Michael Pennington

Acting • 1943-06-07 • Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England, UK

Michael Vivian Fyfe Pennington (June 7, 1943 - May 10, 2026) was a British actor and director who, together with director Michael Bogdanov, founded the English Shakespeare Company. Although primarily a stage actor, he is best known to wider audiences for his role as Moff Tiaan Jerjerrod, commanding officer of the Death Star in the film Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi and as Michael Foot in The Iron Lady, opposite Meryl Streep.

Known For

6.5

Fragile

2005

7.9

Return of the Jedi

1983

6.3

The Iron Lady

2011

7.1

RSC Live: Richard II

2013

9.7

Playing Shakespeare

1984

7.2

Summer's Lease

1989

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Filmography

2021
Manik da: The Mystique of Pather PanchaliFilm
Narrator (voice)
★ 6.0
2020
Raised by WolvesTV
The Trust (voice) • 1 episodes
★ 7.5
2015
1945: The Savage PeaceFilm
Narrator (voice)
★ 7.6
2014
Secrets of the Universe: Great Scientists in Their Own WordsFilm
Narrator (Voice)
★ 7.0
2013
Father BrownTV
Bishop Reynard • 1 episodes
★ 7.7
2013
EndeavourTV
Professor Donald Bagley • 1 episodes
★ 8.1
2013
The Escape ArtistTV
Judge • 1 episodes
★ 7.1
2013
RSC Live: Richard IIFilm
John of Gaunt
★ 7.1
2011
The Iron LadyFilm
Michael Foot
★ 6.3
2009
The Lost World of CommunismTV
★ 6.0
2008
Florence NightingaleFilm
Wen
★ 6.0
2008
Airborne: The RAF at 90Film
Narrator - (Voice)
2007
LewisTV
Dr. Melville • 1 episodes
★ 7.6
2005
FragileFilm
Marcus
★ 6.5
2004
Empire WarriorsTV
Narrator • 4 episodes
★ 7.0
2003
State of PlayTV
Richard Siegler • 1 episodes
★ 7.5
2003
Colosseum - Rome's Arena of DeathFilm
Narrator (voice)
★ 7.2
2002
PyramidFilm
Narrator (voice)
★ 7.3
2002
The Dinosaur HuntersFilm
William Buckland
★ 6.5
2001
Waking the DeadTV
Prof Alan Macintosh • 2 episodes
★ 7.2
2001
Dr Terrible's House of HorribleTV
Priest • 1 episodes
★ 7.0
1996
Silent WitnessTV
Dennis Morgan • 2 episodes
★ 7.6
1996
Dalziel and PascoeTV
Hartley Culpepper • 1 episodes
★ 6.4
1996
Cracker: White GhostFilm
Commander Gordon Ellison
★ 7.0
1994
The Last BolshevikFilm
Self (voice: English version)
★ 7.6
1994
Degas and Pissario Fall OutFilm
Degas
★ 8.0
1992
Between the LinesTV
★ 5.5
1991
Henry VFilm
King Henry V
★ 8.0
1991
Richard IIIFilm
Duke of Buckingham
1991
Henry VI: House of LancasterFilm
Earl of Suffolk
1991
Henry VI: House of YorkFilm
Jack Cade
1991
In My DefenceTV
Franz Jagerstatter • 1 episodes
1991
Henry IV: Part 1Film
Prince Henry of Wales
1991
Henry IV: Part 2Film
Henry Prince of Wales
1991
Richard IIFilm
Richard II
1989
Summer's LeaseTV
Hugh Pargeter • 4 episodes
★ 7.2
1987
The Return of Sherlock HolmesFilm
Sherlock Holmes
★ 6.0
1986
ScreenPlayTV
Thomas Kyd • 1 episodes
★ 6.0
1986
Theban Plays: Oedipus the KingFilm
Oedipus Rex
★ 4.5
1986
The Marlowe InquestFilm
Thomas Kyd
★ 1.0
1985
Forbidden Passion: The Oscar Wilde MovieFilm
1984
Playing ShakespeareTV
★ 9.7
1984
FreudTV
Carl Jung • 2 episodes
★ 5.0
1984
The Mayor of MontemiloneFilm
Narrator
★ 5.0
1984
Waving to a TrainFilm
Richard
1984
ItaliansTV
Narrator • 1 episodes
1983
Return of the JediFilm
Moff Jerjerrod
★ 7.9
1983
CymbelineFilm
Posthumus
★ 6.2
1982
Outside EdgeFilm
Bob
★ 8.0
1981
A Last Visitor for Mr. Hugh PeterFilm
John Lilburne
1978
Danton's DeathFilm
Saint-Just
★ 9.0
1978
Mr. and Ms. BureaucratFilm
E1A
1977
BBC2 Play of the WeekTV
E1A • 1 episodes
★ 7.0
1977
It's Only Rock 'n' RollFilm
Don Harris
1976
The Witches of PendleFilm
Minister
★ 5.5
1974
PlayhouseTV
John Lilburne • 1 episodes
★ 7.0
1972
No ExitTV
Ian Strawson • 1 episodes
1970
Mad JackFilm
★ 9.0
1970
The Dolly SceneFilm
Tom
★ 9.0
1969
HamletFilm
Laertes
★ 5.8
1969
W. Somerset MaughamTV
Hans • 1 episodes
1968
The Root of All Evil?TV
Clive Pinner • 1 episodes
1968
The TycoonFilm
Peter Bell
1967
ITV PlayhouseTV
Lancelot Wishart • 1 episodes
★ 7.0
1967
CallanTV
★ 7.2
1965
BBC Play of the MonthTV
St Just • 1 episodes
★ 5.2
1965
BBC Play of the MonthTV
Alexei Turbin • 1 episodes
★ 5.2
1965
Thirty-Minute TheatreTV
Martin • 1 episodes
★ 4.2
1965
Public EyeTV
John Sheldon • 1 episodes
★ 8.3
1964
The Wednesday PlayTV
Geoffrey Cromlech • 1 episodes
★ 5.2
1964
Theatre 625TV
Wulfnoth • 1 episodes
★ 7.2
1964
Theatre 625TV
Alexander • 1 episodes
★ 7.2
1961
Drama 61-67TV
First youth • 1 episodes
1959
No Hiding PlaceTV
★ 4.8
1956
Armchair TheatreTV
Adrian • 1 episodes
★ 6.0
1956
Armchair TheatreTV
Tom • 1 episodes
★ 6.0