Lewis Collins
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| Lewis Collins | |
|---|---|
| Born | Lewis Collins 27 May 1946 Birkenhead, Merseyside, England |
| Occupation | actor, singer |
| Years active | 1974 - present |
| Spouse | Michelle Larrett |
| Children | three sons: Oliver, Elliot and Cameron |
Lewis Collins (born 27 May 1946[1] in Bidston, Birkenhead, Merseyside) is an English actor best known for his tough-guy role as Bodie in The Professionals. He was educated at Bidston Primary and Grange School in Birkenhead. He started out as a ladies' hairdresser before playing drums and guitar in pop groups. He had a number of other jobs before deciding to become an actor. Collins trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art then went into Rep at Chesterfield and Glasgow, toured with Prospect Theatre Company and then to London's West End. He also did tours in America and Canada. Stage included City Sugar and The Three Penny Opera.
In 1982 he auditioned for the role of James Bond but his audition was deemed "too aggressive".[2] His best-known role outside The Professionals is that of SAS officer Captain Peter Skellen in the 1982 film Who Dares Wins. He subsequently applied to join the Territorial SAS, a unit open to part time weekend reservists (The regular SAS being only open to serving fulltime British army soldiers and having a far more difficult selection procedure) but was rejected because of his fame, despite passing the entrance tests.[3] His preparation for the film gave him a passion for guns, and in 1981 he was fined £300 after discharging a shotgun in his living room.[4] In 2002, after a tip-off from his estranged father, police searched his house in Chalfont St Peter, discovering machine guns, pistols, shotguns and ammunition.[4] Collins hadn't lived at the house for several years and was not charged over the matter.[4]
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[edit] Personal life
Lewis Collins married school teacher Michelle Larrett in 1992, and the couple have three sons: Oliver, Elliot and Cameron.[3] They now live in Los Angeles.[3] Collins holds a private pilot's licence and his hobbies include parachuting and sports shooting, rifle and pistol. He also holds a black belt in Ju-Jitsu[3] and is trained in karate. He can also play some musical instruments, having played in The Mojos before he became an actor.
[edit] TV roles
- Z-Cars, episode "Waste", 1974 - as Derek Cunningham
- Marked Personal, episodes "1.38" and "1.37", 1974 - as Len Thomas
- Village Hall, episode "Friendly Encounter", 1974 - Jimmy Jackson
- Crown Court, episode "Arson", 1974 - as PC Henry Williams
- Warship, episode "Away Seaboat's Crew", 1974 - L/Sea. Steele
- The Cuckoo Waltz, Granada TV sitcom, 1975-1977 - as Gavin Rumsey
- The New Avengers, Series 2 - episode 5 "Obsession", (with Martin Shaw), 7 October 1977 - as Kilner
- The Professionals, 1977-1981 - as Bodie
- This Is Your Life, 1 episode, 1982 - as himself
- A Night on the Town, 1983 - as George, a photographer
- Robin of Sherwood, episode "The Sheriff Of Nottingham", 1986 - as Phillip Mark
- Carly's Web, 1987 - as Alexander Prescott
- Blue Blood, 1988
- Jack the Ripper, TV Drama, 1988 - as Sergeant George Godley
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents, episode "The Man Who Knew Too Little", 1989 - as Bill Stewart
- Blaues Blut, TV series, 1990 - as Hugh Sinclair (segment "Bounty")
- A Ghost in Monte Carlo, TV Drama, 1990 - as Lord Drayton
- Cluedo, 7 episodes, 1991-1992 - as Col. Mustard
- Tarzán, 2 episodes, 1993-1994 - as Michael Hauser
- The Grimleys, 2 episodes, 1999 - as Digby's Dad[5]
- The Bill, episode 034, 2002 - Dr. Peter Allen[6]
[edit] Film roles
- Must Wear Tights (1976)
- Confessions of a Driving Instructor (1976) - player in Monks Hill Rugger Team
- Who Dares Wins (1982) - as Captain Peter Skellen
- Code Name: Wild Geese (1984) - as Captain Robin Wesley
- Commando Leopard (1985) - as Enrique Carrasco
- Der Commander (1988) - as Major Jack Colby
- 1066 (Feature film to be released in 2011) - as Earl Godwin
[edit] References
- ^ "Happy Birthday Richard Hastilow, 65", The Times, 27 May 2010
- ^ Hill, Valerie (2004) "Lewis Collins", Liverpool Daily Post, 4 June 2004
- ^ a b c d Raymond, Victoria (2007) "Mr. No-Bodie", Sunday Mirror, 29 April 2007
- ^ a b c Saville, James (2002) "BODIE ARMOUR: Huge arms cache found at home of Professionals star", Sunday Mirror, 29 September 2002
- ^ "UK Confidential", The Sun, 15 April 1999
- ^ "Bodie back as TV Oldie", The Sun, 19 July 2002
