Biography
Joss Ackland was an English actor who appeared in more than 130 film, television and radio roles over a career spanning from the 1940s to the 2010s. Born Sidney Edmond Jocelyn Ackland on 29 February 1928 in North Kensington, London, he trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama and made his professional stage debut in 1945. He later joined the Old Vic company.
Ackland became known for supporting roles in films including Lethal Weapon 2 (1989) as Arjen Rudd, The Hunt for Red October (1990) as Ambassador Andrei Lysenko, Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey (1991) as De Nomolos, The Mighty Ducks (1992) as Hans, and K-19: The Widowmaker (2002) as Marshal Zelentsov. He received a BAFTA nomination for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for White Mischief (1987). He was appointed CBE in 2001 and died on 19 November 2023.
