Joss Ackland was an English actor who appeared in more than 130 film and television roles.
He was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for portraying Jock Delves Broughton in White Mischief (1987).
Joss Ackland Biography
Early life
Sidney Edmond Jocelyn Ackland was born in North Kensington, London, on 29 February 1928.
He is the son of Major Sydney Norman Ackland (died 1981), an Irish journalist who had been sent to England to live with an aunt by his parents for seducing their maid, but subsequently seduced his aunt’s maid, Ruth Izod (died 1957), whom he married.
He was trained by Elsie Fogerty at the Central School of Speech and Drama, then based at the Royal Albert Hall, London.
Ackland and Rosemary Kirkcaldy were married on 18 August 1951, when Ackland was 23 and she was 22.
She was an actress and Ackland wooed her when they appeared on stage together in Pitlochry, Scotland.
The couple struggled initially as Ackland’s acting career was in its infancy.
In 1954 they moved to Lilongwe in what was then Nysaland, now Malawi, where Ackland managed a tea plantation for six months but, deciding it was too dangerous, they moved to Cape Town, South Africa.
Though they both obtained steady acting jobs in South Africa, after two years they returned to England in 1957.
Career
Joss Ackland had a long and illustrious career as an English actor who appeared in more than 130 film and television roles. Here is a brief summary of his career highlights:
He made his professional stage debut in 1945, at the age of 17, in The Hasty Heart.
He joined the Old Vic company in 1957, after spending two years in Africa, where he managed a tea plantation and wrote plays.
He became an associate director of the Mermaid Theatre from 1962 to 1964.
He starred in several West End musicals, such as Peter Pan, Evita, and The Rocky Horror Show.
He was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for portraying Jock Delves Broughton in White Mischief (1987).
He played C. S. Lewis in the television version of Shadowlands (1986), which was later adapted into a stage play and a film.
He appeared as a villain in many films, such as Lethal Weapon 2 (1989), The Hunt for Red October (1990), and Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey (1991).
He was awarded the Commander of the British Empire on the New Year’s Honours List in 2000 for his 50 years of service to the English stage, cinema and television.
He died on November 19, 2023, at the age of 95.
Joss Ackland Wife
Joss Ackland was married to Rosemary Kirkcaldy, an actress who died in 2002 after suffering from Motor Neurone Disease.
Ackland and his wife Rosemary were married for 51 years. They had seven children, thirty-two grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Joss Ackland Children
Joss Ackland and his wife Rosemary Kirkcaldy had seven children, five daughters and two sons. One of their sons, Paul Ackland, died in a car accident in 1982. Their children are:
Paul Ackland (1952-1982): He was the eldest child of Joss and Rosemary. He was a musician and composer who wrote the score for the film The Sicilian, which starred his father. He died in a car crash in Zimbabwe at the age of 30.
Penelope Ackland (1954-): She is the eldest daughter of Joss and Rosemary. She is a painter and sculptor who lives in France. She has four children and two grandchildren.
Toby Ackland (1956-): He is the second son of Joss and Rosemary. He is a film producer and director who has worked on several documentaries and feature films. He lives in London with his wife and three children.
Melanie Ackland (1958-): She is the second daughter of Joss and Rosemary. She is a writer and journalist who has published several books and articles. She lives in New York with her husband and two children.
Antonia Ackland (1960-): She is the third daughter of Joss and Rosemary. She is a teacher and a poet who has won several awards for her work. She lives in Oxford with her husband and four children.
Samantha Ackland (1963-): She is the fourth daughter of Joss and Rosemary. She is a lawyer and a human rights activist who has worked for various organizations and causes. She lives in Geneva with her husband and three children.
Kirsty Ackland (1965-): She is the youngest child of Joss and Rosemary. She is a singer and a songwriter who has released several albums and performed in various concerts. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two children.
Joss Ackland Family
Joss Ackland had a large family. Here is a list of Joss Ackland’s family members:
Spouse/Ex-: Rosemary Kirkcaldy (m. 1951–2002)
Father: Sydney Norman Ackland
Mother: Ruth Ackland
Children: Antonia Ackland, Kirsty Ackland, Melanie Ackland, Paul Ackland, Penelope Ackland, Samantha Ackland, Toby Ackland
Joss Ackland Net worth
According to reports, the estimated net worth Joss Ackland left behind was $20 million.
Joss Ackland Cause of death
Joss Ackland died on 19 November 2023 at the age of 95.
The cause of his death was not officially announced, but some sources speculated that he had been suffering from a long-term illness.
He is survived by his six children, 19 grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren.
Source: www.www.atinkanews.net
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