Career Tony Jay

1 career

1.1 south africa
1.2 england
1.3 united states

career

while establishing real estate business in england, jay acted in amateur productions.

south africa

within 3 months of relocating south africa @ age of 33, jay found himself acting in radio dramas. experience led him decide take acting professionally.

jay acted, wrote, , directed radio plays on south african broadcasting corporation s first commercial radio station, springbok radio (1950-85). associated comic series taxi! (1969-1972,1975-1978), in not portrayed new york cabby red kowalski, co-wrote many scripts joe stewardson. other shows in involved included lux radio theatre, playhouse 90, , tuesday theatre. jay adapted, cast, , directed first 6 months of episodes avengers. series, based on seasons 4-6 of 1960s british television series of same name, broadcast on springbok 6 december 1971 28 december 1973. bridge gap between visual orientation of british television series , sound-only perspective of radio, jay created narrator embued irony , scepticism.

jay s voice work led him commercials companies such gunston cigarettes, barclays bank, , bols brandy.

england

after jay s return england in 1973 worked in various television productions. bbc series fall of eagles (1974) portrayed tsar alexander iii of russia, during time met patrick stewart, played vladimir lenin. jay appeared merchant in shakespeare s timon of athens (1981) bbc shakespeare, , in single episodes of popular television programmes such sweeney (1975), professionals (1978) , comedy whoops apocalypse (1982).

during period cast vladimir maximovitch in woody allen s love , death (1975), shot in hungary , france. george lucas met jay playing obi-wan kenobi in planned film working title galactic warfare. despite jay agreeing role, lucas decided cast alec guinness, instead.

on stage had small roles in plays such anton chekhov s 3 sisters (1976) , terence rattigan s deep blue sea (1981). more important roles followed appearance jaggers in great expectations (1984) @ old vic, , shylock in merchant of venice.

jay cast vincent crummles in royal shakespeare company s 8 1/2 hour-long production of life , adventures of nicholas nickleby (1986) @ stratford-upon-avon.

the united states

after tour of england, nicholas nickleby embarked on limited tour of united states, starting performances in los angeles in june 1986, on boston, philadelphia, washington, d.c. , new york city. before left england, told friends d staying if got chance, recalled in 1986 new york times interview.

during run august october 1986 @ broadhurst theatre on broadway, jay s performance described brilliantly played new york times. consequently, nominated 1987 drama desk award outstanding featured actor in play.

jay s acting drew attention of agent arranged him return england united states audition. jay cast in pilot program called circus unsuccessful. on set jay met make-up artist kathy rogers, become second wife. moved united states became resident.

in addition, jay won parts in television series such night court (1991), golden girls (1987), twins (1988), , eerie, indiana (1991). bigger roles included paracelsus on 1987 cbs tv series adaptation of beauty , beast; minister campio on star trek: next generation (1992); , lex luthor s villainous aide-de-camp nigel st. john in lois & clark: new adventures of superman (1992-95).

jay s voice-over work included monsieur d arque, amoral asylum superintendent, in disney s 1991 hit animated film version of beauty , beast. 1994–2001 supplied voice virus megabyte in computer animated television show reboot. according 1 source, jay preferred patrick stewart, derek jacobi, ian mckellen voice of judge claude frollo in disney s 1996 animated film adaptation of hunchback of notre dame, directed gary trousdale , kirk wise, had steered performance in film version of beauty , beast. jay reprised frollo s voice walt disney world s nighttime light , fireworks show fantasmic! 1995 1996 jay voice of alien warlord lord dregg, villain during last 2 seasons of original 1987 teenage mutant ninja turtles animated tv series.

he well-known among fans of 1996–2003 video game series legacy of kain voicing of original mortanius , of elder god, alongside several other minor characters.

in various animated projects jay took on voice of shere khan, actor george sanders had originated 1967 disney animated film jungle book. in 11 episodes spanning 1990–91, jay voiced shere khan disney s animated tv series talespin, jungle book: rhythm , groove videogame (2000), , house of mouse (2001-02). final appearance khan came in 2003 film jungle book 2.

jay devotee of classic broadway , made several recordings , performances of old-time broadway lyrics, in spoken-word form. cd of these readings, speaking of broadway, released in 2005; version recorded in 1996 entitled poets on broadway, website. on jay recites lyrics written likes of noël coward, ira gershwin, , oscar hammerstein, accompanied synthesized music composed.