# Ian Yule

Ian Yule (1933 — 3 December 2020) was a British born South African actor and soldier. He had a film career that commenced in the late 1960s and lasted to around the early to mid 2000s. Many of the roles he has played are that of a soldier. The films he has appeared in include Killer Force, in 1976, One Way also released in 1976, Golden Rendezvous in 1977, The Wild Geese in 1978, —Safari 3000 in 1982, City of Blood in 1983, and many more. He was also a stuntman in a few films. He also was a screenwriter and wrote some screen plays including Shamwari in which he starred opposite Ken Gampu. He was a well known actor in South Africa.

## Background

Ian Yule was born in the UK some time before the second world war. During his career he was a member of the British Army's Royal Artillery, Parachute Regiment and Special Air Service and served in the Korean War, taking part in the Battle of Inchon and Battle of Chosin Reservoir, and later served in the Rhodesian Security Forces and South African Defence Force as well as serving as a mercenary in Mad Mike Hoare's outfit (the film the Wild Geese is based on Hoare's exploits). As an actor in the action genre he was recognised for his accomplishments.

## Film career
### 1950s–1960s

Yule's first association with films goes back to the 1950s when he had a role as a stuntman in the 1959 film Ben-Hur. He also did stunt work in The Longest Day which was released in 1962. His early acting roles included playing the part of Andy Wilson in 1967 film Wild Season which was directed by Emil Nofal. In 1968, he had a recurring role as Freddy in the television series Schatzsucher unserer Tage which was directed by Rolf von Sydow.

### 1970s–1980s

He played the part of Trooper Dillon in the David Millin directed Shangani Patrol which was released in 1970. In the 1978 Wild Geese, playing the part of Sgt. Tosh Donaldson, he was part of a cast that included Richard Burton, Roger Moore and Richard Harris.
Starring opposite Ken Gampu, he appeared in the 1982 film Shamwari. The film bore a similarity to an earlier film, The Defiant Ones that starred Sidney Poitier and Tony Curtis. Like the characters in that film, there is racial hatred between the two of them. They escape from a chain gang detail. To survive they have to get rid of their hatred for each other. Yule was led to believe that the film was a flop, however John Hume who produced the film was marketing it under a different name and making money from it.
In 1986, he appeared as Bill Smith in the film Jake Speed. He played the part of Max Wharton in the 1988 film, City of Blood.

### 1990s–2000s

He played the part of Harvey in the 1995 film Cyborg Cop III which was directed by Yossi Wein. In the 1999 film Operation Delta Force 3: Clear Target, he played the part of General Hightower.
Possibly his last film was Platinum [de] which was released in 2004.

## Later years

In mid-December 2015, Yule arrived at Heathrow Airport from South Africa, in poor health and destitute. He had a carry bag, his knobkerrie walking sticks and a couple of shirts and underwear. He was met and collected from the airport by a volunteer, who had been moved by his plight and subsequently cared for him for some two months.
After being helped by one organisation, the South African Legion, the SSAFA were instrumental in getting him the care he required for his heart problems and severe arthritis. He was later hospitalised at St Richard's Hospital in Chichester where he died on 3 December 2020.

