Ronald Magill

Magill was born in 1920 in Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire.[1][2] The child of two teachers, his father died when he was aged 9 and he then grew up in an orphanage in Birmingham, visiting his mother in Ireland during the holidays.[1][3] After leaving school he became a tyre salesman.[2] During World War II Magill served in the Royal Corps of Signals and was a member of "Stars in Battledress".[3][2] In Egypt he helped build a theatre where the company staged plays.[1]

Following the war, Magill worked with the Arena Theatre Company and rep. In 1961, he spent a year at the Belgrade Theatre in Coventry.[4] In 1963, he acted at the Playhouse, Nottingham, where he was later made artistic director and remained there until 1968.[3][5] Magill directed many productions, and also wrote plays and translated others into English.[1] He starred in the West End production of The Ruling Class and appeared at the Bristol Old Vic in Death of a Salesman and The Browning Version.[1][3] His first television appearances were in 1969, in the programmes Special Branch and Parkin's Patch, and the following year appeared in the film Julius Caesar.[1][2]

Ronald Magill joined the cast of Emmerdale Farm when the soap opera launched on 16 October 1972. He played Amos Brearly, a character who co-ran The Woolpack with Henry Wilks and they became a double act for the next 19 years.[2] His bushy sideburns, which he known for, were the result of having come to the audition from playing an Edwardian in a stage play and he was told they were perfect for the part.[2] After his departure from Emmerdale, as it is now titled, in January 1991, Magill had his sideburns shaved off on Wogan. He reappeared as Amos for short-lived appearances in 1994 and 1995, the latter when the character accompanied Annie Sugden to her son Joe's funeral. The two characters later married off screen in Spain.[1] His final appearance was on 7 July 1995.[6]

After landing the part of Amos, he rarely appeared on the stage.[3] Magill's partner of 32 years, David Soar, died in 1997.[3] Ten years later in 2007, Ronald Magill died aged 87.[1]

Magill had been suffering from Bell's palsy in the years leading up to his death.

• Ronald Magill at IMDb