
Michael Pennington
Known for Acting · 73 credits
- Born
- 1943-06-07
- Died
- 2026-05-10
- Place of birth
- Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England, UK
- Also known as
- Michael Vivian Fyfe Pennington
Biography
Michael Vivian Fyfe Pennington (June 7, 1943 - May 10, 2026) was a British director and actor who, together with director Michael Bogdanov, founded the English Shakespeare Company. Although primarily a stage actor, he is best known to wider audiences for his role as Moff Jerjerrod, commanding officer of the Death Star in the film Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi and as Michael Foot in The Iron Lady, opposite Meryl Streep.
Known For
TV Shows (34)

Silent Witness
1996
as Dennis Morgan

Father Brown
2013
as Bishop Reynard

Playhouse
1974
as John Lilburne

The Wednesday Play
1964
as Geoffrey Cromlech

Endeavour
2013
as Professor Donald Bagley

No Hiding Place
1959

BBC Play of the Month
1965
as St Just / Alexei Turbin

Thirty-Minute Theatre
1965
as Martin

Waking the Dead
2001
as Prof Alan Macintosh

Lewis
2007
as Dr. Melville

Theatre 625
1964
as Wulfnoth / Alexander

BBC2 Play of the Week
1977
as E1A

Public Eye
1965
as John Sheldon

ITV Playhouse
1967
as Lancelot Wishart
Drama 61-67
1961
as First youth

Raised by Wolves
2020
as The Trust Voice (voice)

Dalziel and Pascoe
1996
as Hartley Culpepper

ScreenPlay
1986
as Thomas Kyd

Between the Lines
1992

State of Play
2003
as Richard Siegler

Callan
1967

Dr Terrible's House of Horrible
2001
as Priest

The Escape Artist
2013
as Judge

Playing Shakespeare
1984

Armchair Theatre
1956
as Adrian / Tom

Summer's Lease
1989
as Hugh Pargeter
W. Somerset Maugham
1969
as Hans

Freud
1984
as Carl Jung

Dans les secrets des films Star Wars
2022
as Narrator ( Voice)

The Lost World of Communism
2009
The Root of All Evil?
1968
as Clive Pinner
No Exit
1972
as Ian Strawson

Empire Warriors
2004
as Narrator

Italians
1984
as Narrator
Movies (39)

Return of the Jedi
1983
as Moff Jerjerrod

The Iron Lady
2011
as Michael Foot
The Tycoon
1968
as Peter Bell

Richard III
1991
as Duke of Buckingham

Fragile
2005
as Marcus

Cracker: White Ghost
1996
as Commander Gordon Ellison

Henry V
1991
as King Henry V
It's Only Rock 'n' Roll
1977
as Don Harris

The Last Bolshevik
1994
as Self (voice: English version)

RSC Live: Richard II
2013
as John of Gaunt

1945: The Savage Peace
2015
as Narrator (voice)

Henry VI: House of Lancaster
1991
as Earl of Suffolk

Pyramid
2002
as Narrator (voice)

Henry VI: House of York
1991
as Jack Cade

Cymbeline
1983
as Posthumus

Mr and Mrs Bureaucrat
1978
as E1A

The Dinosaur Hunters
2002
as William Buckland

Hamlet
1969
as Laertes

Florence Nightingale
2008
as Wen

The Marlowe Inquest
1986
as Thomas Kyd

The Return of Sherlock Holmes
1987
as Sherlock Holmes
Waving to a Train
1984
as Richard

Theban Plays: Oedipus the King
1986
as Oedipus Rex

Danton's Death
1978
as Saint-Just
The Dolly Scene
1970
as Tom

Degas and Pissario Fall Out
1994
as Degas

Outside Edge
1982
as Bob

Colosseum - Rome's Arena of Death
2003
as Narrator (UK version) (voice)

The Witches of Pendle
1976
as Minister
Airborne: The RAF at 90
2008
as Narrator - (Voice)

Forbidden Passion: The Oscar Wilde Movie
1985

The Mayor of Montemilone
1984
as Narrator

Henry IV: Part 2
1991
as Henry Prince of Wales

Secrets of the Universe: Great Scientists in Their Own Words
2014
as Narrator (Voice)

Henry IV: Part 1
1991
as Prince Henry of Wales

Manik da: The Mystique of Pather Panchali
2021
as Narrator (voice)

Richard II
1991
as Richard II

Mad Jack
1970

A Last Visitor for Mr. Hugh Peter
1981
as John Lilburne
About Michael Pennington
Michael Vivian Fyfe Pennington (June 7, 1943 - May 10, 2026) was a British director and actor who, together with director Michael Bogdanov, founded the English Shakespeare Company. Although primarily a stage actor, he is best known to wider audiences for his role as Moff Jerjerrod, commanding officer of the Death Star in the film Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi and as Michael Foot in The Iron Lady, opposite Meryl Streep. With 73 credits spanning from 1956 to 2022, Michael Pennington has appeared in 39 films and 34 TV shows.
Fans searching for Michael Pennington movies, Michael Pennington filmography, or the latest projects starring Michael Pennington can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Michael Pennington Movies
- Return of the Jedi (1983) — as Moff Jerjerrod
- The Iron Lady (2011) — as Michael Foot
- The Tycoon (1968) — as Peter Bell
- Richard III (1991) — as Duke of Buckingham
- Fragile (2005) — as Marcus
Where to Watch Michael Pennington Films
Most Michael Pennington movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Michael Pennington, check our movies catalogue and browse page.