Jeff Rawle
Jeffrey Alan Rawle (born 20 July 1951) is an English actor, known for playing the long-suffering George Dent in the news-gathering sitcom Drop the Dead Donkey. He also played Silas Blissett in Hollyoaks from December 2010 until 2012. Rawle returned to Hollyoaks in 2016 and 2020.
Jeff Rawle | |
|---|---|
 Rawle in 2011 | |
| Born | 20 July 1951 Birmingham, Warwickshire, England |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1973–present |
| Spouse(s) | Nina Marc (m. 1998) |
| Children | 4 |
Early life
Rawle was born in Birmingham, Warwickshire, England. His first secondary school was King Edward VI School in Aston, Birmingham. When he was 15 his family moved to Sheffield, and it was at High Storrs Grammar School that he first became interested in drama when he appeared in school plays. He worked at the Sheffield Playhouse before training at LAMDA.[1]
Career
Rawle landed his first major role in 1973 as Billy in the TV version of Keith Waterhouse and Willis Hall's Billy Liar. In 1979 he appeared with Ian McKellen and Tom Bell in Bent at the Criterion Theatre, London. In 1984 he appeared in the Doctor Who story Frontios as the character Plantaganet. He appeared in Faith in the Future on ITV from 1995–1998. In 2004, Rawle began appearing in the ITV series Doc Martin as Roger Fenn. The actor went on to make a guest appearance in the fourth episode of the fourth series of New Tricks as lawyer Jonathan Blunt. The following year, he starred in the fourth series of Spooks as the Home Secretary. He also appeared in Ultimate Force – "Never Go Back" alongside Ross Kemp.
Rawle played Amos Diggory, father to Cedric Diggory (Robert Pattinson), in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. 2008 saw Rawle play Gilbert Murray in the National Theatre's production of Tony Harrison's play Fram. The following year, he guested in The Bill and appeared in The Sarah Jane Adventures on CBBC. During 2010, Rawle joined the cast of Hollyoaks in the role of Silas Blissett.[2] He stated that he was delighted to be playing such a sinister character. He has won various awards for his portrayal of Silas.[3]
In October 2012, it was announced Rawle had joined the cast of Doctors as Rory Bishton, .a road sweeper with something to hide.[4] Rawle made his screen debut as Rory in early 2013.[4] He had previously appeared in the series in 2004.[4]
Rawle has provided numerous narrations including A Bear Called Paddington, three series of the Duchess of York's Budgie the Little Helicopter, Stephen Hawking's Universe and Tom Fort's The Grass is Always Greener for BBC Radio 4. Rawle's writing credits include The Young Poisoner's Handbook in 1995 and Who Goes There?
TV and filmography
| Title | Year(s) | Character | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Father Brown | 2019 | Professor Robert Wiseman | “The Whistle in the Dark“ S7:E3 |
| Peterloo | 2018 | Magistrate Rev. Hay | Film directed by Mike Leigh |
| Steptoe and Son[5] | 2016 | Albert Steptoe | A one off episode, part of the BBC's Lost Sitcom season, recreating lost episodes of classic comedies |
| Bottersnikes and Gumbles[6] | 2016 | Happi | Voice only |
| Holby City | 2013–2017 | Jerry Clark | 4 episodes |
| Heading Out | 2013 | Donald | One episode |
| An Adventure in Space and Time | 2013 | Mervyn Pinfield | Television docudrama about the creation of Doctor Who in 1963 |
| Midsomer Murders | 2011 | Gerry Dawkins | TV series; episode Dark Secrets |
| Hollyoaks & Hollyoaks Later |
2010–2011, 2012, 2016, 2020–2021 | Silas Blissett | Series regular |
| The Sarah Jane Adventures | 2009 | Lionel Harding | Museum Curator, Mona Lisa's Revenge |
| The Bill | 2009 | George Fielding | TV series; episode Innocence Betrayed |
| The Large Family | 2006 | Mr. Large | TV series; voice |
| Sea of Souls | 2006 | James Norman | TV series; episode Oracle |
| Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire | 2005 | Amos Diggory | |
| A Touch of Frost | 2005 | Steve Markham | TV series; episode Near Death Experience |
