John Rhys-Davies was born May 5, 1944, in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England. Raised in England, Wales and Africa, he is a graduate of the University of East Anglia and The Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts.A character actor with a long background on the stage, television and big screen, Rhys-Davies was first noticed by American audiences in the miniseries "I, Claudius" (1976) and "Shogun" (1980). After playing Sallah in the blockbuster Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), Rhys-Davies became a welcome presence in Hollywood movies. He repeated the role in Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade, then gained a TV following as Professor Arturo in the cult series "Sliders" (1995-97).
Although he was actually taller than his fellow lead actors, camera tricks made Rhys-Davies appear smaller in his role as the dwarf warrior Gimli in the phenomenally successful Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001-03).
Medium RawWhen a power failure shuts down the safeguards at a maximum-security sanitarium, the restless inmates -- led by a criminally insane serial killer known as "the Wolf" -- spring into action and terrorize the civilians inside. Read More
The King MakerPortuguese mercenary Fernando De Gamma (Gary Stretch) sets sail to the Far East to avenge his father's murder, only to be shipwrecked and sold into slavery in Siam. Freed by the beautiful Maria (Cindy Burbridge), he soon finds himself in the service of the king, where court intrigue threatens his... Read More
The Merchant of Venice - BBCWarren Mitchell and Gemma Jones star in Shakespeare's comedy-drama about Portia, a wealthy young woman whose father controls who she'll marry, and Bassanio, who wishes to marry Portia, but can't afford to. Bassanio borrows money from Shylock, but if he can't repay the debt, a "pound of flesh" will... Read More
Higher GroundNow a small-time pilot working in the bucolic wilds of Alaska, ex-FBI agent Jim Clayton (John Denver) gets back into action when his friend turns up murdered and is then unjustly accused of being a smuggler. But as Clayton mounts his crusade to solve the crime and clear his buddy's name, a gang of... Read More
The Lost WorldUnfazed by ridicule from fellow scientists, professor Challenger (John Rhys-Davies) leads an expedition to investigate rumored sightings of prehistoric life still thriving in the unexplored African jungle. He's joined by a thrill-seeking journalist, his archrival and a beautiful adventurer on a... Read More
