Stephen John Greif (; 26 August 1944 – 23 December 2022) was an English actor known for his roles as Travis in Blake's 7, Harry Fenning in three series of Citizen Smith, Signor Donato in Casanova and Commander John Shepherd in Shoot on Sight.
Early life Greif was born in Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire, England, in a building originally belonging to Anne Boleyn as a gift from King Henry VIII. Greif was the son of Pauline (née Rubinstein) and Franz Greif. He was of Polish, Russian and Hungarian Jewish descent. He was educated at Sloane Grammar School, where he was school champion in athletics and swimming, and represented the school and the county in athletics at the White City Stadium amongst other venues. He briefly attended the Regent Street Polytechnic before entering a variety of jobs, including troubleshooter at a TV and radiogram manufacturer and as a negotiator in a boutique West End estate agency, before applying for drama school.
Career
Greif was an honours graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, where he won numerous awards including Best Actor and Most Promising Actor, and was an Associate Member and served on the audition panel. He was a member of the National Theatre Company both at the Old Vic in Laurence Olivier's company and on the South Bank for Peter Hall's company. Among the productions he appeared in were Danton's Death, A Woman Killed with Kindness, The Merchant of Venice (with Olivier), Long Day's Journey into Night (again with Olivier), The School for Scandal, Richard II, The Front Page and Macbeth.
Greif was invited back to appear with them at Queen's Theatre in the West End in the Italian comedy Saturday, Sunday, Monday, directed by Franco Zeffirelli and Laurence Olivier, where he won a Best Actor nomination in the Critics' Circle Theatre Award. Later, he was invited to join the National again on the South Bank under Peter Hall in the revival of Death of a Salesman, directed by Michael Rudman and with Warren Mitchell winning himself another Best Actor nomination in the Olivier Awards. Grief was back again at the invitation of Nicholas Hytner to join his inaugural season appearing in His Girl Friday, Edmund and the Christmas production His Dark Materials. He acted alongside Elaine Stritch in The Gingerbread Lady, Denholm Elliott in The Paranormalist, Frank Langella in Abracadaver, Albert Finney in Ronald Harwood's Reflected Glory, Felicity Kendal and Frances de la Tour in Fallen Angels, Joseph Fiennes in George Dillon and Lesley Manville in Six Degrees of Separation. He appeared in three plays by his friend Bernard Kops, an East End playwright and poet, at the Jewish Museum, the JW3 and the National Portrait Gallery to celebrate the author's 85th and 90th birthdays.
From 2016 to 2018, together with Fenella Fielding, Greif appeared at Crazy Coqs at Zedel's Brasserie on multiple occasions, and various other venues in David Stuttard's adaptation of drama and comedy from famous ancient Greek literature called Tears, Treachery..and Just a little Murder produced by Simon McKay. The production was revived in 2020/21, with Dame Sian Phillips replacing Fielding, and retitled Savage Beauty, playing again at Crazy Coqs with further shows to come, this time entitled Lovers, Traitors...and bloody Greeks.
Greif appears in many films including Gerry, Risen, Woman in Gold, Bill, D is for Detroit, Lasse Hallström's Casanova, Shoot on Sight, Eichmann, Spartan, The Upside of Anger, Boogie Woogie and Fakers. His many television appearances include Only When I Laugh, Thriller (1 episode, 1976), Howard's Way, Spooks, Mistresses, He Kills Coppers, Silent Witness, the last story of Waking the Dead, The Crown, The Alienist: Angel of Darkness, Doctors and New Tricks.
Greif reprised his Blake's 7 role of Travis from season 1 of the TV series in eleven new audio stories for Big Finish Productions. He voiced Raymond Maarloeve in the video game The Witcher. He voiced and was nominated for best narrator for Sony's PlayStation video game Puppeteer in addition to many more games and cartoon series including Elliott from Earth for the Cartoon Network.
Greif won the BBC audio books of America award for narrating The Boy with the Magic Numbers by Sally Gardner. He also narrated various documentaries on Channel 5, and in 2021 contributed to and participated in the documentary tribute Alfred Burke is Frank Marker.
Personal life and death Greif enjoyed golf, and was a member and past President of the Stage Golfing Society. He married in 1980; the marriage produced twin sons in 1982. He resided near Richmond in London.
Greif died on 23 December 2022, aged 78.
