# Ronald Magill > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Ronald_Magill > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Ronald_Magill.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_Magill > Source revision: 1356876979 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) English actor Ronald Magill Born (1920-04-21)21 April 1920 Hull, England Died 6 September 2007(2007-09-06) (aged 87) London, England Occupation Actor Years active 1961-1995 Partner David Soar (1965–1997; Soar's death) **Ronald Edmund Magill** (21 April 1920 – 6 September 2007) was an [English](/source/England) actor. He is best remembered for playing [Amos Brearly](/source/Amos_Brearly) in the [British](/source/British_television) [soap opera](/source/Soap_opera) *[Emmerdale](/source/Emmerdale)* from the first episode in 1972 to 1991, and appeared again in this role in 1994 and 1995. ## Early life Magill was born in 1920 in [Hull](/source/Kingston_upon_Hull), [East Riding of Yorkshire](/source/East_Riding_of_Yorkshire).[1][2] the child of two teachers. His father died when he was aged nine, and he then grew up in an orphanage in [Birmingham](/source/Birmingham), visiting his mother in Ireland during the holidays.[1][3] After leaving school he became a tyre salesman.[2] During the [Second World War](/source/Second_World_War), Magill served in the [Royal Corps of Signals](/source/Royal_Corps_of_Signals) and was a member of "[Stars in Battledress](/source/Stars_in_Battledress)".[3][2] In Egypt he helped build a theatre where the company staged plays.[1] ## Stage career Following the war, Magill worked with the Arena Theatre Company and [rep](/source/Repertory). In 1961, he spent a year at the [Belgrade Theatre](/source/Belgrade_Theatre) in [Coventry](/source/Coventry).[4] In 1963, he acted at the [Playhouse](/source/Nottingham_Playhouse), [Nottingham](/source/Nottingham), where he was later made artistic director and remained there until 1968.[3][5] Magill directed many productions, and also wrote plays and translated others into [English](/source/English_language).[1] He starred in the [West End](/source/West_End_theatre) production of *[The Ruling Class](/source/The_Ruling_Class_(play))* and appeared at the [Bristol Old Vic](/source/Bristol_Old_Vic) in *[Death of a Salesman](/source/Death_of_a_Salesman)* and *[The Browning Version](/source/The_Browning_Version_(play))*.[1][3] His first television appearances were in 1969, in the programmes *[Special Branch](/source/Special_Branch_(TV_series))* and *[Parkin's Patch](/source/Parkin's_Patch)*, and the following year appeared in the film *[Julius Caesar](/source/Julius_Caesar_(1970_film))*.[1][2] ## *Emmerdale Farm* Ronald Magill joined the cast of *[Emmerdale Farm](/source/Emmerdale)* when the [soap opera](/source/Soap_opera) launched on 16 October 1972. He played [Amos Brearly](/source/Amos_Brearly), a character who co-ran The Woolpack pub with [Henry Wilks](/source/Henry_Wilks), and they became a double act for the next nineteen years.[2] The bushy [sideburns](/source/Sideburns) for which he became known were the result of having come to the audition from playing an [Edwardian](/source/Edwardian_period) in a stage play; he was told they were perfect for the part.[2] After his departure from *Emmerdale*, as it is now titled, in January 1991, Magill had his sideburns shaved off on *[Wogan](/source/Wogan)*. He reappeared as Amos for short-lived appearances in 1992, 1993, 1994 and 1995, the latter when the character accompanied [Annie Sugden](/source/Annie_Sugden) to her son Joe's funeral. The two characters later married off-screen in Spain.[1] His final appearance was on 6 July 1995.[6] ## Later years After landing the part of Amos, he rarely appeared on the stage.[3] Magill's partner of 32 years, David Soar, died in 1997.[3] Ten years later in 2007, Magill died aged 87.[1] Magill had been suffering from [Bell's palsy](/source/Bell's_palsy) in the years leading up to his death. ## Filmography Year Title Role Notes 1970 Julius Caesar Servant to Caesar #2 ## References 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Telegraph_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Telegraph_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Telegraph_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Telegraph_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-Telegraph_1-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-Telegraph_1-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-Telegraph_1-6) [***h***](#cite_ref-Telegraph_1-7) ["Ronald Magill – Obituary"](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/09/08/db0803.xml). *[The Daily Telegraph](/source/The_Daily_Telegraph)*. 8 September 2007.[*[dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot)*] 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Independent_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Independent_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Independent_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Independent_2-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-Independent_2-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-Independent_2-5) Hayward, Anthony (8 September 2007). ["Ronald Magill – Obituary"](https://web.archive.org/web/20071001125100/http://news.independent.co.uk/people/obituaries/article2941922.ece). *[The Independent](/source/The_Independent)*. Archived from [the original](http://news.independent.co.uk/people/obituaries/article2941922.ece) on 1 October 2007. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Times_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Times_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Times_3-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Times_3-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-Times_3-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-Times_3-5) ["Ronald Magill – Obituary"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110523234405/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article2409566.ece). *[The Times](/source/The_Times)*. 8 September 2007. Archived from [the original](http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article2409566.ece) on 23 May 2011. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Guardian_4-0)** Farquhar, Simon (10 September 2007). ["Ronald Magill – Obituary"](https://www.theguardian.com/obituaries/story/0,,2165688,00.html). *[The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian)*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Stage_5-0)** Newley, Patrick (7 September 2007). ["Emmerdale's Amos Brearly dies"](https://web.archive.org/web/20070930165115/http://www.thestage.co.uk/news/newsstory.php/18163/emmerdales-amos-brearly-dies). *[The Stage](/source/The_Stage)*. Archived from [the original](http://www.thestage.co.uk/news/newsstory.php/18163/emmerdales-amos-brearly-dies) on 30 September 2007. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-BBC_6-0)** ["Emmerdale's Amos actor dies at 87"](https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6983016.stm). [BBC News](/source/BBC_News). 7 September 2007. ## External links - [Ronald Magill](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0536083/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier)) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Ronald Magill](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_Magill) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_Magill?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.