John Stuart Ellis (born 4 June 1955) is a British theatre and television actor from London, best known for his portrayal of villainous prison officer Jim Fenner in the TV series Bad Girls. He has also appeared in ITV soap Coronation Street as Bookmaker Harry Mason.

Jack Ellis
Born
John Stuart Ellis

(1955-06-04) 4 June 1955 (age 69)
OccupationActor
Years active1977–present
SpouseChristine Kavanagh (divorced)
PartnerClaire Bejanin
Children2
RelativesRobin Ellis (brother)
Peter Ellis (brother)

He and his former wife Christine Kavanagh, from whom he is now divorced, have two children, Theo and Alice. Theo is the bassist in the Mercury Prize-winning band Wolf Alice. He was educated at Highgate School as were his older brothers Robin Ellis, also an actor, and Peter Ellis, a director.[1][2]

Biography

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Prior to Bad Girls, Ellis’ most prominent TV role being Detective Inspector Muddyman in Prime Suspect. Ellis was also seen in Heartbeat, and has appeared in many TV series, including in The Fugitives (2005), playing the part of Salko; Blue Murder in the episode "Steady Eddie", portraying Dan Fulford; and Highlander: The Series; and in the film Hunter, where he played the lead role.

Ellis is one of the few performers to have acted in both Inspector Morse and its spin-off series Lewis. His first major part since Bad Girls came in summer 2006; Ellis appeared in several episodes of ITV drama Where the Heart Is as businessman Robert Ashford.

In 1994 Ellis played the part of Eddie Barton, a senior HM Customs & Excise Investigation Division officer based at Heathrow Airport who had to retire through ill health caused by motor neurone disease in all seven episodes of series one of The Knock. The disease eventually pushes him into paranoia and death by suicide.

In late 2005 Ellis starred in A Few Good Men at London's Theatre Royal, Haymarket, playing opposite Rob Lowe, John Barrowman and Suranne Jones.

Ellis started his role on Coronation Street as the new Rosamund Street betting shop owner Harry Mason in December 2007. He ran the shop with his son Dan, played by ex-The Bill star Matthew Crompton.[3] Also in 2007, Ellis appeared in an episode of Rome.

Ellis starred in the Theatre Royal, Windsor pantomime Peter Pan (Christmas 2008) playing Captain Hook.also at the Opera House Belfast in 2005.

Sam Mendes directed Ellis as Hastings in a William Shakespeare's Richard III starring Kevin Spacey. The show began in June 2011 and toured the world, culminating in a season at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York in early 2012.[4]

Later in 2012 he toured in a new production of Dickens' Great Expectations playing Jaggers. The production opened in the West End of London in February 2013 at the Vaudeville Theatre.[5]

In 2014, he starred as Deputy Governor Danforth in the much acclaimed production of The Crucible by Arthur Miller directed by Yael Farber at the Old Vic.Jack has also performed as the King and Le Diable in "Les trois Cheveux d'or du Diable" in Montlaur in French and co devised and co directed " Shakespeare Mon Amour " with Maria Cassi in Florence.

In 2016 Jack starred as Warden Stammas in the theatre production of Stephen King's The Shawshank Redemption, playing alongside Paul Nicholls and Ben Onwukwe.

