An A-Z of Actors: I

~ beetleypete

I hadn’t forgotten this series, just taking my time with it. As usual, please add your own favourites in the comments. ‘I’ is a tricky one, and took some thinking about.

Celia Imrie was born in the same year as me. Best known for her theatrical acting, and an extensive TV career, she has also had supporting roles in many popular films, as well as writing four books. Although never described as ‘attractive’, or considered to be a glamorous actress, I have always found her unusual look to be entrancing indeed, and she is definitely one of the actresses whose performances I would search out. Her comedy collaboration with the late Victoria Wood is well known here, and Celia has also appeared in the long-running drama ‘Kingdom’, ‘Doctor Who’, and ‘Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit’. Films include ‘Highlander’, ‘Calendar Girls’, ‘Bridget Jones’ Diary’, and ‘The Borrowers’. If you don’t know her, look her up. She is very good, and deserves more starring roles.

Jill Ireland was as well-known for her marriages as her career. After some early small roles in films, she married the British actor, David McCallum, in 1957. He became famous as one half of ‘The Man From Uncle’ team, and Jill appeared in some episodes of that hit TV series too. Her film career was extensive, and although she never became a huge star, she rarely stopped working. In 1968, Jill married tough-guy actor Charles Bronson, and after that, their careers were linked together, with her appearing in many of his films. Some well-known roles include ‘The Mechanic’ (1972), ‘Breakheart Pass’ (1975), and ‘Death Wish 2’ (1982). I always felt that her looks and talent should have earned her more fame, and that she missed a trick by not appearing in more historical films, or period dramas. She died of breast cancer in 1990, after a long and well-publicised fight against the disease.

Jeremy Irons is a British actor, and a well-known star of stage, screen, and television. He has tackled almost anything, from serious Shakespeare, to the villain in ‘Die Hard With A Vengeance’ (1995), and as the voice of Scar in Disney’s ‘Lion King’ (1994). I prefer to concentrate on his serious film roles, including his Oscar-winning part in ‘Reversal of Fortune'(1990), and his outstanding performance in the acclaimed TV adaptation of ‘Brideshead revisited’. (1981). Then there was ‘The Mission’ (1986), ‘Damage’ (1992), ‘Dead Ringers’ (1988), where he played identical twins, and ‘Kingdom of Heaven’ (2005). He continues to star in lavish TV productions like ‘The Borgias’, and to act on stage, as well as working on films. Even though he is now 69 years old, I am sure he will continue to be one of the most prominent actors of his generation.

Just three today. I want to leave room for your choices, and ‘I’ is a hard one. 🙂

68 thoughts on “An A-Z of Actors: I”

    1. I left him for the readers, and you found him!
      I thought he was outstanding in ‘Ex Machina’, and made the film for me.
      Thanks, Cindy.
      Best wishes, Pete. x

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    1. I adore Eddy, but don’t really think of him as an actor. His stand up is among my favourite ever comedy performances. And he does countless marathons for charity. A really nice guy in every way imaginable.
      Thanks, Kim.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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        1. To be honest, Kim, I haven’t seen him in films, or those TV shows. I am sure he can turn his hand to most things, as he is intelligent, and talented. But for me, he will always be the most original comedian of his generation.
          Best wishes, Pete.

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  5. I had thought Jill Ireland, always liked her. The only other is funny-man Marty Ingles. His marriage must have been an opposites-attract situation, his wife was Shirley Jones. (oops, I blew a name for the next post).

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  8. Italian actor Franco Interleghi so affecting in Fellini’s early masterpiece “I vitelloni”, as well as giving fine performances in “General della Rovere”, “La notte bravo”, I vinti” and “La provincial”. And being that occasionally a diversion in drive-in films is necessary to cleanse the palate, Jerry Ito for playing my favorite Kaiju film villain, the nefarious Nelson in “Mothra”.

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    1. Sorry about that, but I did stick with British actors, so as to leave the rest for everyone else. Seems like there are few ‘I’ surnames in acting, though I am sure some more will turn up in the comments. 🙂
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  10. Pete, I will add Amy Irving, who starred in “Carrie” as the “nice girl” who befriends Carrie White, and she was also in Brian DePalma’s “The Fury”. She was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for “Yentl.” Yes, she was married to Steven Spielberg for a time as well. Her most acclaimed role was in “Crossing Delancey” in 1988.

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    1. I have seen her in a few things, John, but I confess she never stood out for me.
      I must also admit that I couldn’t stand ‘Yentl’. I think it was a ‘you had to be there’ film. 🙂
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  11. I’ve never heard of Celia Imrie, and my familiarity with Jill Ireland has always been limited to the fact that she was Charles Bronson’s wife.

    I have to go with Jeremy Irons, though I’ve seen only a handful of his films (e.g., “Damage”), and own only one: “The Time Machine” (2002). (I also own Rod Taylor’s 1960 film.) My other choice would be Burl Ives, a great folk singer, but also a powerful actor. I especially admire his turn as Rufus Hannassey in “The Big Country” (1958), one of my favorite westerns.

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    1. ‘I’ is hard. Even few Japanese and Chinese actors qualify. Ifans was the best thing in ‘;Notting Hill’, and Burl Ives was always good when he was a villain.
      Cheers, BF, and best wishes. Pete.

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  14. That’s great you included Jeremy Irons, he is always great, and “I” is a hard one indeed. The one I thought of is Jason Isaacs, who is more or less only Lucius Malfoy from “Harry Potter” for me, but I admire him nonetheless.

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      1. I think you missed nothing if you have not seen a Harry Potter film. Only the first two films are great, but both will only be really enjoyed by a certain kind of audience, such as zealous HP fans and child audience, etc.

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