John Sessions obit

John Sessions, actor and comedian, dies aged 67

 

He was not on the list.

Stephen Fry has led the tributes to "lovable and loving" actor and comedian John Sessions, who has died aged 67.

Sessions was best known as a panellist on 1980s and 90s improvisation TV/radio show Whose Line Is It Anyway?, and for Stella Street, Spitting Image and QI.

His acting credits included TV dramas Porterhouse Blue and Victoria, and Kenneth Branagh's 1989 film of Henry V.

Fry described him as "warm, vulnerable, lovable and loving as anyone can be", with "so, so much talent".

The actor, comedian and author wrote on Twitter: "He could make me laugh until I was sick and dizzy with pleasure and exhaustion."

I’m already missing Johnny Sessions dreadfully. As warm, vulnerable, lovable and loving as anyone can be. And so so much talent. He could make me laugh until I was sick and dizzy with pleasure and exhaustion. I can’t bear that he’s gone.
— Stephen Fry (@stephenfry) November 3, 2020

Other comedians also paid tribute. Ronni Ancona described him as "a genius", while Helen Lederer remembered him as "such an original force of clever wit and talent".

Rory Bremner said Sessions was "just the best, he'd blow everyone away on Whose Line with his speed of thought & breadth of reference". He added: "A flash of brilliance just went out."


Devastated by the loss of my great friend and legend Johnny Sessions. He was a genius

— Ronni Ancona (@RonniAncona) November 3, 2020


RIP John Sessions - such an original force of clever wit and talent - the best smile - a port in a storm to all

— Helen Lederer (@HelenLederer) November 3, 2020

Jeez. Another one. John Sessions. Just the best, he’d blow everyone away on Whose Line with his speed of thought & breadth of reference. Utterly absorbed by Hollywood, its characters and stories, brilliant raconteur, genius mimic. A flash of brilliance just went out.

— Rory Bremner (@rorybremner) November 3, 2020

Sanjeev Bhaskar said Sessions was "always warm and fun company and amazing improv ability", while Meera Syal remembered him being "always the funniest and kindest man in the room".

Jack Dee described him as "a delightful, funny, generous and hugely gifted man" and Sally Phillips said he was "unpredictable, dangerous, adorable".

Sessions appeared on the first ever episode of QI, and the team behind the panel show said: "His incredible wit and encyclopaedic knowledge played a huge part in the show's history and everyone at QI is deeply saddened to learn of his passing."

Broadcaster Danny Baker remembered him as "terrific company always and a true talent", and Michael Spicer described him as "a character actor with such extraordinary range and so very, very funny".

His friend Ian Hislop, Private Eye editor, said Sessions was a "very modest man" and would have been flattered by all the attention.

"I was delighted to see him described as a star. He probably thought he wasn't but he was. And he was quite the funniest man, in real life, that you could ever meet," he told the BBC.

The Ayrshire-born star died from a heart condition, his agent said.

 

Filmography 

Film 

Year, Title, Role, Notes  

1982, The Sender, Patient, [5]  

1984, The Bounty, Steward John Smith,  

1986, Whoops Apocalypse, Mr Sweetzer,  

1986, Sky Bandits, Flight,  

1986, Castaway, Man in Pub,  

1989, Henry V, Macmorris,  

1990, Sweet Revenge, John Michaels,  

1991, The Pope Must Die, Dino,  

1992, Freddie as F.R.O.7, Scotty, Voice  

1994, Princess Caraboo, Prince Regent,  

1995, In the Bleak Midwinter, Terry Du Bois (Queen Gertrude),  

1996, The Adventures of Pinocchio, The Professor,  

1997, My Night with Reg, Daniel,  

1998, The Scarlet Tunic, Humphrey Gould,  

1998, Cousin Bette, Musical Director,  

1999, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Philostrate,  

1999, Faeries, Chudley, Voice  

2000, One of the Hollywood Ten, Paul Jarrico,  

2001, The Kingdom of Bones, William Rutherford,  

2001, High Heels and Low Lifes, Director,  

2002, Gangs of New York, Harry Watkins / Lincoln,  

2004, Hawking, Dennis Sciama,  

2004, Stella Street: The Movie, Various characters,  

2004, Lighthouse Hill, Mr. Reynard,  

2004, The Merchant of Venice, Salerio,  

2004, Five Children and It, Peasemarsh,  

2005, Rag Tale, Felix Miles Sty,  

2006, The Good Shepherd, Valentin Mironov No. 1 / Yuri Modin,  

2007, Intervention, Joe,  

2008, Inconceivable, Finbar "Finn" Darrow,  

2009, The Last Station, Dr. Dušan Makovický,  

2009, Nativity, Mr Lore,  

2010, Made in Dagenham, Prime Minister Harold Wilson,  

2010, The Making of Plus One, Derek,  

2011, The Iron Lady, Edward Heath,  

2012, The Domino Effect, Talk Show Host,  

2013, Filth, Bob Toal,  

2014, Pudsey: The Movie, Thorne,  

2014, The Silent Storm, Mr. Smith,  

2015, Mr. Holmes, Mycroft Holmes,  

2015, Legend, Lord Boothby,  

2016, Florence Foster Jenkins, Dr Hermann,  

2016, Denial, Richard J. Evans,  

2017, Finding Your Feet, Mike,  

2017, Loving Vincent, Julien Tanguy, Voice  

 

Television 

Year, Title, Role, Notes  

1984, Danger: Marmalade at Work, Announcer / Scorpion, 2 episodes  

1984, Laugh??? I Nearly Paid My Licence Fee, Various characters, Also writer  

1985, Happy Families, Dean, Episode: "Cassie"  

1985, Tender Is the Night, Young Scot, Episode: "Episode Six"  

1986, Boon, Barney Spitz, Episode: "Box 13"  

1986, Spitting Image, Various characters, Voice, 13 episodes  

1986, Girls on Top, Rodney, Episode: "Who's Ya Uncle Shelley?"  

