John Phillips

William John Phillips MC (20 July 1914 – 11 May 1995) was an English actor. He is known for the role of Chief Superintendent Robins in the television series Z-Cars and for his work as a Shakespearean stage actor.

Early life Phillips was born in Birmingham, Warwickshire in 1914, was educated at Oswestry and began his acting career at Birmingham Rep in the 1930s. During the Second World War, Phillips served in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment and was awarded the Military Cross.

Television Phillips appeared in a number of television roles, which included: Danger Man (1962), Lieutenant Colonel John Whitley in Frontier (1968), Jack Frazer in The Onedin Line (1972–76), Grand Duke Nicholas in Fall of Eagles (1974), Josiah Wedgewood in Days of Hope (1975), Naso in Jesus of Nazareth (1977) and Dr Charles Langley-Beard in The Old Men at the Zoo (1983). His role as Chief Superintendent Robins (1962–78) in Z-Cars and Softly, Softly was perhaps his most memorable.

Death Phillips died in Oswestry, Shropshire, on 11 May 1995.

Selected filmography

1938: The Wooing of Anne Hathaway (TV Movie) 1952: Angels One Five .... Engineer Officer 1954: The Monkey's Paw (TV Short) .... Sergeant-Major Morris 1955: Noah Gives Thanks (TV Movie) .... Mr. Pebble, Vicar of Crockitt 1955: The Dark Avenger .... Second French Knight 1955: Richard III .... Norfolk 1955: The Vise (TV Series) .... Philip Twyford (uncredited) 1955-1959 BBC Sunday-Night Theatre (TV Series) .... Jacob Dillon / Colonel Davies / Escales / Chorus 1956: Women Without Men .... Male Guard at Gate (uncredited) 1956: Passport to Treason .... Police Driver (uncredited) 1956: The Count of Monte Cristo (TV Series) .... Major Du Valle 1956: The Black Tulip (TV Series) .... John de Witte 1956: Theatre Royal (TV Series) 1957: The Adventures of Peter Simple (TV Series) .... Captain Savage, RN 1957: Theatre Night (TV Series) .... Hooper Moulsworth 1957: Fortune Is a Woman .... Willis Croft 1957: The Shiralee .... Doctor 1957-1965: ITV Play of the Week (TV Series) .... John Anthony / Prime Minister / Mr. Smith / John Graham Whitfield / Cromwell / Professor Robert Linden / Judge Gaunt / General von Sauberzweig / Anthony Folland / David Crampton / Mr. Friday 1958: Television World Theatre (TV Series) .... The Mayor / Count Peter Zichy 1958: I Accuse! .... Prosecutor - Esterhazy Trial 1958: Doomsday for Dyson (TV Movie) .... General Schalz 1958: Dunkirk .... Boat Owner Spokesman (uncredited) 1958: Floods of Fear .... Dr. Matthews 1959: Bleak House (TV Mini-Series) .... Mr. Tulkinghorn 1960: Saturday Playhouse (TV Series) .... Jeffrey Bellenger 1960: Somerset Maugham Hour (TV Series) .... Jeffrey Bellenger 1960: Village of the Damned .... General Leighton 1960: Follow That Horse! .... American Delegate (uncredited) 1960: Man in the Moon .... Professor Stephens 1960-1961: Danger Man (TV Series) .... Coyannis / Paul 1961: Romanoff and Juliet .... Hooper Moulsworth 1961: One Step Beyond (TV Series) .... Frank 1961: Offbeat 1961: The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone .... Tom Stone 1961-1962: BBC Sunday-Night Play (TV Series) .... Trifonov / Prince Galitzin 1962: Under Western Eyes (TV Movie) .... Ivanovich 1962: Suspense (TV Series) .... Luther Ross 1962: The Hatchet Man (TV Movie) .... George Curnic, head of studio 1962: Saki (TV Series) .... Duncan Dullamy 1962: Man of the World (TV Series) .... General Montreaux 1962: A Prize of Arms .... Col. Fowler 1962: We Joined the Navy .... Rear Admiral 1962: Thirty-Minute Theatre (TV Series) 1962-1978: Z Cars (TV Series) .... Asst. Chief Constable Robins 1963: The Mouse on the Moon .... Bracewell - U.S. Delegate 1963: First Night (TV Series) .... Gideon Cobb 1963: The Sentimental