Michael Angelis

Michael Angelis
Born
Nicolas Michael Angelis

(1944-04-29)29 April 1944
Died30 May 2020(2020-05-30) (aged 76)
Alma materRoyal Conservatoire of Scotland
OccupationActor
Years active1968–2015
Spouses
Unknown
(m. 1971, divorced)
[citation needed]
(m. 1991; div. 2001)
Jennifer Khalastchi
(m. 2003)
RelativesPaul Angelis (brother)

Nicolas Michael Angelis (29 April 1944 – 30 May 2020) was an English actor. He was best known for his television roles as Chrissie Todd in Boys from the Blackstuff, Martin Niarchos in G.B.H. and as a UK narrator of the British children's series Thomas & Friends from 1991 to 2012, as well as several other products and media related to the franchise.

Early life and career

Nicolas Michael Angelis[1][2] was born on 29 April 1944[1][2] in Paddington, London to an English mother, Margaret (née McCulla) (1920–1947), and a Greek father, Evangelos Angelis (1894–1959).[1] He was raised in Dingle, Liverpool.[1] He trained at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, Glasgow, where he played roles in, among other works, Brendan Behan's The Hostage and The Zykovs by Maxim Gorky. He was featured in Boys from the Black Stuff (1982) and G.B.H..

Angelis appeared in comedies such as The Liver Birds (1975–1978) and Luv (1993–1994) and films such as A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square (1979) and No Surrender (1985). In 1983, he appeared at the Royal Exchange, Manchester in Harold Pinter's The Caretaker. He was a villain in the revived television series Auf Wiedersehen, Pet (2002), alongside former fellow Black Stuff star Alan Igbon. He narrated the British version of Thomas & Friends from 1991 to 2012, replacing Ringo Starr.

He narrated John Peel's autobiography, Margrave of the Marshes,[3] which was broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2005. In 2006 he starred in Fated, a film set in Liverpool, and in 2007 he appeared in episodes of Midsomer Murders and The Bill. In September 2011 he participated in the BBC Radio 4 programme The Reunion, talking with other cast members about Boys from the Blackstuff.[4]

Personal life

Angelis married three times. His first marriage, in 1971, ended in divorce.[citation needed] He married the Coronation Street actress Helen Worth in 1991, although they had been a couple since the mid 1970s.[5] They divorced in 2001,[6] following his much-publicised affair with the woman who would become his third wife, Welsh model Jennifer Khalastchi,[5] whom he married in 2003.[1] He and Worth remained friends.[5]

He was the younger brother of fellow actor Paul Angelis.[1]

Death

Angelis died from a heart attack at his home in Thatcham, Berkshire on 30 May 2020, at the age of 76.[2][7][8]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1979 Me You and Him Lucien
A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square Pealer Bell [9]
1980 George and Mildred Café proprietor
1983 Pride of our Alley Monty Banks
1985 No Surrender Mike
1994 Woodcock Cyril
1996 Giving Tongue Will Shaker
2000 Thomas and the Magic Railroad James and Percy Voice actor workprints
2005 Calling All Engines! UK Narrator
2006 Fated Tatty
2009 Hero of the Rails UK Narrator
2010 Misty Island Rescue
2011 Day of the Diesels
2012 Blue Mountain Mystery
First Time Loser Father Malachie

