Editing Robert Powell (section)

==Career==
Powell began acting at school, playing the title role in Shakespeare's ''King Lear''. He also appeared as a teenager in ''The Adventures of Samuel Poppleton'' on BBC Radio Children's Hour from the North of England in Manchester, where he came under the guidance of producer [[Trevor Hill (producer)|Trevor Hill]], as detailed in Hill's autobiography, ''Over the Airwaves''. He secured a post at a repertory theatre in [[Stoke-on-Trent]]. His first film part was in ''[[Robbery (1967 film)|Robbery]]'' (1967), which starred [[Stanley Baker]] and was about the [[Great Train Robbery (1963)|Great Train Robbery]], in which he played the second man or locomotive driver's assistant. He had a small role in the original film version of ''[[The Italian Job]]'' (1969) playing one of the gang, but had to wait a few years for his first success, playing scientist Toby Wren in the [[BBC]]'s [[science fiction]] series ''[[Doomwatch]]'' in 1970.

Having been killed off in ''Doomwatch'' right at the end of Series One in a bomb explosion, at his request, Powell became a pin-up and a household name, following up with starring roles in several BBC serials, including television adaptations of the novels ''[[Sentimental Education]]'' (1970) and ''[[Jude the Obscure (TV serial, 1971)|Jude the Obscure]]'' (1971). In 1972–1973 he portrayed [[Charles Rolls]] in the miniseries ''[[The Edwardians (miniseries)|The Edwardians]]''.<ref>{{cite work |title=Trevor Griffiths: Politics, Drama, History |page=105 |author=Stanton B. Garner |year=1999 |publisher=[[University of Michigan Press]]}}</ref> He starred in 1973 in the first episode of the British series ''[[Thriller (British TV series)|Thriller]]''. He also appeared in the 1975 series ''[[Looking for Clancy]]'', based on the [[Frederic Mullally]] novel ''Clancy''.

For several years Powell continued as a television regular, with occasional forays into film, as the Austrian composer [[Gustav Mahler]] in the [[Ken Russell]] [[biopic]] ''[[Mahler (film)|Mahler]]'' (1974) and Captain Walker in Russell's film version of ''[[Tommy (1975 film)|Tommy]]'' (1975). His role in ''Tommy'' had few lines, speaking only during the overture with [[Ann-Margret]], he is primarily seen through the mind of his son as played by Barry Winch (Young Tommy) and [[Roger Daltrey]].

Powell then played [[Jesus of Nazareth]] in ''[[Jesus of Nazareth (miniseries)|Jesus of Nazareth]]'' (1977) following a successful second audition with [[Franco Zeffirelli]]. The four-part television film had an all-star cast, including [[Laurence Olivier]] as [[Nicodemus]], [[Ernest Borgnine]] as the Roman [[Centurion]], [[Stacy Keach]] as [[Barabbas]], [[Christopher Plummer]] as [[Herod Antipas]], [[Michael York]] as [[John the Baptist]], [[Ian McShane]] as [[Judas Iscariot]], [[Rod Steiger]] as [[Pontius Pilate]] and [[James Mason]] as [[Joseph of Arimathea]]. For this role, Powell was nominated for a [[BAFTA]] award, and collected the ''[[TVTimes]]'' Best Actor award for the same performance. His completist performance is frequently considered one of the best portrayals of Christ.<ref>{{cite web |first=Massimo |last=Bulgarelli |url=https://www.noidegli8090.com/robert-powell-e-la-sua-condanna-per-aver-interpretato-gesu-di-zeffirelli/ |title=Robert Powell e la sua condanna per aver intepretato "Gesù" di Zeffireli |date=12 April 2020 |language=it |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210529074934/https://www.noidegli8090.com/robert-powell-e-la-sua-condanna-per-aver-interpretato-gesu-di-zeffirelli/ |archive-date=29 May 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1978, Powell took the leading role of [[Richard Hannay]] in the third film version of ''[[The Thirty Nine Steps (1978 film)|The Thirty Nine Steps]]''. It met with modest success, and critics compared Powell's portrayal of [[John Buchan]]'s character favourably with those of his predecessors. His characterisation proved to be enduring, for almost ten years later a television series titled simply ''[[Hannay (TV series)|Hannay]]'' appeared, with Powell back in the role (although the Buchan short stories on which the series was based were set in an earlier period than ''[[The Thirty-Nine Steps]]''). ''Hannay'' ran for two seasons.

