Ian McCulloch (actor)
Scottish actor
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ian McCulloch (born 18 November 1939) is a Scottish actor.[1] He is best known for his starring role as Greg Preston in the post-apocalyptic television drama Survivors (1975–77),[2] and for his work in Italian horror cinema.[2]
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- Actor
- screenwriter
Ian McCulloch | |
|---|---|
McCulloch at Nightmare Weekend Richmond in 2023 | |
| Born | 18 November 1939 Glasgow, Scotland |
| Education | University of Oxford |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1967–present |
| Relatives | Andrew McCulloch (brother) |
Early life and education
Born in Glasgow in 1939, McCulloch fulfilled his National Service in the British Army before enrolling at the University of Oxford. He recalled in a 2003 interview, "At University I couldn't get any parts and actually did more opera than acting. I did go to the Edinburgh Fringe in 1960 and then directed a college production of The Government Inspector."[3] Upon graduating, he was offered a contract with the Royal Shakespeare Company.[3]
Career
Theatre
McCulloch made his Royal Shakespeare debut in the 1962 season.[4] He made his West End debut in Richard III in 1964. That same year, he played Captain Macheath in The Beggar's Opera at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre.[4] During the following decades he appeared in various stage productions, including a starring role as Martin Dysart in Equus at the Theatre Royal, Windsor.[4]
Survivors
McCulloch debuted in the second episode, "Genesis", of Survivors and went on to appear regularly throughout the first two series, leaving the show in its third and final series, only appearing in Episodes 2 and 10. He reprised his role in the 2014-17 Big Finish Productions audio drama continuation.[5]
Other film and television roles
Over the years, McCulloch has had supporting roles in studio films like Where Eagles Dare[2] (1968) with Richard Burton[2] and Clint Eastwood,[2] and Cromwell[2] (1970) with Alec Guinness and Richard Harris.[2] In addition, he has appeared in successful independent films, most notably The Ghoul (1975) with Peter Cushing and John Hurt.
McCulloch has also guest starred in many TV series, including: Manhunt (1969); Colditz (1974), as the mysterious Larry Page in "Odd Man In"; Secret Army (1977); Return of the Saint (1978); Hammer House of Horror (1980); The Professionals (1980), episode "Mixed Doubles", in which he played the physical fitness and close quarters combat instructor of Bodie and Doyle; and the Doctor Who serial Warriors of the Deep (1984).[1]
He also starred in the Italian horror films Zombie Flesh Eaters also known as Zombi II (1979) by Lucio Fulci,[1] Zombi Holocaust[2] (1980) by Marino Girolami, and Contamination[2] (1980) by Luigi Cozzi. Zombie Flesh Eaters was originally banned in the United Kingdom as part of the 1980s campaign against "video nasties".[2] McCulloch stated that he did not see the film in its entirety, or on a big screen, until years later.[2]
Personal life
McCulloch's brother Andrew (b. 1945) is a television writer and actor.
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Director | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | It! | Det. Wayne | Herbert J. Leder | |
| 1968 | Where Eagles Dare | German Officer | Brian G. Hutton | |
| 1970 | Cromwell | John Hampden | Ken Hughes | |
| 1971 | I, Monster | Man at Bar | Stephen Weeks | |
| 1974 | Soft Beds, Hard Battles | Col. Braun | Roy Boulting | |
| 1975 | The Ghoul | Geoffrey | Freddie Francis | |
| 1979 | Zombie Flesh Eaters | Peter West | Lucio Fulci | Original Italian title: Zombi 2 |
| 1980 | Zombie Holocaust | Peter Chandler | Marino Girolami | Original Italian title: Zombi Holocaust |
| Contamination | Ian Hubbard | Luigi Cozzi | ||
| 1982 | Moonlighting | Boss Lookalike | Jerzy Skolimowski | |
| 2013 | Behind the Scenes of Total Hell: The Jamie Gunn Chronicles | Charles Leeson | Andy Wilton |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | The Revenue Men | Major Cross | Episode: "Deadly Cargo" |
| Man in a Suitcase | Kemp | Episode: "Sweet Sue" | |
| 1968 | The Flight of the Heron | Ewen Cameron | 2 episodes |
| 1969 | The Borderers | Robin Graham | 5 Episodes |
| 1970 | Manhunt | David Mainwaring | 2 episodes |
| Dr. Finlay's Casebook | Willie / Andie Watson | ||
| Menace | Croxley | Episode: "The Innocent" | |
| 1971 | The Search for the Nile | Capt. James Grant | 3 Episodes |
| 1973 | Crown Court | The Rev. Frank Warrender | Episode: "R v Brewer and Brewer" |
| 1974 | Colditz | Larry Page | Episode: "Odd Man In" |
| The Aweful Mr. Goodall | Henry Mullard | Episode: "Loyalty in My Honor" | |
| Sutherland's Law | Pharic McFee | Episode: "Just a Little Death" | |
| 1975 | The Nearly Man | Peter Richards | 5 episodes |
| 1975–77 | Survivors | Greg Preston | Series 1-3 Also writer; 3 episodes |
| 1977 | Secret Army | Malaud | Episode: "Child's Play" |
| 1978 | Return of the Saint | Inspector Stone | Episode: "The Arrangement" |
| 1979 | Running Blind | Jack Case | 2 episodes |
| 1980 | Hammer House of Horror | Dr. Charles Henderson | Episode: "Witching Time" |
| Lady Killers | John Inglis | Episode: "Miss Madeleine Smith" | |
| The Professionals | Macklin | Episode: "Mixed Doubles" | |
| 1981 | Diamonds | Barry Coleman | 12 episodes |
| 1983–84 | Take The High Road | Derek Conway | 23 episodes |
| 1984 | Doctor Who | Nilson | Serial: "Warriors of the Deep" |
| 1985 | Dempsey and Makepeace | Archie McAllister | Episode: "Given to Acts of Violence" |
| Bergerac | Walt Mitchell | Episode: "Off Shore Trades" | |
| 1988 | Brookside | Morrison | 2 episodes |
| 1989 | Children's Ward | Dr. McKeown | 12 episodes |
| 1990 | Taggart | Donald Gillan / Donald Martin | 2 episodes |
| 1991 | Agatha Christie's Poirot | Jonathan Maltravers | Episode: "The Tragedy at Marsdon Manor" |
| City Lights | Dr. Shepherd | Episode: "The Haunting of Willie Melvin" | |
| 1994 | The Tales of Para Handy | Laird Fergusson | Episode: "Para Handy, Poacher" |
Audio
| Year | Title | Voice role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014–17 | Survivors | Greg Preston | 14 episodes |
