Actor Marcus Gilbert had a screen acting career that stretched from 1983 to 2015, during which time he racked up around thirty credits, including a villainous role in Rambo III, appearances in multiple episodes of Doctor Who, a starring role in the TV movie adaptation of the Jilly Cooper “bonkbuster” Riders, and – this is the one many of us will best remember him for – the role of Arthur in the Sam Raimi horror comedy classic Army of Darkness. Sadly, the Marcus Gilbert Fansite reports that Gilbert passed away at the age of 67 on January 11th, following a three-year battle with throat cancer.
Born on July 29, 1958, Gilbert graduated from the Mountview Theatre School in 1981 and became a founding member of the original Odyssey Theatre Company, which toured London schools with productions of contemporary classics. He also worked in the Dundee Repertory Theatre and the Library Theatre, Manchester.
He made his screen acting debut in the 1983 TV movie The Weather in the Streets. Other credits, in addition to the ones mentioned above, include many TV movies, TV shows, and mini-series: Diana, Master of the Game, Mr. Palfrey of Westminster, Fox Mystery Theater, Robin of Sherwood, Sherlock Holmes and the Masks of Death, Connie, The Pyrates, A Hazard of Hearts, Uncle Silas (a.k.a. Dark Angel), Chameleons, A Ghost in Monte Carlo, Blood Royal: William the Conqueror, Hunter, Perfect Scoundrels, Woman of the Wolf, The Lazarus Man, The Big Easy, Jonathan Creek, Doctors, and Murder, She Wrote. Additional movie credits include Meet Pursuit Delange: The Movie, Freebird, Legacy, and Biggles: Adventures in Time. He also reprised the role of Arthur from Army of Darkness in Evil Dead: The Game.
He also ran his own film production company, Touch the Sky Productions, and is known to have appeared in over 50 commercials. One of those commercials, which was for Lee Jeans, won the best cinema commercial award in 1986. In the late ’80s, Gilbert auditioned to play James Bond in The Living Daylights, but lost out to Timothy Dalton.
Gilbert was married to Homaa Khan-Gilbert from 1992 until her death from pancreatic cancer in 2020. Around that same time, Gilbert was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, a diagnosis that inspired him to reach out to his A Ghost In Monte Carlo co-star Lysette Anthony, who also has the disease. They had been in a relationship since 2023. Gilbert is survived by Anthony and his two children from his marriage to Homaa Khan-Gilbert, son Maxi and daughter Aaliya.
Our sincere condolences go out to Marcus Gilbert’s family, friends, and fans.
The comment section exists to allow readers to discuss the article constructively and respectfully, focused on the topic at hand.
What’s Not Allowed