Filmography
Television YearTitleRoleNotes1967Boy Meets GirlDinner GuestEpisode: "A High-Pitched Buzz" Uncredited1970The Tragedy of King Richard IIThomas Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk Welsh CaptainTelevision film1970Edward IIEarl of Pembroke Abbot of NeithTelevision film1971The Persuaders!KrilovEpisode: "The Man in the Middle"1971Eyeless in GazaYoung EnglishmanEpisode: "And Calm of Mind, All Passion Spent"1973The Merchant of VenicePrince of MoroccoTelevision film1973The ProtectorsPoliceman at CafeEpisode: "Implicado"1970–1974Special BranchFinch Mikhali Joanides2 episodes1974A Little Bit of WisdomJacquesEpisode: "The Magic Monkey of Kubla Khan"1974The Aweful Mr GoodallDoctorEpisode: "Indiscretion"1974Intimate StrangersHarvestEpisode: #1.41974–1975ThrillerBen Kroom Tramp - Enrico2 episodes1973–1976Dixon of Dock GreenDCI. Peter Basset Charles Negri Tony3 episodes1976KillersStinie Morrison2 episodes1975–1976Play for TodayGerry Joe2 episodes1976The New AvengersJuventorEpisode: "Three Handed Game"1977Spaghetti Two-StepLuigiTelevision film1977Treasure IslandJob Anderson4 episodes1978Armchair ThrillerJuan4 episodes1978Blake's 7Space Commander Travis5 episodes1978Return of the SaintMasroufEpisode: "One Black September"1978The SandbaggersDCI GomezEpisode: "The Most Suitable Person"1978Famous FivePottershamEpisode: "Five Have a Wonderful Time"1979Thomas & SarahPocockEpisode: "The Vanishing Lady"1979Dick TurpinMajor Walther Von GerhardtEpisode: "The Turncoat"1979KidsDavid NewmanEpisode: "Diana"1977–1979Citizen SmithHarry Fenning12 episodes1979Only When I LaughNicosEpisode: "The Man with the Face"1981Goodbye DarlingVictorEpisode: "Lina"1982MinderSpencerEpisode: "The Birdman of Wormwood Scrubs"1982Play For TomorrowShapiroEpisode: "Bright Eyes"1982The BounderCount MontefioreEpisode: "The Rival"1982The ProfessionalsDr. LoweEpisode: "Lawson's Last Stand"1983The CleopatrasDemetriusEpisode: "128 BC"1983Tales of the UnexpectedRinaldoEpisode: "The Luncheon"1983Hart To HartAnthony VlachosEpisode: "Passing Chance"1984The Last Days of PompeiiSporus3 episodes1984Hammer House of Mystery and SuspenseClifford RichardsonEpisode: "A Distant Scream"1984Cold WarriorDr Mohammed RiffiEpisode: "The Man from Damascus"1984Ellis IslandJesse Lasky2 episodes1984Tolkien RememberedHimselfReader1985Dempsey and MakepeaceBernie SilkEpisode: "Hors de Combat"1985One By OneRichard Neville2 episodes1986Auf Wiedersehen, PetPrince StefanoEpisode: "For Better or Worse"1986Love with a Perfect StrangerAndreaTelevision film1986The Life and Loves of a She-DevilDr Ghengis2 episodes1987Rumpole of the BaileyMartyn VanberryEpisode: "Rumpole and the Blind Tasting"1987BoonLomasEpisode: "Texas Rangers"1987C.A.T.S. EyesJack BrandEpisode: "Backlash"1987–1988BustJohn Evans2 episodes1988Howards' WayJohn ReddingsEpisode: "Crafty Ken"1989Laura and DisorderJim Lipthorpe2 episodes1989Ticket To RideCapt. SzigismundEpisode: "South by Southeast"1989Young, Gifted and BrokeColegate2 episodes1989ChelworthTony Evrington2 episodes1989About FaceNevilleEpisode: "Mrs Worthington's Daughter"1990Face To FaceGrant RossTelevision film1990ZorroTorresEpisode: "Ghost Story"1990The Gravy TrainRudolph2 episodes1990Rab C. NesbittDI SergeantEpisode: "Offski"1990Birds of a FeatherMarcus GreenEpisode: "Falling in Love Again"1991–1992Dark JusticeTony Hastings2 episodes1991–1992TrainerStavros Mikhalides5 episodes1993Drop the Dead DonkeyValdezEpisode: "George and His Daughter"1993ComicsAnthony Fratelli2 episodes1993The Upper HandJason McCloudEpisode: "Wheel of Fortune"1993Between the LinesSteven