Michael John McStay (; 31 January 1933 – 11 May 2025), sometimes credited as Mike McStay, was an English actor and writer with a career spanning six decades. He was known for his roles in No Hiding Place, Coronation Street and Doctor Who.
Biography
Early life He was born Michael John McStay in West Ham, London, on 31 January 1933.
He studied drama, French, and philosophy at the University of Bristol where he also started acting on stage.
In the 1950s, he served for two years as an officer in Cyprus during the Cyprus Emergency.
Career McStay began his acting career in the late 1950s, initially appearing in British film and television productions, often in uncredited or supporting roles. His early screen work included appearances in films such as The Day the Earth Caught Fire (1961) and Robbery (1967), as well as guest roles in series including Dixon of Dock Green and Z-Cars.
He gained wider recognition in the 1960s for his work in television drama, most notably portraying Detective Sergeant Perryman in 79 episodes of the ITV police series No Hiding Place between 1964 and 1966. During this period, he also appeared in programmes such as The Avengers, Crossroads and The Persuaders!.
He was reportedly considered for the role of James Bond after George Lazenby's departure from the franchise, though the part was ultimately returned to Sean Connery.
In 1976, McStay appeared in the BBC science fiction series Doctor Who, playing zoologist Derek Moberley in the serial The Seeds of Doom. He continued to work regularly in television throughout the 1970s and 1980s, with roles in productions including The Black Arrow, Fall of Eagles, A Perfect Spy and Juliet Bravo.
Alongside his acting career, McStay worked as a writer for television and radio, co-creating and writing the series Pull the Other One and contributing scripts to the radio series Coleman and Astor. In later years he also undertook narration and voice-over work for television and documentary projects.
McStay returned to screen acting intermittently in the 21st century, with appearances in series such as EastEnders and The Inspector Lynley Mysteries. In 2011, he replaced John Woodvine as Alan Hoyle in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street (Both men coincidentally died a few months apart in 2025). That was his final acting role.
In January 2023, he published a memoir, Inconsequential and Irrelevant: A Worm's Eye View of Acting, reflecting on his career in the entertainment industry. The following month he was interviewed by Toby Hadoke in his podcast Toby Hadoke's Time Travels.
Personal life He married actress Jennifer Clulow in 1967 and had two children with her, Darius and Paul. Darius is also an actor.
He died of heart failure in London on 11 May 2025, aged 92.
Filmography
As actor
Film YearTitleRoleNotes1961Invasion QuartetDoctorUncreditedThe Day the Earth Caught FirePoliceman at Washing Centre1962JigsawPolice Operator1964Psyche 59Man on BeachThe Curse of the Mummy's TombRa-AntefUncredited1967RobberyDonBattle Beneath the EarthTrain Commander1969Mosquito SquadronFlt Lt MasonUncredited1971BreadRafe BatesCredited as Mike McStaySound an AlarmHimself / French Liaison OfficerShort 1974Mission: Monte CarloVernierArchive footage1977The Stick UpMechanic1988The Zero OptionQuentin Collins1995Jack & SarahSecurity Man2005The GrotlynN/AVoice; short2009Centenary: The BP StoryHimself / Sir John CadmanVoice; credited as Mike McStay
