Jeff Rawle

Jeffrey Alan Rawle (born 20 July 1951) is a British actor from Birmingham, England. He is known for playing Billy in ''Billy Liar'' (1973–1974), and for portraying George Dent in the news-gathering sitcom '' Drop the Dead Donkey'' (1990–1998), and Silas Blissett in ''Hollyoaks'' (2010–2022). Other credits include '' Minder'' (1993), '' Doc Martin'' (2004), ''Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire'' (2005), ''Grantchester'' (2023), and '' Beyond Paradise'' (2024).

Early life

Rawle was born on 20 July 1951, in Birmingham. 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.

Career

Rawle landed his first significant role in 1973 as the protagonist in the television version of Keith Waterhouse and Willis Hall's ''Billy Liar''. He played Billy Fisher for two seasons, 26 episodes from 1973 to 1974.

In 1979, he appeared with Ian McKellen and Tom Bell in ''Bent'' at the Criterion Theatre, London. In 1984, he appeared in the story ''Frontios'' as the character Plantaganet in ''Doctor Who''. In 1980, he appeared in the ''Hammer House of Horror'', episode " Charlie Boy." In 1981, he appeared in an episode of ''Juliet Bravo''. In 1983, He starred as Jeff Harris in three episodes of ''Angels'' and appeared in '' Bergerac'' (1983).

In 1989, he starred as W.O. Wilson in the three-part miniseries '' Vote for Them'', which was about allied troops still based in Cairo in 1943. He appeared in '' Minder'' (1993) and '' Faith in the Future'' on ITV from 1995 to 1998. In 2004, Rawle appeared as Roger Fenn in the ITV series '' Doc Martin''. The actor made a guest appearance as lawyer Jonathan Blunt in the fourth episode of the fourth series of ''New Tricks'' (2007).

In 2005, Rawle portrayed Amos Diggory, father of 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'' as serial killer Silas Blissett. He stated that he was delighted to be playing such a sinister character. He has won various awards for his portrayal of Silas. He initially left the role in 2012, before making guest returns from January to May 2016, and from October 2020 to January 2021. He reprised the role in September 2022, when his grandson, Bobby, finally killed off his character.

In October 2012, it was announced that Rawle had joined the ''Doctors cast as Rory Bishton, a road sweeper with something to hide. Rawle made his screen debut as Rory in early 2013. He had previously appeared in the series in 2004.

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?''

Filmography and television

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Rawle, Jeff
1951 births
Living people
20th-century English male actors
21st-century English male actors
Alumni of the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
British male film actors
British male soap opera actors
English male stage actors
English male television actors
English male voice actors
Male actors from Birmingham, West Midlands
People educated at King Edward VI Aston School
People educated at High Storrs Grammar School for Boys
Politicians from Sheffield