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1972 The Scobie Man Fire Officer
The Thirty-Minute Theatre Mike
Coronation Street Franny Slater Episode 1226
1972–1974 Z-Cars Trev/Bobo Episodes: "Week Off", "Bits An Bats"
1974 Village Hall Terry Elliot Season 1 Episode 1
1975–1996 The Liver Birds Lucien Boswell 34 episodes
1976 Rock Follies Stavros
1977 Crown Court Lewis Van Doren Episode: "The Family Business: Part 1"
1977–1978 Robin's Nest Niarchos/Waiter Season 1 Episode 3, Season 2 Episode 4
1979 Hazell Scouse Benny Episode: "Hazell Gets the Bird"
1980 Minder Nick Series 1, Episode 10: "The Dessert Song"
1981 The Little World of Don Camillo (TV Series) 1st Salesman
BBC2 Playhouse Frankie Season 7, Episode 15
World's End Danny
1982 Wood and Walters Chuck Sweeney/Visitor Season 1, Episode 5 and 6
The Gaffer 'Bad-Back' Barker Episode: "Unfit as a Fiddle"
Boys from the Blackstuff Christopher "Chrissie" Todd
The Professionals Len Clarke Episode: "Lawson's Last Stand"
1983 Reilly, Ace of Spies Artuzov Episodes: "The Last Journey", "Shutdown"
Bergerac Tony Morel Episode: "Holiday Snaps"
1985 I Woke Up One Morning Max
Summer Season Jack Shaughnessy Episode: "Time Trouble"
1987 The Marksman (TV series) Irwin
1989 Bread Mr Cossack Season 5, Episode 2
The Russ Abbot Show Season 4, Episode 2-4 (Anthony's Devon Adventure sketch) and 9
1990 Single Voices Terence Episode: "The Last Supper"
1991 G.B.H. Martin Niarchos
1991–2012 Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends Narrator UK version
US version
2 episodes of Season 6, and 4 episodes of Season 7
1992 Wail of the Banshee Merlin
Between the Lines Det Insp Kendrick Season 1, Episode 6
Boon Don Feldman Episode: "Blackballed"
1993 Lovejoy Tommy Norris Episode: "Second Fiddle"
Luv Harold Craven Season 1 Episode 4
1993–2015 Casualty Gordon McCauley/Jez Ingrams/Ollie Yates/Stanley Momford Season 7 Episode 24, Season 10 Episode 14, Season 13 Episode 14, Season 29 Episode 21
1993–1995 September Song Arnie
1994 Against All Odds Episode: Snatched
1995 Joseph Rueben
1996 Whatever Happened to The Liver Birds? Lucien Boswell
1997 Common As Muck Pete Season 2, Episode 4 and 5
A Touch of Frost Reggie Stansfield Episode: "Penny for the Guy"
Melissa D.I Kilshaw
Harry Enfield and Chums Appeared in the episode Harry Enfield and Christmas Chums alongside Thomas & Friends narrator Mark Moraghan
1998 The Jump Donald Lewis
2000 Holby City Eddie Burke Season 2 Episode 10
Heartbeat Frank McCready Series 9 Episode 22 "With This Ring"
Playing the Field Chris Hurst Season 3 Episode 1–6, Season 4 Episode 4
2002 Auf Wiedersehen, Pet Mickey Startup [10]
Always and Everyone Frankie Hills Episode: "A New Breed"
2003 Sweet Medicine Liam Season 1 Episode 5
2004 Merseybeat Colin Nivern Episode: "Distant Vices"
2006 Jack and the Sodor Construction Company UK Narrator Spinoff series of Thomas & Friends
2007 Midsomer Murders Nicky Harding Episode: "The Axeman Cometh"
The Bill Martin Donnelly Episode: "Good Cop Bad Cop"[11]
2012 Good Cop Robert Rocksavage [12]

Video games

Year Title Role
1999 Thomas & Friends: The Great Festival Adventure All characters
2000 Thomas & Friends: Trouble on the Tracks
2001 Thomas & Friends: Railway Advetures Thomas, Harold, and Sir Topham Hatt
2002 Thomas & Friends: Building the New Line All characters
2003 Thomas & Friends: Thomas Saves the Day

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Hayward, Anthony (1 June 2020). "Michael Angelis obituary". The Guardian.
  2. ^ a b c "Michael Angelis obituary". The Times. 1 June 2020.
  3. ^ Profile, audiogo.com; accessed 14 August 2014.
  4. ^ "BBC Radio 4 - The Reunion, Boys from the Blackstuff". BBC.
  5. ^ a b c Johnston, Jenny (12 March 2001). "Interview: Helen Worth". The Mirror.
  6. ^ Crawford, Sue (7 March 2010). "Coronation Street's Gail in Jail: Helen Worth on soap's hottest story". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 16 June 2010.
  7. ^ "Michael Angelis Dies: Voice Of 'Thomas The Tank Engine' Was 76". Deadline Hollywood. 31 May 2020.
  8. ^ "Actor Michael Angelis dies aged 76". www.bbc.com. 31 May 2020.
  9. ^ "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square". www.bbc.co.uk.
  10. ^ "Michael Angelis: Thomas The Tank Engine narrator and Auf Wiedersehen, Pet star dies". news.sky.com.
  11. ^ "Boys from the Blackstuff and GBH actor Michael Angelis dies aged 76". sports.yahoo.com. 31 May 2020.
  12. ^ "Liverpool-born actor Michael Angelis on why he was delighted to return home to star in new BBC1 drama Good Cop". www.liverpoolecho.co.uk. 2 May 2013.