Background
JAYSTON, Michael was born on October 29, 1935 in Nottingham. Son of Aubrey Jayston and Edna Myfanwy Llewelyn.
JAYSTON, Michael was born on October 29, 1935 in Nottingham. Son of Aubrey Jayston and Edna Myfanwy Llewelyn.
Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
Cromwell 1970, Nicholas and Alexandra 1971, Follow Maine 1972, Bequest to the Nation 1972, Tales That Witness Madness 1973, Craze 1973, The Internecine Project 1974. television appearances include: Power Game, Charles Dickens, Beethoven, Solo—Wilfred Owen, Quiller 1975, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy 1979, Doctor Who 1986, A Bit of a Do 1988, Kipling’s Sussex 1989, About Face 1989. Theatre appearances include: Private Lives 1980, Sound of Music 1981, Way of the World 1984-1985, Beethoven Readings with Medici String Quartet 1989.Jayston played Shakespearean roles on television including Demetrius in A Midsummer Night"s Dream (1968), Gratiano in The Merchant of Venice (1973) and Edmund in King Lear (1975). An early recurring television role was as civil servant Dowling in the final series of boardroom drama The Power Game in 1969. In 1970, he played Henry Ireton in Cromwell.
In 1971, he starred as Tsar Nicholas II of Russia in the film Nicholas and Alexandra, in 1972 he played Sir Henry Royce alongside Robert Powell in the British Broadcasting Corporation Drama series "The Edwardians" episode "Mr.Royce" then in 1973 took the lead role of Mr Rochester in a British Broadcasting Corporation adaptation of Jane Eyre opposite Sorcha Cusack.
He appeared as Gratiano opposite Laurence Olivier as Shylock in the National Theatre"s film The Merchant of Venice (1974). He made two appearances in the anthology series Thriller in 1974 and in 1975 played Quiller, a spy who never used a gun, in the British television series of the same name.
He appeared as Dornford Yates" gentleman hero Jonathan Mansel in the 1977 British Broadcasting Corporation adaptation of She Fell Among Thieves. In 1979, he played Peter Guillam opposite Alec Guinness in the serial Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.
In 1986, Jayston played the role of the Valeyard in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.
In the serial The Ultimate Foe, the Valeyard is revealed to be a manifestation of the Doctor"s dark side. He later reprised the part of the Valeyard in He Jests at Scars.. and Trial of the Valeyard, audio plays in the Big Finish Productions" Doctor Who Unbound and main range series. Jayston played Neville Badger in the 1989 television adaptation of David Nobbs"s comedy of manners A Bit of a Do.
He portrayed James Bond in a radio adaptation of You Only Live Twice in 1990.
In 1991 he appeared as Colonel Mustard in the television series Cluedo and a year later made a guest appearance in the Press Gang episode "UnXpected". Other television appearances include in EastEnders, Coronation Street, Only Fools and Horses, The Darling Buds of May, Tales of the Unexpected, The Bill and the character of Donald De Souza in Emmerdale.
He also appeared in Holby City and Tracy Beaker Returns as Mr Spooner.
Married 1st Lynn Farleigh in 1965 (divorced in 1970). Married 2nd Heather Mary Sneddon (divorced in 1977). Married 3rd Elizabeth Ann Smithson in 1978.