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
1986 Dead Man's Folly Police Constable (uncredited) TV movie
1987 Intimate Contact 2nd Father Miniseries (1 episode)
1987 Strike It Rich Steven Bentley Series 2 (regular, 6 episodes)
1987 A Perfect Spy Perce Loft Miniseries (7 episodes)
1988 Inspector Morse Sergeant Series 2, Episode 3
1988 The Comic Strip Presents... Party Guest Series 4, Episode 5
1989 The Paradise Club Ginger Series 1, Episode 1
1990 The Bill D.S. Hooper Series 6, Episode 77
1990 Casualty Sergeant Chancellor Series 5, Episode 8
1990 Close to Home David Series 2, Episode 8
1990 Hollywood Heartbreak James Feature film
1991 Lovejoy Detective Inspector Series 2, Episode 4
1991–1995 Prime Suspect DI Tony Muddyman Series 1, 2 & 4 (regular, 5 episodes)
1991 Chancer Chief Inspector Beck Series 2, Episodes 4 & 6
1992 Van der Valk Frans Opstel Series 5, Episode 1
1992 A Dangerous Man: Lawrence After Arabia Security Guard TV movie
1993 Anna Lee Hospital Doctor TV movie (pilot)
1993 Rides Jerry Series 2, Episode 1
1994 The Knock Eddie Barton Series 1 (regular, 7 episodes)
1994 Casualty Bernie Series 9, Episode 3
1994 MacGyver: Trail to Doomsday Joseph (uncredited) TV movie
1995 99-1 Lewis Series 2, Episodes 5 & 6
1995 The Chief Phil Causley Series 5, Episode 1
1996 The One That Got Away SAS Officer TV movie
1996 Beck Gavin Mitcham Series 1, Episodes 1 & 2
1997 Wycliffe Miles Trednor Series 4, Episode 3
1997 Wing and a Prayer Conrad Westholme Series 1, Episode 3
1997 Thief Takers Laurie Stone Series 3, Episodes 7 & 8
1998 Hetty Wainthropp Investigates Brian Powell Series 3, Episode 6
1998 Highlander: The Series Bartholomew Series 6, Episode 10
1998 City Central Alex Moore Series 1, Episode 1
1998 House Gang Dave Series 2, Episode 4
1999 An Unsuitable Job for a Woman Stephen Childs Series 2, Episode 2
1999–2005 Bad Girls Jim Fenner Series 1–7 (regular, 88 episodes)
1999 Heartbeat Malcolm Colbourne Series 9, Episode 12
2000 Distant Shadow Security Guard Feature film
2002 Waking the Dead Police Commissioner Series 2, Episodes 7 & 8
2003 Sweet Medicine Matthew Lawrence Series 1, Episode 1
2003 Holby City Richard Smedley Series 5, Episode 51
2005 The Fugitives Salko Series 1 (regular, 7 episodes)
2006 Lewis Rex Griffon Pilot Episode
2006 Where the Heart Is Robert Ashford Series 10 (recurring, 6 episodes)
2006 Blue Murder Dan Fulford Series 3, Episode 1
2006 Hunter unnamed role Short film
2007 Outlaw Kelly's Father (uncredited) Feature film
2007 Rome Bibulus Series 2, Episode 9
2007–2008 Coronation Street Harry Mason (Regular, 85 episodes)
2008 House of Saddam US Section Commander Miniseries (1 episode)
2009 It's Alive Prof. Baldwin Feature film
2010 Sailor Boy Tug Short film
2012 Candle to Water Marlow Feature film
2013 Great Expectations Jaggers Screened theatre production
2013 Stand Him (voice) Short film
2014 New Tricks David Halburton Series 11, Episode 7
2014 The Crucible Deputy Governor Danforth Screened theatre production
2016 Vera Brian Hallam Series 6, Episode 3
2017 8 Days That Made Rome Julius Caesar Miniseries (1 episode)
2018 Versailles Prison Governor Series 3, Episodes 2, 3 & 4
2019 Doctors David Anderston Series 20, Episode 44

References

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  1. ^ Swann, Yvonne (22 September 2005). "My CV: Jack Ellis". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 14 May 2009.
  2. ^ Hughes, Patrick; Davies, Ian F. (eds.). Highgate School Register 1833-1988 (7th ed.).
  3. ^ Green, Kris (15 October 2007). "Former 'Bad Girls' actor joins Corrie". Digital Spy. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
  4. ^ "Richard III cast update at Old Vic from 18 June". londontheatre.co.uk. 20 April 2011. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
  5. ^ Merrifield, Nicola (14 December 2012). "Vaudeville Theatre to host Great Expectations adaptation". The Stage. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
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