## Filmography

Film :
| Title | Year | Role | Director | Notes |
| Wild Season | 1967 | Andy Wilson | Emil Nofal | |
| The Professor and the Beauty Queen | 1967 | Ed, henchman 2 | Jamie Uys | |
| Dr Kalie | 1968 | Wall of Death barker | Ivan Hall | |
| Majuba: Heuwel van Duiwe | 1968 | Deserter | David Millin | |
| Danie Bosman: Die verhaal van die grootste S.A. komponis | 1969 | Patrick, barman | Elmo de Witt | |
| Scotty & Co. | 1970 | Snowy | Peter Henkel | |
| Stop Exchange | 1970 | Lefty | Howard Rennie | |
| Satan's Harvest | 1970 | Jonas Wade / Jake Wade | George Montgomery | |
| Banana Beach | 1970 | | David Millin | |
| Shangani Patrol | 1970 | Trooper Dillon | David Millin | |
| Vengeance Cops | 1971 | Con Cavallas | Ivan Hall | |
| Die Banneling | 1971 | Dekker | David Millin | |
| The Winners | 1972 | Andy Wilson | Emil Nofal, Roy Sargeant | |
| Dog Squad | 1973 | Andy Wilson | Tim Spring | |
| The Big Game | 1973 | Task Force Leader | Robert Day | |
| Vreemde Wêreld | 1974 | Homicidal mental patient | Jürgen Goslar | |
| Olie Kolonie | 1975 | | Neil Hetherington | |
| Sell A Million | 1975 | Knuckles | Ian Hamilton | |
| De Wet's Spoor | 1975 | Maj. Coleridge | Howard Rennie | |
| Killer Force | 1976 | Edward Woods | Val Guest | |
| One Way | 1976 | Stiffy | Sidney Hayers | |
| My Way II | 1972 | | Jans Rautenbach | |
| Golden Rendezvous | 1977 | McCloskey | Ashley Lazarus | |
| Mister Deathman | 1977 | Bill | Michael D. Moore | |
| The Wild Geese | 1978 | Tosh Donaldson | Andrew V. McLaglen | |
| Zulu Dawn | 1979 | Cpl. Fields | Douglas Hickox | |
| Shamwari | 1982 | Bill Matthews | Clive Harding | |
| Safari 3000 | 1982 | Freddie Selkirk | Harry Hurwitz | |
| For King and Country | 1983 | Sergeant Major | Bob Hird | TV movie |
| The Lion's Share | 1985 | Scotty | Norman Cohen | Voice, Uncredited |
| Jake Speed | 1986 | Bill Smith | Andrew Lane | |
| City of Blood | 1987 | Max Wharton | Darrell Roodt | |
| Rage to Kill | 1988 | Roy Slade | David Winters | |
| Diamond in the Rough | 1988 | Ian | Richard Oleksiak | |
| River of Death | 1989 | Long John Silver | Steve Carver | |
| Accidents | 1989 | Warren Zimmer | Gideon Amir | |
| Young Survivors | 1990 | Ginger | Douglas Bristow | TV movie |
| The Lost World | 1992 | Peterson | Timothy Bond | |
| Return to the Lost World | 1992 | Peterson | Timothy Bond | |
| Point of Impact | 1993 | Martin Cullen | Bob Misiorowski | |
| Dark Desires: Thelma | 1994 | Sam Garfield | Jean-Louis Daniel | TV movie |
| Lunarcop | 1995 | Lester | Boaz Davidson | |
| Cyborg Cop III | 1995 | Harvey Cartel | Yossi Wein | |
| Warhead | 1996 | Colonel No. 1 | Mark Roper | |
| Orion's Key | 1996 | Odd Job | Mark Roper | |
| Ernest Goes to Africa | 1997 | Ol' Man at Flea Market | John R. Cherry III | |
| Merchant of Death | 1997 | Carl Pembroke | Yossi Wein | |
| Black Velvet Band | 1998 | Yeoman Warder | Robert Knights | TV movie |
| Operation Delta Force 3: Clear Target | 1998 | General Alan Hightower | Mark Roper | |
| Cold Harvest | 1999 | Marshall | Isaac Florentine | |
| Traitor's Heart | 1999 | Jack (barman) | Danny Lerner | |
| Die Spesenritter | 1999 | | Jörg Grünler | TV movie |
| Zugvögel der Liebe | 2001 | George | Richard Engel | TV movie |
| Check-in to Disaster | 2001 | Wim Vanderbourgh | Uwe Frießner | TV movie |
| Platinum [de] | 2004 | Land Owner, Madagascar | Martin Enlen | TV movie (final film role) |
Films :
| Title | Year | Role | Director |
| Shamwari | 1982 | story and screenplay | Clive Harding |
| Space Mutiny | 1988 | Writer (uncredited) | David Winters |
| Rage to Kill | 1988 | Co-writer | David Winters |
| Return to Justice | 1990 | Original screenplay | Vincent G. Cox |
| Tolla is Tops | 1990 | Co-writer | Elmo de Witt |
| River of Diamonds | 1991 | Co-writer | Robert J. Smawley |
Television :
| Title | Episode | Year | Role | Director | Notes # |
| Schatzsucher unserer Tage | Der gelbe Aktenkoffer | 1968 | Freddy | Rolf von Sydow | |
| Schatzsucher unserer Tage | Schüsse in der Savanne | 1968 | Freddy | Rolf von Sydow | |
| Schatzsucher unserer Tage | Die Farm der Mrs. Collins | 1968 | Freddy | Rolf von Sydow | |
| Schatzsucher unserer Tage | Die Polizeipatrouille | 1968 | Freddy | Rolf von Sydow | |
| Schatzsucher unserer Tage | Der große Fund | 1968 | Freddy | Rolf von Sydow | |
| Schatzsucher unserer Tage | Die Hängebrücke | 1968 | Freddy | Rolf von Sydow | |
| Schatzsucher unserer Tage | Rivalen | 1968 | Freddy | Rolf von Sydow | |
| Schatzsucher unserer Tage | Öl im Kral | 1968 | Freddy | Rolf von Sydow | |
| Schatzsucher unserer Tage | Die einsame Insel | 1968 | Freddy | Rolf von Sydow | |
| Schatzsucher unserer Tage | Notruf aus der Teufelsschlucht | 1968 | Freddy | Rolf von Sydow | |
| Schatzsucher unserer Tage | Die Geisterstadt | 1968 | Freddy | Rolf von Sydow | |
| Schatzsucher unserer Tage | Gefährliche Heimkehr | 1968 | Freddy | Rolf von Sydow | |
| Dr. med. Mark Wedmann – Detektiv inbegriffen | Station ohne Hoffnung | 1974 | Jack | Alfredo Medori | |
| Härte 10 [de] | Piet | 1975 | | Gordon Flemyng | Mini series |
| John Ralling – Abenteuer um Diamanten | In jenen frühen Tagen | 1975 | | Erich Neureuther | |
| Les diamants du président | ? | 1977 | | Claude Boissol | Mini series |
| The Riverman | ? | 1983 | Jim | Ivan Hall | Mini series |
| 1922 | | 1984 | Ivan Macready | Edgar Bold | |
| Auf Achse | Konvoi | 1983 | Georg | Hartmut Griesmayr | |
| Tarzan: The Epic Adventures | Tarzan and the Moon God | 1997 | Manian | William Tannen | |