Acting
John Hollis
John Hollis was a distinguished English actor known for his diverse roles across film, television, and radio. He gained recognition for his portrayal of Lobot in the iconic 1980 film Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. Hollis also made a memorable appearance as the German porter at the chateau in the classic war film The Dirty Dozen. His talent extended to the Superman franchise, where he played one of the Elders of Krypton in the 1978 film and returned for the 1980 sequel, Superman II.
In the realm of espionage, Hollis took on the role of Ernst Stavro Blofeld in the cold opening of the 1981 James Bond film For Your Eyes Only. Despite his compelling performance, he remained uncredited due to legal disputes surrounding the character's rights. This scene is particularly notable, as it features Bond dramatically disposing of Blofeld, who had attempted to assassinate him.
Hollis's range as an actor also included roles on television, such as Sondergaard in the Doctor Who serial The Mutants and a sensei in the Avengers episode The Cybernauts. His versatility shone through in his work for BBC Radio, where he portrayed characters like Magwitch in Great Expectations and Inspector Lestrade from Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories. Throughout his career, John Hollis left an indelible mark on the performing arts.
