Ian_Yule

Ian Yule

Ian Yule

British-born South African actor and screenwriter (1933–2020)

Ian Yule (1933 — 3 December 2020[1]) was a British born South African actor and soldier. He had a film career that commenced in the late 1960s and lasted to around the early to mid 2000s. Many of the roles he has played are that of a soldier. The films he has appeared in include Killer Force, in 1976, One Way also released in 1976, Golden Rendezvous in 1977, The Wild Geese in 1978, —Safari 3000 in 1982, City of Blood in 1983, and many more. He was also a stuntman in a few films. He also was a screenwriter and wrote some screen plays including Shamwari in which he starred opposite Ken Gampu. He was a well known actor in South Africa.

Quick Facts Born, Died ...

Background

Ian Yule was born in the UK some time before the second world war.[2] During his career he was a member of the British Army's Royal Artillery[citation needed], Parachute Regiment[citation needed] and Special Air Service[citation needed] and served in the Korean War, taking part in the Battle of Inchon[citation needed] and Battle of Chosin Reservoir[citation needed], and later served in the Rhodesian Security Forces and South African Defence Force as well as serving as a mercenary in Mad Mike Hoare's outfit (the film the Wild Geese is based on Hoare's exploits).[3][4] As an actor in the action genre he was recognised for his accomplishments.[5]

Film career

1950s–1960s

Yule's first association with films goes back to the 1950s when he had a role as a stuntman in the 1959 film Ben-Hur.[6] He also did stunt work in The Longest Day which was released in 1962.[7] His early acting roles included playing the part of Andy Wilson in 1967 film Wild Season which was directed by Emil Nofal.[8] In 1968, he had a recurring role as Freddy in the television series Schatzsucher unserer Tage which was directed by Rolf von Sydow.[9][10]

1970s–1980s

He played the part of Trooper Dillon in the David Millin directed Shangani Patrol which was released in 1970.[11] In the 1978 Wild Geese, playing the part of Sgt. Tosh Donaldson, he was part of a cast that included Richard Burton, Roger Moore and Richard Harris.[12][13]

Starring opposite Ken Gampu, he appeared in the 1982 film Shamwari. The film bore a similarity to an earlier film, The Defiant Ones that starred Sidney Poitier and Tony Curtis. Like the characters in that film, there is racial hatred between the two of them. They escape from a chain gang detail. To survive they have to get rid of their hatred for each other.[14] Yule was led to believe that the film was a flop, however John Hume who produced the film was marketing it under a different name and making money from it.[15]

In 1986, he appeared as Bill Smith in the film Jake Speed.[16] He played the part of Max Wharton in the 1988 film, City of Blood.[17]

1990s–2000s

He played the part of Harvey in the 1995 film Cyborg Cop III which was directed by Yossi Wein.[18] In the 1999 film Operation Delta Force 3: Clear Target, he played the part of General Hightower.[19]

Possibly his last film was Platinum [de] which was released in 2004.[20]

Later years

In mid-December 2015, Yule arrived at Heathrow Airport from South Africa, in poor health and destitute. He had a carry bag, his knobkerrie walking sticks and a couple of shirts and underwear. He was met and collected from the airport by a volunteer, who had been moved by his plight and subsequently cared for him for some two months.

After being helped by one organisation, the South African Legion, the SSAFA were instrumental in getting him the care he required for his heart problems and severe arthritis. He was later hospitalised at St Richard's Hospital in Chichester where he died on 3 December 2020.[21]

Filmography

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References

  1. [1]
    "'Larger than life, flamboyant' film star and war hero spent last years of his life in Chichester".
  2. [2]
    South African Legion, UNITED KINGDOM & EUROPE, 14 March 2016 – News, Ian Yule
  3. [3]
    The Last Gladiators: Fiancés of Death, By Michael Walsh – Chapter Eight, Lieutenant-Colonel Mike Hoare
  4. [4]
    "Ian Yule – SA Legion".
  5. [5]
    Hollywood.com – Ian Yule
  6. [6]
    Svenska Filminstitutet – Ben-Hur (1959)
  7. [7]
    BFI – Ian Yule
  8. [8]
    World Filmography: 1967, By Peter Cowie, Derek Elley – Page 483 South Africa
  9. [9]
    IMDb – Ian Yule, Filmography
  10. [10]
    Filmer.cz – Schatzsucher unserer Tage, Seriál
  11. [11]
    Vernon Johns Society – Shangani Patrol (1970)[usurped]
  12. [12]
    Cinema.com – Wild Geese, The (1978) – Cast
  13. [13]
    TV Guide – The Wild Geese
  14. [14]
    Hollywood's Image of the South: A Century of Southern Films, By Katrina Daly Thompson – Page 58
  15. [15]
    Noseweek, Issue No. 55, 1 April 2004 – THE SHOW(DOWN) MUST GO ON
  16. [16]
    Turner Classic Movies – Ian Yule, Filmography
  17. [17]
    TV Guide – City Of Blood
  18. [18]
    Letterboxd – Cyborg Cop III 1995 Directed by Yossi Wein , Cast
  19. [19]
    Rotten Tomatoes – Operation Delta Force 3: Clear Target (1999, Cast
  20. [20]
    CSFD.cz – Der weisse Afrikaner (TV film)
  21. [21]
    South African Legion, United Kingdom & Europe, 14 March 2016 – News, Ian Yule
  22. [22]
    IMDb – Ian Yule, Actor
  23. [23]
    IMDb – Ian Yule, Writer
  24. [24]
    IMDb – Ian Yule, Actor
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