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"If my memory serves me well, there was a group of fans on another forum who decided to give me a name after the first movie. There were many contenders but when the votes were tallied there was a winner - Theodore. It seems to fit me well methinks... And I'll challenge and rapscallion who disagrees!"
―Greg Ellis[src]

Greg Ellis (March 21, 1968), born under the name Jonathan Rees, is an English actor and voice artist. His friends and family called him Jonny Rees, though he'd become known as Greg Ellis later in life. He was known for his roles on numerous films, television, and video games.

Ellis had acted in films opposite Oscar winners, been directed by Academy Award winning film directors, and had memorable roles in movies like James Cameron's 1997 film Titanic and J.J. Abrams' 2009 film Star Trek. He had series regular, recurring and guest star roles in many of the best remembered American TV series. A legacy voice-over actor, Ellis has voiced characters for blockbuster movies, classic cartoons, iconic animated TV series, global brand commercials, multiple action figures and toys and is one of the most prolific interactive/video voice over actors in the world having worked on over 120 video game titles.

Greg Ellis portrayed the character known as Lieutenant Theodore Groves, though only credited as either "Officer" or simply "Groves" in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, At World's End and On Stranger Tides. Ellis also contributed to many video games, including Pirates of the Caribbean: The Legend of Jack Sparrow and the At World's End video game. Ellis also later provided additional voices for Disney Infinity.

Biography[]

Early life and career[]

Born at home in Wigan, England, on March 21, 1968, his parents named him Jonathan Rees. His friends and family called him Jonny Rees. Later in life he'd become known as Greg Ellis. His first impromptu performance was at a family wedding in the summer of 1972. When Jonny was four, his family moved to Ainsdale, a small coastal village in North West England.

Following his father to a business meeting in London when he was 14 years old, Ellis found himself in a mall where more than 10,000 kids had lined up to audition for a part in Alan Parker's film musical Bugsy Malone. With the encouragement of his father, Ellis tried out for the part and was chosen for the second lead role of Fat Sam. While performing in the film, Ellis caught the eye of a record-label executive who offered him a record deal. He went on to sign with BMG Germany, recorded four songs back-to-back that went to the top of the European charts, with three hits in the Top 20s, and performed for H.R.H. Queen Elizabeth at Saint Paul's Cathedral.

Upon obtaining his high school diploma, Ellis trekked to London and immediately landed a role in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Starlight Express, directed by Trevor Nunn, then joined the cast of Miss Saigon in the lead role of Chris. He landed a role in the British family sitcom Bread and shortly thereafter was asked by Andrew Lloyd Webber to recreate the lead role of Rusty the Steam Train in the newly revamped version of Starlight Express, and then played the role in Las Vegas. Moving to Los Angeles, Ellis was cast by James Cameron in Titanic. Following Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and Mr. and Mrs. Smith, he was cast by Robert Zemeckis as barbarian warrior Garmund in Beowulf. Ellis also appeared as Chief Engineer Olsen, first chief engineer of the original Starship Enterprise, in J.J. Abrams' 2009 film Star Trek, which also starred Zoe Saldana, who played Anamaria in The Curse of the Black Pearl.

On the small screen, Ellis starred on TNT's series Trust Me, The Riches and Valentine. He also portrayed the villainous Michael Amador opposite Kiefer Sutherland in the third season of 24. On the big screen, in addition to the Pirates of the Caribbean films, Ellis appeared in two other blockbusters, James Cameron's Titanic and Doug Liman's Mr. and Mrs. Smith.

On television, Ellis has appeared in The X-Files, Bones, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, The Closer, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Jake in Progress and Nip/Tuck. Ellis guest-starred on C.S.I. Crime Scene Investigation, executive produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, in the fifth season episode "King Baby". His voice talents have been heard in numerous animated series, including Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, The Mummy, What’s New, Scooby-Doo?, The Boondocks, Ben 10 and Teen Titans and animated features Garfield, Foodfight!, and Batman: Assault on Arkham. He also lent his voice to many video games.

