Nicolas Michael Angelis (29 April 1944 – 30 May 2020) was an English actor. He was best known for his television roles as Chrissie Todd in Boys from the Blackstuff, Martin Niarchos in G.B.H. and as the longest-running narrator of the British children's series Thomas & Friends from 1991 to 2012, as well as several other products and media related to the franchise.
Early life and career Nicolas Michael Angelis was born on 29 April 1944 in Paddington, London to an English mother, Margaret (née McCulla) (1920–1947), and a Greek father, Evangelos Angelis (1894–1959). He was raised in Dingle, Liverpool. He trained at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, Glasgow, where he played roles in, among other works, Brendan Behan's The Hostage and The Zykovs by Maxim Gorky. He was featured in Boys from the Black Stuff (1982) and G.B.H..
Angelis appeared in comedies such as The Liver Birds (1975–1978) and Luv (1993–1994) and films such as A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square (1979) and No Surrender (1985). In 1983, he appeared at the Royal Exchange, Manchester in Harold Pinter's The Caretaker. He was a villain in the revived television series Auf Wiedersehen, Pet (2002), alongside former fellow Black Stuff star Alan Igbon. He narrated the British version of Thomas & Friends from 1991 to 2012, replacing Ringo Starr.
He narrated John Peel's autobiography, Margrave of the Marshes,Profile, audiogo.com; accessed 14 August 2014. which was broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2005. In 2006 he starred in Fated, a film set in Liverpool, and in 2007 he appeared in episodes of Midsomer Murders and The Bill. In September 2011 he participated in the BBC Radio 4 programme The Reunion, talking with other cast members about Boys from the Blackstuff.
Personal life Angelis married three times. His first marriage, in 1971, ended in divorce. He married the Coronation Street actress Helen Worth in 1991, although they had been a couple since the mid 1970s. They divorced in 2001, following his much-publicised affair with the woman who would become his third wife, Welsh model Jennifer Khalastchi, whom he married in 2003. He and Worth remained friends.
He was the younger brother of fellow actor Paul Angelis.
Death Angelis died from a heart attack at his home in Thatcham, Berkshire on 30 May 2020, at the age of 76.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1979 Me You and Him Lucien A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square Pealer Bell 1980 George and Mildred Café proprietor 1983 Pride of our Alley Monty Banks 1985 No Surrender Mike 1994 Woodcock Cyril 1996 Giving Tongue Will Shaker 2000 Thomas and the Magic Railroad James, Percy, Splatter and Dodge Voice actor workprints 2005 Thomas & Friends: Calling All Engines! UK Narrator 2006 Fated Tatty 2009 Thomas & Friends: Hero of the Rails UK Narrator 2010 Thomas & Friends: Misty Island Rescue 2011 Thomas & Friends: Day of the Diesels 2012 Thomas & Friends: Blue Mountain Mystery First Time Loser Father Malachie
Television Year Title Role Notes1972 The Scobie Man Fire Officer The Thirty-Minute Theatre Mike Coronation Street Franny Slater Episode 1226 1972–1974 Z-Cars Trev/Bobo Episodes: "Week Off", "Bits An Bats" 1974 Village Hall Terry Elliot Season 1 Episode 1 1975–1996 The Liver Birds Lucien Boswell 34 episodes 1976 Rock Follies Stavros 1977 Crown Court Lewis Van Doren Episode: "The Family Business: Part 1" 1977–1978 Robin's Nest Niarchos/Waiter Season 1 Episode 3, Season 2 Episode 4 1979 Hazell Scouse Benny Episode: "Hazell Gets the Bird" 1980 Minder Nick Series 1, Episode 10: "The Dessert Song"1981 The Little World of Don Camillo (TV Series) 1st Salesman BBC2 Playhouse Frankie Season 7, Episode 15 World's End Danny 1982 Wood and Walters Chuck Sweeney/Visitor Season 1, Episode 5 and 6 The Gaffer 'Bad-Back' Barker Episode: "Unfit as a Fiddle" Boys from the Blackstuff Christopher "Chrissie" Todd The Professionals Len Clarke Episode: "Lawson's Last Stand"1983 Reilly, Ace of Spies Artuzov Episodes: "The Last Journey", "Shutdown" Bergerac Tony Morel Episode: "Holiday Snaps"1985 I Woke Up One Morning Max Summer Season Jack Shaughnessy Episode: "Time Trouble" 1987 The Marksman (TV series) Irwin 1989 Bread Mr Cossack Season 5, Episode 2 The Russ Abbot Show Season 4, Episode 2-4 (Anthony's Devon Adventure sketch) and 9 1990 Single Voices Terence Episode: "The Last Supper" 1991 G.B.H. Martin Niarchos 1991–2012 Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends Narrator UK version US version1992 Wail of the Banshee Merlin Between the Lines Det Insp Kendrick Season 1, Episode 6 Boon Don Feldman Episode: "Blackballed" 1993 Lovejoy Tommy Norris Episode: "Second Fiddle" Luv Harold Craven Season 1 Episode 4 1993–2015 Casualty Gordon McCauley/Jez Ingrams/Ollie Yates/Stanley Momford Season 7 Episode 24, Season 10 Episode 14, Season 13 Episode 14, Season 29 Episode 21 1993–1995 September Song Arnie 1994 Against All Odds Episode: Snatched 1995 Joseph Rueben 1996 Whatever Happened to The Liver Birds? Lucien Boswell 1997 Common As Muck Pete Season 2, Episode 4 and 5 A Touch of Frost Reggie Stansfield Episode: "Penny for the Guy" Melissa D.I Kilshaw Harry Enfield and Chums Appeared in the episode Harry Enfield and Christmas Chums alongside Thomas & Friends narrator Mark Moraghan 1998 The Jump Donald Lewis 2000 Holby City Eddie Burke Season 2 Episode 10 Heartbeat Frank McCready Series 9 Episode 22 "With This Ring" Playing the Field Chris Hurst Season 3 Episode 1–6, Season 4 Episode 4 2002 Auf Wiedersehen, Pet Mickey Startup Always and Everyone Frankie Hills Episode: "A New Breed" 2003 Sweet Medicine Liam Season 1 Episode 5 2004 Merseybeat Colin Nivern Episode: "Distant Vices" 2006 Jack and the Sodor Construction Company UK Narrator Spinoff series of Thomas & Friends 2007 Midsomer Murders Nicky Harding Episode: "The Axeman Cometh" The Bill Martin Donnelly Episode: "Good Cop Bad Cop" 2012 Good Cop Robert Rocksavage
Video games Year Title Role 1999 Thomas & Friends: The Great Festival Adventure All characters 2000 Thomas & Friends: Trouble on the Tracks 2001 Thomas & Friends: Railway Adventures Thomas, Harold, and Sir Topham Hatt 2002 Thomas & Friends: Building the New Line All characters 2003 Thomas & Friends: Thomas Saves the Day
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