John Sessions
Biography
John Sessions was a British actor and comedian who built his early reputation on improvisation and impressions. Raised in Bedford and St Albans, he studied at RADA in the late 1970s and worked the small venue comedy circuit with improvised fantasy monologues. He was among the regular panelists on the first radio version of Whose Line Is It Anyway? and stayed as its featured panelist when it moved to television. His one-man show Napoleon ran in London's West End during the mid-1980s, and he later conceived and starred in the surreal comedy Stella Street with Phil Cornwell. On screen he played Philostrate in A Midsummer Night's Dream (1999), Salerio in The Merchant of Venice (2004), Mycroft Holmes in Mr. Holmes (2015) and Harold Wilson in Made in Dagenham (2010), and he voiced the Professor in The Adventures of Pinocchio (1996).
67years old at death
- Born Largs
- Died London
- Star sign: CapricornThe sign runs December 22 to January 19
- John Gibb Marshall (birth name)
Movie Career
- Films
- 33
- Career span
- 35 years1984 to 2019
Genres
First and latest
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Early training
Sessions attended RADA in the late 1970s, where Kenneth Branagh was a fellow student, and the two later worked together many times.
About the name
Sessions took his professional name because a John Marshall was already on the Equity register when he became a performer.
A role that slipped away
Sessions tried out in 1994 for the part of the Eighth Doctor in Doctor Who, auditioning for the role in the science fiction series.
A first
John Sessions took on the roles of two British prime ministers on screen: Harold Wilson in Made in Dagenham and Edward Heath in The Iron Lady.
Beyond film
Sessions appeared on the BBC Radio 3 program Private Passions in December 1997, not as himself but as Manfred Sturmer, a 112-year-old Viennese percussionist whose anecdotes fooled some listeners into thinking the hoax was real.
Behind the camera
Sessions conceived the surreal celebrity soap opera Stella Street with fellow impressionist Phil Cornwell, and the two played several parts in each episode.
John Sessions movies on Netflix
Intrigo: Dear Agnesas Pumpermann
Loving Vincent: The Impossible Dreamas Himself
Finding Your Feetas Mike Abbott
Loving Vincentas Pere Tanguy (voice)
Denialas Prof. Richard Evans
Florence Foster Jenkinsas Dr. Hermann
The Rack Packas Ted Lowe
Whisky Galoreas Doctor McLaren
Legendas Lord Boothby
Mr. Holmesas Mycroft Holmes
We're Doomed! The Dad's Army Storyas Arthur Lowe
Pudsey the Dog: The Movieas Thorne
Filthas Toal
Made in Dagenhamas Harold Wilson
Nativity!as Mr. Lore
The Last Stationas Dushan
Interventionas Joe
The Good Shepherdas Valentin Mironov #1/Yuri Modin
Rag Taleas Felix Miles Sty
Five Children and Itas Peasemarsh
Hawkingas Dennis Sciama
The Merchant of Veniceas Salerio
The Lost Princeas Mr. Hansell
High Heels and Low Lifesas Director
A Midsummer Night's Dreamas Philostrate
Cousin Betteas Musical Director
The Adventures of Pinocchioas Schoolmaster
In the Bleak Midwinteras Terry Du Bois (Queen Gertrude)
Princess Carabooas Prince Regent
Freddie As F.R.O.7.as Scotty / Additional voices (voice)
The Pope Must Dieas Dino
Castawayas Man in Pub
The Bountyas John Smith
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
- Loving Vincent2017 Animation, Biography, Crime, Drama, Family, Mysteryas Pere Tanguyvoice
IMDb rating 7.869K votes
Most often with
Michael Hoffman directed two of these films, Mary McGuckian two. Two actors appear in three of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.







