The Sweeney - Minder crossovers
Actors who appeared in both hit dramas. For Minder just the episodes Dennis Waterman's Terry McCann features in
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Dennis Waterman was born on 24 February 1948 in Clapham, London, England, UK. He was an actor, known for New Tricks (2003), Sweeney 2 (1978) and Minder (1979). He was married to Pam Flint, Rula Lenska, Patricia Maynard and Penny Dixon. He died on 8 May 2022 in Spain.The Sweeney - starring role as Detective George Carter
Minder - starring role as Terry McCann- Actor
- Soundtrack
George Cole OBE was a veteran British film, television and stage actor whose impressive career spanned over 60 years. For many, he will perhaps be best remembered for playing one of the most endearing characters of recent times on British television, "Arthur Daley", the shifty but very likable "business man" in the hit ITV drama series, Minder (1979).
However, Cole had long been a household name well before "Minder" aired on television. His successful film career began in the 1940s, appearing with Alastair Sim and Sir John Mills in the film Bombsight Stolen (1941). Further success came throughout the 1950s and 1960s, where he played the part of "Flash Harry" in the popular "St Trinians" films, alongside his close friend and mentor, Alastair Sim. By 1963, Hollywood had recognized the talents of Cole and he was cast in the iconic film, Cleopatra (1963), starring Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton and Rex Harrison. During the 1970s, George continued to star in films and television programmes, becoming a regular and sought after actor. It is interesting to note that, in 1971, he appeared with Dennis Waterman (who would later become his Minder (1979) co-star) in the horror film, Fright (1971). In 1979, Cole was cast as the hapless "Arthur Daley", a self-professed entrepreneur in the ITV drama Minder (1979), a role he played until 1994. The role showcased Cole's acting prowess and brought him to the attention of a younger audience.
As well as starring in Minder (1979), George continued with other projects in film and television, including Root Into Europe (1992), An Independent Man (1995), Mary Reilly (1996), Dad (1997), Station Jim (2001), Bodily Harm (2002) and, alongside his good friend Dennis Waterman, in the BBC hit drama, New Tricks (2003). He also starred in several stage productions. It is hoped that Cole will not be be remembered simply for portraying "Arthur Daley", but instead for being one of Britain's most enduring actors, one of only a handful of actors who can claim to have had a 60-year career and for being an extremely likable, charismatic man.The Sweeney - Tomorrow Man (guest role)
Minder - starring role as Arthur Daley- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Eloquent, incisive, consistently compelling Berkshire-born character actor, equally at home portraying paternal benevolence or nefarious villainy. Patrick Malahide's birth name is Patrick Gerald Duggan and he has written screenplays as P.G. Duggan: to date the BBC thriller The Writing on the Wall (1996) and the Screen Two (1985) episode 'Reasonable Force'. He also owns and operates the production company Ryan Films. The change of his stage name to Patrick Malahide came as a consequence of there already being another actor named Patrick Duggan listed in British Equity.
The son of Irish immigrants (his father was a college secretary, his mother a cook), Malahide attended the Catholic Douai boarding School in Woolhampton, Upper Berkshire, where he first developed an aptitude for singing and acting. By the time he was in his early teens, he had also mastered all manner of Irish and English accents and dialects, a skill which was to come in handy as an actor. Malahide gained his first proper acting experience as a member of the University of Edinburgh's dramatic society, leading to two appearances at the famous Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Though his uni studies in experimental psychology did not lead to a career in academia, Malahide tried his hand for two years as an English Master, teaching literature and drama at the Forest County Grammar School for Boys in Wokingham. Still undecided about future career prospects, he then worked briefly as a door-to-door salesman, selling English ceramic ware to American forces stationed in Germany.
By 1969, he had overcome his initial reservations about an acting career and joined the Byre Theatre in St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland, as a stage manager, in addition fulfilling diverse other jobs as carpenter, electrician, sound recordist, prompter, set painter and actor. By the following year, Malahide had worked his way up to artistic director and was able to command leading roles in plays by Shakespeare, Chekhov, Shaw, Miller, among others. In 1972, he made his debut on the London stage. He was a member of the ensemble of the Royal Lyceum Theatre in Edinburgh from 1973 to 1978 and of the Bristol Old Vic repertory company from 1979 to 1980, appearing in classic plays like Crime and Punishment, Hamlet, Twelfth Night, Look Back in Anger, The Cherry Orchard and Uncle Vanya.
On screen from 1975, Malahide enjoyed his first popular success in the role of the dour, plodding Detective Sergeant Albert Chisholm (ironically nicknamed "Cheerful Charlie"), Arthur Daley's perpetual nemesis in TV's Minder (1979). He essayed this character in 24 episodes during the first seven seasons (1979 to 1988). Malahide remained connected to the crime genre with guest appearances in The Sweeney (1975), The Professionals (1977), The Chinese Detective (1981), the Ruth Rendell Mysteries (1987), Lovejoy (1986) and Poirot (1989). Between 1993 and 1994, he also starred in his own series as a dapper, charismatic sleuth, protagonist of the Alleyn Mysteries (1990), adapted from novels by New Zealand crime author Ngaio Marsh. On the wrong side of the law, Malahide tangled with Luther (2010) (Idris Elba) in the role of genteel, thoroughly ruthless East End crime boss George Cornelius.
Likely stemming from his appreciation of literature, Malahide has similarly excelled in portraying a fascinating gallery of characters in period drama and in adaptations from literary classics. These have ranged from haughty aristocrats and corrupt officers to powerful political/historical figures and leaders of industry. One of his personal favorites (according to his website) was playing the eccentric charlatan and bombast Alfred Jingle in BBC's adaptation of The Pickwick Papers (1985). Other memorable roles include the wealthy, but graceless Reverend Edward Casaubon in Middlemarch (1994); the avaricious miser Ebenezer Balfour in Robert Louis Stevenson's Kidnapped (1995); the snide, corrupt Governor Ainslee in the much-maligned swashbuckler Cutthroat Island (1995); Sir Francis Walsingham, the sinister spymaster of Elizabeth I (2005); Sir John Conroy, comptroller to the early household of the future Queen of England in the miniseries Victoria & Albert (2001) and Patrick, the Bronte sisters' father (In Search of the Brontës (2003)). More recent appearances saw him in recurring roles as shrewd businessman Lord Glendenning invested in The Paradise (2012) and as Governor-General of India Lord Willingdon in Indian Summers (2015). Malahide was at his commanding best as the gaunt, intractable (and rather unpleasant) Balon Greyjoy, Lord of the Iron Islands, in HBO's epic blockbuster series Game of Thrones (2011).
Malahide's presence on the big screen has included the James Bond thriller The World Is Not Enough (1999) (as a Swiss banker), Captain Corelli's Mandolin (2001) (as a German officer), A Month in the Country (1987) (the pompous Reverend J.G. Keach), The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996) (CIA Director Leland Perkins) and Mortal Engines (2018) (Magnus Crome). He has also lent his voice to a number of audio recordings and narrations. His radio play 'Pleas and Directions' (written as P.G. Duggan) aired on BBC4 in October 2002.
An avid sailor, Malahide is a member of the Royal Fowey Yacht club on the south coast of Cornwall. He has been married twice. His first wife was Rosi Wright (divorced 1970). His second wife is the photographer Jo Ryan.The Sweeney - Drag Act
Minder - semi regular role as DC Chislom- Garfield Morgan was born in Birmingham, England, in 1931. After a brief sojourn working as a trainee dental technician, he trained as an actor at a local drama school. His career began at the Arena Theatre in Birmingham in the fifties and he later became involved in both production and directing duties at The Marlow Theatre in Canterbury, Kent, and at The Library Theatre, Manchester. During the seventies he was Associate Director of Northgate Theatre and Associate Director of The Nottingham Playhouse.
His television career began in the mid-fifties and although initially playing small parts, during the sixties he began to take on bigger roles, including the part of Detective Chief Inspector Lewis in the BBC's long-running Softly Softly (1966) series. He often played policemen but none more famous than DCI Frank Haskins in The Sweeney (1975), opposite John Thaw and Dennis Waterman, during the seventies, where he was an admirable foil to Thaw's brash, renegade Inspector Jack Regan. He was also a regular in other TV series such as The Nineteenth Hole (1989), You Must Be the Husband (1987) and Shelley (1979), all during the eighties, and No Job for a Lady (1990) opposite Penelope Keith in the nineties.
He preferred acting on stage and in television so his film career was rather limited but he did have a decent role in The Odessa File (1974) in 1974.