Agent (TV Series) .... Henry Peabody Sr. 1964: Becket .... Bishop of Winchester 1964: Armchair Theatre (TV Series) .... George 1964: Rupert of Hentzau (TV Series) .... Colonel Zapt 1964: Smuggler's Bay (TV Series) .... Elzevir Block 1964-1966: Sergeant Cork (TV Series) .... Col. Haverlock / Big Ben Lewis 1965: Alexander Graham Bell (TV Series) .... Professor Bell 1965: Legend of Death (TV Series) .... Edward Gargan 1965: Knock on Any Door (TV Series) .... Robert Prettyman 1965: Danger Man (TV Series) .... Dr. Brajanska 1965: Joey Boy .... Insp. Morgan 1965-1968: Theatre 625 (TV Series) .... Clifford Dyke / Alfred Truelove 1965-1968: The Wednesday Play (TV Series) .... Councillor Percival / Sir Gilbert Hardacre / Cardinal Runan / Forbes-Wainwright 1966: BBC Play of the Month (TV Series) .... Major General Atkins 1966: Mystery and Imagination (TV Series) .... Colonel Gaillarde 1966-1967: Dixon of Dock Green (TV Series) .... Magistrate / Mr. Parry 1967: The Avengers (TV Series) .... Nesbitt 1967: The Mummy's Shroud .... Stanley Preston 1967: Thirty-Minute Theatre (TV Series) .... Mr. Tredgold 1967: The Forsyte Saga (TV Series) .... Sir Alexander MacGown 1967: This Way for Murder (TV Mini-Series) .... Barnton 1967: Out of Town Theatre (TV Mini-Series) .... Sir Howard Price 1967: Torture Garden .... Eddie Storm (segment 2 "Terror Over Hollywood") 1968: Softly, Softly (TV Series) .... Det. Chief Supt. Robins 1968: Frontier (TV Series) .... Lt. Col. Whitley 1968: The Caesars (TV Mini-Series) .... Piso 1969: W. Somerset Maugham (TV Series) .... Commandant 1969: Christ Recrucified (TV Mini-Series) .... Pope Grigoris 1969: Who-Dun-It (TV Series) .... Det. Insp. Hollis 1970: Manhunt (TV Series) .... Klintzch 1970: Doctor in the House (TV Series) .... Sir Hartley Maynard 1970: Confession (TV Series) .... Headmaster 1970: The Black Tulip (TV Mini-Series) .... Cornelius de Witt 1970: The Main Chance (TV Series) .... Arnold Bingley 1970: Horizon (TV Series documentary) .... Mr. Bidder 1970-1972: Crime of Passion (TV Series) .... Maître Lacan 1970-1980: Play for Today (TV Series) .... Examining judge / Rev. Howard Whithead - Anglican Vicar 1971: The Persuaders (TV Series) .... Lanning Koestler 1972: Man of Straw (TV Mini-Series) .... Dr. Heuteufel 1972-1976: The Onedin Line (TV Series) .... Jack Frazer 1973: The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes (TV Series) .... Professor Dyne 1973: Jane Eyre (TV Mini-Series) .... Mr. Brocklehurst 1973: Wipers Three (TV Movie) .... Admiral Sir John Jellicoe 1974: John Halifax, Gentleman (TV Mini-Series) .... Abel Fletcher 1974: Fall of Eagles (TV Mini-Series) .... Grand Duke Nicholas 1974: The Pallisers (TV Mini-Series) .... Sir Gregory Grogram 1974: Father Brown (TV Series) .... Brander Merton 1975: Days of Hope (TV Mini-Series) .... Josiah Wedgwood 1975 Quiller (TV Series) .... Henry Tulliver 1976: The Flight of the Heron (TV Series) .... Cameron of Lochiel 1977: Jesus of Nazareth (TV Mini-Series) .... Naso 1977: Mr. Big (TV Series) .... Leopold Ruchworth 1977: Ripping Yarns (TV Series) .... Colonel Harcourt Badger Owen 1977: 1990 (TV Series) .... Attorney General Graham 1977: Three Dangerous Ladies .... Urcombe (segment "Mrs. Amworth") 1978 Hazell (TV Series) .... Det. Supt. Bull 1978: Mrs. Amworth (Short) .... Francis Urcombe 1978: Lillie (TV Mini-Series) .... W. E. Gladstone 1979: Quadrophenia .... Magistrate 1983: Ascendancy .... Wintour 1983: The Old Men at the Zoo (TV Series) .... Dr. Charles Langley-Beard 1984: Strangers and Brothers (TV Series) .... Reggie Collingwood 1985: TV Eye (TV Series) .... Committee Member 1987: One by One (TV Series) .... Ben Friedhofer 1991: Merlin of the Crystal Cave (TV Series) 1992: Leon the Pig Farmer .... Trevor (final film role)