# Robert James (actor)

Robert James (28 March 1924 – 31 July 2004) was a Scottish actor, who was best known for his television work.

## Career

Born in Paisley, Scotland, James trained to be a lawyer, before being spotted by a professional director while performing in amateur dramatics.
A handful of James' television performances have survived, but many of were amongst those discarded by UK broadcasters throughout the 1960s and 70s. One of his most remembered roles was in Doctor Who, playing the character Lesterson in the 1966 serial The Power of the Daleks. These six missing episodes now only exist as still photographs and audio recordings, although the serial was recreated as an animation in 2016. He would later return to the show in the serial The Masque of Mandragora.

## Marriage

He was married to actress Mona Bruce (1924-2008), until his death; they had one child. Clair Mcallister

## Theatre

| Year | Title | Role | Theatre Company | Director | Notes |
| 1971 | Confessions of a Justified Sinner | Wringhim | Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh | Richard Eyre | Edinburgh International Festival |

## Filmography

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1956 | Around the World in 80 Days | Extra | Uncredited |
| 1958 | A Night to Remember | Engineer | Uncredited |
| 1959 | The Bridal Path | Inspector | |
| 1960 | Two-Way Stretch | Police Superintendent | |
| 1961 | A Chance of Thunder | Hilton | 3 episodes |
| 1961 | Pathfinders to Venus | Colonel Korolyov | Serial, third sequel to Target Luna |
| 1961 | Triton | Lord Nelson | 2 episodes |
| 1961-1968 | The Avengers | Merlin / Jenkins / Mellor / Ronnie Vance / Ronnie Vance | 5 episodes |
| 1962 | Masters of Venus | Stewart | |
| 1962-1969 | Dr. Finlay's Casebook | James Gibson | 11 episodes |
| 1963 | Z-Cars | Maison | Episode: "Enquiry" |
| 1963 | Bitter Harvest | Police Sergeant | Uncredited |
| 1964 | Smuggler's Bay | Mr. Glennie | 5 episodes |
| 1965 | Scales of Justice | Mr. Durrant | Episode: "The Hidden Face" |
| 1965-1969 | Out of the Unknown | Kelvin Brooke / Dr. Kersh | 2 episodes |
| 1965-1971 | The Troubleshooters | Alastair McFee / Barry / Eldridge | 3 episodes |
| 1966, 1976 | Doctor Who | Lesterson / High Priest / Man | 2 serials: The Power of the Daleks; The Masque of Mandragora |
| 1968 | The Love Bug | Driver #31 | |
| 1969 | Counterstrike | Pythian | Episode: "The Lemming Syndrome" |
| 1970 | The Six Wives of Henry VIII | Robert Barnes | Episode: "Anne of Cleves" |
| 1970-1972 | Doomwatch | Halliday (GLC Man) / Barker | 2 episodes |
| 1970 | The Borderers | Maitland of Lethington | 2 episodes |
| 1971 | Mary, Queen of Scots | John Knox | |
| 1972 | The Shadow of the Tower | Earl of Derby / Lord Stanley | 5 episodes |
| 1972 | The Befrienders | Shaky Man | Episode: "Nobody Understands Miranda" |
| 1973 | Orson Welles Great Mysteries | Mr. Granger | Episode: "The Monkey's Paw" |
| 1973-1974 | Sutherland's Law | Hamish McNab | 2 episodes |
| 1973-1979 | The Onedin Line | Rowland Biddulph / Major Nesbitt | 6 episodes |
| 1974 | Captain Kronos – Vampire Hunter | Pointer | |
| 1974 | Steptoe and Son | Doctor | Episode: "Upstairs, Downstairs, Upstairs, Downstairs" |
| 1975 | The Five Red Herrings | Sir Maxwell Jamieson | 3 episodes, (the 1975 BBC adaptation of the Lord Peter Wimsey story) |
| 1977 | Nicholas Nickleby | Newman Noggs | 6 episodes |
| 1978 | The Four Feathers | John (the butler) | TV movie |
| 1978 | A Horseman Riding By | Captain Gleeson | episode 12 |
| 1978 | Blake's 7 | Ven Glynd | Episode: "The Way Back " |
| 1978 | The Professionals | David Merlin / Cusak | 2 episodes |
| 1978 | Robin's Nest | Doctor | Episode: “As long as he needs me” |
| 1983 | Shackleton | Sir John Scott-Keltie | 3 episodes |
| 1984 | The Jewel in the Crown | Col. Beames | Episode: "Daughters of the Regiment" |
| 1984 | John Wycliffe: The Morning Star | Bishop Courtenay | |
| 1988 | Rumpole of the Bailey | Dr. McAndrew | Episode: "Rumpole and the Quality of Life" |
| 1992 | Casualty | Gerry Mitchell | Episode: "Cascade" |
| 1992 | Soft Top Hard Shoulder | Campbell | |
| 1993 | Century Falls | Dr. Josiah Naismith | 4 episodes |
| 1993 | The Satan Killer | Radio DJ | Voice |
| 1995 | Taggart | Robert Menzies | Episode: "Black Orchid" |
| 1996 | The Innocent Sleep | Hopkin | |
| 1998 | Looking After Jo Jo | High Court judge | TV series |
| 1999 | Existo | Bar Tender | |

## Death

James died in 2004, aged 80, from Alzheimer's disease in Middlesex, England.