Patrick Jordan

British actor (1923–2020)

Margery Gill

(m. 1946; died 2008)

Children2

Albert Patrick Jordan (10 October 1923 – 10 January 2020)^[1]^[2] was a British stage, film and television actor.

Biography

He was born and raised in Harrow, Middlesex, the son of Margaret, a cook, and Albert Jordan, a regimental sergeant major. An accident while playing bows and arrows with his two brothers left him with a distinctive scar on his right cheek. He made his stage debut in a 1946 Old Vic production of Richard II at the New Theatre, which was directed by Ralph Richardson and featured Harry Andrews and Alec Guinness. With Old Vic he went on to perform in other Shakespearean plays, including Coriolanus and The Taming of the Shrew, in the last of which also appeared Renée Asherson. Jordan remained friends with Asherson and Guinness.

Jordan's screen roles included several war films, including The Battle of the River Plate (1956), The Longest Day (1962), The Heroes of Telemark (1965), Play Dirty (1969), and Too Late the Hero (1970). He is perhaps best remembered for his uncredited speaking role as Imperial Officer Cass, an aide to Grand Moff Tarkin (Peter Cushing), in Star Wars (1977), a role secured for him by Guinness, who played Obi-Wan Kenobi. Jordan was offered the choice of either a guaranteed fee for his role, or a small share of the film's royalties. As he was dubious about the film's prospects, he opted for the former, a decision which he later regretted in light of the film's immense success. Jordan's television appearances included Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased), (A Disturbing Case, episode); Minder; Angels; Terry and June; Shine on Harvey Moon; Poirot; Crossroads; and The Bill. He retired in 1995.^[3]^[4]

Personal life

Jordan was married to illustrator Margery Gill from 1946 until her death in 2008. They had two daughters, Tessa and Ros (died 1996). From 1969, he and his wife lived in Alpheton, Suffolk, where he died on 10 January 2020, at the age of 96.^[2] He was survived by his elder daughter, four grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.^[5]

Selected filmography

Stryker of the Yard (1953)
Face the Music (1954) – Policeman #1 (uncredited)
River Beat (1954) – Bert Fisher
Eight O'Clock Walk (1954) - Prison Warden (uncredited)
The Diamond (1954) – First Fox & Hounds Detective (uncredited)
The Embezzler (1954) – Police Sergeant (uncredited)
Companions in Crime (1954)
Stock Car (1955) – Jack
The Gilded Cage (1955) – Sergeant Miller
The Flaw (1955) - Oliveri's Friend at the Club
No Smoking (1955) – Reporter
It's a Great Day (1955) – Policeman
Cloak Without Dagger (1956) – Captain Willis
The Battle of the River Plate (1956) – Signalman, Aft-Conning, HMS Exeter (uncredited)
The Secret Place (1957) – Constable (uncredited)
The Man Upstairs (1958) – Injured Sergeant
The Angry Hills (1959) – Bluey
The Giant Behemoth (1959) – Photo Lab Aide (uncredited)
Sink the Bismarck! (1960) – Agent in Norway (uncredited)
The League of Gentlemen (1960) – Sergeant (uncredited)
Man Detained (1961) – Brand
Emergency (1962) – Jimmy Regan
Rag Doll (1961) – Wills
The Frightened City (1961) – Frankie Farmer
The Longest Day (1962) – As British Soldier, Lt. Richard Todd speaking with Maj. John Howard (uncredited)
The Amorous Prawn (1962) – Sergeant at Guard
In Search of the Castaways (1962) – Ayerton Hijacker Two (uncredited)
Dilemma (1962) – Inspector Murray
The Marked One (1963) – Inspector Mayne
The Informers (1963) – 1st Inspector (uncredited)
The Victors (1963) – Tank Sergeant
Delayed Flight (1964) – Carter
A Place to Go (1964) – Police officer (uncredited)
Joey Boy (1965) – Real Military Policeman (uncredited)
Bunny Lake Is Missing (1965) – Policeman
The Heroes of Telemark (1965) – Henrik
Where the Bullets Fly (1966) – Russian
You Only Live Twice (1967) – Hong Kong Policeman #1 (uncredited)
Gold Is Where You Find It (1968) – Insp. O'Regan
Play Dirty (1969) – Maj. Alan Watkins
The Last Escape (1970) – Maj. Griggs (shot in 1968)
Too Late the Hero (1970) – Sergeant Major
Perfect Friday (1970) – Bank Guard
Man of Violence (1971) – Mentobar Captain
Assault (1971) – Sgt. Milton
The Salzburg Connection (1972) – Richard Bryant
The Slipper and the Rose: The Story of Cinderella (1976) – Prince's Guard
The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976) – Detective
Star Wars (1977) – Imperial Officer Siward Cass (uncredited)
Lifeforce (1985) – Communications Officer (voice, uncredited)

References

^ "Find a will | GOV.UK".
^ ^a ^b "Patrick Jordan, 96". Classic Images (539): 42. May 2020.
^ "Patrick Jordan – Theatricalia". theatricalia.com.
^ Born: 20 October 1923, Harrow, Middx. (20 October 1923). "Patrick Jordan | BFI". Ftvdb.bfi.org.uk. Archived from the original on 19 October 2012. Retrieved 21 December 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^ Weaver, Matthew (10 February 2020). "Patrick Jordan obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 February 2020.