Robert Powell

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Robert Powell as Jesus Christ in the 1977 movie Jesus of Nazareth.

Robert Powell (born June 1, 1944), is a well-known English television and film actor, best-known for the title role in Jesus of Nazareth and the fictional secret agent Richard Hannay.

Born in Salford, Lancashire, and educated at Manchester Grammar School and Manchester University, Powell took up acting while an undergraduate. He had a small role in the original version of The Italian Job playing one of the drivers, but had to wait a few years for his first success, in the BBC's sci-fi series, Doomwatch in 1970. Having been at his request killed off in the last episode of the original series, Powell became a pin-up and a household name, following up with starring roles in several BBC serials, including Sentimental Education and Jude the Obscure.

For several years, Powell continued as a television regular, with occasional forays into film, notably as Mahler in 1974. He also notably played Captain Walker in the 1975 Ken Russell film version of Tommy. His role had no lines at all and apart from a few early scenes during the overture with Ann-Margret, he primarily is seen through the mind of his son as played by Barry Winch (Young Tommy) and Roger Daltrey. In one of those scenes Captain Walker is shown in a crucifixion pose.

Then came his most famous role - playing Jesus Christ in the blockbusting mini-series Jesus of Nazareth following a successful second audition with Franco Zeffirelli. He received best actor awards from TV Times (UK) and Italian TV Times, the international arts prize at the Fiuggi Film Festival, grand prize at the Saint-Vincent Film Festival, and a nomination as best actor from The Irish Academy of Film and Television arts.

In 1975, Powell married his girlfriend, the Pan's People dancer Babs Lord. This happened quickly and quietly, partly due to the fact he was about to start filming for Jesus of Nazareth, and partly to overcome problems if she flew out to see him on location in Morocco. Both felt it would be easier if they were married.

On 23 November 1977, they had their first son, Barney. He later went on to become known as Brixton Holloway.

In 1978, Powell took the leading role of Richard Hannay in the third film version of The Thirty-Nine Steps. It met with modest success, and critics compared Powell's portrayal of John Buchan's character favouably with his predecessors. His characterisation did indeed prove to be enduring, as almost ten years later a television series entitled simply Hannay appeared with Powell back in the role. It ran for two seasons, and was based on Buchan's other Hannay stories.

The 1970s, particularly the Jesus of Nazareth role, proved to be the peak of his career.

In 1980 he appeared in the film Harlequin playing the Harlequin of the title who seems to have the power to cure the son of a powerful politician.

Powell then agreed to a request from his old friend and golf partner, comedian Jasper Carrott, taking the part of an incompetent detective in a succession of sketches that formed part of Carrott's television series. Several full-length episodes of The Detectives followed.

Nowadays Powell appears in person less often, but his voice is still much heard, on voice-overs, advertisements, and as a narrator of television programmes such as Great Crimes and Trials. He has also narrated many audio books, including abridged versions of many of Alan Garner's books, and several abridged novels for The Talking Classics Collection. From early 2005 he has been appearing in the UK TV soap, Holby City.

On October 29, 2001 a state-of-the-art theatre named after him was opened at the University of Salford.^[1]