Michael Jayston

**Michael James** (born 29 October 1935), known professionally as **Michael Jayston**, is an English actor. He played Nicholas II of Russia in the film *Nicholas and Alexandra* (1971). He has also made many television appearances, which have included playing Kevin Stoney in the Doctor Who serial *The Nightmare Fair* (1986) and appearing in the *Only Fools and Horses* episode "Time on Our Hands" (1996) as Raquel's father, James.

## Biography

### Prior to Doctor Who

Michael Jayston was born on 29 October 1935 in West Bridgford, Nottingham. His registered birth name was Michael A James. He is the only son of Aubrey Vincent James (1911-1937) and Edna Myfanwy Medcalfe (1904-1950). He attended the Becket RC School on Wilford Lane, West Bridgford. A former accountant, he trained in acting at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

Jayston began his stage career in 1962 and performed at the Bristol Old Vic and at Stratford-upon-Avon.

Jayston played Shakespearean roles on TV including Demetrius in *A Midsummer Night's Dream* (1968), Gratiano in *The Merchant of Venice* (1973) and Edmund in *King Lear* (1975).

An early recurring television role was as civil servant Dowling in the final series of boardroom drama *The Power Game* in 1969.

In 1972, he played Sir Henry Royce alongside Robert Powell in the episode "Mr. Rolls and Mr. Royce" of the BBC drama series *The Edwardians*; the following year he took the role of Mr Rochester in a BBC adaptation of *Jane Eyre*, opposite Sorcha Cusack.

He made two appearances in the anthology series *Thriller* in 1974, and in 1975 played Quiller, a spy who never used a gun, in the short-lived British TV series of the same name. He appeared as Dornford Yates' gentleman hero Jonathan Mansel in the 1977 BBC adaptation of *She Fell Among Thieves*. In 1979, he played Peter Guillam opposite Alec Guinness in the series *Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy*.

Jayston played Neville Badger in the 1989 television adaptation of David Nobbs's comedy of manners *A Bit of a Do*. He portrayed James Bond in a radio adaptation of *You Only Live Twice* in 1990. In 1991, he appeared as Colonel Mustard in the television series *Cluedo*, and a year later made a guest appearance in the *Press Gang* episode "UnXpected". Other TV appearances include in *EastEnders*, *Coronation Street*, *Only Fools and Horses*, *The Darling Buds of May*, *Tales of the Unexpected*, *The Bill* and the character of Donald De Souza in *Emmerdale*. He has also appeared in *Foyle's War*, *Holby City*, *Sherlock Holmes*,  *Tracy Beaker Returns*, and *Midsomer Murders*.

In 1970, he played Henry Ireton in *Cromwell*. The following year he starred as Tsar Nicholas II of Russia in the film *Nicholas and Alexandra*.

He appeared as Gratiano opposite Laurence Olivier as Shylock in the National Theatre's film *The Merchant of Venice* (1974).

Jayston has recorded most of John le Carré's novels in audiobook format, providing a link with his role as Peter Guillam in the 1979 TV series *Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy*. He was also the storyteller in the BBC radio readings of the novels  *Rogue Male* and *Rogue Justice*, both written by Geoffrey Household.

### Work on Doctor Who

In 1986, Jayston played Kevin Stoney in the Season 23 story *The Nightmare Fair*.

### After Doctor Who

In 1990, he played the role of Ian Fleming's James Bond in a BBC Radio 4 adaptation of *You Only Live Twice*.

As an official United Kingdom Record Store Day 2017 release, a collaborative double vinyl album between the underground artist Ruben Vine and Jayston, including a 28-page comic, was released. Jayston featured as the narrator on the story-based album entitled *The Life & Times of an Imaginary Rock Star*, this alternative rock album was described by one reviewer as a punk opera.

A prolific reader for audiobooks, Jayston has also recorded audio versions of many of the novels of Alexander Kent, such as the Richard Bolitho adventures set during the age of sail before and throughout the Napoleonic Wars, Winston Churchill's history of the Second World War, and many others. In the 1970s and 1980s he was also a prolific voiceover for TV adverts in the UK.