James Michael Lyle Villiers (September 29, 1933 - January 18, 1998) was a British character actor and a familiar face on British television.
Born in London and educated at Wellington College and RADA, Villiers (pronounced [vilers]) was from an upper-class background, related to the Earl of Clarendon, and this was often reflected in the type of roles he played, such as King Charles II in the BBC series, The First Churchills.
He made his film debut in 1958, and appeared in many British films over the years, including Joseph Andrews (1977), For Your Eyes Only (1981), The Scarlet Pimpernel (1982), Mountains of the Moon (1990), and The Tichborne Claimant (1998).
He played the role of Colonel Hensman in the children's television drama 'Brendon Chase'.
He was heard on BBC Radio as the voice of Roderick Spode in The Code of the Woosters.
He died in Arundel, Sussex, of cancer.
Descendant of the Earls of Clarendon.
