John Hollis

Bertie Wyn "John" Hollis (12 November 1927 – 18 October 2005) was a British actor. He is known for his appearances as Lobot in the Star Wars film The Empire Strikes Back and Ernst Stavro Blofeld in the James Bond film For Your Eyes Only. He is also known for appearing in the Superman films, Casino Royale, The Dirty Dozen, and Flash Gordon.

Early life John Hollis was born Bertie Wyn Hollis in southwest London in 1927.

Career He played the role of Lobot in The Empire Strikes Back and the German porter at the chateau in The Dirty Dozen. He appeared in the Christopher Reeve Superman films Superman and Superman II as an elder of Krypton, and in Superman IV: The Quest for Peace as a Russian General.

He also played the role of Ernst Stavro Blofeld in the cold open of the 1981 James Bond film For Your Eyes Only, going uncredited due to the controversy over the film rights and characters of Thunderball. In this sequence, his character was famously lifted from a wheelchair and dropped to his death down a chimney stack by Bond (Roger Moore) after he had attempted to kill Bond by using a remote control link to Bond's MI6 helicopter.

Hollis's other film work included minor roles in Captain Kronos – Vampire Hunter for Hammer Films and Gene Wilder's The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother. In television, Hollis took the role of Sondergaard in the Jon Pertwee era of Doctor Who in the story The Mutants, and appeared in The Avengers episode The Cybernauts as a sensei, and in The Superlative Seven as Magwitch. He was also in The Tomorrow People. He also appeared as "Kaufmann" with a young Julie Christie in the BBC classic 'lost series' A for Andromeda.

Hollis was a versatile character actor for BBC Radio. Notable roles include Magwitch in Great Expectations, Leonard Bast in Howards End, Conan Doyle's Inspector Lestrade and Shakespeare's Bardolph. He also took part in some commercial recordings, in parts as various as the March Hare in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and the Murderer of the Duke of Clarence in Richard III.

He broadcast his own recollections of a cockney childhood, for the BBC in the 1970s.

He was originally hired to replace Keith Scott as the voice of Gordon The Big Engine in Thomas and the Magic Railroad, but himself was later replaced by Neil Crone.

Selected filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes 1967 Casino Royale Fred (Temple Priest) Uncredited The Dirty Dozen German Porter at Chateau Uncredited 1968 On the Run Baldy 1971 Creatures the World Forgot Masked Attacker Uncredited Freelance Hartley 1973 Ghost in the Noonday Sun Kanaris 1974 Captain Kronos – Vampire Hunter Barman 1975 The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother Moriarty's Gunman 1978 Superman 4th Elder (Krypton Council) 1980 The Empire Strikes Back Lobot (Lando's aide) Flash Gordon Klytus Observer No. 2 Superman II Krypton Elder 1981 For Your Eyes Only Ernst Stavro Blofeld Uncredited 1986 Valhalla Hymer English version, Voice 1987 Superman IV: The Quest for Peace Russian General

Television

Year Title Role Notes 1962 The Andromeda Breakthrough Kaufman 6 episodes 1963–1967 The Saint Maximillian Tordoff/West 2 episodes 1963–1968 The Avengers Various 4 episodes 1971 Armchair Theatre Blond Episode "Detective Waiting" 1972 Doctor Who: The Mutants Sondergaard 4 episodes 1980 Blake's 7 Lorn 1 episode, Powerplay 1981 The Day of the Triffids Alf 1 episode 1984 Badger Girl Mr Barker 8 episodes