| Birth name | Christopher John Benjamin |
|---|---|
| Birth date | 27 December 1934 |
| Birth place | Trowbridge, Wiltshire, England |
| Death date | 10 January 2025 (aged 90) |
| Alma mater | Royal Academy of Dramatic Art |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1958–2020 |
| Spouse | Anna Fox (m. 1959) |
Christopher John Benjamin (27 December 1934 – 10 January 2025) was an English actor with many stage and television credits from 1958 to 2016. He played Henry Gordon Jago in the 1977 Doctor Who story The Talons of Weng-Chiang, a role he reprised for the audio drama series Jago & Litefoot (2010–2017, 2021), and made two other appearances in the series, portraying Sir Keith Gold in Inferno (1970) and Colonel Hugh Curbishley in "The Unicorn and the Wasp" (2008). He also provided the voice of Rowf in the animated film The Plague Dogs (1982).[1] His radio acting career included two BBC Radio adaptations of Christopher Lee's crime drama Colvil and Soames.[2]
Early life
Benjamin was born in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, on 27 December 1934.[3] He served in the Royal Air Force for his national service and studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.[4]
Career
Benjamin appeared regularly in television and radio from 1965.[3] He is well known for his roles in some of the UK's biggest cult television programmes.[5] This included playing the same character ("Potter") in two Patrick McGoohan dramas, Danger Man and The Prisoner, fuelling speculation that they are possibly linked.[6] He played the Old Man (boss of Philip Roath) in the Thames Television comedy by Peter Tilbury, It Takes a Worried Man (1981).[7] He was also an occasional guest star in The Avengers and Doctor Who, making three appearances in each, mostly in comedy roles.[8]
Benjamin also played recurring roles in several period dramas. He was Sir John Glutton, the regular adversary in the period family adventure series Dick Turpin, Channing in several episodes of the third series of When The Boat Comes In, and Prosper Profond in the acclaimed 1967 adaptation of The Forsyte Saga.[9][10][3] He reprised the role of Henry Gordon Jago, from the Doctor Who serial The Talons of Weng-Chiang in thirteen series of Jago and Litefoot audio plays, after a well-received episode of the Big Finish Productions audio C.D. series Doctor Who: The Companion Chronicles entitled The Mahogany Murderers,[11][12] acting alongside Trevor Baxter as Professor George Litefoot. He played Sir William Lucas in the BBC's 1995 production of Pride and Prejudice.[13]
Benjamin's few film roles included appearances in Ring of Bright Water (1969), Brief Encounter (1974), Hawk the Slayer (1980), The Tichborne Claimant (1998) and Angel (2007).[3] His final screen appearance was in The Legend of Tarzan (2016).[14]
Predominantly a stage actor, after six years in repertory theatres, Manchester, Salisbury and Bristol Old Vic (1958–1965), he performed regularly over twenty years with the Royal Shakespeare Company.[15] He played Nick Bottom five times, at Bristol Old Vic, Regents Park, on Radio 3, at the RSC (including a tour of Australia and New Zealand) and finally at Glyndebourne in The Fairy-Queen, before retiring from the stage in 2012.[16][17]
Benjamin's West End performances included How the Other Half Loves at the Duke of Yorks, A Voyage Round My Father at Wyndhams, The Clandestine Marriage at the Queens Theatre, Sweeney Todd at the Royal National Theatre, and The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui at the Saville (with Leonard Rossiter).[16] He also appeared in several plays at the Donmar, the Kings Head, Mermaid, etc.[16] He played Falstaff in rep at Salisbury, at Regents Park, and at the Globe in 2008 and after touring the US and UK in 2010.[18][19]
Personal life and death
Benjamin lived in Hampstead, London, with his wife, Anna Fox, an actress and writer.[20] He died on 10 January 2025, at the age of 90.[21][22][23]
Selected filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | The Wednesday Play | Dan Royston | Sir Jocelyn, the Minister Would Like a Word |
| Z-Cars | Dennis Ludd | Episode: "Give a Dog a Name" | |
| The Man in Room 17 | Chief Supt. Craythorpe | Episode: "The Millons of Muzafariyah" | |
| 1966 | Orlando | The Great Cardini | 5 episodes |
| The Baron | Verel | Episode: "The Seven Eyes of Night" | |