In his personal life, early on he was married to the actress Dilys Laye before it ended in divorce. After a short illness, Morgan died from cancer on December 5, 2009. His former wife died just a few months previously.The Sweeney - starring as Detective Chief Inspector Frank Haskins
Minder - 4 guest appearances as Supt. Moran - Actor
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Ray Winstone was born on February 19, 1957, in Hackney Hospital in London, England, to Margaret (Richardson) and Raymond J. Winstone. He moved to Enfield, at age seven, where his parents had a fruit and vegetable business. He started boxing at the age of twelve at the famous Repton Amateur Boxing Club, was three times London Schoolboy Champion and fought twice for England, UK. In ten years of boxing, he won over 80 medals and trophies.
Ray studied acting at the Corona School before being cast by director Alan Clarke as Carlin in the BBC Play production of Scum (1979). He has appeared in numerous TV series over the past 20 years including Robin Hood (1984), Palmer (1991), Birds of a Feather (1989), Between the Lines (1992), Ghostbusters of East Finchley (1995), Births, Marriages and Deaths (1999), and Vincent (2005). His film career has burgeoned since his award-winning role in Gary Oldman's Nil by Mouth (1997), and he has appeared in multiple films including Fanny and Elvis (1999), Tim Roth's The War Zone (1999), The Departed (2006), Hugo (2011), and Snow White and the Huntsman (2012). Known for his signature gritty voice, Winstone has also done a number of voiceover roles including Rango (2011), The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005), as well as the Beowulf (2007) film and video games.
He married Elaine Winstone in 1979, and the couple have three children: Lois Winstone (born 1982), a singer with the London-based hip-hop group "Crack Village" who also played his on-screen daughter in Last Orders (2001) and got a part in four episodes of The Bill (1984), Jaime Winstone (born 1985) also an actress with ambitions to be a director, and Ellie Rae Winstone (born 2001).The Sweeney - In Loving Arme
Minder - semi regular as Arnie- Actor
- Writer
- Music Department
George Layton was born on 2 March 1943 in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, UK. He is an actor and writer, known for It Ain't Half Hot Mum (1974), Doctor at the Top (1991) and Doctor in Charge (1972). He has been married to Moya Smylie since 19 March 1977. They have four children.The Sweeney - Golden Fleece & Trojan Bus
Minder - semi regular as Des- Peter Childs was born on 31 August 1939 in Eastbourne, England, UK. He was an actor, known for West End Tales (1981), Going Out (1981) and Blake's 7 (1978). He died on 1 November 1989 in London, England, UK.The Sweeney - Night Out
Minder - semi regular role as DC/DS Rycott - Actor
- Additional Crew
John Alkin was born on 17 January 1947 in Rugby, England, UK. He is an actor, known for Sweeney 2 (1978), Sweeney! (1977) and Albert and Victoria (1970). He has been married to Lee Middleton since 1985. He was previously married to Lesley Gail.The Sweeney - semi regular role as DS Tom Daniels
Minder - Arthur Is Dead Long Live Arthur- Actor
- Director
- Art Department
Boisterous British actor Brian Blessed is known for his hearty, king-sized portrayals on film and television. A giant of a man accompanied by an eloquent wit and booming, operatic voice, Brian was born in 1936 and grew up in the mining village of Goldthorpe in South Yorkshire. His father was a miner who wanted a better life for his son; Brian lost three uncles in the pit. At a young age, he displayed an acute talent for acting in school productions, but also had a penchant for boxing, a direction that would be short-lived.
Working various blue-collar jobs from undertaker's assistant to plasterer, Brian managed to attend the Bristol Old Vic and was off and running. He has lent his musical talents to several productions - from playing "Old Deuteronomy" in "Cats" to "The Baron" in the more recent "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang". In the 1970s, he began appearing more and more on-camera with both classical and contemporary performances. In costumed television movies, he has played "Porthos" in The Three Musketeers (1966) and The Further Adventures of the Musketeers (1967), "Augustus" in I, Claudius (1976), and "Long John Silver" in Return to Treasure Island (1986) and has been a part of various reenactments including Catherine the Great (1995), Lady Chatterley (1993), The Hound of the Baskervilles (1983) and Kidnapped (1995).
On film, he has appeared in robust support in several William Shakespeare adaptations, including Henry V (1989), Much Ado About Nothing (1993), Hamlet (1996), Macbeth (1997) and the title role in King Lear (1999), which he also directed.
More recently, he appeared in Oliver Stone's epic-scale Alexander (2004) and in Kenneth Branagh's film version of William Shakespeare's As You Like It (2006).
In recent years, the octogenarian has been heard more than seen with voice work in video games, documentaries and such animated TV programs as Kika & Bob (2007) (as Bob); The Amazing World of Gumball (2011) (as Santa Claus); Wizards vs. Aliens (2012) (as the Necross King); Henry Hugglemonster (2013) (as Eduardo Enormomonster); and Peppa Pig (2004) as Grampy Rabbit.
He is married to British actress Hildegard Neil, who made an appearance with him in Macbeth (1997).The Sweeney - Ringer
Minder - The Last Video Show- Actor
- Writer
- Additional Crew
Brian Glover was born in Sheffield, Yorkshire and used to be a professional wrestler going by the name of "Leon Arras the Man From Paris". He also provides one of the voices for the animated "Tetley Tea" TV adverts. His stage work included seasons with the Royal Shakespeare Company and Royal National Theatre.The Sweeney - Thin Ice
Minder - The Beer Hunter- Actor
- Writer
- Additional Crew
Few British comedians were as successful in the 1950s and early 60s as Dave King. A hit recording singer, he was one of the few British comics to top the bill at the London Palladium as well as having top rating TV shows in both Britain and America. Although his success was relatively short as a comedian, he later became a respected TV and film actor.
After doing National Service in the RAF, King joined "Morton Fraser and his Harmonica Gang", an eccentric variety act based on America's Borrah Minevitch and His Harmonica Rascals.
By the mid-50s, King had turned solo and, with his laid-back style and Perry Como-like singing voice, he began making appearances on TV variety shows. In 1955, he was given his own show by the BBC. An innovative comedian with brilliant timing, his show was scripted by top writers and was considered groundbreaking in its day.
He recording hits included "Memories Are Made of This" (1956) and he followed this with numerous cover versions of Dean Martin and Perry Como songs.
In 1958, he was poached from the BBC by ITV who gave him his own show and, a year later, he hosted the famous Kraft Music Hall Show in America, replacing Milton Berle. In 1961, he appeared on The Bing Crosby Show (1961) in Britain and, a year later, made a cameo appearance as himself in the film, The Road to Hong Kong (1962).
King's fame in America was short-lived and, by the late 60s, he returned to Britain where he began an acting career. Throughout the 1970s, he gave a series of highly-polished and gritty performances in several TV dramas, where he was usually cast as a villain. In 1978, he was cast against type in Dennis Potter's Pennies from Heaven (1978).The Sweeney - Pay Off
Minder - Gun Fight At the O. K. Laundrette- The avuncular star character actor Richard Griffiths grew up in a council flat in less than prosperous conditions, the son of deaf and volatile parents in a dysfunctional family setting. According to an article in the Telegraph newspaper, his father Thomas was a steelworker 'who fought in pubs for prize money'. Like most children, Richard's "mother tongue" was the same as his parents. In his case, that was sign language. Like many kids in the 50s, his world did not include television. He had to explain sounds to his parents, for example music. Griffiths made a career out of language. For instance, he developed a talent for dialects which later allowed him to shine in a number of ethnic portrayals. He attended the Manchester Polytechnic School Of Drama and then began his career in radio drama and repertory theatre. He subsequently became a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company where he often excelled playing Shakespeare's comic characters.
In a 2007 interview, Griffiths said "I like playing Vernon Dursley in Harry Potter because that gives me a license to be horrible to kids. I hate the odious business of sucking up to the public." In fact, unlike those jovial characters he so often portrayed on screen, Griffiths did not tolerate fools gladly. On occasion, he would get stroppy with members of an audience, especially those failing to switch off their mobile phones during a performance (who could blame him?). He was also highly thought of as a raconteur and wit.
