Age: 95 years old.

Born: 1928 - Sidney Edmond Jocelyn Ackland [Joss] Ackland at London's Ladbroke Grove area, Kessington, England.

His birth was registered at Kensington, Greater London, England, UK.

Son of Major Sydney Norman & Ruth (Izod) Ackland.

Dad's occupation: Journalist. (born Dublin, Ireland).

(His father's parents Sidney & Clara, sent him to England to live with an aunt. He later married his aunt's maid, Ruth Izod in 1920 at Marylebone, Middlesex, England).

Mum Ruth was born c1894 in Warwickshire, England.

Joss grew up in Kilburn, in the north of London, England.

On the 18th August 1951 at 23years old Josh married actress Rosemary Jean Kirkcaldy aged 21 at Pitlochry, (Holy Trinity Church), Perthshire, Scotland where they were both members of the Pitlochry Festival Theatre Company. In a wedding photo Rosemary is cuddling her puppy 'Mandy' upon arrival at their hotel Wedding Reception.

Rosemary was born on the 15th January 1929 T Blantyre, Nyasaland (Malawi) South Africa; daughter of Robert Hunter & Phyllis Nyasa (Ryall) Kirkcaldy.

The couple met in London during rehersals for the above Pitlochry Festival Theatre Company.

After a very short honeymoon, they appeared together on-stage in 'Comrade the King'.

They had 7 children.

In 1953 Joss is listed in the British Phone Book as living at London, (25 Marloes Road), W1, England.

His telephone number is 8688.

In 1954 Joss & Rosemary moved to Lilongwe, Malawi, where for about 6 months he managed a tea plantation before moving to Cape Town, South Africa.

In May 1957 he returned alone back to England, UK for a 3 month visit with intentions of returning to South Africa.

Travelling on Ticket No: 7079/01, British passenger no: 301 named as 'Joss Ackland' & occupation stated as 'actor', left the Port of Durban, South Africa on Board the ship 'R.M.S. Pretoria Castle' belonging to the Shipping Line, Union-Castle Mail Steamship Company Ltd.

He arrived at the Port at Southampton, England on the 31st May 1957. Joss was 29.

His contact address in the UK was London, (25 Marloes Road), W1, England.

Later that same year the young family's address was at Wealdstone, (37 The Greenway), Harrrow, England.

In 1963 their house in Barnes, Richmond upon Thames, London caught fire. Rosemary saved their five children but broke her back when jumping from the bedroom window.

She baffled doctors by walking again, followed by having another 2 children when she was told that there would be no possibility of her doing either.

Rosemary was diagnosed with motor neurone disease & after 51years of married life, she sadly passed away on the 25th July 2002 at Torridge, Devon.

Of the many years together they said "were hardly ever apart" - they cherished & enjoyed their 32 grandchildren & 8 great-grandchildren.

ROSEMARY ACKLAND

1929 - 2002

- Who Made Heaven On Earth -

And That Was Just The Rehearsal

Room For ...

(Headstone)

2005-2010: Joss' home address is at Clovelly, (The Old Rectory), Bideford, Devon, EX39 5TA, England.

[Mr Sidney E Ackland.]

~

After attending London's Central School of Speech and Drama, working for a variety of regional Theatre Troupes, at just 17years old Joss Ackland debut on-stage starring in the 1945 production of The Hasty Heart. He thereafter joined London's Old Vic.

The prolific stage and screen actor, has been in more than 100 movies and TV series, including dozens of films spanning over a 6 decade career.

His first appearance on film was uncredited in John Boulting's and Roy Boulting's 1950's Oscar-winning thriller Seven Days to Noon. He made his first credited debut in 1952 in a supporting role in Vernon Sewell's Ghost Ship.

During the 1970's Joss played no fewer than 25 roles including films such as the popular 1973 film The Three Musketeers where he played D'Artagnan's father and in 1974 he played the part of Chief Supt. Wray in The Black Windmill.

In 1974 the ever famous Charles Dickens 1861 novel 'Great Expectations' adapted for TV, Josh played the part the mild, sweet-tempered, Joe Gargery, 'a faithful friend & brother-in-law of Pip' played by Michael York & of the 1978 film Watership down Joss narrated the 'voice' of the Black Rabbit.

Throughout the 1980s and '90s, played parts in the likes of The Mighty Ducks and Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey.

The distinguished actor appeared in films playing important parts such as in the historic movies The Sicilian in 1987 he played Don Masino Croce and in The Hunt for Red October he played Ambassador Andrei Lysenko starring alongside Sean Connery and Alec Baldwin.

For his Supporting Role in White Mischief, he was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actor for portraying Sir Jock Delves Broughton.

He also appeared in 1989's Lethal Weapon 2 as 'antagonist' Arjen 'Aryan' Rudd; (a South African diplomat and corrupt Minister of Affairs for the South African consulate in Los Angeles, known for money laundering and killing black people during the South African Apartheid).

Ackland played writer CS Lewis in the 1985 television movie Shadowlands prior to it being adapted into a stage play starring Nigel Hawthorne and then a theatrical film with Anthony Hopkins in the same role.

In 1988 Joss Ackland appeared in the Pet Shop Boys' film It Couldn't Happen Here and in the video for their version of the song Always on My Mind, which was taken from the film.

Several years later, he said in an interview with the Radio Times that he had appeared with the band purely because his grandchildren liked their music.

Also in a 2001 interview with the BBC he said he appeared in some "awful films" because he was a workaholic.

In 2000 Joss was awarded a CBE for his services to acting.

Following in 2002 playing Marshal Zelentsov in K-19: The Widowmaker, which stars Harrison Ford and Liam Neeson alongside Peter Sarsgaard, Donald Sumpter, Christian Camargo, Michael Gladis and John Shrapnel in supporting roles.

Returning to the TV screen in 2008, Joss played the role of Sir Freddy Butler, a much married baronet, in the ITV1 episode of Midsomer Murders entitled 'Vixens Run' which also featured veteran actress Siân Phillips.

Said of his acting style, "Ackland was part of the blue-chip generation of beautifully spoken, classically trained British performers who lent substance and flair to many movies."

~

Joss' family home is at Clovelly, Torridge, North Devon.

His family said of his acting: "With his distinctive voice and commanding presence, Ackland brought a unique intensity and gravitas to his role."

In the same family statement, Joss was described as a "beloved father" who died "peacefully" while "surrounded by family".

It quoted "He will be remembered as one of Britain's most talented and beloved actors!"

Bio by Linda McKinney.