Desmond McNamara (1938–2022) was an English actor on the stage, radio, television and film.
McNamara was born in 1938 in Hackney, London, to Arthur and Winifred McNamara. He took on National Service in the RAF before becoming a printer. In 1961 he married Pam Bentley, and they had two sons. [1]
From 1966 he trained at RADA before joining Birmingham Repertory Company, then the Young Vic in 1970, then the Royal National Theatre, [1] followed by an extensive theatre career ranging from the lead in Oliver Goldsmith's The Good Natured Man at the Old Vic in 1971 [2] to the part of Merlin in Camelot in 1996. [3]
Films included The Great Paper Chase (1986), Staggered (1994), Shakespeare in Love (1998) and Lucky Break (2001). [1]
Television appearances included Hazell, The Bill, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Fortunes of War, Roll Over Beethoven, and All at No 20. [1]
McNamara died in 2022, at the age of 84. [1]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Adventures of a Taxi Driver | First Robber | |
| 1994 | Staggered | Traffic Policeman | |
| 1994 | A Pin for the Butterfly | Crazy Old Man | Credited as Des McNamara |
| 1998 | Shakespeare in Love | Crier | |
| 2001 | Lucky Break | Arthur | |
| 2006 | The Spotter | Mr. Jackson | Short film |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Nearest and Dearest | Waiter | Episode: " When Love Walks In" |
| 1970 | ITV Sunday Night Theatre | Guildenstern | Episode: "Hamlet" |
| 1975 | Carry on Laughing | Minstrel | 2 episodes |
| 1978 | BBC Play of the Month | Eric Swash | Episode: "Flint" |
| 1976–1978 | Crown Court | George Mitchell
Sgt. Beale |
4 episodes |
| 1978–1979 | Hazell | Cousin Tel | 15 episodes |
| 1979 | Charles Endell Esquire | Sleeper Attendant | Episode: " Glasgow Belongs to Me" |
| 1979 | Saint Joan | English soldier | Television film |
| 1980 | ITV Playhouse | Frank | Episode: "Visitors for Anderson" |
| 1981 | Play for Today | Donald Morgan | Episode: "The Sin Bin" |
| 1981 | Kinvig | Charley | Episode: "The Big Benders" |
| 1981 | Only Fools and Horses | Earl | Episode: " Christmas Crackers" |
| 1982 | The Gentle Touch | Micky Scott | Episode: " Vigill" |
| 1983 | Jury | John Bannister | 13 episodes |
| 1984 | The Kit Curran Radio Show | Mr. Bickley | Episode: "Election Fever" |
| 1984 | The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes | John Horner | Episode: " The Blue Carbuncle" |
| 1984 | Travelling Man | Jimmy Nolan | Episode: "Grasser" |
| 1985 | Dempsey and Makepeace | Charlie Wilson | Episode: " Blind Eye" |
| 1985 | C.A.T.S. Eyes | Binks | Episode: "Cross My Palm with Silver" |
| 1985 | Roll Over Beethoven | Lem | 13 episodes |
| 1985 | Tucker's Luck | Mr. Wilson | 2 episodes |
| 1986 | Running Scared | Mick Prescott | 6 episodes |
| 1986 | Starting Out | Mr. Barnes | 2 episodes |
| 1986 | Big Deal | Des Parsons | Episode: "Tuppence Coloured" |
| 1986 | The Great Paper Chase | Lovelace | Television film |
| 1987 | Bergerac | Reporter | Episode: " The Deadly Virus" |
| 1987 | A Dorothy L. Sayers Mystery | Padgett | 3 episodes |
| 1987 | Fortunes of War | Galpin | 3 episodes |
| 1987 | All at No 20 | Frankie | 2 episodes |
| 1987 | Vanity Fair | Capt. MacMurdo | Episode: "After the Battle" |
| 1988 | Hard Cases | Fast Eddie Finnegan | 2 episodes |
| 1988 | King and Castle | Tony Bates | Episode: "Dim Sums" |
| 1988 | Les Girls | Jimmy | Episode: "Old Fruit" |
| 1988 | South of the Border | Airport security guard | Episode: #1.2 |
| 1989 | Close to Home | Puppy owner | Episode: "The Contract" |
| 1988–1989 | Streets Apart | Cliff | 12 episodes |
| 1990 | The Chief | Terry Salter | Episode: #1.4 |
| 1990 | This Is David Harper | Colin Foley | Episode: "Partners in Crime?" |
| 1991 | Five Children and It | Mr. Peasmarsh | Episode: "Episode Two" |
| 1991 | Birds of a Feather | Desmond | Episode: " Favour of the Month" |
| 1982–1994 | Minder | Gossip
Les Reggie |
3 episodes |
| 1994 | Pie in the Sky | Mr Lowe | Episode: "Endangered Species" |
| 1995 | The Plant | Paul | Television film |
| 1995 | Wycliffe | Bill Marrack (as Des McNamara) | Episode: "Wild Oats" |
| 1997 | Animal Ark | Ernie Bell | Episode: "Goat in the Garden" |
| 1999 | Miami 7 | Caretaker (as Des McNamara) | Episode: "Take Off" |
| 1999 | Maisie Raine | Tom Baker | Episode: "European Forty Five" |
| 1998–2000 | Casualty | Bert
Tom Logan |
2 episodes |
| 2003 | The Last Detective | Block | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 2004 | Doctors and Nurses | Harry | Episode: "Seeing Stars" |
| 2004 | EastEnders | Bob | 3 episodes |
| 1988–2005 | The Bill | Various | 9 episodes |
| 2005 | Doctors | Reg Johnson | Episode: "The Hand That Feeds You" |