The ever-versatile, often bespectacled and bearded Griffiths did his best work for the small screen, excelling as the inquisitive and resourceful civil servant Henry Jay in Bird of Prey (1982) and as the lovable 'cooking policeman' Henry Crabbe in Pie in the Sky (1994), a role specially created for him. As comic relief he made many a hilarious guest appearance, in, among other popular series, The Vicar of Dibley (1994) (as the Bishop of Mulberry) and as Dr. Bayham Badger in the superb BBC adaption of Bleak House (2005). He could also play evil and sinister, none more so than Swelter in Gormenghast (2000), a character Griffiths described being at once "laughably comic" and "a monster like Idi Amin". He was also much sought-after by Hollywood producers, appearing in a dual role in The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear (1991), as the ill-fated Magistrate Philipse in Tim Burton 's Sleepy Hollow (1999) and as King George in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011).
The much-acclaimed actor won a Tony Award, a Laurence Olivier Award, the Drama Desk Award and the Outer Critics Circle Award.
Griffiths was uncommonly skinny as a child and this required radiation treatment on his pituitary gland from the age of eight. It caused his metabolism to slow to such an extent that he eventually became obese, a condition which in all likelihood contributed to his death from complications during heart surgery on 28 March 2013 at the age of 65.The Sweeney - Jack or Knave
Minder - Dreamhouse - Actor
- Producer
- Director
Lancashire-born Warren Clarke was an actor of immense presence and considerable versatility who turned his wide-shouldered, robust appearance and lived-in, hangdog facial features into an asset. For more than two and a half decades he had toiled in a wide variety of supporting roles before finding international success as the often crude, irascible, heavy-drinking Superintendant Andy Dalziel in TV's Dalziel and Pascoe (1996). When the series began, Clarke had summed up Dalziel as 'a beer-swilling chauvinist pig', but the character evolved and became more complex and endearing (in a curmudgeonly sort of way) over the show's eleven-year duration. There were also commonalities between the actor and his creation: impatience, a reputation for not tolerating fools gladly; a humorous, irreverent nature and a shared dislike for political correctness. In private life, Clarke was passionate about football (a lifelong Manchester City supporter) and golf.
The son of a hard-working stained glass maker, Clarke developed his love for the performing arts while in his teens. A frequent visitor to the cinema for Saturday morning and matinée screenings ("Flash Gordon" seemed to have been a particular favourite), he was actively encouraged by his parents to follow his chosen vocation. He performed in amateur theatrics, meanwhile earning his money as a copy boy, running errands for the Manchester Evening News, then working in a fruit and vegetable market before securing his first acting gig with Huddersfield Rep at the age of eighteen. Clarke once recalled his first performance, as an elderly German academic, which was marred by a make-up malfunction when the self-raising flour he had put in his hair to make it appear white mixed with perspiration, turned to dough and ran down his face. He would eventually master the stage (enacting, among other parts, Caligula in John Mortimer's 1972 adaptation of "I, Claudius" and Winston Churchill in "Three Days in May" at the West End, a performance the reviewer of The Guardian described as "utterly persuasive").
From the late 1960's, Clarke found more or less regular television work, at first with Granada in series like The Avengers (1961) and Callan (1967). For years he remained a struggling actor, earning barely enough to make ends meet. He performed on stage at the Royal Court in London, and, to improve his situation, earned a second income as a van driver. He finally attracted attention on the big screen as a violent, bowler-hatted thug in Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange (1971). The turning point in Clarke's career was his role as a pig-headed manager of an engineering firm involved in a chalk-and-cheese relationship with a liberal-minded academic in Nice Work (1989). In the years between, his expressive features graced a succession of diverse leading and supporting parts in both comedy and drama: Churchill in ITV's Jennie: Lady Randolph Churchill (1974); Quasimodo in the 1976 television version of "The Hunchback of Notre Dame"; a mutinous Roman soldier in the epic miniseries Masada (1981); a surly East German STASI officer in the uproarious parody Top Secret! (1984); a pig-fixated Regency period industrialist in Blackadder the Third (1987); stalwart, bewhiskered Lawrence Boythorne in BBC's outstanding production of Bleak House (2005); "pathetically nice" market gardener Brian Addis in the first two seasons of Down to Earth (2000). Clarke's guest appearances were prolific: from Elsie Tanner's nephew in Coronation Street (1960) to a querulous diabetic patient in Call the Midwife (2012).
Always a welcome presence in period drama, he had been cast in Poldark (2015), a remake of the popular 1975 miniseries, based on the novels by Winston Graham. Filming had already begun in Bristol and Cornwall when Clarke died in his sleep at the age of 67.The Sweeney - Contract Breaker
Minder - Another Bride, Another Groom- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Soundtrack
Distinguished Irish character actor of stage and screen, one of two siblings born in Dublin to parents Eugene and Frances Norton. His parents were musically inclined, his father being a baritone, his mother a violinist. Jim first performed on radio at the age of ten. Having decided upon his career path after seeing On the Waterfront (1954) with Marlon Brando at a Dublin cinema, he made his professional acting debut aged twenty at the Gate Theatre in a production of A Moon for the Misbegotten by Eugene O'Neill. Norton's career on the stage has since encompassed performances at the London Old Vic, the National Theatre and on Broadway, where he has starred In Finian's Rainbow (title character), The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Of Mice and Men and The Crucible. His collaborations with playwright Conor McPherson have included a Tony Award-winning performance in The Seafarer (his personal favorite role as the blind, cranky drunkard Richard Harkin).
On screen from 1965, Norton has often been cast as clerics, most notably in Never Mind the Quality, Feel the Width (1967), Peak Practice (1993), and, as Bishop Brennan, in the popular sitcom Father Ted (1995). In his own right, he starred as a hardened veteran in People Like Us (1978), a 13-part drama series detailing the lives of a family in a fictional London suburb between the world wars. Norton has appeared in numerous TV shows and miniseries, including Colditz (1972) (Captain Porteous), Fall of Eagles (1974) (Alexander Kerensky), Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) (as a holographic Albert Einstein), Babylon 5 (1993) (Ombuds Wellington and Narn prophet G'Quan) and Elementary (2012) (SIS deputy chief Sir James Walter). Norton also portrayed an elderly Stan Laurel in a 2006 television biopic based on a radio play by Neil Brand. Other guest-starring roles have seen him in episodes of Van der Valk (1972), Minder (1979), Tales of the Unexpected (1979), L.A. Law (1986) and Midsomer Murders (1997).
On the big screen, Norton essayed a rare villainous role as the giggling rat catcher Cawsey in Sam Peckinpah's violent thriller Straw Dogs (1971). He has played supporting roles in Alfred the Great (1969), Hidden Agenda (1990), Memoirs of an Invisible Man (1992) (as an ill-fated scientist) and Water for Elephants (2011) (as an alcoholic circus employee named 'Camel').
In 2004,, Norton made an unabridged recording of James Joyce's Ulysses (his personal favorite book) for Naxos Audio Books. Ten years later, he lent his voice to BBC 4 radio for the part of Death in Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman.
Norton is married to a fellow Dubliner, the actress Mary Larkin.The Sweeney - Contract Breaker
Minder - National Pelmet- Actor
- Writer
Character actor Thomas Patrick McKenna was born in Mullagh, County Cavan, Ireland, in 1929. A prolific theatre actor throughout his career, he made his stage debut in "Summer and Smoke" by Tennessee Williams at the Pike Theatre in Dublin in 1954.
He made his film debut in the IRA-Nazi drama The Night Fighters (1960) and from this uncredited beginning he moved up to tenth billing in The Siege of Sidney Street (1960). His next major movie was in 1964's Girl with Green Eyes (1964), by which time he had started a successful television career.
He made his TV debut in Espionage (1963) and over the next few years appeared in several more TV shows. His versatility enabled him to play three characters in The Avengers (1961). He was also featured in such well-regarded shows as Adam Adamant Lives! (1966), Dixon of Dock Green (1955) and The Saint (1962).
Meanwhile, his film career was developing along literary lines, and he was featured in Brendan Behan's The Quare Fellow (1962), the Sean O'Casey biopic Young Cassidy (1965) and James Joyce's Ulysses (1967). He took smaller parts in such epics as The Charge of the Light Brigade (1968) and Anne of the Thousand Days (1969).
British films such as Perfect Friday (1970) and Villain (1971) allowed him to showcase his suave, urbane persona before trying something different in the controversial Straw Dogs (1971). He appeared alongside a young Anthony Hopkins in All Creatures Great and Small (1975) before starring with John Gielgud for the second time, this time in A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man (1977). Over the next few years his co-stars were as diverse as Leonard Rossiter (Britannia Hospital (1982)), Timothy Dalton (The Doctor and the Devils (1985)), Ben Kingsley (Pascali's Island (1988)) and Dolph Lundgren (Red Scorpion (1988)). Not all of these films were successes, but McKenna always gave good value for the money and developed themes of his, such as an interest in Irish issues, in The Outsider (1979). His last released film was Valmont (1989), which was unfortunately completely overshadowed by Dangerous Liaisons (1988), which was based on the same novel.
