Michael Billington British stage, film and television actor Date of Birth: 24.12.1941 Country: Great Britain

1. Biography of Michael Billington
2. Early Career and Breakthrough
3. Rise to Popularity
4. Later Career and Bond Aspirations
5. Personal Life and Legacy

Biography of Michael Billington

Michael Billington, a British actor of theater, film, and television, was born on December 24, 1941, in Blackburn, Lancashire. After completing school, he initially aspired to become an engineer, but his passion for acting took hold. During his studies, Billington performed in a local amateur drama troupe and eventually decided to pursue a career as a professional actor.

Early Career and Breakthrough

Billington's early performances included musicals, where he danced in corps de ballet, performed in cabaret, and simultaneously honed his acting skills and vocal talents. His experience caught the attention of a West End director who offered him a role in the play "Incident at Vichy" by American playwright Arthur Miller. The budding actor appeared alongside acclaimed theater stars Alec Guinness and Anthony Quayle. Following the success of this breakthrough performance, Billington was invited to play a footballer in the BBC series "United" and offered a position in the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Rise to Popularity

Perhaps Billington's most famous role, which brought him true popularity, was as Colonel Paul Foster in the classic British science fiction series "UFO." Prior to this role, he appeared in another iconic series, "The Prisoner," with Patrick McGoohan in the lead role. Billington portrayed the character of the Woodsman so brilliantly that it caught the attention of Sylvia Anderson, one of the producers of "UFO," and casting director Rose Tobias Shaw, who introduced Billington to the regular cast of the cult series. He appeared in 21 out of 26 episodes.

Later Career and Bond Aspirations

From 1971 to 1974, Billington played the role of sailor Daniel Fogarty in the historical drama "The Onedin Line," set in the late 19th century. In the series "Spearhead," he portrayed the brave Sergeant Jock Jackson of the Wessex Rangers, and in the mini-series "Edward VII" in 1975, he played the last Russian Emperor, Nicholas II. Billington's last significant television work was in the BBC drama film "The Collectors," depicting the daily lives of a fictional division of Her Majesty's Customs and Excise in Dorset. In the early 1990s, he made a guest appearance in the television series "Maigret," portraying a notorious villain.

Billington had aspired to play James Bond since 1969, when George Lazenby left the role. According to producer Albert R. Broccoli, Billington wanted the role more than any other actor and would have been chosen after Sean Connery if it weren't for the appearance of Roger Moore, who played Agent 007 from 1973 to 1985. Billington even appeared in the film "The Spy Who Loved Me," one of the 1977 Bond films, in a small role as Sergei Barsov, who is killed at the beginning of the film.

Personal Life and Legacy

In 1986, Billington played the lead role in the Cold War drama "KGB: The Secret War" in Hollywood. He also made guest appearances on television series such as "Magnum PI," "Philip Marlowe PI," "Hart to Hart," and "Fantasy Island." In the 1990s, Michael Billington taught acting at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in London for several years.

After an eight-year relationship with Barbara Broccoli, the daughter of the Bond franchise producer, Billington married Catherine Kristoff in 1988. She passed away in 1998, and Michael raised their son, Michael Jr., on his own.

Michael Billington passed away from cancer on June 3, 2005, at the age of 63, in Margate, Kent, United Kingdom. Strangely enough, Billington and his "UFO" co-star Ed Bishop died within a week of each other, just days apart.