| 1966–1968 | The Avengers | Various roles | 3 episodes |
| 1967 | Danger Man | Potter | Episode: "Koroshi" |
| The Forsyte Saga | Prosper Profond | 4 episodes | |
| 1967–1968 | The Prisoner | Various roles | 3 episodes |
| 1968 | Public Eye | Barnby | Episode: "There's No Future in Monkey Business" |
| Late Night Horror | Algy Somerville | The Kiss of Blood | |
| The Saint | Fish | Episode: "The Master Plan" | |
| 1969 | Ring of Bright Water | London Fishmonger | Film |
| Fraud Squad | Lal Choudhry | Episode: "Over a Barrel" | |
| The Gold Robbers | Edward Meakin | Episode: "An Oddly Honest Man" | |
| 1970 | Ace of Wands | Falk | 2 episodes |
| Paul Temple | Roffey | Episode: "The Artknappers" | |
| The Roads to Freedom | Assistant Superintendent | 1 episode | |
| 1970, 1976 | Softly, Softly: Task Force | Chief Immigration Officer Ingrams/Civil Servant | 2 episodes |
| 1970, 1977 | Doctor Who | Sir Keith Gold/Henry Gordon Jago | 2 serials: "Inferno" and "The Talons of Weng-Chiang" |
| 1971 | Jason King | The Police Inspector | Episode: "A Red Red Rose Forever" |
| Man at the Top | Mr. Fisher | Episode: "A Bit of Spare, Nothing Else" | |
| Never Mind the Quality, Feel the Width | Dr. Shapiro | Episode: "Manny Cohen R.I.P." | |
| 1972 | Budgie | Claude | Episode: "Twenty-Four Thousand Ball Point Pens" |
| The Protectors | Banker | Episode: "The Quick Brown Fox" | |
| The Strauss Family | Domnayer | 5 episodes | |
| The Onedin Line | Said Ben Alim | Episode: "The Challenge" | |
| 1973 | Bowler | Supt. Chamberlain | 3 episodes |
| Jack the Ripper | Club Man | 2 episodes | |
| New Scotland Yard | Mr. Foster | Episode: "Rogues Gallery" | |
| Upstairs, Downstairs | Max Weinberg | Episode: "A Change of Scene" | |
| Van der Valk | Mulder | Episode: "Rich Man, Poor Man" | |
| 1974 | Brief Encounter | Porter | Film |
| Father Brown | Dukes | Episode: "The Quick One" | |
| Special Branch | Dr. Eric Blyth | Episode: "Stand and Deliver" | |
| 1975 | Churchill's People | Peter | Episode: "On the Anvil" |
| Village Hall | Bill Jolly | Old Scores | |
| 1975–1976 | Poldark | Sir Hugh Boldrugan | 9 episodes |
| 1976 | Angels | Samuels | Episode: "Challenges" |
| Hadleigh | Oberman | Episode: "Hong Kong Rock" | |
| The Squirrels | Craig | Episode: "The Cruise" | |
| Gangsters | Assistant Managing Director | 3 episodes | |
| 1977 | Rooms | Bernard Metcalfe | |
| Target | Panter | Episode: "Blow Out" | |
| When the Boat Comes In | Channing | 3 episodes | |
| Yes, Honestly | Roscoe B. Roscoe | Episode: "Educating Mr. Roscoe" | |
| 1978 | Armchair Thriller | Det. Inspector Tarrant | 5 episodes |
| Get Some In! | Sergeant Foot | 2 episodes | |
| Scorpion Tales | Arab | Episode: "Crimes of Persuasion" | |
| The Sandbaggers | David Follett | Episode: "The Most Suitable Person" | |
| Wilde Alliance | Miller | Episode: "Affay in Amsterdam" | |
| 1979–1980 | Dick Turpin | Sir John Glutton | 14 episodes |
| 1980 | Hawk the Slayer | Fitzwalter | Film |
| Shoestring | Leacock | Episode: "Room with a View" | |
| Play For Today | Rabbi | The Executioner | |
| We, the Accused | Inglewood | 3 episodes | |
| 1980–1982 | Holding the Fort | Col. Aubrey Sanderson | 5 episodes |
| 1981 | A Spy at Evening | Stevens | 4 episodes |
| Play For Today | Mr. Porter | A Brush with Mr. Porter on the Road to El Dorado | |
| Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years | Air Ministry Official | Episode: "The Flying Peril" | |
| 1981–1983 | It Takes a Worried Man | The Old Man | 16 episodes |
| 1982 | Shine on Harvey Moon | Mr. Hartley | 2 episodes |
| The Life and Times of Nicholas Nickleby | Mr. Vincent Crummings | 3 episodes | |
| The Plague Dogs | Rowf (voice) | Film | |
| 1984 | Minder | Mr. Rushmere | Episode: "The Car Lot Baggers" |
| 1985 | Blott on the Landscape | Chief Constable | Episode: "Man in a Tree" |
| Black Silk | Judge | Episode: "Winner Takes All" | |
| 1986 | Dempsey and Makepeace | Sam Powell | Episode: "Mantrap" |
| Call Me, Mister | Shop Manager | Episode: "The Other Woman" | |
| The Return of Sherlock Holmes | Dr. Huxtable | Episode: "The Priory School" | |
| 1987 | Boon | Teddy Rawlingston | Episode: "A Fistful of Pesetas" |
| Casanova | Massimo | TV movie | |
| The Diary of Anne Frank | Mr Van Daan | 3 episodes | |
| Yes, Prime Minister | French Ambassador | Episode: "A Diplomatic Incident" | |