Ripley2 episodes1992–1994The House of EliottAbraham Barak2 episodes1994Red EagleGrigorTelevision film1994Screen TwoJohnnyEpisode: "Midnight Movie"1995Space PrecinctEric VolkerEpisode: "Two Against the Rock"1995CastlesAdam Robins9 episodes1995Stick with Me, KidGordon LundeyEpisode: "Cello Goodbye"1995Beyond Grief: The 'Moors Murders' RememberedHimselfNarrator1996EastEndersBrian Lassiter2 episodes1997Crime TravellerLeonard GeblerEpisode: "Sins of the Father"1997EngimaVoice (English version)1998Killer NetHarvey LevinEpisode: #1.31993–1998The BillNeville Juke A.C. Lampriere2 episodes2002ShackletonValienteUncredited2002BlitzkriegHimselfTelevision film Narrator2002The Concise History of World War IIHimself3 episodes Narrator2005Holby CityRabbi Ben SilverEpisode: "Days of Repentance"2005Space RaceColonel Toftoy2 episodes2005Road to Liberty: Battle of the BulgeHimselfNarrator2005–2006Judge John DeedLorne Michaels2 episodes2005–2006Sarah Jane SmithSir Donald Wakefield (voice)4 episodes2007Totally Doctor WhoGurney (voice)2 episodes2007Doctor Who: The Infinite QuestGurney (voice)13 episodes2007Working with PinterHimselfTelevision film2008He Kills CoppersThe ProprietorTelevision film2008SpooksClaude DenizetEpisode: "Accidental Discovery"2009MistressesAlexanderEpisode: #2.32009The Rise and Fall of the Third ReichHimselfNarrator2011The Afternoon PlayCharlieEpisode: "Small Acts of Kindness"2011Waking The DeadBill KnightEpisode: "Waterloo: Part 1"2011U-Boat Wars: The Killer Wolf PacksHimselfNarrator2012Silent WitnessGordon Cairns2 episodes2012Coronation StreetRon DentEpisode: #1.80262013New TricksPeter RussellEpisode: "Things Can Only Get Better"2013Greatest Little BritonsHimselfNarrator2014Hitler: A Strategy FailureHimselfNarrator2015Mega Oil IraqHimselfNarrator2016DoctorsIan TilworthEpisode: "A Christmas Treat"2020The AlienistJudgeEpisode: "Ex Ore Infantium"2020The CrownSpeaker of the House of Commons, Sir Bernard WeatherillEpisode: "War"2021Elliott from EarthVoice5 episodes2020–2021Royal HistoriesHimselfNarrator2021The Queen MotherHimself3 episodes Narrator2021Abandoned: Expedition ShipwreckHimself2 episodes Readings By
Film YearTitleRoleNotes1971Nicholas and AlexandraMartov1973No Sex Please, We're BritishNiko1974Soft Beds, Hard BattlesColonel HillerUncredited1979Dirty MoneyRocco1980Cry WolfProfessor Ion PorphiriouShort film1987PretoriusVaneck1992Leon the Pig FarmerDoctor2002Hitler in His Own WordsHimselfNarrator2004SpartanBusiness Man2004FakersAlfonse Potrelli2005The Upside of AngerEmily's Doctor2005CasanovaDonato2006Sixty SixUncle Henry2007Back in BusinessLeonidov2007EichmannHans Lipmann2007Shoot on SightCommander John Shepherd2009Boogie WoogieBob's Lawyer2012Emil OrangeEnglish Narrator (voice)Short film2014The Fall of BerlinHimselfNarrator2015Woman in GoldBergen2015BillSpanish Adviser2016RisenCaiaphus2018GerryRoystonShort film2022Alfred Burke Is Frank MarkerHimself2024Ibiza DarkGreg
Video games YearTitleRoleNotes2002Medieval: Total WarGeneral Kihoto2004Dragon Quest VIIIAdditional voicesVoice: English version2006Medieval II: Total WarVarious2007Dragon Quest SwordsSir Dick Worthington DraugVoice: English version2007The WitcherRaymond MaarloeveVoice: English version2008Fable IIBarnum2008Momento MoriVarious2009BattleForgeVarious2009Anno 1404Lord Richard NorthburghVoice: English version2009VeneticaVariousVoice: English version2010Xenoblade ChroniclesArglasVoice: English version2012Risen 2: Dark WatersFence2013PuppeteerNarrator2015Xenoblade Chronicles 3DArglasVoice: English version2018Shadows: AwakeningKrek Bluntclaw2019GreedFallSir De Courcillon