The highly respected film, stage and television actor John Neville has died at the age of 86. Neville was best known to film fans for his role as the eponymous star of Terry Gilliam fantasy epic The Adventures Of Baron Munchausen. He also made repeated appearances in The X-Files.
Born in England, Neville began his career on the London stage and enjoyed film roles in Oscar Wilde and Billy Budd before moving to Canada to become artistic director at the Citadel Theatre in Edmonton. After a long period working in television he was rediscovered by Gilliam and, though the film itself was not a success, his performance won him critical attention and ongoing film work for the next two decades, including a pivotal role in David Cronenberg's Spider.
Despite a struggle with Alzheimer's disease, Neville continued working right up until last year, winning the respect and admiration of his peers. He is survived by his wife Caroline Hopper, their six children and six grandchildren.
