Wiki Article

Michael McStay

Nguồn dữ liệu từ Wikipedia, hiển thị bởi DefZone.Net

Michael McStay
McStay as Sergeant Perryman in No Hiding Place (1964–1966)
Born
Michael John McStay

(1933-01-31)31 January 1933
West Ham, London, England
Died11 May 2025(2025-05-11) (aged 92)
London, England
OccupationActor • writer
Years active1952–2011 • 2023–2024/25
Spouse
(m. 1967)
Children2

Michael John McStay (//məkˈstaɪ//; 31 January 1933 – 11 May 2025), sometimes credited as Mike McStay, was an English actor and writer with a career spanning six decades. He was known for his roles in No Hiding Place, Coronation Street and Doctor Who.[1][2][3]

Biography

[edit]

Early life

[edit]

He was born Michael John McStay in West Ham, London, on 31 January 1933.[4][5][6]

He studied drama, French, and philosophy at the University of Bristol where he also started acting on stage.[2]

In the 1950s, he served for two years as an officer in Cyprus during the Cyprus Emergency.[2]

Career

[edit]

McStay began his acting career in the late 1950s, initially appearing in British film and television productions, often in uncredited or supporting roles. His early screen work included appearances in films such as The Day the Earth Caught Fire (1961) and Robbery (1967), as well as guest roles in series including Dixon of Dock Green and Z-Cars.[2]

He gained wider recognition in the 1960s for his work in television drama, most notably portraying Detective Sergeant Perryman in 79 episodes of the ITV police series No Hiding Place between 1964 and 1966.[3] During this period, he also appeared in programmes such as The Avengers, Crossroads and The Persuaders!.[2]

He was reportedly considered for the role of James Bond after George Lazenby's departure from the franchise, though the part was ultimately returned to Sean Connery.[3]

In 1976, McStay appeared in the BBC science fiction series Doctor Who, playing zoologist Derek Moberley in the serial The Seeds of Doom. He continued to work regularly in television throughout the 1970s and 1980s, with roles in productions including The Black Arrow, Fall of Eagles, A Perfect Spy and Juliet Bravo.[2]

Alongside his acting career, McStay worked as a writer for television and radio, co-creating and writing the series Pull the Other One and contributing scripts to the radio series Coleman and Astor.[7][8] In later years he also undertook narration and voice-over work for television and documentary projects.[2]

McStay returned to screen acting intermittently in the 21st century, with appearances in series such as EastEnders and The Inspector Lynley Mysteries. In 2011, he replaced John Woodvine as Alan Hoyle in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street.[1][3] (Both men coincidentally died a few months apart in 2025.) His final acting role was in the short film Georges et Audrey, which was in post-production at the time of his death and will be released posthumously.[9]

In January 2023, he published a memoir, Inconsequential and Irrelevant: A Worm's Eye View of Acting, reflecting on his career in the entertainment industry.[10] The following month he was interviewed by Toby Hadoke in his podcast Toby Hadoke's Time Travels.[3][11]

Personal life

[edit]

He married actress Jennifer Clulow in 1967 and had two children with her, Darius and Paul.[2][3] Darius is also an actor.[12]

He died of heart failure in London on 11 May 2025, aged 92.[1][2][13]

Filmography

[edit]
Key
Denotes film or TV productions that have not yet been released

As actor

[edit]

Film

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
1961 Invasion Quartet Doctor Uncredited
The Day the Earth Caught Fire Policeman at Washing Centre
1962 Jigsaw Police Operator
1964 Psyche 59 Man on Beach
The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb Ra-Antef Uncredited
1967 Robbery Don [3]
Battle Beneath the Earth Train Commander
1969 Mosquito Squadron Flt Lt Mason Uncredited
1971 Bread Rafe Bates Credited as Mike McStay
Sound an Alarm Himself / French Liaison Officer Short
1977 The Stick Up Mechanic
1988 The Zero Option Quentin Collins
1995 Jack & Sarah Security Man
2005 The Grotlyn N/A Voice; short
2009 Centenary: The BP Story Himself / Sir John Cadman Voice; credited as Mike McStay
TBA Georges et Audrey Georges Post-production; short; posthumous release