| Spooks | 2005 | Home Secretary | Also known as MI-5 in the USA TV series; episodes The Special: Part I and The Special: Part II |
| Holby City | 2005 | Ron Fell | TV series; episode It's Kinda Rock 'n' Roll |
| Ultimate Force | 2005 | David Cox | TV series; episode Never Go Back |
| Doc Martin | 2004–2007 | Roger Fenn | TV series; episodes Haemophobia, Sh*t Happens, Gentlemen Prefer, The Family Way, Happily Ever After |
| My Dad's the Prime Minister | 2004 | Union leader | TV series; episode Powerless |
| William and Mary | 2004 | George Emerson | TV series; series 2 episode 5 |
| Heartbeat | 2004 | Ken Simner | TV series; episode Scent of a Kill |
| The Deputy | 2004 | Graham Hammond | TV |
| The Royal | 2004 | Banks | TV series; episode Doing Time |
| Doctors | 2004 | John Marshall | TV series; episode A Late Flowering |
| Death in Holy Orders | 2003 | Father Peregrine Glover | TV |
| Blackball | 2003 | Dennis | |
| Midsomer Murders | 2003 | Derrick Seagrove | TV series; episode A Talent for Life |
| Dalziel and Pascoe | 2002 | Raymond Miles | TV series; episode Mens Sana |
| Take a Girl Like You | 2000 | Mr. Charlton | TV |
| I Saw You | 2000 | Frank | TV |
| Microsoap | 1998 | Colin | TV series |
| Neville's Island | 1998 | Neville | TV |
| Lord of Misrule | 1996 | Derek | TV |
| Faith in the Future | 1995–1998 | Paul | TV series |
| Look at the State We're In! | 1995 | Jeff Jarndyce | TV mini-series |
| Wycliffe | 1994 | Reverend Jordan | TV series; episode The Last Rites |
| Budgie the Little Helicopter | 1994–1996 | Narrator and Dell the baggage cart towing truck | TV series; voice |
| Minder | 1993 | Jehovah's Witness | TV series; episode Uneasy Rider |
| Casualty | 1992 | Len Jackson | TV series; episode Silent Night, series 7 episode 12 |
| The Life and Times of Henry Pratt | 1992 | Ezra Pratt | TV series |
| A Perfect Hero | 1991 | Service Policeman | TV series |
| This is David Harper | 1990 | Bob Benchley | TV series; episode A List of Abuses |
| Drop the Dead Donkey | 1990–1998 | George Dent | TV series |
| The Gift | 1990 | John Price | TV miniseries |
| Testimony of a Child | 1989 | TV | |
| The Bill | 1988 | Derek Pardoe | TV series; episode Alarms and Embarrassments |
| Boon | 1987 | Maurice also known as Billy Clutterbuck |
TV series; episode Credit Where it's Due |
| Fortunes of War | 1987 | Sgt. Ridley | TV miniseries |
| Call Me Mister | 1986 | TV series; episode Humpty Dumpty | |
| The Doctor and the Devils | 1985 | Lambert | |
| Remington Steele | 1985 | Chalky | TV series; episode Steele Searching: Parts 1 and 2 |
| Doctor Who | 1984 | Plantagenet | TV series; episode Frontios |
| The Case of Marcel Duchamp | 1984 | ||
| Angels | 1983 | Jeff Harris | TV series; episodes 22 and 24 of season 9 |
| Bergerac | 1983 | Mitch | TV series; episode Almost Like a Holiday |
| Crystal Gazing | 1982 | Julian | |
| Juliet Bravo | 1981 | Steve Ramsey | TV series; episode Lies and Liars |
| Hammer House of Horror | 1980 | Franks | TV series; episode Charlie Boy |
| Home Before Midnight | 1979 | Johnnie McGee | |
| Leave It to Charlie | 1979 | TV series; episode Never a Cross Word | |
| The Wilde Alliance | 1978 | Pusher | TV series; episode A Game for Two Players |
| A Hitch in Time | 1978 | 'Sniffy' Kemp | |
| The Life Story of Baal | 1978 | TV | |
| Van der Valk | 1977 | Diederick | TV Series; episode The Professor |
| Crown Court | 1975 | ||
| Whodunnit | 1975 | Arthur | TV Series Episode 22 Worth Dying For |
| Billy Liar | 1973 | Billy Liar | TV series; episode Bad Day at Black Cape |
References
- http://www.castaway.org.uk/clients/voices/jera.htm
- "Silas". Hollyoaks. E4.com. Retrieved 12 April 2011.
- "Jeff Rawle thrilled with 'Oaks Silas role". 20 September 2011.
- Kilkelly, Daniel (4 October 2012). "'Doctors' role for 'Hollyoaks' star Jeff Rawle". Digital Spy. Hearst Magazines UK. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
- "Lost Sitcoms". BBC Four.
- "The Screen Guide: Bottersnikes and Gumbles". Screen Australia. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