Over the years he made numerous guest appearances in TV series such as Minder (1979), Casualty (1986), Lovejoy (1986), Inspector Morse (1987), Heartbeat (1992) and Ballykissangel (1996). McKenna has also been prominent in TV movies and series, featuring in Charles Dickens' Masterpiece Theatre: Bleak House (1985), Stendhal's Scarlet and Black (1993) and most recently an adaptation of Henry James' The American (1998).
McKenna is up there with the greats of character acting such as Lionel Jeffries, Dennis Price, Richard Wattis, Wilfrid Hyde-White and John Le Mesurier.The Sweeney - Night Out
Minder - Wrong Number, Pal- Actor
- Soundtrack
David was the son of a naval seaman at Gillingham and worked to help keep his family during the depression of the 30';s from working as a milkman to being a butchers boy. He found his acting talent in RAF concerts and later in music halls and pantomimes then a film casting agent who'd seen him as a demon king in pantomime offered him £20 a day to work on the film Cockleshell Heroes. Since then he;s made well over 60 films and spent about 6 months on the BBC tv serial United as the football manager Jerry Barford, He's married to Lyn, a French woman and lives in RichmondThe Sweeney - Chalk and Cheese
Minder - Rocky 8 and a Half- Robert Swann was born on 18 March 1945 in New Forest, Hampshire, England, UK. He was an actor, known for If.... (1968), The Madness of King George (1994) and Anna Karenina (1977). He was married to Susan Brodrick. He died on 17 April 2006 in Richmond upon Thames, Surrey, England, UK.The Sweeney -Country Boy
Minder -National Pelmet - Actor
- Soundtrack
One of the most brilliant character actors of his generation, Hollywood's loss was British television's gain with Ken Hutchison. Born in Scotland, his handsome features and cheeky expression guaranteed him a career in character roles, but his dangerous streak led him early in his career into dark, villainous roles. He was cast by Sam Peckinpah as one of the sinister villagers of Straw Dogs (1971), raping Susan George and participating in the film's closing violent siege. Peckinpah took to the actor, and the pair indulged in their love of drinking throughout the shoot, often to the frustration of those around them. Hutchison was soon offered a role in the Robert Mitchum film The Wrath of God (1972) but this was his one and only shot at the big time. Quite what went wrong is open to debate. Some say he was wary of success and got cold feet. Whether that is true or not, what certainly didn't help was his unruly behaviour which made studio execs nervous of casting him again. He returned to Britain and continued his career as an anonymous but astounding character actor. He appeared in two of John Mackenzie's Play For Today films based on Peter McDougall scripts. In Just Another Saturday (1975) he played the head thug of the Orange Lodge, and in Just a Boys' Game (1979) he played Dancer Dunnichy, an irresponsible rogue who lived for drinking and dodging responsibility, a character that seemed to echo his offscreen persona. Hutchison was a stalwart of British TV crime series at this time, appearing in series such as Shoestring (1979), Target (1977) and Jemima Shore Investigates (1983) as well as The Sweeney (1975). In fact he also played the lead villain in the movie Sweeney 2 (1978), but the script allowed him precious little opportunity to shown off his skills as an actor. In 1978 the BBC cast him as Heathcliff in a serialisation of Wuthering Heights (1978) and he brilliantly captured the rough magic of the character. In the 80s he was seen less, although he had a regular role as the boss in children's series Murphy's Mob (1982). Since then he has appeared inevitably in shows like The Bill (1984). His great strength is an incredible ability with accents, and super comic timing, but he is also excellent at conveying menace. A riveting screen presence, Hutchison is long overdue for recognition as a treasure for British drama, a talent which his own country has rarely recognised.The Sweeney - Stay Lucky Eh?
Minder - National Pelmet- Patrick Troughton was born in Mill Hill, London and was educated at Mill Hill School. He trained as an actor at the Embassy School of Acting in the UK and at Leighton Rollin's Studio for for Actors at Long Island, New York in the USA. During World War II he served in the Royal Navy and after the war ended he joined the Old Vic and became a Shakespearean actor. He won his most famous role as the second Doctor in Doctor Who (1963), in 1966 and played the role for three years. His hobbies included golf, sailing and fishing. He was a father of six (David, Jane, Joanna, Mark, Michael and Peter), a stepfather to Gill and Graham and a grandfather to Harry Melling, Jamie and Sam Troughton.The Sweeney - Hit and Run
Minder - Windows - George Innes was born on 8 March 1938 in London, England, UK. He is an actor, known for The Italian Job (1969), Stardust (2007) and Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003). He was previously married to Sherri.The Sweeney - Victims
Minder - Rocky 8 and a Half - Actor
- Writer
- Soundtrack
John Bardon was born on 25 August 1939 in Brentford, Middlesex, England, UK. He was an actor and writer, known for EastEnders (1985), Clockwise (1986) and Fierce Creatures (1997). He was married to Enda Gates. He died on 12 September 2014 in Romford, London, England, UK.The Sweeney - Faces
Minder - Poetic Justice, Innit?- Immensely talented and instantly recognizable, Peter Jeffrey was one of a great generation of British actors who were comfortable in everything from classical theatre to television comedy. He was born in Bristol, England in 1929 and went on to be educated at Harrow school. He studied at Pembroke College, Cambridge and embarked on a career as an actor. During his distinguished and diverse stage career, he worked with all of the great British theatre companies and performed with the likes of Peggy Ashcroft, Marius Goring, Paul Scofield, Eric Porter and Peter O'Toole.
His opportunities in television and film always seemed to come in the form of supporting roles but his rare talent always brightened the screen. Peter Jeffrey was still acting in the final years of his life, including a wonderful BBC adaptation of The Prince and the Pauper (1996). He was greatly respected in the industry for his quiet professionalism and the empathy he had for other actors and the support he gave to less experienced colleagues. His death from cancer at the age of 70 in 1999 robbed British acting of one of its finest and most reliable performers.The Sweeney - Thin Ice
Minder - A Nice Little Wine - Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Actor and comedian fondly remembered as the curmudgeonly reprobate Claude Jeremiah Greengrass in the long-running nostalgic police drama Heartbeat (1992). Greengrass had been written as a minor background character, but -- given a fair amount of latitude for interpreting his part -- Maynard was able to infuse the old rascal with outsize personality and humour which resulted into his becoming a popular mainstay. The son of a gardener and a laundry worker, Maynard (born Walter Frederick George Williams, he later adopted his nom de plume from Charles Gordon Maynard, creator of 'Maynard's Wine Gums') came from relatively humble beginnings. Displaying an early aptitude for music, he learned to sing and dance, play ukulele, mandolin and guitar.
By the age of nine he began performing in local clubs and music halls. From there, he progressed to repertory theatre, touring army camps with Jon Pertwee, making a few recordings for Decca and EMI, even managing a gig as a stand-up comic -- in between a strip show -- at The Windmill in London. In the 50s Maynard emerged as a proper TV star (sharing top billing with Terry Scott) in Great Scott, It's Maynard (1955). Having suddenly become a household name, he was now earning £ 1000 a week. Ironically, his ambition of becoming 'a serious actor' backfired and a return to repertory led to much reduced circumstances and a hiatus in his career. Though he eventually appeared in more than 30 films, he regarded none of them as particularly worthwhile and declared in a 2013 interview: "I enjoyed doing them. It was a laugh, but they weren't great. They damaged my reputation".
In the mid-70s, having very wisely returned to his forte with consecutive hits in TV sitcoms: as a roving-eyed widower in The Life of Riley (1975), as the hapless, klutzy protagonist of Oh No, It's Selwyn Froggitt (1974), and as grouchy, relentlessly misanthropic Fred Moffatt, forever evading and outwitting his creditors in The Gaffer (1981). In between, he also had diverse guest roles, including in, among others, Worzel Gummidge (1979), Minder (1979) and Dalziel and Pascoe (1996). Between 2003 and 2008, he also hosted his own -- sometimes controversial -- radio chat show on BBC Leicester, Maynard's Bill of Fare.
Having suffered a stroke in 2000 and forced to leave Heartbeat after season ten, Maynard eventually resurfaced in occasional guest appearances for the 2003 spin-off, The Royal (2003). Subsequently confined to wheelchairs and mobility scooters he latterly gave lectures at universities on humour and acting.
