Date of Birth : Feb 29th 1928
Ackland joined the Old Vic, appearing alongside such luminaries as Maggie Smith, Judi Dench and Tom Courtenay. Ackland’s career advanced with parts in The Sicilian, Lethal Weapon 2, The Hunt For Red October and White Mischief. He has since kept busy with work and features in Passion of Mind with Demi Moore and the 2-part TV miniseries Hogfather based on Terry Pratchett’s Discworld novel of the same name.
His stage roles included creating the role of Juan Perón in Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical Evita opposite Elaine Paige. Ackland appears in the Pet Shop Boys’ 1987 film It Couldn’t Happen Here, and in the video for their version of the song Always on My Mind, which was taken from the film. Several years later, he claimed in an interview with the Radio Times that he appeared with the band purely because his grandchildren liked their music.
Ackland, in an 2001 interview with the BBC, admitting to being forced to make “awful films” due to being a workaholic, mentioning by name Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey and the Pet Shop Boys music video, while lambasting former co-star Demi Moore as “not very bright or talented”. In 2007 Ackland narrated and provided the voice for the Robert Garofalo biography /film and documentary on notorious Occultist Aleister Crowley, titled In Search of The Great Beast 666 that was released on DVD.
CAREER
K-19: The Widowmaker ( 2002 )
Surviving Picasso ( 1997 )
Miracle on 34th Street ( 1994 )
Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey ( 1992 )
The Sicilian ( 1987 )
Lady Jane ( 1986 )
The Greek Tycoon ( 1978 )
Katherine of Alexandria ( 1970 )