Jay Benedict (April 11, 1951 – April 4, 2020) was an American actor who spent most of his life and career in the United Kingdom. He was frequently cast as American characters in British films and television programmes. He was best known for his television roles as
Doug Hamilton in the soap opera ''
Emmerdale
''Emmerdale'' (known as ''Emmerdale Farm'' until 1989) is a British television soap opera that is broadcast on ITV (TV network), ITV. The show is set in Emmerdale (known as Beckindale until 1994), a List of fictional towns and villages, fict ...
'', and as Captain/Major John Kieffer in the detective drama ''
Foyle's War'', in the episodes "
Invasion
An invasion is a Offensive (military), military offensive of combatants of one geopolitics, geopolitical Legal entity, entity, usually in large numbers, entering territory (country subdivision), territory controlled by another similar entity, ...
" and "
All Clear". He also played Russ Jorden,
Newt
A newt is a salamander in the subfamily Pleurodelinae. The terrestrial juvenile phase is called an eft. Unlike other members of the family Salamandridae, newts are semiaquatic, alternating between aquatic and terrestrial habitats. Not all aqua ...
's father, in the special "Extended Edition" of the film ''
Aliens''.
Life and career
Benedict was born in
Burbank, California
Burbank is a city in the southeastern end of the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Located northwest of downtown Los Angeles, Burbank had a Census-estimated population of 102,755 as of 2023. The city was ...
.
He moved to Europe with his family in the 1960s, and spent most of his working life in England. He was of half German descent.
His theatrical credits include ''
The Rocky Horror Show
''The Rocky Horror Show'' is a Musical theatre, musical with music, lyrics and book by Richard O'Brien. A humorous tribute to various B movies associated with the Science fiction film, science fiction and Horror film, horror genres from the 193 ...
'' in the Kings Road in the early 1970s, Harold Pinter's production of ''
Sweet Bird of Youth'', The Reverend Lee in ''
The Foreigner'' and Riccardo in Franco Zeffirelli's production of ''
Filumena'' in which he played opposite
Pierce Brosnan
Pierce Brendan Brosnan (born 16 May 1953) is an Irish actor and film producer. He was the fifth actor to play the fictional secret agent Portrayal of James Bond in film, James Bond in the List of James Bond films, James Bond film series, starri ...
in the latter's first stage role, and
Bill Wilson, co-founder of
Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a global, peer-led Mutual aid, mutual-aid fellowship focused on an abstinence-based recovery model from alcoholism through its spiritually inclined twelve-step program. AA's Twelve Traditions, besides emphasizing anon ...
, in a touring production of "One Day at a Time". In 2013, he appeared opposite
Steven Berkoff and
Andree Bernard in the world premiere of the former's one act play ''An Actor's Lament'' at The Berkoff Performing Arts Centre at Alton College, followed by a second performance at The Sinden Theatre,
Homewood School, Tenterden in Kent, two nights at
The Maltings Theatre & Cinema in Berwick-upon-Tweed and then a three-week run at the
Assembly Hall in Edinburgh as part of the
Edinburgh Festival Fringe. In May 2014, it was revived with a short run at the Theatre Royal, Margate with a further one-week run scheduled at The
Gaiety Theatre, Dublin, in September 2014.
In August 2014, he returned to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in the world premiere of Terry Jastrow's ''The Trial of
Jane Fonda
Jane Seymour Fonda (born December 21, 1937) is an American actress and activist. Recognized as a film icon, Jane Fonda filmography, Fonda's work spans several genres and over six decades of film and television. She is the recipient of List of a ...
'', playing
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
veteran Archie Bellows.
He also appeared widely on television, most notably as
Frank Crowe in an episode of the BBC's award-winning 2003 television miniseries ''
Seven Wonders of the Industrial World'',
John E. Jones III in Nova's ''
Judgment Day: Intelligent Design on Trial'', Alan Kalanak in the 2001 Christmas Special edition of ''
Jonathan Creek'' and Yves Houdet in Thames Television's mini-series of Angus Wilson's ''
Anglo-Saxon Attitudes''. Other television appearances include ''
Lilyhammer'' as Agent Becker, ''Queen Victoria's Men'' (
Lord Melbourne), ''
Sharpe's Honour'' (General Verigny), ''
Bergerac'' (Martin Colley), ''
Death Train'' (Halloran), ''Harnessing Peacocks'' (Eli Drew) and ''Only Love'' (Roger). He provided the voice for Shiro Hagen in ''
Star Fleet'', the English adaptation of the Japanese
X-Bomber.
His first film role, at the age of 11, was in the 1963 Tony Saytor film ''La Bande à Bobo''. In 1977, he played Deak in the Tosche Station scenes in ''
Star Wars
''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera media franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and Cultural impact of Star Wars, quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop cu ...
'', which were deleted from the film before release.
Subsequent film appearances include ''
The Dirty Dozen: Next Mission'' (Didier le Clair), ''
Icon
An icon () is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, in the cultures of the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Catholic Church, Catholic, and Lutheranism, Lutheran churches. The most common subjects include Jesus, Mary, mother of ...
'' (Carey Jordan), ''
The White Knight'' (Turkish Ambassador), ''
The Russia House'' (Spikey), ''
Saving Grace'' (the MC), ''Rewind'' and ''
The Dark Knight Rises'' (Rich Twit). In 2003 he was third lead in Vicente Aranda's version of ''
Carmen
''Carmen'' () is an opera in four acts by the French composer Georges Bizet. The libretto was written by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, based on the novella of the same title by Prosper Mérimée. The opera was first performed by the O ...
'', playing Don Prospero.
In addition to English, he also spoke fluent French and Spanish, having spent parts of his childhood in both countries, and performed widely on the continent. He appeared as Paul Matthiews in the French day-time soap opera ''
Cap des Pins'' and William Wilbur in ''
Le Grand Charles'' (a French mini series on
Charles De Gaulle
Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle (22 November 18909 November 1970) was a French general and statesman who led the Free France, Free French Forces against Nazi Germany in World War II and chaired the Provisional Government of the French Re ...
), among many other roles.
He was married to actress Phoebe Scholfield and together they ran ''Sync or Swim'', an
ADR/Loop group. They also translated and wrote movies together, such as ''
The Card Player'' (Il Cartaio), which they translated into English. They had two sons: Leopold Benedict (''
Before the Rains'', ''
Azur & Asmar: The Princes' Quest'') and Freddie Benedict (''
Planet 51'', ''
Azur & Asmar: The Princes' Quest''). He also had a daughter from his previous marriage to casting director Vanessa Pereira.
Death
Benedict died at
Croydon University Hospital on April 4, 2020, a week before his 69th birthday, due to complications arising from a
COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic.
The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...
infection during
the pandemic in London.
He is survived by his mother Renata (b. 1926), his wife Phoebe (b. 1958) and his children Alexis (b. 1984), Frederick (b. 1996) and Leopold (b. 1997).
Filmography
References
External links
*
*
Jay Benedict on Foyleswar.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Benedict, Jay
1951 births
2020 deaths
20th-century American male actors
20th-century American translators
21st-century American male actors
21st-century American translators
American emigrants to England
American expatriate male actors
American expatriates in the United Kingdom
American male film actors
American male stage actors
American male television actors
American people of French descent
Male actors from Burbank, California
Deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in England