Television YearTitleRoleNotes1960Dixon of Dock GreenPC WymanEpisodes: "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Stars" and "The Threat"No Hiding PlaceSammy FairburnEpisode: "A Very Respectable Man"1961Ghost SquadBarmanUncredited; episode: "The Eyes of the Bat"PlaydateLen ForrestEpisode: "The Exam"1962Richard the LionheartKnightEpisode: "The Great Enterprise"1963No Hiding PlaceWillowsEpisode: "Pillar to Post"1964–1966Det. Sgt. Perryman79 episodes;1968The AvengersTrancerEpisode: "Killer"1969Z CarsDennis PickfordEpisode: "Carbon Copy: Part 1"CrossroadsSteve Mitchell11 episodesWho-Dun-ItFrank GurneyEpisode: "A High Class Death"1971Out of the UnknownDavidEpisode: "The Last Witness"Paul TempleDet. Insp. Keith GrantEpisode: "Death Sentence"The Persuaders!VernierEpisode: "The Gold Napoleon"Jason KingGendarmeEpisode: "Buried in the Cold Cold Ground"TrialOliver GastrangEpisode: "Mister X"The PassengerAndy Mason3 episodes1972The Lotus EatersDavid CliveEpisode: "The Present Mrs Clive"My Wife Next DoorRonaldEpisode: "Anniversary Schmaltz"1973–1974The Black ArrowKnoles6 episodes1974Fall of EaglesCount MontenuovoEpisode: "Indian Summer of an Emperor"The Double DealersCommentatorEpisode: "Cut Down Like a Flower"1975Churchill's PeopleRalfEpisode: "The Conquerors"Second Time AroundArthur AndersonEpisode: "Take My Ex-Wife"The SweeneyEric - Nightclub managerEpisode: "Cover Story"1976Doctor WhoDerek Moberley2 episodes; serial: The Seeds of Doom;1977Esther WatersBill EvansEpisode 41978TycoonMartineauEpisode: "End to a Beginning"1979Park RangerColinCredited as Mike McStay; episodes: "New Boy", "Contest", "Waste", "Fire!"ShoestringCroupierEpisode: "Stamp Duty"1981A Spy at EveningSimonsEpisode 21983Juliet BravoDet Chief Inspector Bob LeemingEpisode: "Who's Your Friend?"This Is Your LifeHimselfEpisode: "Johnny Briggs"1985Super GranVincent ElevenEpisode: "Supergran and the Super Match"1986The Fourth FloorColin Ettrick3-episode miniseries1987Screen TwoDonald MacLeanEpisode: "Blunt"Home James!MarkhamEpisode: "Things That Go Spoof in the Night"Bureaucracy of LoveVicarTV filmSunday PremiereMiddle-aged HackEpisode: "Love After Lunch"BustSir AlecEpisode: "Man of Property"A Perfect SpyBelinda's fatherEpisode 41988ScreenPlayMr de VilleEpisode: "Starlings"1989DispatchesHimselfNarrator; episode: "Return to Year Zero?"1990Le mari de l'ambassadeurJimmy HarperEpisode 1French FieldsThe auctioneerEpisode: "Double or Quit"1991Thatcher: The Final DaysMichael MatesTV filmSherlock Holmes and the Leading LadyInspector Schmidt1992The BillKeith PrenticeEpisode: "Illegals"1996Ch. Insp. CochraneEpisode: "Don't Kill the Messenger"2000EastEndersMauriceEpisode 20422001Mike Baldwin & MeHimselfTV film2002Ted and AliceJames Lowe3-episode miniseries2005HiroshimaMorio OzakiVoice-over; credited as Mike McStay; Documentary TV film2006The Inspector Lynley MysteriesWill McRaeEpisode: "One Guilty Deed"2010Doctor Who: The Seeds of DoomHimselfDVD commentary2011Coronation StreetAlan Hoyle17 episodes;
Audio YearTitleRoleNotes1981The Lord of the RingsRohanThe Two Towers; radio play1990, 1992–1994Coleman and AstorN/AReader; 7 radio plays;2023Toby Hadoke's Time TravelsHimselfPodcast interview; episode: "Happy Times and Places";
Theatre +YearTitleRoleVenue1952–1953Summer and SmokeDrama Department, University of Bristol1954–1955A Streetcar Named DesireDown in the Valley1955–1956Measure for MeasureDartington Hall, DevonThe FliesDrama Department, University of BristolGammer Gurton's NeedleElectra1956–1957Measure for Measure3–8 June 1963Bogey 7Lew TelligerBrighton Hippodrome10–15 June 1963Bristol Hippodrome
As writer
Television YearTitleNotes1984Pull the Other One6 episodes
Radio YearTitleNotes1990, 1992–1994Coleman and Astor7 radio plays;1999The Hand of DartmoorBased on the legend of Hairy Hands
Bibliography +YearTitleISBNNotes2023Inconsequential and Irrelevant: A Worm's Eye View of ActingMemoir
References
External links
Michael McStay at Theatricalia