Bill Bailey (American actor)

Bill Bailey (born September 2, 1938) is an American actor and author, primarily providing supporting roles in film and television throughout the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. He appeared in Superman (1978), Superman II (1980), and Haunted Honeymoon (1986), as well as a number of British television programs including Yes, Prime Minister (1987), Jeeves and Wooster (1992), and Agatha Christie's Poirot (1993).[1] He has also narrated an abridged version of Herman Melville's novel Moby Dick.

Bill Bailey
BornSeptember 2, 1938
Occupation(s)Author, actor
Websiteredbillbailey.com

A number of Internet databases have misattributed his work to the British comedian Bill Bailey.[citation needed]

Life and career

Bill Bailey as himself c.1984
Clutching a shot of whisky and one of his beloved pipes.

Bailey was born in a small rural town in North Carolina and attended Sanford Central High School.[2] He graduated from the University of North Carolina in 1960 with a degree in philosophy, spent some time in the US Army, and then as prison guard in Canada. He married a Texan heiress, and moved to Houston, Texas where he managed a ranch and took part in motorbike scrambling and sports car rallying. He worked as a bouncer, and later organized the first white collar union in the US meat-packing industry.[2] Soon after taking up acting he moved to London in 1968 and within a year of his arrival he became the first full-frontal male nude on the British stage at the Almost Free Theatre, London.[3][4] He has acted in film, television and on London's West End stage.[2]

He is the author of seven published books, most notably Taping Whores (2004).

Bibliography

  • Split Infinities, 2000, ISBN 1587210924
  • Rolling Thunder, 2001, ISBN 0759644403
  • Comedians of Violence, 2003, ISBN 1410734412
  • Taping Whores, 2004, ISBN 1418418153.
  • Times Two, 2004, ISBN 1414021496
  • Is Alice?, 2009, ISBN 1847478980
  • The Ghost Society, 2009, ISBN 9781849910842 [1]

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1971DoomwatchReporterTV series (1 episode: "Flight Into Yesterday")
1971BrettBarmanTV series (1 episode: "The Hollow Men")
1973The Rivals of Sherlock HolmesDrunkTV series (1 episode: "Five Hundred Carats")
1974The Groove TubeSuc Muc Dik
1976The New AvengersCaryTV series (1 episode: "Three Handed Game")
1978Superman2nd Senator(Missile Control)
1980Superman IIJ.J.
1981OutlandHill
1982Emery Presents: Legacy of MurderCameramanTV series (1 episode: "Bang, Bang You're Dead")
1983Philip Marlowe, Private EyeHugo CandlessTV series (1 episode: "Nevada Gas")
1984Master of the GameTim O'NeillTV mini-series
1984Tales of the UnexpectedBobTV series (1 episode: "Have a Nice Death")
1985The Last Place on EarthPrison WarderTV mini-series (1 episode: "Rejoice")
1985WaterHollister
1985Lace IIChief of PoliceTV film
1986If Tomorrow ComesPriestTV mini-series
1986The American WayGeneral Motorsaka Riders of the Storm
1986Haunted HoneymoonThe Host
1986Sky BanditsSheriff
1987IshtarGeneral Westlake
1987Heat and SunlightBarney
1987Howards' WayKarl HansonTV series
1987Yes, Prime MinisterUS Vice-presidentTV series (1 episode: "A Diplomatic Incident")
1989The Nightmare YearsKnick KnickerbockerTV mini-series documentary
1989Around the World in 80 DaysCaptain PhillipsTV mini-series (3 episodes)
1989Tygo RoadSpinnijTV mini-series (5 episodes)
1989Coded HostileMilitaryTV film
1989Murder StoryBilly van Wyck / Keelman
1989Frederick Forsyth PresentsFrank TerpilTV series (1 episode)
1991Drop the Dead DonkeyEarlTV series (1 episode: "The Evangelist")
1992NotoriousJudgeTV film
1992Jeeves and WoosterAlexander WorpleTV series (1 episode: "Cyril and the Broadway Musical")
1992Immaculate ConceptionAmerican Consul
1993Agatha Christie: PoirotFelix BleibnerTV series (1 episode: "The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb")
1993Death TrainG.N.N. NewscasterTV film
1993Dominion: Tank PoliceSkeleton (voice)Video
1994The Day TodayJudgeTV series (1 episode)
1995BaltoButcherVoice
1997Brass EyeFr. Pierre Runek and an EyewitnessTV series (2 episodes)
1997April Fool's DaySand delivery manTV film
1999Eureka StreetJohn EvansTV mini-series (1 episode)
2001Just VisitingThibault's Father
2002MicawberWillis Gates IITV series (1 episode: "Micawber Meets the Americans"), (final appearance)

Theatre appearances

YearTitleRoleTheatreNotes
1970Player PianoKronerAlmost Free
1971Threepenny OperaWaltPrince of Wales Theatre/Piccadilly TheatreWith Vanessa Redgrave and Barbara Windsor
1972Bakke's Night of FameCell GuardShaw Theatre
1973/74The Front PageSchwartzNational Theatre
1974Wind in the branches of the SassafrasWatermill
1974Guys and DollsBig JuleBirmingham Rep
1974Grand ManoeuvresGénéral PiconNational Theatre
1974The FreewayNational Theatre
1974/75Robin HoodLittle JohnBirmingham Rep
1975Al CaponeCaponeWatermill
1975Sea ChangeTraverse Theatre
1980Happy Birthday WandaRyanBush Theatre
1980Geography of a Horse DreamerFatherRoyal Court Theatrewith Bob Hoskins
1982Daughter's of MenHampstead TheatreWith Frances de la Tour
1981Private DickShameyNewcastle Playhouse
1986InsignificanceSenatorTheatre Royal, Plymouth
1990Bus StopWill MastersWatford Palace Theatre/Lyric Theatre, LondonWith Jerry Hall
1987After the FallChairmanNational Theatre
1993The Rose TattooSalesmanPeter Hall Company /Playhouse Theatre
1994Conversations with My FatherScarborough Theatre/The Old Vic
1998The Madras HouseEdinburgh Lyceum & Lyric Theatre, London
1999Small Craft WarningsThe Pleasance, Edinburgh

References