In 1980, Powell appeared in the film ''[[Harlequin (film)|Harlequin]]'' playing the Harlequin of the title, who seems to have the power to cure the son of a powerful politician. For this performance he won the Best Actor Award at the Paris Film Festival. In 1982, he won Best Actor at the [[Venice Film Festival]] for his role in ''Imperativ''.

In 1984, Powell made his U.S. film debut in ''[[What Waits Below]]'' (also known as ''Secrets of the Phantom Caverns'').<ref>{{cite news |work=Los Angeles Times |title=Man who played 'Jesus' to make U.S. film debut |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/686431342.html?dids=686431342:686431342&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Oct+27%2C+1983&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=MAN+WHO+PLAYED+%27JESUS%27+TO+MAKE+U.S.+FILM+DEBUT&pqatl=google |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130131190248/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/686431342.html?dids=686431342:686431342&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Oct+27,+1983&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=MAN+WHO+PLAYED+'JESUS'+TO+MAKE+U.S.+FILM+DEBUT&pqatl=google |url-status=dead |archive-date=31 January 2013 |date=27 October 1983 |access-date=12 September 2009 |page=E1 |quote=Six years after making his initial impact on American audiences as the star of Franco Zeffirelli's 1977 television film "Jesus of Nazareth", British actor Robert Powell has just finished his first American-made film. |first=Roderick |last=Mann}}</ref>

In 1986, Powell narrated and co-starred in William C. Faure's miniseries ''[[Shaka Zulu]]'', with [[Henry Cele]] in the title role. In 1992, he starred in the [[New Zealand]] [[First World War]] film ''[[Chunuk Bair (film)|Chunuk Bair]]'', as Sgt. Maj. Frank Smith. In 1993–95, he was the voice actor of Dr Livesey in ''[[The Legends of Treasure Island]]''.

Powell then agreed to a request from his friend and golf partner, comedian [[Jasper Carrott]], taking the part of an incompetent detective in a succession of sketches that formed part of Carrott's television series. ''[[The Detectives (1993 TV series)|The Detectives]]'' proved to be popular and was later turned into a [[sitcom]], Powell's first and only venture into that genre.

Powell's distinctive voice is frequently heard on [[voice-overs]] and as a narrator of television programmes such as ''[[Great Crimes and Trials]]'', ''[[The Century of Warfare]]'' and ''[[World War II in HD Colour]]''. He read the novel ''[[Love in the Time of Cholera]]'' by [[Gabriel García Márquez]] for [[BBC Radio 4]]'s ''[[Book at Bedtime]]'', and has also narrated many audio books, including ''The Thirty Nine Steps'', abridged versions of many of [[Alan Garner]]'s books, and several abridged novels for The Talking Classics Collection. Powell has also lent his voice to musical works, such as [[David Bedford]]'s album ''The Rime of the Ancient Mariner'',<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/1388807/a/Rime+Of+The+Ancient+Mariner.htm |title=The Rime of the Ancient Mariner at CD Universe}}</ref> or the 2002 [[rock opera]] ''The Hound of the Baskervilles'', by [[Clive Nolan]] and [[Oliver Wakeman]], in which he played the role of [[Doctor Watson|John Watson]]. He also narrated on two rock albums by [[Rick Wakeman]] called ''[[Cost of Living (Rick Wakeman album)|Cost of Living]]'' and ''The Gospels'' (1987).

