James Fox

James William Fox (born William Fox; 19 May 1939) is an English actor, known for his work in film and television. He is a member of the Fox family of actors. Fox's career began in the 1960s through leading roles in films such as The Servant, King Rat (1965), Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines (1965), Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967), and Performance (1970).

In the 1970s, Fox took a break from acting to focus on personal and spiritual matters, returning to acting in the early 1980s. Over time, he built a reputation for playing a variety of roles, including upper-class figures and more serious characters, notably in known for his roles in A Passage to India (1984), Patriot Games (1992), The Remains of the Day (1993), Jinnah (1998), Sherlock Holmes (2009), and Effie Gray (2014).

Fox won the BAFTA Award for Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles for his performance in The Servant, and was nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for A Passage to India. He is also a Golden Globe Award nominee.

Early life William Fox was born on 19 May 1939 in London, the second son of theatrical agent Robin Fox and actress Angela Worthington. His elder brother is actor Edward Fox and his younger brother was film producer Robert Fox. Fox's maternal grandfather was playwright Frederick Lonsdale. He applied successfully to study acting at the Central School of Speech and Drama.

Career

Early career Fox first appeared on film as 11-year-old Toby Miniver in The Miniver Story in 1950. His early screen appearances, both in film and television, were made under his birth name, William Fox.

Fox appeared in the film The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (1962). His father, Robin, quarrelled bitterly with Tony Richardson over this, having attempted to forbid his friend from giving his son James (known as "Willie") a part in the film. His father claimed Willie had no talent for acting and should not give up his job in a bank.

In 1964, Fox won a BAFTA Award for Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles for The Servant (1963), working alongside Dirk Bogarde, Sarah Miles, and Wendy Craig. On 16 June 1965, Ken Annakin's period aviation film Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines was released. In this British period comedy film, Fox is featured among an international ensemble cast including Stuart Whitman, Sarah Miles, Robert Morley, Terry-Thomas, Red Skelton, Benny Hill, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Gert Fröbe and Alberto Sordi. Some of the other films he acted in during this time are King Rat (1965),

Fox became an evangelical Christian, working with the Navigators and devoting himself to the ministry. During this time, the only film in which Fox appeared was No Longer Alone (1976), the story of Joan Winmill Brown, a suicidal woman who was led to faith in Jesus Christ by Ruth Bell Graham. The following year, he played King George V in the film W.E., written and directed by Madonna. In 2013, Fox played a lead role alongside Natalie Dormer in the movie A Long Way from Home.

Through his daughter Lydia, Fox's son-in-law is actor Richard Ayoade. His former daughter-in-law is actress Billie Piper, who was married to his son Laurence from 2007 to 2016.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes 1950 The Miniver Story Toby Miniver The Magnet Johnny Brent 1962 The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner Gunthorpe 1963 Tamahine Oliver The Servant Tony 1965 King Rat Flight Lieutenant Peter Marlowe Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines Richard Mays 1966 The Chase Jason 'Jake' Rogers 1967 Thoroughly Modern Millie Jimmy Smith Arabella Giorgio 1968 Duffy Stephane Calvert Isadora Gordon Craig 1970 Performance Chas Devlin 1983 Runners Tom Lindsay 1984 Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes Lord Charles Esker A Passage to India Cyril Fielding 1986 Absolute Beginners Henley of Mayfair The Whistle Blower Lord Comrades Governor William Norfolk 1987 High Season Patrick 1989 Farewell to the King Colonel Ferguson The Mighty Quinn Thomas Elgin 1990 The Russia House Ned 1991 Afraid of the Dark Frank 1992 Patriot Games Lord William Holmes 1993 The Remains of the Day Lord Darlington 1997 Anna Karenina Aleksei Aleksandrovich Karenin Never Ever Arthur Trevane 1998 Shadow Run Landon-Higgins Jinnah Mountbatten 1999 Mickey Blue Eyes Philip Cromwell 2000 Up at the Villa Sir Edgar Swift Sexy Beast Harry The Golden Bowl Colonel Bob Assingham 2001 Lover's Prayer Old Vladimir (voice) The Mystic Masseur Mr. Stewart 2004 The Prince and Me King Haraald 2005 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Rupert Salt 2007 Mister Lonely The Pope 2009 Sherlock Holmes Sir Thomas Rotheram 2010 Wide Blue Yonder George 2011 W.E. King George V 2012 Cleanskin Sir Scott Catesby 2013 A Long Way From Home 1989 She's Been Away Hugh Ambrose TV movie 1990 Never Come Back Foster TV Mini-series 1992 A Question of Attribution Sir Anthony Blunt TV movie 1993 Heart of Darkness Gosse TV movie1994 The Dwelling Place Lord Fischel TV Mini-series, 3 episodes Doomsday Gun Sir James Whittington TV movie The Old Curiosity Shop The Single Gentleman TV Mini-series 1995 The Choir The Dean, Hugh Cavendish TV Mini-series, 5 episodes 1996 Gulliver's Travels Dr. Bates TV Mini-series 2001 Armadillo Sir Simon Sherrifmuir The Lost World Prof. Leo Summerlee TV movie 2002 The Falklands Play Lord Carrington KCMG MC PC (Foreign Secretary) 2003 Cambridge Spies Lord Halifax TV Mini-series 2003 Hans Christian Andersen: My Life as a Fairytale Jonas Collin TV movie 2004 Agatha Christie's Poirot Colonel Race Episode: Death on the Nile 2005 Agatha Christie's Marple Colonel Arthur Bantry Episode: The Body in the Library Colditz Lt. Colonel Jimmy Fordham TV Mini-series Absolute Power Gerald Thurnham Episode: Identity Crisis 2006 Suez: A Very British Crisis Anthony Eden TV documentary 2007 Waking the Dead Dr Bruno Rivelli Episode: Mask of Sanity 2008 New Tricks Ian Figgis Episode: Spare Parts 2009 Lewis Professor Norman Dearing Episode: Allegory of Love Margaret Charles Powell TV movie Red Riding 1980 Philip Evans TV movie 2010 Midsomer Murders Sir Michael Fielding Episode: Master Class 2011 Law & Order: UK Dr. Edward Austen Episode: The Wrong Man 2012 Merlin King Rodor Episode: Another's Sorrow 2013 Utopia The Assistant 6 episodes The Great Train Robbery Henry Brooke TV movie Downton Abbey Lord Aysgarth Episode: The London Season 2014 Ludlow 1864 Lord Palmerston Miniseries 2015 Death in Paradise Martin Goodman 2 episodes London Spy James Episode: Blue