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). He has also narrated an abridged version of Herman Melville's novel Moby Dick.
A number of Internet databases have misattributed his work to the British comedian Bill Bailey.
Life and career
Bailey was born in a small rural town in North Carolina and attended Sanford Central High School. 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. 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.Life magazine, 23.12.68Newsweek 8.9.68 He has acted in film, television and on London's West End stage.Author biography in Taping Whores 2004
He is the author of seven published books, most notably Taping Whores (2004).
Bibliography Split Infinities, 2000, Rolling Thunder, 2001, Comedians of Violence, 2003, Taping Whores, 2004, . Times Two, 2004, Is Alice?, 2009, The Ghost Society, 2009,
Filmography Year Title Role Notes 1971 Doomwatch Reporter TV series (1 episode: "Flight Into Yesterday") 1971 Brett Barman TV series (1 episode: "The Hollow Men") 1973 The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes Drunk TV series (1 episode: "Five Hundred Carats") 1974 The Groove Tube Suc Muc Dik 1976 The New Avengers Cary TV series (1 episode: "Three Handed Game") 1978 Superman 2nd Senator (Missile Control) 1980 Superman II J.J. 1981 Outland Hill 1982 Emery Presents: Legacy of Murder Cameraman TV series (1 episode: "Bang, Bang You're Dead") 1983 Philip Marlowe, Private Eye Hugo Candless TV series (1 episode: "Nevada Gas") 1984 Master of the Game Tim O'Neill TV mini-series 1984 Tales of the Unexpected Bob TV series (1 episode: "Have a Nice Death") 1985 The Last Place on Earth Prison Warder TV mini-series (1 episode: "Rejoice") 1985 Water Hollister 1985 Lace II Chief of Police TV film 1986 If Tomorrow Comes Priest TV mini-series 1986 The American Way General Motors aka Riders of the Storm 1986 Haunted Honeymoon The Host 1986 Sky Bandits Sheriff 1987 Ishtar General Westlake 1987 Heat and Sunlight Barney 1987 Howards' Way Karl Hanson TV series 1987 Yes, Prime Minister US Vice-president TV series (1 episode: "A Diplomatic Incident") 1989 The Nightmare Years Knick Knickerbocker TV mini-series documentary 1989 Around the World in 80 Days Captain Phillips TV mini-series (3 episodes) 1989 Tygo Road Spinnij TV mini-series (5 episodes) 1989 Coded Hostile Military TV film 1989 Murder Story Billy van Wyck / Keelman 1989 Frederick Forsyth Presents Frank Terpil TV series (1 episode) 1991 Drop the Dead Donkey Earl TV series (1 episode: "The Evangelist") 1992 Notorious Judge TV film 1992 Jeeves and Wooster Alexander Worple TV series (1 episode: "Cyril and the Broadway Musical") 1992 Immaculate Conception American Consul 1993 Agatha Christie: Poirot Felix Bleibner TV series (1 episode: "The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb") 1993 Death Train G.N.N. Newscaster TV film 1993 Dominion: Tank Police Skeleton (voice) Video 1994 The Day Today Judge TV series (1 episode) 1995 Balto Butcher Voice 1997 Brass Eye Fr. Pierre Runek and an Eyewitness TV series (2 episodes) 1997 April Fool's Day Sand delivery man TV film 1999 Eureka Street John Evans TV mini-series (1 episode) 2001 Just Visiting Thibault's Father 2002 Micawber Willis Gates II TV series (1 episode: "Micawber Meets the Americans"), (final appearance)
Theatre appearances Year TitleRole Theatre Notes 1970 Player PianoKronerAlmost Free1971 Threepenny OperaWaltPrince of Wales Theatre/Piccadilly TheatreWith Vanessa Redgrave and Barbara Windsor1972Bakke's Night of FameCell GuardShaw Theatre1973/74The Front PageSchwartzNational Theatre1974Wind in the branches of the SassafrasWatermill 1974Guys and DollsBig JuleBirmingham Rep1974Grand ManoeuvresGénéral PiconNational Theatre1974The FreewayNational Theatre1974/75Robin HoodLittle JohnBirmingham Rep1975Al CaponeCaponeWatermill1975Sea ChangeTraverse Theatre1980Happy Birthday WandaRyanBush Theatre1980Geography of a Horse DreamerFatherRoyal Court Theatrewith Bob Hoskins1982Daughter's of MenHampstead TheatreWith Frances de la Tour1981Private DickShameyNewcastle Playhouse1986InsignificanceSenatorTheatre Royal, Plymouth1990Bus StopWill Masters Watford Palace Theatre/Lyric Theatre, LondonWith Jerry Hall1987After the FallChairmanNational Theatre1993The Rose TattooSalesmanPeter Hall Company /Playhouse Theatre1994Conversations with My FatherScarborough Theatre/The Old Vic1998The Madras House Edinburgh Lyceum & Lyric Theatre, London1999Small Craft WarningsThe Pleasance, Edinburgh
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