1986, The Madness Museum, Dr. Arthur Foulis Uwins, TV movie  

1987, Porterhouse Blue, Zipser, 3 episodes  

1988, Menace Unseen, Larry Knight, 3 episodes  

1988-1991, Whose Line Is It Anyway?, Himself, 24 episodes  

1989, Agatha Christie's Poirot, Radio Voice Overs, Voice, Episode: "Four and Twenty Blackbirds"  

1989, A Day in Summer, Croser, TV movie  

1990, One Foot in the Grave, , Voice, Episode: "Dramatic Fever"  

1990, Die Fledermaus, Frosch, TV movie  

1991, The New Statesman, Lord Penistone, Episode: "Let Them Sniff Cake"  

1991, John Sessions' Tall Tales, Various characters, 6 episodes: also writer  

1991, Jute City, McMurdo, 3 episodes  

1992, Life with Eliza, Eliza’s husband, 12 episodes  

1993, Screenplay, James Boswell, Episode: "Boswell & Johnson's Tour of the Western Isles"  

1994, Citizen Locke, John Locke, TV movie  

1994, John Sessions' Likely Stories, Various characters, 6 episodes; also writer  

1994, Nice Day at the Office, Tippit, 6 episodes  

1997, The History of Tom Jones: A Foundling, Henry Fielding, 5 episodes  

1997–2000, Stella Street, Various characters, Also writer and creator  

1998, In the Red, Hercules Fortescue, 3 episodes  

1998, Queen's Park Story, The Owl, TV movie  

2000, Gormenghast, Dr Alfred Prunesquallor, 4 episodes  

2001, Murder Rooms: The Dark Beginnings of Sherlock Holmes, Prof. Rutherford, Episode: "The Kingdom of Bones"  

2001, Randall and Hopkirk, Combe Fishacre, Episode: "O Happy Isle"  

2001–2002, Death Comes to Time, General Tannis, Voice, 5 episodes  

2002, The Inspector Lynley Mysteries, John Corntel, Episode: "Well Schooled in Murder"  

2002, George Eliot: A Scandalous Life, George Henry Lewes, TV movie  

2002, Dalziel and Pascoe, Charlie Penn, 2 episodes  

2002–2005, Judge John Deed, Brian Cantwell, Q.C., 3 episodes  

2003, Midsomer Murders, Barrett Filby, Episode: "Painted in Blood"  

2003, That'll Teach 'Em Series 1, Narrator, 5 episodes  

2003, The Lost Prince, Mr. Hansell, TV movie  

2003–2012, QI, Himself, 10 episodes  

2004, The Legend of the Tamworth Two, Rival Editor, TV movie  

2005, Absolute Power, John Kennedy, Episode: "Spinning America"  

2005, The English Harem, Ridley, Television film  

2006, Low Winter Sun, Professor Barry Lennox, Miniseries  

2006, Agatha Christie's Marple, Cardew Pye, Episode: "The Moving Finger"  

2006, Jackanory, Storyteller, Episode: "Muddle Earth"  

2007, Reichenbach Falls, Professor Bell, TV movie  

2007, New Tricks, Dr Finlay McKenzie, Episode: "Casualty"  

2007, Hotel Babylon, Donovan Credo, Episode: "Episode 8"  

2007, Ronni Ancona & Co, Special Guest, 2 episodes  

2007, Oliver Twist, Mr Sowerberry, 2 episodes  

2009, Margaret, Geoffrey Howe, TV movie  

2009, Breaking the Mould, Edward Mellanby, TV movie  

2010, Lewis, Professor Rufus Strickfaden, Episode: "Falling Darkness"  

2010, Sherlock, Kenny Prince, Episode: "The Great Game"  

2010, Just William, Mr. Wellbecker, Episode: "William Holds the Stage"  

2011, Outnumbered, Vicar, Episode: "The Funeral"  

2011, Rab C. Nesbitt, Chief Inspector Haggerty, Episode: "Broke"  

2011, The Comic Strip Presents..., Tebbit, Episode: "The Hunt for Tony Blair"  

2011, Little Crackers, Dr. Edward Cole, Episode: "Alan Davies' Little Cracker: The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Daytime"  

2011–2012, Skins, Geoff Fitzgerald, 2 episodes  

2012, Dead Boss, Sir Humphreys, Episode: "Episode six"  

2012, Shameless, Father McGinn, Episode: "All Fall Down"  

2013, Mr Selfridge, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Episode: "Episode 7"  

2014, Blandings, Lord Didcot, Episode: "Necessary Rhino"  

2014, Doctor Who, Gus (voice), Episode: "Mummy on the Orient Express"  

2014–2015, Outlander, Arthur Duncan, 2 episodes  

2015, Moone Boy, Dr. Stephen Gnot, Episode: "Unidentified Feckin' Objects"  

2015, Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, John Murray, 2 episodes  

2015, We're Doomed! The Dad's Army Story, Arthur Lowe, TV movie  

2016, Mid Morning Matters with Alan Partridge, The Partridge Playhouse Players, Voice, Episode: "Episode 1"  

2016, Upstart Crow, Lord Inquisitor, Episode: "Love Is Not Love"  

2016, The Rack Pack, Ted Lowe, TV movie  

2016, Friday Night Dinner, Mr. Murray, Episode: "The Carpet Cleaner"  

2017, Father Brown, Reverend Adam Gillespie, Episode: "The Eve of St John"  

2017, The Loch, , ITV drama series