David Jeremy Wilkin (6 June 1930 – 19 December 2017) was an English actor, best known for his contributions to the television productions of Gerry Anderson.

Jeremy Wilkin
Wilkin in Doctor Who (1975)
Born
David Jeremy Wilkin

(1930-06-06)6 June 1930
Byfleet, Surrey, England
Died19 December 2017(2017-12-19) (aged 87)
Alma materRoyal Academy of Dramatic Art
OccupationActor
Years active1950–2002
TelevisionThunderbirds
UFO

Born in Byfleet, Surrey, Wilkin emigrated to Toronto, Ontario, Canada after completing his studies at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. He had previously trained as a doctor.[1]

Returning to Britain in the mid-1960s,[1] Wilkin provided the voice of Virgil Tracy for the second series of Thunderbirds following the departure of the character's original voice actor, David Holliday, in 1965.[2] In 1968 he provided the voice of Captain Ochre, the original Captain Black and many supporting characters for Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. He was also a recurring cast member for the live-action series UFO. Other Gerry Anderson credits include Joe 90 and The Secret Service.[3]

Wilkin played one of the leads in the 1965 TV sci-fi series Undermind as Drew Heriot, a personnel manager inadvertently drawn into a sinister plot to control human minds and sow discord in society.[4][5]

Later, Wilkin made a brief uncredited cameo as Captain Forsyth in the 1977 James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me.

In Doctor Who he appeared as Kellman in the 1975 serial Revenge of the Cybermen and as the Federation agent Dev Tarrant in the first episode of Blake's 7, "The Way Back".[6][7] Wilkin's other TV credits include Dixon of Dock Green, Man in a Suitcase, New Scotland Yard, Softly, Softly: Taskforce, The New Avengers, and Reilly, Ace of Spies.[8][9] Wilkin died in December 2017 at the age of 87.[10][11][12]

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
1965 Curse of the Fly Inspector Ronet (credited as Jeremy Wilkins)
1966 Thunderbirds Are Go Virgil Tracy / Space Exploration Center President Voice
1967 The Dirty Dozen Sergeant at Command Post Uncredited
1968 The Strange Affair P.C. Wills
1968 Thunderbird 6 Virgil Tracy / Hogarth Voice
1969 Doppelgänger Trajectory Analyst Uncredited
1970 The Revolutionary
1977 The Spy Who Loved Me Captain Forsyth Uncredited
1979 Meetings with Remarkable Men Artillery Officer
1986 The Climb Albert Bitterling
1986 Hyper Sapien: People from Another Star Hyper Sapien Leader
1994 Beg! Dr. Melplash

References

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  1. ^ a b Bentley, Chris (2001). The Complete Book of Captain Scarlet. London: Carlton Books. p. 27. ISBN 978-1-84222-405-2.
  2. ^ "Why was David Holliday replaced with Jeremy Wilkin as the voice of Virgil Tracy?". tvcentury21.com.
  3. ^ "Jeremy Wilkin joins the guest list!".
  4. ^ "Undermind | Television @ The Digital Fix". television.thedigitalfix.com. Archived from the original on 27 March 2017.
  5. ^ "Onset of Fear (1965)". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 26 March 2017.
  6. ^ "Revenge of the Cybermen Part One (1975)". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 26 March 2017.
  7. ^ "The Way Back (1978)". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 26 March 2017.
  8. ^ "Jeremy Wilkin | Movies and Filmography". AllMovie.
  9. ^ "Jeremy Wilkin". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 26 March 2017.
  10. ^ "Jeremy Wilkin has died – Gerry Anderson News and Information". Gerry Anderson. 29 January 2018.
  11. ^ "Thunderbird's Virgil Tracy actor dies, aged 87". Digital Spy. 30 January 2018.
  12. ^ "Jeremy Wilkin 1930-2017".
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