Bill Maynard passed away in a Leicestershire hospital on 30 March 2018 at the age of 89.The Sweeney - Supersnout
Minder - Second Time Aroumd- Actor
- Soundtrack
This balding, impeccably well-spoken London-born character actor made his name on the Shakespearean stage well before becoming a known quantity on television. Gary was the son of Austrian-Jewish émigrés Siegfried Waldhorn and his wife Liselotte (née Popper). As a youngster, he became enamoured with acting after seeing Richard Burton on stage as Henry V at the Old Vic. After graduating from the Yale School of Drama in 1967, Waldhorn made his theatrical debut as an extra in a National Theatre production of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead. For several years after, he served his apprenticeship as a small part supporting player. By the early 70s, Waldhorn had established himself as a serious actor, headlining as Milo Tindle in Sleuth (the part played by Michael Caine in the classic film version) at the West End. In 1972, he took the play on the road through Australia and New Zealand, along with Richard Todd, who essayed the role of mystery novelist Andrew Wyke. As a Shakespearean actor, Waldhorn later frequently performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Over the years, his roles have included Malvolio in Twelfth Night, Shylock in The Merchant of Venice, Leonato in Much Ado About Nothing, a highly acclaimed title role of Henry V (at the Old Vic, 1996-97) and the King of France in All's Well that Ends Well.
On screen from 1969, Waldhorn appeared in a variety of TV shows, his credits including perennial murder suspect William H. Druitt in the miniseries Jack the Ripper (1973), the diplomat and advisor Marquis de Caulaincourt in Napoleon and Love (1974), Conservative politician Henry 'Chips' Channon in Edward & Mrs. Simpson (1978), as well as recurring roles in the comedies All at Number 20 (1986) and Brush Strokes (1986). He also guested (usually as establishment figures) in diverse genre series, ranging from Space: 1999 (1975) to Robin Hood (1984) and from Rumpole of the Bailey (1978) to Lovejoy (1986) and Heartbeat (1992). In the final analysis, Gary Waldhorn will be most fondly remembered as David Horton, the conservative, wealthy, often starchy chairman of the parish council in the ever-popular sitcom The Vicar of Dibley (1994).
From April 1967 until his passing on January 10 2022, Waldhorn was married to Christie Dickason, playwright, poet, theatre director/choreographer, librettist and author of (to date) nine novels.The Sweeney - Hit And Run
Minder - The Son Also Rises- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Karl is a very talented actor, who will be most remembered for playing "Jacko", in the brilliant comedy series, Brush Strokes (1986). Jacko was a painter and decorator, and very much a "Jack the lad". In this hugely entertaining series, Karl played a ladies' man, who never has any intention of settling down. Karl has also starred in Babes in the Wood (1998), Bad Boys (1995), and Mulberry (1992), and had guest roles in programmes such as The Bill (1984).The Sweeney - May
Minder - All About Scoring, Innit?- Dependable British character actor Stanley Meadows became popular as talent agent Laurie Frazer on the long-running soap Coronation Street (1960). Meadows was born and raised in the London East Borough of Stepney. A younger brother, whom he described as 'a frustrated actor', ended up becoming a barrister and died at age 44. The family moved to Bayswater when Stanley was 14. He loved the cinema from early childhood. It seemed the only escape from the drudgery of daily life in the East End. He particularly idolised Hollywood star James Cagney.
Though Meadows had his sights set on acting, his path to getting there was circuitous. In 1948, he worked as a beach photographer in Brighton. He then entered the hospitality industry as a waiter/bartender - and hated it. His next job was in advertising. After getting the boot because the 'House of Ideas' did not appreciate his ideas, Meadows worked in the shipping industry during the day while attending acting school at might. From 1953, he studied at RADA. Two years later, he took his first steps on the repertory stage in Bournemouth, earning £8 a week. By 1957, he had progressed to serious dramatic roles at the Old Vic in classics like Measure for Measure, King Lear, Hamlet and Henry VI. Meadows particularly enjoyed working alongside John Gielgud.
On screen from 1953, Meadows came to the fore as a prolific face in TV shows of the 1960s and 70s. Frequently cast as detectives or public servants, he graced the cast of most of the major British crime and espionage dramas of the era, including The Saint (1962), The Avengers (1961), Softly Softly (1966), Paul Temple (1969), The Persuaders! (1971), Dixon of Dock Green (1955), The Professionals (1977) and Minder (1979). He has also often portrayed policemen on the big screen, notably in The Ipcress File (1965) (Inspector Pat Keightly) and Blood Beast from Outer Space (1965) (Detective Tom Grant). Meadows made his last screen appearance in 1984.The Sweeney - The Placer
Minder - A Well Fashioned Fit Up - British leading actor, born Patrick Archibald Shaw, one of three siblings of Welsh and English parentage. A 1962 graduate from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, he was at the peak of his popularity in the late 60s and early 70s. On the London stage from 1963, he also began acting on television the following year. Mower did not achieve prominence until 1967, when he was given his first opportunity to shine as paranormal investigator Michael West in the miniseries Haunted (1967). Though briefly considered and auditioned for the part of James Bond in 1968, he was deemed as too young for the part.
Mower instead made his mark with featured roles in Hammer's The Devil Rides Out (1968) and AIP's Cry of the Banshee (1970), plus with guest spots in popular action series like Department S (1969), UFO (1970) and Paul Temple (1969). Between 1970 and 1973, he had a breakthrough --back-to-back-- as the unscrupulous assassin James Cross in Callan (1967) and as Detective Chief Inspector Tom Haggerty in the police drama Special Branch (1969). On the strength of the latter, he received first billing in another cop show, Target (1977), as Detective Superintendent Steve Hackett. Not wanting to be typecast, he was content to move on after Target's cancellation in the wake of season two. He also made an impact in a trio of miniseries: as Edmund, the main antagonist of King Lear (1974), as Brother Damian in Marco Polo (1982) and in the gripping BBC supernatural drama The Dark Side of the Sun (1983), in which the early death of his character on the island of Rhodes leads to the uncovering of a sinister conspiracy.
More recently, Mower has become a small screen favorite once again in the regular role of Rodney Blackstock in the soap opera Emmerdale Farm (1972), a character he has portrayed in over 1300 episodes (to date) since October 2000. On the stage, he has portrayed Mortimer in Edward II, Orsino in Twelfth Night, Richard Sherman in The Seven Year Itch (Tom Ewell's role in the classic Hollywood film) and Manderley's stern owner Maxim de Winter, in Rebecca (famously played on screen by Laurence Olivier).The Sweeney - Golden Fleece & Trojan Box
Minder - A Load of Old Wives Tales - Actor
- Additional Crew
British leading actor whose tough, pockmarked features belied a soft voice and cultivated manner. Sewell was born in East London, the son of a printer. His father was a boxer known as "The Cobblestone Kid". After brief service in the RAF during the closing stages of World War II, he held down a wide variety of short-lived jobs, including as carpenter, photographer, drummer and assistant roadie for a rumba band, steward on Cunard liners Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth, and, for six years, as motor coach courier for a holiday travel agency.
Not until a chance conversation in 1959 with actor Dudley Sutton in a pub did Sewell seriously contemplate an acting career. A successful audition with Joan Littlewood's Theatre Workshop, led to him being cast in several cockney comedies and he ended up playing Field Marshal Haig in "Oh, What a Lovely War" in 1963. Motion pictures saw him in gritty social dramas like This Sporting Life (1963) and tough crime films like Underworld Informers (1963) and Get Carter (1971), often alternating villainy with law enforcement. He also had a small role in the science fiction thriller Journey to the Far Side of the Sun (1969). This was something of a precursor to the cult series UFO (1970), in which he played the cool-headed second-in-command, Colonel Alec Freeman.
More typically, his television characters tended to be hard-nosed, cynical cops, like his DI Brogan in Z Cars (1962) or DCI Alan Craven in Special Branch (1969). A former Littlewood alumnus, the writer Robin Chapman, picked Sewell for another plum role as a London gangster in Spindoe (1968). He was also on hand as Smiley's reliable, 'sharp-eyed' ex-Special Branch minder Mendel in the original miniseries Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (1979).
