More actions
Derek Benfield (11 March 1926-10 March 2009) voiced Melanie Bush's uncle, Dr John Hallam, in the Big Finish Doctor Who audio story Catch-1782.
A stalwart of British television, his career stretched back to at least the mid-1950s. He was known for several recurring characters from the 1960s to the 1990s, including: "Higgenbottom" in 1961's Three Live Wires, a series that is now mostly lost; "Tom Collis" in 1965's Paul Bernard-directed science fiction programme, R3; "Andrew Parsons" in 1965's The Mask of Janus; "Walter Greenhaigh" from 1967 to 1969 on Coronation Street; "Frank Skinner" on 1970's Timeslip; "Bill Riley" on The Brothers, with Colin Baker and Kate O'Mara; "Albert Handyside" on 1979's Rumpole of the Bailey; the lead on First of the Summer Wine in 1988; and "Robert Wainthropp" on Hetty Wainthropp Investigates in the late 1990s.
His list of guest-starring credits is exceptionally long. Amongst the higher-profile shows on which he appeared were: Peak Practice, Lovejoy, Only Fools and Horses, Remington Steele, Yes Minister, Hi-de-Hi!, Z-Cars, and Dixon of Dock Green, a show for which he also wrote a few episodes.