Films together
Michael Gambon3 films together, 2001 to 2006
Michael Gambon's page The Good Shepherd2006IMDb rating 6.7Sessions as Valentin Mironov #1/Yuri ModinGambon as Dr. Fredericks
The Lost Prince2003IMDb rating 7.6Sessions as Mr. HansellGambon as Edward VII
High Heels and Low Lifes2001IMDb rating 6.1Sessions as DirectorGambon as Kerrigan
Rupert Graves3 films together, 2005 to 2010
Rupert Graves's page Made in Dagenham2010IMDb rating 7.1Sessions as Harold WilsonGraves as Peter Hopkins
Intervention2007IMDb rating 4.7Sessions as JoeGraves as Mark
Rag Tale2005IMDb rating 3.7Sessions as Felix Miles StyGraves as Eddy Taylor
Jim Broadbent2 films together, 1994 to 2013
Jim Broadbent's page Filth2013IMDb rating 7.0Sessions as ToalBroadbent as Dr. Rossi
Princess Caraboo1994IMDb rating 6.0Sessions as Prince RegentBroadbent as Mr. Worrall
Timothy Spall2 films together, 2016 to 2017
Timothy Spall's page Finding Your Feet2017IMDb rating 6.8Sessions as Mike AbbottSpall as Charlie Glover
Denial2016IMDb rating 6.8Sessions as Prof. Richard EvansSpall as David Irving
Kevin Kline2 films together, 1994 to 1999
Kevin Kline's page A Midsummer Night's Dream1999IMDb rating 6.4Sessions as PhilostrateKline as Nick Bottom
Princess Caraboo1994IMDb rating 6.0Sessions as Prince RegentKline as Frixos
Bob Hoskins2 films together, 1998 to 2010
Bob Hoskins's page Made in Dagenham2010IMDb rating 7.1Sessions as Harold WilsonHoskins as Albert Passingham
Cousin Bette1998IMDb rating 6.2Sessions as Musical DirectorHoskins as Cesar Crevel
Michael HoffmanDirector, 2 films, 1999 to 2009
All films by Michael Hoffman The Last Station2009IMDb rating 6.9Sessions as Dushan
A Midsummer Night's Dream1999IMDb rating 6.4Sessions as Philostrate
Mary McGuckianDirector, 2 films, 2005 to 2007
All films by Mary McGuckian Intervention2007IMDb rating 4.7Sessions as Joe
Rag Tale2005IMDb rating 3.7Sessions as Felix Miles Sty
Also two films together34 more actors
- Eddie IzzardWhisky Galore (2016) and Five Children and It (2004)
- Celia ImrieFinding Your Feet (2017) and In the Bleak Midwinter (1995)
- Miranda RichardsonMade in Dagenham (2010) and The Lost Prince (2003)
- James McAvoyFilth (2013) and The Last Station (2009)
- David HaymanFinding Your Feet (2017) and Rag Tale (2005)
- Nicholas FarrellLegend (2015) and In the Bleak Midwinter (1995)
- Bill PatersonIntervention (2007) and Rag Tale (2005)
- Ian HartIntervention (2007) and Rag Tale (2005)
- Kevin McNallyLegend (2015) and High Heels and Low Lifes (2001)
- Saoirse RonanLoving Vincent: The Impossible Dream (2019) and Loving Vincent (2017)
- Phil DavisMr. Holmes (2015) and The Bounty (1984)
- Allan CordunerFlorence Foster Jenkins (2016) and The Merchant of Venice (2004)
- Chris O'DowdLoving Vincent: The Impossible Dream (2019) and Loving Vincent (2017)
- Bernard HillA Midsummer Night's Dream (1999) and The Bounty (1984)
- Kerry FoxIntervention (2007) and Rag Tale (2005)
- Alex JenningsDenial (2016) and Five Children and It (2004)
- Ron CookThe Merchant of Venice (2004) and The Lost Prince (2003)
- Tara FitzgeraldLegend (2015) and Five Children and It (2004)
- Frances BarberMr. Holmes (2015) and Castaway (1986)
- Phyllis LoganNativity! (2009) and Freddie As F.R.O.7. (1992)
- Douglas BoothLoving Vincent: The Impossible Dream (2019) and Loving Vincent (2017)
- Roger Lloyd PackMade in Dagenham (2010) and Princess Caraboo (1994)
- Eleanor TomlinsonLoving Vincent: The Impossible Dream (2019) and Loving Vincent (2017)
- Phoebe NichollsFinding Your Feet (2017) and Hawking (2004)
- Kevin BishopThe Rack Pack (2016) and We're Doomed! The Dad's Army Story (2015)
- Patrick KennedyMr. Holmes (2015) and The Last Station (2009)
- Philip DavisMr. Holmes (2015) and The Bounty (1984)
- Cal MacAninchIntrigo: Dear Agnes (2019) and Rag Tale (2005)
- Brian PettiferWhisky Galore (2016) and In the Bleak Midwinter (1995)
- Gregor FisherWhisky Galore (2016) and The Merchant of Venice (2004)
- Maggie SteedFlorence Foster Jenkins (2016) and Pudsey the Dog: The Movie (2014)
- Sara StockbridgeIntervention (2007) and Rag Tale (2005)
- Robert GulaczykLoving Vincent: The Impossible Dream (2019) and Loving Vincent (2017)
- Joe StuckeyLoving Vincent: The Impossible Dream (2019) and Loving Vincent (2017)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Box office
What John Sessions's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$401 million
21 of the 33 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 33 films: 21 worldwide figure; 3 us gross only; 4 never in cinemas; 5 figure not found.
- 21Worldwide figure
- 3US gross only
- 4Never in cinemas
- 5Figure not found
Highest grossing
The eight biggest films earned 79% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$100M25.0% of the total
- 2$49M12.2% of the total
- 3$43M10.7% of the total
- 4$42M10.5% of the total
- 5$29M7.3% of the total
- 6$22M5.4% of the total
- 7$16M4.0% of the total
- 8$16M3.9% of the total
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.