After 2000, Sewell scaled down his television appearances and spent more time at his holiday home in the south of France. He occasionally came out of semi-retirement, most notably for a well-received production of a play by Tudor Gates, "Who Killed Agatha Christie?", in which he starred as a playwright intent on exacting revenge against a waspish critic. Sewell died in April 2007 at the age of 82, survived by a daughter and a stepson.The Sweeney - Bait
Minder - Rembrandt Doesn't Live Here Anymore- Actor
- Soundtrack
Benjamin Whitrow was a softly-spoken, RADA-trained English actor who performed on stage from 1959. He worked for seven years in the 1960s under the direction of Laurence Olivier at the National Theatre. He was also a prolific actor on screen, usually seen in avuncular roles. He is probably best remembered for his BAFTA-nominated performance as Mr. Bennet in the BBC's acclaimed version of Pride and Prejudice (1995) and he made his final appearance in Gary Oldman's Churchill film Darkest Hour (2017). In his personal life, he was fond of wild orchids, golf, bridge and collecting books, and had a son, Angus Imrie, with actress Celia Imrie.The Sweeney - Drag Act, Head Men, Latin Lady & Hearts and Minds
Minder - Life in the Fast Food Lane- Tony Steedman was born on 21 August 1927 in Warwickshire, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989), Citizen Smith (1977) and Scrooged (1988). He was married to Judy Parfitt and Ann Steedman. He died on 4 February 2001 in Haywards Heath, West Sussex, England, UK.The Sweeney - The Placer & The Bigger They Are
Minder - The Bounty Hunter - Ubiquitous Welsh actor who has excelled as deceptively mild-mannered characters in 1960s and 70s BBC literary adaptations. His first foray of note into this genre was as the unprincipled, hedonistic cad George Wickham in Pride and Prejudice (1958). A particular favorite for Dickensian parts, Jeavons was value-for-money as Herbert Pocket in Great Expectations (1959), as the feckless Jarndyce ward Richard Carstone in Bleak House (1959), the ever so 'umble' Uriah Heep in David Copperfield (1966) (often regarded as the definitive portrayal of one of literature's most insidious characters) and as the disreputable attorney Sampson Brass in The Old Curiosity Shop (1979). Jeavons returned in later iterations of Great Expectations (1981) and Masterpiece Theatre: Bleak House (1985), this time, respectively, as the dour, but kind-hearted legal clerk Wemmick and as the austere, manipulative solicitor Vhol, representing Richard Carstone in Chancery.
Other endeavours on the classical scene saw Jeavons as Henry V in BBC's The Life and Death of Sir John Falstaff (1959), the Tudor noble Robert Clifford in The Shadow of the Tower (1972), lawyer Briggs in Jane Eyre (1983) and as the master criminal Professor Moriarty in The Baker Street Boys (1983). He also made a very lively (and considerably less obtuse) Inspector Lestrade in several episodes of Granada's acclaimed series The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1984). Novelist and Holmes expert David Stuart Davies extolled Jeavons' performance, saying "Lestrade was played with great panache throughout the Granada series by Colin Jeavons, who humanised and enhanced Doyle's sketchy portrait of the Inspector."
Elsewhere, Jeavons has played fashion designers, undertakers, shop owners, civil servants, military officers, policemen and an unending array of clerics (including on the big screen in films like The Oblong Box (1969), Bartleby (1970) and The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981)). For the stage, he portrayed the Reverend Tooker in a 1988 National Theatre production of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.
One of the most versatile of character players, able to change his features from immobile to expressive and from doleful to amiable, Jeavons has branched out into diverse genres, including science fiction (for instance, as the comedian Max Quordlepleen, host of the 'Restaurant at the End of the Universe' in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1981) and as the Atlantean surgeon Damon in the early Doctor Who (1963) instalment The Underwater Menace). His performance as the ill-fated child Donald in Dennis Potter's Blue Remembered Hills (an episode of the anthology series Play for Today (1970)), has often been singled out by critics and reviewers as his best. Jeavons also stood out in the role of Tim Stamper in the original British version of House of Cards (1990), a role he reprised for the sequel To Play the King (1993). He has performed in various capacities --either as a character or as storyteller-- in multiple episodes of the long-running children's series Jackanory (1965).
Colin Abel Jeavons began on stage in a 1946 Birmingham production of Twelfth Night. From 1956 to 1957, he appeared in several plays for the Bristol Old Vic Theatre Company. He has also performed with the Royal Court Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company.
He was married to the ballet dancer Rosie Jeavons who passed away in 2018. Jeavons has been retired from acting since 1993.The Sweeney - The Bigger They Are
Minder - The Car Lot Beggars - Worked in the Merchant Navy, trained as a Graphic Designer and worked as a minicab driver. First drama job was Assistant Stage Manager at the Richmond Theatre. First acting role was in the play "Woman in a Dressing Gown" at said theatre. First break was a guest appearance in The Sweeney (1975).The Sweeney - Queen's Pawn
Minder - The Son Also Rises - Actor
- Additional Crew
- Soundtrack
John Forgeham was born on 14 May 1941 in Kidderminster, Worcestershire, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Mean Machine (2001), The Italian Job (1969) and Kiss of the Dragon (2001). He was married to Arlene Garciano, Fiesta Mei Ling and Georgina Hale. He died on 10 March 2017 in Worthing, West Sussex, England, UK.The Sweeney - The Placer
Minder - Whose Wife Is It Anyway?- Actor
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Congenial character actor whose best film roles came in two vastly different films in 1971 and 1972 - Richard Burton's Villain (1971) and Spike Milligan's Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall (1973). With his down-to earth, friendly London voice he'd been a regular on television for years by this stage, appearing in a roll-call of British TV series since his debut in No Hiding Place in 1964. The Avengers, Department S and Catweazle followed before 1972.
If his film career didn't exactly scale the heights, he can still boast to having appeared in Alfie (1966), Superman (1978) and debuting in the odd charmer, An Alligator Named Daisy. Television has been his more natural home, he headlined Get Some In (1975) had a main part in Love Hurts (1992-94) and appeared most recently in Burnside (2000).
Perhaps his greatest contribution has been in guest appearances where his charisma, which can be menacing when he chooses, has seen him pop up in - Minder, Dr Who, Casualty, Lovejoy, Holby City, The Bill and Eastenders to name but a few.The Sweeney - Queen's Pawn
Minder - Bury My Half at Waltham Green, Diamonds are a Girl's Worst Enemy & Days of Fines and Closures- Actor
- Casting Director
James Aubrey was born on 28 August 1947 in Klagenfurt, Carinthia, Austria [now Klagenfurt am Wörthersee, Carinthia, Austria]. He was an actor and casting director, known for Lord of the Flies (1963), Spy Game (2001) and The Hunger (1983). He was married to Agnes Kristin Hallander. He died on 6 April 2010 in Cranwell, Lincolnshire, England, UK.The Sweeney - Selected Target
Minder - The Bounty Hunter- Actor
- Soundtrack
Tony Anholt was born on 19 January 1941 in Singapore. He was an actor, known for The Protectors (1972), Space: 1999 (1975) and Howards' Way (1985). He was married to Tracey Childs and Sheila Willet. He died on 26 July 2002 in London, England, UK.The Sweeney - Contract Breaker
Minder - Windows- Actor Brian Hall was best known for his role as Terry the cook in the BBC comedy series Fawlty Towers (1975). He began acting while still in his teens in amateur shows where his burly frame made him ideal casting for villains and heavies.
After leaving school he worked as a taxi driver before he was spotted by theatrical agent Richard Ireson who persuaded him that his talent lay in theatre.
He went on to appear in stage plays at The Royal Court Theatre in London, notably in Peter Gill's production of Crete and Sergeant Pepper and at the Royal Shakespeare Company he starred in Afore Night Comes, directed by Ron Daniels.
With John Chapman he co-wrote Made It Mad (based on the famous James Cagney line in the film White Heat) which was staged at the Royal Court as well as Bit of Business, co-written and directed with John Burgess at the National Theatre.
He had a highly successful TV career, notably in series such as Softly Softly (1966) (as the corrupt police officer Sergeant Ted Drake).
He played a bodyguard to Bob Hoskins in the cult gangster classic film The Long Good Friday (1980), the same year he was cast as a villain in McVicar (1980).
He struck up a close friendship with the actor John Cleese when they appeared in the BBC comedy series Fawlty Towers. Some years after the series had finished Cleese sent Hall a personally signed autographed picture as a joke. Hall wrote back and demanded a signed Rolls-Royce car instead. Three day later, one arrived in the post - it was a children's toy.
