In 1990, he appeared as a lecherous peer in the BBC comedy Don't Wait Up and in 1991, he played a modest role in the Rumpole of the Bailey episode "Rumpole and the Quacks", portraying Sir Hector MacAuliffe, the head of a medical inquest into the potential sexual misconduct on the part of Dr. Ghulam Rahmat (portrayed by Saeed Jaffrey). It was the role he landed in 1990 as the leading character of Tom Ballard in the sitcom Waiting for God opposite Stephanie Cole's character Diana Trent, as the two rebellious retirement home residents, that made him a household name. The show ran for four years and was a major success. One of my favorites!
In 2001, he guest-starred in the Midsomer Murders episode "Ring Out Your Dead" and also played The Marquis of Auld Reekie in The Way We Live Now. In 2003, he made a cameo appearance as a sadistic naval school teacher in The Lost Prince. In 2005, he starred in the BBC Radio 4 sci-fi comedy Nebulous as Sir Ronald Rolands. In 2008, he appeared as a guest star in Foyle's War.
A great actor! Maybe he's just off in one of his 'alternate' realities.
5 comments:
I hope so, Janet. I, too, was a fan. Characters actors - especially the Brit ones, they're leaving us one by one. They don't make 'em like they used to.
So sad. I really thought he was fabulous! Loved seeing him appear in different shows.
He also was offered the title role of Doctor Who in 1974, when Jon Pertwee left the role, but turned it down. He did however appear in one serial - The Horns of Nimon (1979). In 2005, he starred in the BBC Radio 4 Sci-Fi Comedy Nebulous.
Not only do the Brit character actors go on forever, look at his age, 87. He acted until the end. I know I saw him in many productions. Still have to see Waiting For God.
He's long been a favorite of mine. I hated to hear this. Thank goodness for DVDs where actors live on forever.
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