A History Of Liverpool Thespians - Brian Grellis

 

Brian Grellis was born Brian McGrellis in Liverpool on the 12th of July 1937 and was billed as McGrellis in his first TV acting role as a delivery boy in the 'Edgar Wallace Mysteries' (1963).  A tall Liverpool actor with a distinctive, slightly crumpled face and often unruly hair, he poppped up in quite a few small roles as coppers and servicemen, but making something of a speciality of the befuddled passer-by. You might recall him as the likeable, cricket-loving vegetable pilferer in 'The Good Life' (1976), or as the unfortunate stranger lured to Terry's surprise birthday party in 'Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?' (1973). A stalwart character actor, he appeared in a number of stalwarts of British television such as; 'Minder', 'Softly Softly', 'Bergerac', 'The Gentle Touch', etc. The chances are you've never particularly noticed him, but he's been there all the same and in some middle-brow dramas too, 'Anna Karenina', 'War and Peace' and 'A Tale of Two Cities'. His cult TV tally includes 'Doctor Who' (two stories from the Tom Baker era and one with Peter Davison), plus 'Jason King', 'The Frighteners' and 'Survivors'. He is best known though for his role in the TV series Z-Cars as Det. Sgt. Bowker.

Det.Sgt. Bowker seen here mid-left

Other TV credits include; 'Pathfinders', 'The Regiment', 'The Onedin Line', 'Last of the Summer Wine', 'Survivors', 'Enemy at the Door', 'The Gentle Touch' and 'Threads'. Brian is also known for his role as Phidian, the aide to Sir Hilary Bray in the 1969 James Bond film 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service'. Originally, this part was meant to be much larger, with a long chase scene involving Phidian after being revealed as a mole of the film's villain, but this was scrapped partway through filming of the sequence due to budgetary restrictions, leaving him with just one line of dialogue and less than fifteen seconds of screen time in the finished film. 

RAF Corporal Ernie in 'Battle of Britain'

 

His other film credits included appearances in the forgotten Len Deighton story, 'Only When I Larf' (1968), 'Submarine X-1' (1968), 'Mosquito Squadron' (1968), 'Battle of Britain', (1969), 'Trog' (1970), 'Fear in the Night' (1972) and 'Bite the Bullet' (1975). He used to work as a driver (when resting) delivering Frozen Foods in SW14 in 1973 before giving up acting due to bad arthritis, living on the outskirts of London.

see also :- http://www.thefootballvoice.com/2023/10/a-history-of-liverpool-thespians-tom.html