Television

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
1960 Dixon of Dock Green PC Wyman Episodes: "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Stars" and "The Threat"
No Hiding Place Sammy Fairburn Episode: "A Very Respectable Man"
1961 Ghost Squad Barman Uncredited; episode: "The Eyes of the Bat"
Playdate Len Forrest Episode: "The Exam"
1962 Richard the Lionheart Knight Episode: "The Great Enterprise"
1963 No Hiding Place Willows Episode: "Pillar to Post"
1964–1966 Det. Sgt. Perryman 79 episodes; [3]
1968 The Avengers Trancer Episode: "Killer"
1969 Z Cars Dennis Pickford Episode: "Carbon Copy: Part 1"
Crossroads Steve Mitchell 11 episodes
Who-Dun-It Frank Gurney Episode: "A High Class Death"
1971 Out of the Unknown David Episode: "The Last Witness"
Paul Temple Det. Insp. Keith Grant Episode: "Death Sentence"
The Persuaders! Vernier Episode: "The Gold Napoleon"
Jason King Gendarme Episode: "Buried in the Cold Cold Ground"
Trial Oliver Gastrang Episode: "Mister X"
The Passenger Andy Mason 3 episodes
1972 The Lotus Eaters David Clive Episode: "The Present Mrs Clive"
My Wife Next Door Ronald Episode: "Anniversary Schmaltz"
1973–1974 The Black Arrow Knoles 6 episodes
1974 Fall of Eagles Count Montenuovo Episode: "Indian Summer of an Emperor"
The Double Dealers Commentator Episode: "Cut Down Like a Flower"
1975 Churchill's People Ralf Episode: "The Conquerors"
Second Time Around Arthur Anderson Episode: "Take My Ex-Wife"
The Sweeney Eric - Nightclub manager Episode: "Cover Story"
1976 Doctor Who Derek Moberley 2 episodes; serial: The Seeds of Doom;[1][2][3]
1977 Esther Waters Bill Evans Episode 4
1978 Tycoon Martineau Episode: "End to a Beginning"
1979 Park Ranger Colin Credited as Mike McStay; episodes: "New Boy", "Contest", "Waste", "Fire!"
Shoestring Croupier Episode: "Stamp Duty"
1981 A Spy at Evening Simons Episode 2
1983 Juliet Bravo Det Chief Inspector Bob Leeming Episode: "Who's Your Friend?"
This Is Your Life Himself Episode: "Johnny Briggs"
1985 Super Gran Vincent Eleven Episode: "Supergran and the Super Match"
1986 The Fourth Floor Colin Ettrick 3-episode miniseries
1987 Screen Two Donald MacLean Episode: "Blunt"
Home James! Markham Episode: "Things That Go Spoof in the Night"
Bureaucracy of Love Vicar TV film
Sunday Premiere Middle-aged Hack Episode: "Love After Lunch"
Bust Sir Alec Episode: "Man of Property"
A Perfect Spy Belinda's father Episode 4
1988 ScreenPlay Mr de Ville Episode: "Starlings"
1989 Dispatches Himself Narrator; episode: "Return to Year Zero?"
1990 Le mari de l'ambassadeur Jimmy Harper Episode 1
French Fields The auctioneer Episode: "Double or Quit"
1991 Thatcher: The Final Days Michael Mates TV film
Sherlock Holmes and the Leading Lady Inspector Schmidt
1992 The Bill Keith Prentice Episode: "Illegals"
1996 Ch. Insp. Cochrane Episode: "Don't Kill the Messenger"
2000 EastEnders Maurice Episode 2042
2001 Mike Baldwin & Me Himself TV film
2002 Ted and Alice James Lowe 3-episode miniseries
2005 Hiroshima Morio Ozaki Voice-over; credited as Mike McStay; Documentary TV film
2006 The Inspector Lynley Mysteries Will McRae Episode: "One Guilty Deed"
2010 Doctor Who: The Seeds of Doom Himself DVD commentary
2011 Coronation Street Alan Hoyle 17 episodes;[1][2][3]

Audio

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
1981 The Lord of the Rings Rohan The Two Towers; radio play
1990, 1992–1994 Coleman and Astor N/A Reader; 7 radio plays;[7][8]
2023 Toby Hadoke's Time Travels Himself Podcast interview; episode: "Happy Times and Places"; [3][11]

Theatre

[edit]
Year Title Role Venue
1952–1953 Summer and Smoke Drama Department, University of Bristol
1954–1955 A Streetcar Named Desire
Down in the Valley
1955–1956 Measure for Measure Dartington Hall, Devon
The Flies Drama Department, University of Bristol
Gammer Gurton's Needle
Electra
1956–1957 Measure for Measure
3–8 June 1963 Bogey 7 Lew Telliger Brighton Hippodrome
10–15 June 1963 Bristol Hippodrome

As writer

[edit]

Television

[edit]
Year Title Notes
1984 Pull the Other One 6 episodes

Radio

[edit]
Year Title Notes
1990, 1992–1994 Coleman and Astor 7 radio plays;[7][8]
1999 The Hand of Dartmoor Based on the legend of Hairy Hands[14]

Bibliography

[edit]
Year Title ISBN Notes
2023 Inconsequential and Irrelevant: A Worm's Eye View of Acting ISBN 978-1-911537-21-2 Memoir

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e Mensah, Katelyn. "Michael McStay, Coronation Street and Doctor Who actor, dies aged 92 | Radio Times". www.radiotimes.com. Retrieved 19 November 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Coronation Street and Doctor Who actor dies aged 92". The Independent. 21 May 2025. Retrieved 19 November 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Michael McStay, 'Doctor Who' and 'No Hiding Place' Actor, Dies at 92". People.com. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
  4. ^ "Michael J MCSTAY's record". FreeBMD. Retrieved 19 November 2025.
  5. ^ "Doctor Who Guide: Michael McStay". guide.doctorwhonews.net. Retrieved 2026-01-01.
  6. ^ Development, PodBean. "Happy Times and Places BONUS - Michael McStay Interview | Doctor Who: Toby Hadoke's Time Travels". tobyhadoke.podbean.com. Retrieved 2026-01-01. Veteran actor Michael McStay, fresh from celebrating his 90th birthday, [...].
  7. ^ a b c McStay, Michael (20 April 2023). Inspector Coleman and Sergeant Astor.
  8. ^ a b c "BBC Radio 4 Extra - Whodunnits, Coleman and Astor". BBC. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
  9. ^ Georges et Audrey at IMDb
  10. ^ McStay, Michael (2023). Inconsequential and Irrelevant: A Worm's Eye View of Acting. Quoit Media Limited. ISBN 978-1-911537-21-2.
  11. ^ a b Development, PodBean. "Happy Times and Places BONUS - Michael McStay Interview | Doctor Who: Toby Hadoke's Time Travels". tobyhadoke.podbean.com. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
  12. ^ "Darius McStay". www.bodalgo.com. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  13. ^ "Michael McStay Obituary (2025) - Advertiser & Times". Legacy.com. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
  14. ^ "The Hairy Hand of Dartmoor". Genome Beta. Radio Times 1923–2009. BBC. 8 February 1999. Citing Radio Times issue 3912, 4 February 1999, p. 121. Retrieved 3 January 2026.
[edit]