In 1994 he was diagnosed as having cancer.The Sweeney - Trap
Minder - You Gotta Have Friends - David Hargreaves was born on 2 February 1940 in New Mills, Derbyshire, England, UK. He is an actor, known for Last Christmas (2019), Bugs (1995) and Othello (1965). He has been married to Chloe Ashcroft since 1966. They have two children.The Sweeney - Night Out
Minder - Back in Good Old England - Actor
- Sound Department
- Additional Crew
Ken Kitson was born in 1946 in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, UK. He is an actor, known for Danger UXB (1979), Ruth Rendell Mysteries (1987) and Stanton Blues (1998).The Sweeney - Pay Off
Minder - Dreamhouse- Timothy Carlton was born on 4 October 1939 in Reading, Berkshire, England, UK. He is an actor, known for Cold Comfort Farm (1968), Sherlock (2010) and Parting Shots (1998). He has been married to Wanda Ventham since 1976. They have one child.The Sweeney - Cover Story
Minder - Life in the Fast Food Lane & An Officer and a Car Salesman - Paul Moriarty was born on 19 May 1946 in London, England, UK. He is an actor, known for The Gentle Touch (1980), Pride and Prejudice (1995) and A Touch of Frost (1992). He has been married to Teresa Moriarty since 1979. They have two children.The Sweeney - Stay Lucky Eh?
Minder - The Old School Tie - Actor
- Soundtrack
The British character actor Michael Ripper was born in 1913 in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England. His father was a speech therapist and encouraged him to participate in diction and public speaking competitions. From this, the young Michael gained an interest in acting and got his first taste of the stage through his father's amateur dramatics company. At age 16, Ripper won a scholarship to drama school and began to appear in theater professionally. His stage career continued until 1952, when an operation for a thyroid condition left him unable to project his voice sufficiently for the stage, after which he concentrated on his film career. Ripper started his film career in numerous quota quickies, debuting in Twice Branded (1936). At one point in his early career, he also worked as an assistant director for a production company at Walton Studios. In the late 1940s, Ripper began a long association with Hammer Film Productions, which resulted in his face becoming well known not only in Britain, but also worldwide. During this 25-year association, which began with a role in There Is No Escape (1948) and ended with That's Your Funeral (1972), Ripper made a total of 35 appearances in Hammer films, playing an assortment of innkeepers, coachmen, gravediggers, poachers, and, occasionally, authority figures, usually with a comic twist. Although he made few films after his stint with Hammer, he continued his career with memorable television appearances, such as the chauffeur in Butterflies (1978) and Drones Porter in Jeeves and Wooster (1990), until his retirement in the early 1990s.The Sweeney - Stay Lucky Eh?
Minder - The Balance of Power- Brian McDermott was born on 23 July 1934 in Beckenham, Kent, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Zoe (2001), Melissa (1964) and I Promised to Pay (1961). He died on 5 November 2003 in St John's Wood, London, England, UK.The Sweeney - Stay Lucky Eh?
Minder - The Balance of Power - Actor
- Producer
- Soundtrack
James Cosmo was born on 24 May 1948 in Clydebank, Dunbartonshire, Scotland, UK. He is an actor and producer, known for Braveheart (1995), Troy (2004) and Highlander (1986). He has been married to Annie Harris since 24 May 2000.The Sweeney - Hard Men
Minder - Senior Citizen Caine- Actor
- Soundtrack
Godfrey James was born on 16 April 1931 in London, England, UK. He was an actor, known for The Aphrodite Inheritance (1979), The Legend of King Arthur (1979) and Trial (1971). He died on 29 October 2019 in Eastbourne, East Sussex, England, UK.The Sweeney - Big Spender
Minder - Dessert Song- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
For over six decades, Julian Holloway has enjoyed a long and varied career. He made his theatrical debut in London's West End in the revue "All Square" at the Vaudeville Theatre. Other West End credits include Christopher Hampton's first play "When Did You Last See My Mother?" at the Comedy Theatre, Colin Spencer's "Spitting Image" at the Duke of York's Theatre, replacing Michael Gambon in Alan Ayckbourn's trilogy "The Norman Conquests" at the Globe Theatre and a successful revival of "Arsenic And Old Lace" at the Westminster Theatre. He co-starred in the short lived BBC series of P.G.Wodehouse's "Ukridge" and then performed in his first "Carry On" venture, "Follow That Camel". This led to featured roles in, amongst others, "Carry On Up The Khyber", "Carry On Camping", "Carry On Camping" and "Carry On Loving". In 1971 he formed a company with director Gerry O' Hara and they wrote and produced two short films for the cinema, "The Spy's Wife" starring Dorothy Tutin and Tom Bell and "The Chairman's Wife" starring John Osborne and Zena Walker. He then concentrated almost entirely on Television and over the next decade racked up many performances, which included starring roles in BBC'S Play of the Month, "The Importance Of Being Earnest", "Elizabeth R", "An Adventure In Bed" (in the anthology series "Ten From The Twenties"), "Street Party"( in the anthology series "Jubilee") , ''A Woman Sobbing", the BBCTV mini series "Rebecca"and the trilogy "Conjugal Rights". He then made his directorial debut in the theatre, with his productions of "When Did You Last See My Mother" at the Crucible Theatre Sheffield and "Play It Again Sam" at the Thorndyke Theatre Leatherhead. In 1980 he produced with David Korda, the movie "Loophole" starring Albert Finney and Martin Sheen and followed this by appearing with Gregory Peck in the TV movie "The Scarlet And The Black". Having gained a reputation as a much in demand voice over talent, he formed the London voice over agency Hobsons with partner Sue Bonnici and the company became extremely successful. He co-starred in the Doctor Who trilogy, "Survival", the first series of Anglia TV's "The Chief" and episodes of popular shows, "Minder" "The New Avengers", "The Professionals" and "The Sweeney" as well as "Rumpole Of The Bailey". In the early 90's he took up residence in California and began a new phase of his career, in animation. Notably as a regular in the syndicated series "James Bond Jr", "Where's Waldo" and "Captain Zed And The Zee Zone". In 1993, he made his Broadway debut in a revival of "My Fair Lady" (playing the role of Alfred P Doolittle created by his father Stanley Holloway) After completing work on the 26 part animated series "Dan Dare", he returned to England to co-star with Albert Finney in the Yorkshire TV series, "My Uncle Silas". He returned to the U.S. and commenced work on the Dreamworks/Pixar network series "Father Of The Pride" but this show was short lived. He directed "Abigail's Party" at the Odyssey Theatre in Los Angeles and the production was named the LA Times Critic's Choice. Recently he appeared with Johnny Depp in "The Rum Diary" and for the last three years has had a recurring role as the voice of "Death" in Cartoon Network's "Regular Show".The Sweeney - Big Spender
Minder - You Need Hands- Billy Hamon was born on 29 September 1948 in Brighton, East Sussex, England, UK. He is an actor and writer, known for The Three Musketeers (1966), EastEnders (1985) and Casualty (1986).The Sweeney - Big Spender
Minder - A Star Is Gorn - This robust, somber-looking actor carved out a niche on screen as tough or menacing characters. Lee Montague was born of Jewish ancestry as Leonard Goldberg in Bow, East London. He trained for acting at the Old Vic Theatre School and began on stage there in 1950 before headlining on Broadway just two years later as the troubled youth Gregory Hawke in Moss Hart 's play The Climate of Eden. Montague has been especially prolific on the classical stage as ensemble member of the Old Vic London (1950-52, 1962-63), the Bristol Old Vic (1952-53), the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon (1954-55), the Royal Shakespeare Company (1955-57) and the Royal Exchange, Manchester (1976-79).
On screen from 1952, Montague was no less prolific as a supporting player, frequently cast in meaty or pivotal roles as 'exotic' foreign types: Japanese officers (The Camp on Blood Island (1958), Yesterday's Enemy (1958), The Baron (1966)), Frenchmen (Moulin Rouge (1952), Secret Agent (1964), The Legacy (1978)), Chinese (Danger Man (1960), Espionage (1963)) and Russians (The Spy Killer (1969),Pope John Paul II (1984), Sakharov (1984)]). Add to that an assortment of Mexicans, Hungarians, Greeks, Arabs, and even an Inuit (The Savage Innocents (1960)). He has also played his fair share of historical personae on TV, as well as on the big screen, including the prophet Habbakuk (or Habbukuk) in Jesus of Nazareth (1977), Pietro di Bernardone (wealthy cloth merchant and father to Francis of Assissi in Brother Sun, Sister Moon (1972)), Chinese statesman Sun Yat Sen, Bernhard Mahler (father of Gustav), Lucky Luciano (in Brass Target (1978)), Karl Marx, Lenin, Charles Darwin and British cabinet minister Leslie Hore-Belisha.
