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Michael Pennington(1943-2026)

  • Actor
  • Director
  • Additional Crew
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Michael Pennington
Summer's Lease: The Urbino Trail
Play trailer2:00
The Urbino Trail (1989)
7 Videos
6 Photos
Michael Pennington was born on 7 June 1943 in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England, UK. He was an actor and director, known for Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983), The Iron Lady (2011) and Hamlet (1969). He was married to Katharine Barker. He died on 7 May 2026 in Denville Hall, Northwood, Hillingdon, London, England, UK.
BornJune 7, 1943
DiedMay 7, 2026(82)
BornJune 7, 1943
DiedMay 7, 2026(82)
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank

Photos5

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Known for

Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, James Earl Jones, Warwick Davis, David Prowse, Billy Dee Williams, Michael Carter, and Larry Ward in Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)
Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi
8.3
  • Moff Jerjerrod
  • 1983
Meryl Streep in The Iron Lady (2011)
The Iron Lady
6.4
  • Michael Foot - Leader of the Opposition
  • 2011
Marianne Faithfull, Michael Pennington, and Nicol Williamson in Hamlet (1969)
Hamlet
6.9
  • Laertes
  • 1969
The Theban Plays by Sophocles (1986)
The Theban Plays by Sophocles
6.6
TV Series
  • Oedipus Rex

Credits

IMDbPro

Actor

  • Amanda Collin, Abubakar Salim, and Winta McGrath in Raised by Wolves (2020)
    Raised by Wolves
    7.4
    TV Series
    • The Trust (voice)
    • 2022
  • Footprints (2021)
    Footprints
    TV Series
    • Anton Chekhov
    • 2021
  • Old Vic: In Camera - Fanny & Alexander (2018)
    Old Vic: In Camera - Fanny & Alexander
    TV Movie
    • 2018
  • Roger Allam and Shaun Evans in Endeavour (2012)
    Endeavour
    8.6
    TV Series
    • Professor Donald Bagley
    • 2017
  • Sorcha Cusack and Mark Williams in Father Brown (2013)
    Father Brown
    7.8
    TV Series
    • Bishop Reynard
    • 2016
  • David Tennant in Royal Shakespeare Company: Richard II (2013)
    Royal Shakespeare Company: Richard II
    8.3
    TV Movie
    • John of Gaunt
    • 2013
  • David Tennant in The Escape Artist (2013)
    The Escape Artist
    7.5
    TV Mini Series
    • Judge
    • 2013
  • Meryl Streep in The Iron Lady (2011)
    The Iron Lady
    6.4
    • Michael Foot - Leader of the Opposition
    • 2011
  • Amanda Burton, Emilia Fox, Sam Barnard, David Caves, and Genesis Lynea in Silent Witness (1996)
    Silent Witness
    7.9
    TV Series
    • Dennis Morgan
    • Prof. Pavel Vetchy
    • 2002–2010
  • Britain Isn't Working
    7.3
    Short
    • Mayor Bunion
    • 2009
  • Brendan Gleeson in Into the Storm (2009)
    Into the Storm
    7.0
    TV Movie
    • Arthur 'Bomber' Harris
    • 2009
  • Holby City (1999)
    Holby City
    5.8
    TV Series
    • David Powell
    • Walter Noble
    • 2006–2008
  • Florence Nightingale (2008)
    Florence Nightingale
    5.4
    TV Movie
    • Wen
    • 2008
  • Joely Richardson, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Maria Doyle Kennedy, Joss Stone, Tamzin Merchant, Natalie Dormer, and Annabelle Wallis in The Tudors (2007)
    The Tudors
    8.1
    TV Series
    • Abbot
    • 2008
  • Laurence Fox and Kevin Whately in Inspector Lewis (2006)
    Inspector Lewis
    8.2
    TV Series
    • Dr. Melville
    • 2008

Director

  • Footprints (2021)
    Footprints
    TV Series
    • Director
    • 2021
  • Sweet William: My Life with Shakespeare
    • Director
    • 2013

Additional Crew

  • Arena (1975)
    Arena
    7.7
    TV Series
    • narrator
    • 1995

In Memoriam: Stars We Lost in 2026

In Memoriam: Stars We Lost in 2026

We pay tribute to the stars we lost this year, including Dolly Parton and Tim Curry.
See more
Production art
List

Videos7

Summer's Lease: Where The Water Goes
Trailer 1:41
Summer's Lease: Where The Water Goes
Summer's Lease
Trailer 2:00
Summer's Lease
Summer's Lease
Trailer 2:00
Summer's Lease
Summer's Lease: Villa To Let
Trailer 2:00
Summer's Lease: Villa To Let
Summer's Lease: Vol. 2
Trailer 0:47
Summer's Lease: Vol. 2
Summer's Lease: A Battlefield
Trailer 1:46
Summer's Lease: A Battlefield
Summer's Lease: Vol. 1
Trailer 0:42
Summer's Lease: Vol. 1

Personal details

  • Height
    • 6′ 0¾″ (1.85 m)
  • Born
    • June 7, 1943
    • Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England, UK
  • Died
    • May 7, 2026
    • Denville Hall, Northwood, Hillingdon, London, England, UK(undisclosed)
  • Spouse
    • Katharine BarkerOctober 10, 1964 - December 1967 (divorced, 1 child)
  • Children
    • Mark Pennington
  • Parents
      Vivian Maynard Cecil Pennington
  • Other works
    He acted in Yuriy Lyubimov and Yuri Karyakin's stage adaptation of Fyodor Dostoevsky's "Crime and Punishment", at the Lyric Theatre in Hammersmith, London, England with Paola Dionisotti, Nicholas Farrell, Peter Kelly, Bill Paterson, Sheila Reid, Mia Soteriou and Gary Waldhorn in the cast. Yuriy Lyubimov was also the director.

Did you know

  • Trivia
    He and Michael Bogdanov was awarded the 1987 London Critics Circle Theatre Award (Drama Theatre) for the Special Award for "The Henry Trilogy".

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