Gordon Jackson

[stuart.uk]

Though mainly known in America for his supporting roles like Mac in The Great Escape in the UK it's for two tv roles.

in the early 70s Gordon played Butler Hudson in Upstairs Downstairs in a costume drama, set before The Great War and into the 1920s. the series was a massive success on both sides of the pond. though acclaimed fro the role of Hudson, Gordon didn't like him, he was a snob, approving of the upper classes. though not a world wide success Gordon was happier with the role of George Cowley in the action series The Professionals. Cowley was the leader of crack team CI5, an organizion set up, employing Police and ex service men to combat crime in modern day Britain. two of his men were William bodie, played by Lewis Collins (who went on to star in He Who Dares Wins, but failed a screen test for James Bond) and Ray Doyle, played by Martin Shaw (now playing Judge John Deed with Jenny Seagrove). The Professionals didn't make America for the same reasons John Thaw's The Sweeney didn't. it was to violent!

as well as TGE Gordon Jackson made some really good films in his time. he played a secret agent, who falls for fellow agent Simone Signoret in Against The Wind. he was in the Ealing classic Whisky Galore and was a sympathetic officer to his CIC John Mills in Tunes Of Glory

he was the nice school teacher in The Prime Of Miss. Jean Brodie. he also played Mark Lester's father in Run Wild Run Free with Sylvia Syms and John Mills

[knitwit45]

one of his earliest roles was the blind POW in "The Captive Heart".