On account of his dark, baleful looks, Montague has excelled in villainous roles, often in classic 60s and 70s British crime dramas like Department S (1969) (as a drug lord) or The Sweeney (1975) (as a bank robber). He portrayed the psychic antagonist Dorzak in an episode of Space: 1999 (1975) and was at his most chillingly effective as Roche, the erudite, relentless assassin forever on the trail of hapless civil servant Henry Jay (Richard Griffiths) in the superb TV miniseries Bird of Prey 2 (1984). All in all, an impressive resume for an actor --not usually noted for comedy-- who once named Walter Matthau as his movie idol, saying, "I loved his brand of humour".The Sweeney - Selected Target
Minder - A Tethered Goat - Actor
- Writer
Reginald died at his home in Ryde, Isle of Wight aged 74, where he had lived since the late eighties. While there he did a great deal of work for local charities, especially Haylands Farm, a project for young people with learning difficulties, and the local branch of MENCAP. He is survived by his wife, former actress Rosemary Murray, twin daughters, Rebecca and Alison, sons Adam and Alexander, and son John and daughter Kate from his first marriage.The Sweeney - Abduction
Minder - Goodbye Sailor- Nadim Sawalha was born on 9 September 1933 in Madaba, Jordan. He is an actor, known for The Living Daylights (1987), Captain Abu Raed (2007) and The Avengers (1998). He has been married to Roberta Lane since 1961. They have three children.The Sweeney - Visiting Fireman
Minder - A Tethered Goat - Donald Burton was born on 10 February 1934 in Norwich, Norfolk, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Hudson Hawk (1991), The Message (1976) and The Man from Moscow (1985). He was married to Carroll Baker. He died on 8 December 2007 in Palm Springs, California, USA.The Sweeney - The Bigger They Are
Minder - Gun Fight at the O. K. Laundrette - The Sweeney - The Bigger They Are
Minder - Gun Fight at the O. K. Laundrette - Actor
- Writer
Arnold Diamond was born on 18 April 1915 in London, England, UK. He was an actor and writer, known for Fiddler on the Roof (1971), The Italian Job (1969) and The Saint (1962). He died on 17 March 1992 in Bournemouth, Dorset, England, UK.The Sweeney - Abduction
Minder- Gun Fight at the O. K. Laundrette- Johnny Shannon was born on 29 July 1932 in Lambeth, South London, England, UK. He is an actor, known for Beryl's Lot (1973), Performance (1970) and Scotch on the Rocks (1973).The Sweeney - In From the Cold
Minder - A Tethered Goat, Second Hand Pose & Days Of Fines and Closures - Actor
- Writer
- Soundtrack
Del Henney was born on 24 July 1935 in Anfield, Liverpool, Merseyside, England, UK. He was an actor and writer, known for Straw Dogs (1971), Villain (1971) and Fallen Hero (1978). He died on 14 January 2019 in the UK.The Sweeney - Jigsaw
Minder - Days Of Fines and Closures- Michael Culver was born on 16 June 1938 in Hampstead, London, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980), A Passage to India (1984) and Breakaway (1980). He was married to Amanda Ward and Lucinda Curtis. He died on 27 February 2024.The Sweeney - Money Money Money
Minder -Poetic Justice, Innit? - After his parents divorced, he became a wayward, rebellious teenager. Deciding he should instill himself with some discipline, he joined a naval training ship for two years. His first taste of acting came during ten years subsequent service in the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy.The Sweeney - Country Boy
Minder - You Win Some You Lose Some - Actor
- Producer
- Executive
Billy Murray has entertained British Television audiences for over thirty years.
He is perhaps best known for his role as DS Don Beech in ITV series The Bill (1984), and has also appeared in EastEnders (1985) as the crime boss "Johnnie Allen".
His on-screen presence is very much underrated and thanks to his charismatic manner Murray has always given convincing edge and depth to the characters he portrays.
He was set to play Derek "Del Boy" Trotter in Only Fools and Horses (1981) but was replaced at the last minute by David Jason due to conflicting production schedules.
Pick any popular mainstream long lived British drama or comedy over the past two decades and you will probably find that Billy Murray has had guest-starring roles in most of them at one time or another.
He is the father of actress Jaime Murray, who plays the gorgeous Stacie in the runaway hit drama Hustle (2004) on BBC 1.The Sweeney - Stoppo Driver
Minder - Second Hand Pose & Fiddler on the Hoof- Actor
- Writer
- Soundtrack
James Booth was born on 19 December 1927 in Croydon, Surrey, England, UK. He was an actor and writer, known for Zulu (1964), American Ninja 4: The Annihilation (1990) and Airport '77 (1977). He was married to Paula Delaney. He died on 11 August 2005 in Hadleigh, Essex, England, UK.The Sweeney - Poppy
Minder - Give Us This Day Arthur Daley's Bread- Actor
- Soundtrack
Norman Eshley was born on 30 May 1945 in Bristol, England, UK. He is an actor, known for Warship (1973), Man About the House (1973) and Department S (1969). He has been married to Rachel Spiers since 30 May 2015. He was previously married to Lynette Braid and Millicent Martin.The Sweeney - Taste Of Fear
Minder - Give Us This Day Arthur Daley's Bread- Actor
- Soundtrack
After his schooling in Edinburgh, the British character actor Roy Kinnear attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. Following national service, Kinnear appeared on stage, radio, and television in Scotland before becoming a household name in Britain in the early 1960s as one of the original members of the television series That Was the Week That Was (1962). Around this time, he also established his film career, specializing in jovial, yet sometimes slightly sinister, characters, such as Finney, Moriarty's henchman, in The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother (1975). Another characteristic role was that of Planchet in the Musketeer movies, a role that tragically led to his death from a riding accident during the filming of The Return of the Musketeers (1989).The Sweeney - I Want That Man
Minder - You Gotta Have Friends & It's a Sorry Lorry Morrie- Wanda Ventham was born on 5 August 1935 in Brighton, East Sussex, England, UK. She is an actress, known for UFO (1970), Invasion: UFO (1974) and Sherlock (2010). She has been married to Timothy Carlton since April 1976. They have one child. She was previously married to James Tabernacle.The Sweeney - Abduction
Minder - Dreamhouse - Actress
- Writer
Sheila Ruskin was born on 28 March 1946. She is an actress and writer, known for Mackenzie (1980), Doctor Who (1963) and I, Claudius (1976). She was previously married to David Wood.The Sweeney - Hit and Run
Minder - High Drains Pilferer- Sandy Ratcliff was born on 2 October 1948 in Islington, London, England, UK. She was an actress, known for EastEnders (1985), The Final Programme (1973) and Danger UXB (1979). She was married to Peter Wright. She died on 7 April 2019 in London, England, UK.The Sweeney - Stay Lucky Eh?
Minder - Dreamhouse - Actress
- Additional Crew
- Soundtrack
June Brown served in the Wrens and was classically trained at the Old Vic Drama School. She enjoyed a long career in the theatre, television and the cinema. The actor Nigel Hawthorne described her as "one of the most beautiful creatures I've seen on stage" after seeing her performance as Ibsen's "Hedda Gabler." Aside from her EastEnders (1985) fame as Dot Cotton, she appeared as "Lady Macbeth" opposite Albert Finney and directed "Double D" at the 1993 Edinburgh Festival.The Sweeney - Ringer
Minder - Hypnotizing Rita- Actress
- Soundtrack
Patricia Maynard was born on 16 February 1942 in Beighton, near Sheffield, England, UK. She is an actress, known for Doctor Who (1963), The Last of the Mohicans (1971) and Minder (1979).The Sweeney -Abduction
Minder - Dead Men Tell Tales & Days Of Fines and Closures- Mitzi Rogers was born on 28 November 1940 in Glasgow, Scotland, UK. She was an actress, known for The Avengers (1961), ITV Saturday Night Theatre (1969) and The Woodlanders (1970). She was married to Judy Mackrell, John Davies and Keith Butt. She died on 23 January 2022.The Sweeney - Night Out
Minder - All About Scoring, Innit? - Rachel Davies was born in Manchester, Greater Manchester, England, UK. She is known for Doctor Who (1963), Band of Gold (1995) and Midsomer Murders (1997).The Sweeney - One Of Your Own
Minder - A Nice Little Wine