Michael Pennington

Actor · 1943–2026 · Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England, UK

Biography

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.

Acted in 54

2020s

2020
Raised by Wolves
The Trust (voice) · 1 episode
74

2010s

2013
RSC Live: Richard II
John of Gaunt
The Escape Artist
Judge · 1 episode
74
Endeavour
Professor Donald Bagley · 1 episode
85
Father Brown
Bishop Reynard · 1 episode
78
2011
The Iron Lady
Michael Foot
59

2000s

2009
The Lost World of Communism
TV
2008
Florence Nightingale
Wen
2007
Lewis
Dr. Melville · 1 episode
80
2005
Fragile
Marcus
61
2003
State of Play
Richard Siegler · 1 episode
2002
The Dinosaur Hunters
William Buckland
2001
Dr Terrible's House of Horrible
Priest · 1 episode
Waking the Dead
Prof Alan Macintosh · 2 episodes
77

1990s

1996
Cracker: White Ghost
Commander Gordon Ellison
Dalziel and Pascoe
Hartley Culpepper · 1 episode
72
Silent Witness
Dennis Morgan · 2 episodes
78
1994
Degas and Pissario Fall Out
Degas
1992
Between the Lines
TV · 3 Seasons · Drama
74
1991
Richard II
Richard II
Henry IV: Part 1
Prince Henry of Wales
Henry IV: Part 2
Henry Prince of Wales
Henry V
King Henry V
Henry VI: House of York
Jack Cade
Henry VI: House of Lancaster
Earl of Suffolk
Richard III
Duke of Buckingham

1980s

1989
Summer's Lease
Hugh Pargeter · 4 episodes
1987
The Return of Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes
1986
Theban Plays: Oedipus the King
Oedipus Rex
The Marlowe Inquest
Thomas Kyd
ScreenPlay
Thomas Kyd · 1 episode
1985
Forbidden Passion: The Oscar Wilde Movie
Movie
1984
Freud
Carl Jung · 2 episodes
Playing Shakespeare
TV · 1 Season · Documentary
1983
Cymbeline
Posthumus
Return of the Jedi
Moff Jerjerrod
77
1982
Outside Edge
Bob
1981
A Last Visitor for Mr. Hugh Peter
John Lilburne

1970s

1978
Danton's Death
Saint-Just
Mr. and Ms. Bureaucrat
E1A
1977
BBC2 Play of the Week
E1A · 1 episode
1976
The Witches of Pendle
Minister
1974
Playhouse
John Lilburne · 1 episode
1970
Mad Jack
Movie

1960s

1950s

1959
No Hiding Place
TV · 10 Seasons · Crime · Drama
1956
Armchair Theatre
Adrian, Tom · 1 episode

Appearances9

2020s

2021
Manik da: The Mystique of Pather Panchali
Narrator (voice)

2010s

2015
1945: The Savage Peace
Narrator (voice)
76
2014
Secrets of the Universe: Great Scientists in Their Own Words
Narrator (Voice)

2000s

2004
Empire Warriors
Narrator · 4 episodes
2003
Colosseum - Rome's Arena of Death
Narrator (voice)
2002
Pyramid
Narrator (voice)

1990s

1994
The Last Bolshevik
Self (voice: English version)

1980s

1984
The Mayor of Montemilone
Narrator
Italians
Narrator · 1 episode