| 1988 | Melba | Col. Otway | 4 episodes |
| King and Castle | Enwright | Episode: "Cons" | |
| 1989 | Saracen | Charles Saunders | Episode: "Girls' Talk" |
| 1990 | Brass | Sir Dudley Tilstock | Episode: "Bradley Gets on Top" |
| Campion | Coroner | Episode: "Flowers for the Judge – Part 1" | |
| Haggard | Lord Tartlet | Episode: "The Great Lover" | |
| Spymaker: The Secret Life of Ian Fleming | McKinnon | TV movie | |
| 1991 | Rumpole of the Bailey | Sir Denis Tolston | Episode: "Rumpole and the Right to Silence" |
| Thatcher: The Final Days | George Younger | TV movie | |
| She-Wolf of London | Dr. Morris | Episode: "Voodoo Child" | |
| 1992 | A Likely Lad | Harold Sowter | 6 episodes |
| Casualty | Henry Lindall | Episode: "Cry Wolf" | |
| Maigret | Guillaume Saure | Episode: "Maigret and the Burgular's Wife" | |
| Inspector Morse | Professor Furlong | Episode: "Cherubim & Seraphim" | |
| London's Burning | Mr. Brody | 2 episodes | |
| 1994 | Lovejoy | Walid | Episode: "Fruit of the Desert" |
| The Tomorrow People | Middlemass | 4 episodes | |
| 1995 | Pride and Prejudice | Sir William Lucas | 5 episodes |
| 1998 | Seesaw | Malcolm Green | 2 episodes |
| The Last Salute | Sir Gilbert | Episode: "One for the Road" | |
| The Tichborne Claimant | Gibbes | Film | |
| 1999 | Treasure Island | Squire Trelawney | TV movie |
| 2001 | Sword of Honour | Doctor | TV movie |
| 2003 | Foyle's War | Brigadier Harcourt | Episode: "War Games" |
| Looking For Victoria | Lord Stanley | TV movie | |
| 2003–2006 | Judge John Deed | Steve Gaydon | 4 episodes |
| 2004 | Down to Earth | Mr. Yates | Episode: "Family Ties" |
| 2005 | Midsomer Murders | Harvey Crane | Episode: "Midsomer Rhapsody" |
| 2006 | Heartbeat | Oliver Ridley | Episode: "Accidents Happen" |
| Rosemary & Thyme | Trevor Squires | Episode: "Seeds of Time" | |
| 2007 | Angel | Lord Norley | Film |
| 2008 | Doctor Who | Colonel Hugh Curbishley | Episode: "The Unicorn and the Wasp" |
| 2009 | Doctors | Arthur Cuthbert | Episode: "Up the Garden Path" |
| 2011 | The Merry Wives of Windsor | Sir John Falstaff | Video |
| 2016 | The Legend of Tarzan | Lord Knutsford | Film |
References
- ^ Profile, behindthevoiceactors.com; accessed 23 January 2016.
- ^ Lee, Christopher (19 September 2019). Colvil & Soames: The Complete Series 1-2. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
- ^ "Christopher Benjamin - BFI". Archived from the original on 16 September 2017. Retrieved September 15, 2017.
- ^ Coveney, Michael (26 January 2025). "Christopher Benjamin obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
- ^ "Christopher Benjamin". TV Guide
- ^ "The Danger Man Website". danger-man.co.uk
- ^ "Soul Mates (1981)". BFI. Archived from the original on 3 July 2022.
- ^ "Christopher Benjamin". www.aveleyman.com
- ^ "Jail Birds (1979)". BFI. Archived from the original on 25 October 2020.
- ^ ".:: WHEN THE BOAT COMES IN ::.". www.britishdrama.org.uk
- ^ "BBC - Doctor Who Classic Episode Guide - The Talons of Weng Chiang - Details". BBC
- ^ "Jago & Litefoot Series One | Doctor Who Reviews". 9 January 2018.
- ^ "BFI Screenonline: Pride and Prejudice (1995) Credits". www.screenonline.org.uk
- ^ "Christopher Benjamin | Movies and Filmography". AllMovie
- ^ "Search | RSC Performances | Shakespeare Birthplace Trust". collections.shakespeare.org.uk
- ^ "Christopher Benjamin | Theatricalia". theatricalia.com
- ^ "The Fairy Queen, Glyndebourne". 25 July 2012. – via www.thetimes.co.uk.
- ^ "Henry IV, Part One (2004): Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park, London | BBA Shakespeare". bbashakespeare.warwick.ac.uk
- ^ Brantley, Ben (31 October 2010). "A World of Silliness, but No Winking This Time". The New York Times
- ^ "An Evening with Louis MacNeice - Lee Montague 10th Oct.". www.keatscommunitylibrary.org.uk
- ^ "Christopher Benjamin 1934–2025". Doctor Who News. 15 January 2025. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
- ^ "On behalf of the family I've been asked to officially share the announcement of the death of the wonderful Christopher Benjamin. Actor, father, husband and friend.". Lisa Bowerman on X. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
- ^ Coveney, Michael (26 January 2025). "Christopher Benjamin obituary". The Guardian
External links
- Christopher Benjamin (actor) at IMDb