On 29 October 2001, a state-of-the-art theatre named after him was opened at the [[University of Salford]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.salford.ac.uk/news/details/53 |title=What a performance! |publisher=University of Salford News |date=30 October 2001 |last=Quilliam |first=Wendy |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060127002651/http://www.salford.ac.uk/news/details/53 |archive-date=27 January 2006 |df=dmy-all}}</ref> He became a patron of [[24:7 Theatre Festival]] in 2004, and continues to operate in this capacity. In early 2005 he became a regular in the UK TV medical drama, ''[[Holby City]]'', where he remained for six years before departing to return to theatre.<ref>{{cite interview |last1=Powell |first1=Robert |interviewer1=Steve Wright |interviewer1-link=Steve Wright (DJ) |interviewer2=Tim Smith |interviewer2-link=Tim Smith (DJ) |interviewer3=Janey Lee Grace |interviewer3-link=Janey Lee Grace |title=Steve Wright in the Afternoon: with Holby City actor Robert Powell and travel expert Paul Evans |type=Radio interview |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/b00xh5pj/Steve_Wright_in_the_Afternoon_with_Holby_City_actor_Robert_Powell_and_travel_expert_Paul_Evans |format=audio |work=[[Steve Wright in the Afternoon]] |publisher=[[BBC Radio 2]] |date=25 January 2011 |access-date=27 January 2011 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120718231116/http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/b00xh5pj/Steve_Wright_in_the_Afternoon_with_Holby_City_actor_Robert_Powell_and_travel_expert_Paul_Evans |archive-date=18 July 2012 |quote=I've been there for six years, and that was five years longer than I ever anticipated staying, and it just struck me that it was probably time to move on and go back to [my] roots. |url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2005, Powell began appearing in the BBC soap opera ''Holby City'' as a hospital administrator. He said that regular employment in the series helped him make up financial losses caused by the failure of the pension fund he held with [[The Equitable Life Assurance Society]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/fame-fortune/robert-powell-holby-city-salary-allowed-rebuild-pension-lost/ |title=Robert Powell: 'My Holby City salary allowed me to rebuild the pension I lost with Equitable Life' |date=17 June 2018 |author=Roz Lewis |work=The Telegraph |access-date=26 November 2019}}</ref> On 9 February 2008, he performed as narrator in [[Prokofiev]]'s ''[[Peter and the Wolf]]'' with the [[Huddersfield Philharmonic Orchestra]] with conductor [[Natalia Luis-Bassa]] in the [[North of England]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.examiner.co.uk/leisure-and-entertainment/arts-news/2008/01/18/classic-tale-for-actor-of-many-parts-86081-20364031/ |title=Classic tale for actor of many parts|work=Huddersfield Daily Examiner |date=18 January 2008 |last=Baldwin |first=Andrew}}</ref> In 2008–09, Powell was series announcer (19 episodes) on BBC4's ''[[The Book Quiz]]''.

In September 2015, Powell starred as the [[Charles III|title role]] in the [[Almeida Theatre]] production of [[Mike Bartlett (playwright)|Mike Bartlett]]'s future history play [[King Charles III (play)|''King Charles III'']] which opened at the [[Birmingham Repertory Theatre]] before touring the UK, followed by a season at the [[Sydney Theatre Company]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Theatre news: Regal role for Robert Powell in Birmingham |url=https://www.britishtheatreguide.info/news/regal-role-for-robert-powell-i-4829 |access-date=2025-05-11 |website=British Theatre Guide |language=en-GB}}</ref>

On Easter Sunday 1 April 2018, Powell appeared in a Smithsonian Channel Documentary Series based on his portrayal of the [[Franco Zeffirelli]] mini-series Jesus of Nazareth titled, ''The Real Jesus of Nazareth'', narrated by [[Judd Hirsch]]. Based in Israel, it covered the life of Jesus juxtaposed with segments of the television series in which Powell starred in 1977.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.history.co.uk/shows/robert-powell-the-real-jesus-of-nazareth/articles/speaking-for-jesus-an-interview-with-robert|title=Speaking for Jesus, an interview with Robert Powell|website=History UK|access-date=26 November 2019}}</ref> The characters who appeared in the series are also discussed and their historical significance uncovered. The series covered 4 segments, each one hour in length dealing with historical elements of the story along with Powell interviewing biblical historians such as Helen Bond and Candida Moss. The 1977 series starring Powell differed in at least two scenes from the Gospel's historical account: in the film, the Virgin Mary is shown without the angel of the [[Annunciation]] and Jesus carries only the horizontal branch of the Holy Cross to [[Calvary]].<ref>{{cite web|first1=Mario Ciro |last1=Ciavarella Aurelio|url=https://www.sanmarcoinlamis.eu/2019/04/una-foto-una-storia-il-gesu-che-non-cera/|title=Una foto, una storia: il Gesù che non c'era|date=1 April 2019}}</ref>