Pirates of the Caribbean[]

Greg Ellis was widely known for his role as Lieutenant Theodore Groves in the Pirates of the Caribbean movie franchise. According to Ellis, as recalled in a post in Keep to the Code forums in January 2008, there was a group of fans on another forum who decided to give his character a name after the first movie. There were many contenders, but when the votes were tallied "Theodore" was the winner, and seemed to fit him well.[2] His full name was reportedly revealed no later than May 2010, prior to On Stranger Tides going into production, by The Hollywood Reporter.[3] Until then, Ellis was credited as "Officer" in The Curse of the Black Pearl and At World's End, with the name "Groves" being credited and uttered onscreen in On Stranger Tides. "Lieutenant Theodore Groves" only appeared in the description of one of Peter Mountain's promotional images[4] as well as the marathon at the El Capitan Theatre.[5]

When brought up of reprising his role of Officer Groves from The Curse of the Black Pearl in At World's End, Ellis stated that his character had undergone a couple of changes. "In the first movie I was a Royal Navy officer. Then I switched allegiances to the East India Trading Company and I'm one of Cutler Beckett's lieutenants. I got a promotion as well from officer to lieutenant, which was nice," explained Ellis, who approved of the direction his character had taken. "It's always fun to play the bad guy. (laughing) Much more fun."[6]

Groves' role was expanded in On Stranger Tides, though according to Ellis, it wasn't always that way:

"I remember I saw a script and I think it was an early draft of the script, but I met a very early demise at the hands of I think it was a mermaid maybe attacking our ship. It went down and I got dragged deep into the water and then just appeared on the beach. Just when you thought Groves was fine, the rope that was tied around my leg snagged and dragged me into the ocean. I thought it's a really cool way, if Groves is going to go, that's a really cool way to do it. It was just that scene really, that scene and maybe one of the earlier scenes, and then after a rewrite, I think the notion was to keep Groves with Barbossa. The King had maybe said to Groves and Gillette (Damian O'Hare), 'Keep an eye on him even though he's working for me, we don't trust him. You go with him the whole way.' That's really what it was, Groves and Gillette traveling with Barbossa to keep an eye him for the king."[7]

While the film was in production in July 2010, Ellis hinted that Groves was promoted to Lieutenant 'Commander'.[8] During a live interview with Kermit the Frog on the red carpet at the Pirates of the Caribbean 4 premier Ellis sang an impromptu rendition of 'Halfway Up The Stair' with the iconic The Muppets.[1]

On May 19, 2011, Greg Ellis was one of the special guest stars that made an appearance at the Pirates Marathon at El Capitan. It was during this event that Ellis revealed that prior to filming the On Stranger Tides in Hawaii, as per the suggestion of Geoffrey Rush (Barbossa), there was a get-together between "old-timers" to relive and watch the first three installments in about two weeks prior to filming the fourth film in Geoffrey's hotel room. Those who gathered with Geoffrey were screenwriter Terry Rossio, Kevin McNally (Joshamee Gibbs), and Ellis himself. Ellis also read messages from his three fellow Pirates veterans during the event.[5]

Other Pirates work[]

With his voice over career, Greg Ellis also provided many voices for the video games for the Pirates franchise as well. Ellis lent his voice in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Legend of Jack Sparrow, in which he voiced Pintel and Ragetti (originally portrayed by Lee Arenberg and Mackenzie Crook respectively), Fat Pirate and Spanish Soldier. He also voiced several "British officers" in the video game adaption of At World's End.

Post-Pirates career[]

In 2014 Ellis founded Monkey Toes Studios as a full service film, television and commercial production company based in Los Angeles. He has developed projects with Andy Garcia, Sharon Stone & Joe Pesci and associate-produced the Iain Softley directed sky television drama The Man starring Hayley Atwell, Stephen Fry, Stellan Skarsgård and Zoe Wanamaker, and wrote, directed and produced the Sky TV special Marked, starring Kiefer Sutherland and Stephen Fry.

In 2018, Greg Ellis turned his hand to writing. He has two published books under the pen name Jonny Rees, a book of poetry called The Knewledge, and a pocket oracle of philosophical quotes entitled NoThing In Between. The third – Titanic Diaries – a compilation of private and personal journals from 27 actors who worked on James Cameron’s epic blockbuster movie Titanic, was set for release in 2019.

Appearances[]

Films[]

Video games[]

Trivia[]

External links[]

Notes and references[]

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