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John Rhys-Davies (born May 5, 1944) is a Welsh actor. Although he has dozens of films to his credit, Rhys-Davies is probably best known for portraying Professor Maximillian Arturo in the TV series Sliders and for his characters in the two blockbuster film series: Sallah in the Indiana Jones films, and the dwarf Gimli in the Lord of the Rings films (in which he also voiced Treebeard). He also voiced "Man Ray" in the "Spongebob Squarepants" television series.

Background

Rhys-Davies was born in Ammanford, Carmarthenshire, Wales, to Phyllis and Rhys Davies, a mechanical engineer. Davies spent much of his childhood in his mother's home town of Ammanford, although he was also raised in Africa. He was sent to Truro School in Cornwall. He later studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts and the University of East Anglia. He currently lives in the Isle of Man.

On April 30, 2003 Rhys Davies gave an interview to the local newspaper South Wales Guardian, in which he described his upbringing in Ammanford:

My mother Phyllis was born in Coopers near Tycroes and my father Rhys was a local mechanical engineer from the area. I was born in Ammanford but when I was young we moved to Africa and I was educated in a private school in England. My childhood has influenced so much of my career because I have been fortunate enough to have experienced so many cultures. My parents moved back to Ammanford in the 1980s and I returned as often as possible.

Political Views

Rhys-Davies is a member of the UK Conservative Party. As a university student in the 1960s, he was a radical leftist, but he started to change his views when he went to heckle a young local member of parliament, Margaret Thatcher. Rhys-Davies says that "she shot down the first two hecklers in such brilliant fashion that I decided I ought for once to shut up and listen."

In 2004, Rhys-Davies faced harsh criticism because of magazine interview in which he compared the theme of The Lord of the Rings with the current situation of Western Europe, whose culture he described as being diminished by Islam, a comparison seen by critics as racist. His comments were enthusiastically endorsed by the British National Party [1], although Rhys-Davies declared that it was "distressing to find yourself on a BNP leaflet." [2]

He is also a supporter of The Planetary Society.

Career

The actor first gained widespread popularity for his performance as Portuguese captain Rodrigues in the 1980 television miniseries, Shogun, and for his appearances in the Indiana Jones movies. He has since appeared in numerous television shows and miniseries, including a leading role in the television series Sliders as Professor Maximillian Arturo from 1995 to 1997. He also made several appearances on Star Trek: Voyager as a holodeck version of Leonardo da Vinci. He also starred as an ally of James Bond in The Living Daylights and appeared in the movie One Night with the King.

Rhys-Davies has also lent his distinctive deep, gruff voice to many video games and animated television series, including Gargoyles, as the character MacBeth. He appears in the full motion video cut scenes of computer games including Ripper, Dune 2000 and the Wing Commander series. He also lent his vocal talents to the game Quest for Glory IV: Shadows of Darkness, which was released with his narration on a CD ROM version in 1995.

Rumor

In 2004 he was the unknowing subject of an elaborate internet prank that spread false rumors in several mainstream media sources that he was scheduled to play the role of General Grievous in Star Wars Episode III. [3]

Selected filmography

• One Night with the King (2006)
• Chupacabra Terror (a.k.a. Chupacabra: Dark Seas) (2005)
• The Game of Their Lives (2005)
• The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004)
• The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) (dual role)
• The Medallion (2003)
• The Jungle Book 2 (2003) (voice)
• The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) (dual role)
• Sabretooth (2002)
• The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
• Cats Don't Dance (1997) (voice)
• Marquis de Sade (1996)
• Aladdin and the King of Thieves (1996) (voice)
• Glory Daze (1996)
• The Great White Hype (1996)
• Sliders (1995-1997)
• Quest for Glory IV: Shadows of Darkness (1994)
• The High Crusade (1994)
• Cyborg Cop (1993)
• The Lost World (1992)
• Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
• The Living Daylights (1987)
• King Solomon's Mines (1985)
• Sahara (1983)
• Victor/Victoria (1982)
• Ivanhoe (1982)
• Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
• I, Claudius (1976)

External links

• Official website of Wales, article about controversial statements January 18, 2004
• Andrew Leigh, "No Sean Penn". National Review. March 5, 2004.

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