---
name: "Nicholas Ball"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/nicholas-ball"
fi1m_id: "nicholas-ball"
imdb_id: "nm0050437"
tmdb_id: 26707
wikidata_id: "Q7025012"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "11 April 1946"
died: "6 June 2024"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 4
average_fi1m_score: 76
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 4
updated: "2026-10-04T19:29:41.093323+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Nicholas Ball

## Identity

Nicholas Ball

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/nicholas-ball
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** nicholas-ball
- **IMDb ID:** nm0050437
- **TMDB ID:** 26707
- **Wikidata ID:** Q7025012
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicholas_Ball_(actor), https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7025012, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0050437/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/26707

Actor. Born 11 April 1946 in Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, England. Died 6 June 2024.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 11 April 1946, Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, England
- **Died:** 6 June 2024
- **Active:** 1982–1997
- **Also known as:** John Nicholas Ball
- **Average Fi1m score:** 76, as actor, over 4 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1980s 76 (3), 1990s 78 (1)
- **Score spread:** 2 at 80+, 2 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 0 of 1 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Comedy 3, Mystery 2, Action 1, Drama 1, Horror 1, Sci-Fi & Fantasy 1
- **Screen time:** 2 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $12m across 1 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicholas_Ball_(actor), https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7025012, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0050437/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/26707

## Streaming the US now

- **Apple TV:** [*Lifeforce*](https://film.one/film/lifeforce.md) (65)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Nicholas Ball, also credited as John Nicholas Ball, was an English actor. He was born on 11 April 1946 in Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, and trained at the Bristol Old Vic. He died on 4 June 2024.

Ball was best known for playing the title role of private detective James Hazell in the ITV series *Hazell* (1978–1979). His film roles included Arthur in *Overlord* (1975), Derebridge in *Lifeforce* (1985) and Jack Snr. in *Croupier* (1998). On television he appeared in *The Young Ones* (1982), *Red Dwarf* (1988), *Hustle* (2004) and *Jonathan Creek* (1997), among many others.

He played the gangster Terry Bates in *EastEnders* (2007–2009) and Garry Ryan in *Footballers' Wives* (2005) and its spin-off *Footballers' Wives: Extra Time*. Ball was married to Pamela Stephenson from 1978 to 1984 and later to Ayda Kay.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (4)

- *Jonathan Creek* (1997), Fi1m 78, as Vincent Rees — [page](https://film.one/tv/jonathan-creek.md)
- *Red Dwarf* (1988), Fi1m 80, as Simulant — [page](https://film.one/tv/red-dwarf.md)
- *Lifeforce* (1985), Fi1m 65, as Roger Derebridge — [page](https://film.one/film/lifeforce.md)
- *The Young Ones* (1982), Fi1m 82, as Dr. Jim Morrison — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-young-ones.md)

## Complete filmography (57)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *The Kingdom by the Sea* (2024), as Ray
- *A New Breed of Criminal* (2023), as Charlie Kray
- *Trafficking* (2023), as David Willis
- *The Haunting of Pendle Hill* (2022), as Uncle Alfred
- *Pentagram* (2019), as Mr Halsey
- *Muse* (2019), as Mr. Williams
- *The Krays: Dead Man Walking* (2018), as Harry Webster
- *Doom Room* (2013), as Man
- *Fifteen* (2012), as Mr. Allen
- *Peter* (2011), as Martin Clement
- *Dead Man Running* (2009), as Fight Bookie
- *Sisterhood* (2008), as Jack
- *Mutant Chronicles* (2008), as Plutocrat
- *Norfolk Coast* (2006), as Tucker
- *Footballers' Wives: Extra Time* (2005), series, Actor
- *Hustle* (2004), series, as Frank Rice
- *The Commander* (2003), series, as John Dawson
- *Footballers' Wives* (2002), series, as Garry Ryan
- *The Coral Island* (2000), series, as Pirate Captain
- *Urban Gothic* (2000), series, as Mr Dimes
- *Out of Depth* (2000), as Lenny
- *The Manor* (1999), as Sir Everett Blake
- *Croupier* (1998), as Jack Snr.
- *The Man Who Made Husbands Jealous* (1997), series, as Larry Lockton
- *Jonathan Creek* (1997), series, as Vincent Rees — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/jonathan-creek.md)
- *Pie in the Sky* (1994), series, as DCI Doggett
- *Perfect Gift* (1994), as Sheffield
- *Acapulco H.E.A.T.* (1993), series, as Derek Perkins
- *Heartbeat* (1992), series, as Charlie Fenton, Gregory Flambard
- *Cluedo* (1990), series, as Mr. Hall
- *Colin's Sandwich* (1988), series, as Alan Hunter
- *Red Dwarf* (1988), series, as Simulant — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/tv/red-dwarf.md)
- *Running Out of Luck* (1987), Actor
- *Claudia* (1985), as Howard
- *Lifeforce* (1985), as Roger Derebridge — Fi1m 65, [page](https://film.one/film/lifeforce.md)
- *A.D.* (1985), series, as Römischer Offizier
- *Video Stars* (1983), as Bob
- *Nelly's Version* (1983), as Inspector Leach
- *Spooky* (1983), series, as Danny Roberts
- *The Young Ones* (1982), series, as Dr. Jim Morrison — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-young-ones.md)
- *Bergerac* (1981), series, as Hardaker
- *Sorry* (1981), as Terry
- *Life for Christine* (1980), as Colin
- *Hammer House of Horror* (1980), series, as William
- *Thicker Than Water* (1980), as John Arnott
- *Tales of the Unexpected* (1979), series, as Ken Johnson
- *Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe?* (1978), as Skeffington
- *Hazell* (1978), series, as James Hazell
- *Rogue Male* (1976), as 2nd Seaman
- *The Picture of Dorian Gray* (1976), as James Vane
- *The Crezz* (1976), series, as Colin Pitman
- *Overlord* (1975), as Arthur
- *Ben Spray* (1972), as Geoff
- *Play for Today* (1970), series, as John Arnott, Terry
- *Confession* (1970), series, as Karl
- *ITV Playhouse* (1967), series, as Philip
- *BBC Play of the Month* (1965), series, as James Vane

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/nicholas-ball