkmoor

1978Series9.0
The Children of the New Forest
9.0

The Children of the New Forest

1977Series9.0