English actor (1925–1997)
Richard Evelyn Vernon (7 March 1925 – 4 December 1997) was a British
actor.
[1] He appeared in many
feature films and
television programmes, often in
aristocratic or supercilious roles. Prematurely balding and greying, Vernon settled into playing archetypal
middle-aged
lords and military types while still in his 30s.
[2] He is perhaps best known for originating the role of
Slartibartfast in
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Other notable roles included the lead role of Edwin Oldenshaw in
The Man in Room 17 (1965–67), Sir James Greenley alias "C" in
The Sandbaggers (1978–80), and Sir Desmond Glazebrook in
Yes Minister (1980–81) and its sequel series
Yes, Prime Minister (1987).
Early life
Vernon was born in Kenya in 1925 to British parents. Vernon and his parents moved to Britain in 1937 where Vernon attended
Reading School and
Leighton Park School (both in
Reading, Berkshire).
[3] During the
Second World War he served in the
Royal Navy. He trained as an actor at the
Central School of Speech and Drama.
[2]
Career
In 1960, Vernon appeared in an
adaptation of
A.J. Cronin's novel,
The Citadel. In 1961, he played the father in the BBC series,
Stranger on the Shore. An early leading role was as wartime agent-turned-criminologist Edwin Oldenshaw in the TV series
The Man in Room 17 (1965–66) and its sequel
The Fellows (1967).
[2]
[4] He also played a small role as
Colonel Smithers, an executive of the
Bank of England, in a scene opposite
Sean Connery and
Bernard Lee in the 1964
James Bond film
Goldfinger, discussing how
Auric Goldfinger transports his gold overseas.
[5]
He played an unnamed 'city gent' reluctantly sharing a train compartment with
the Beatles in
A Hard Day's Night, planet designer
Slartibartfast in the
BBC radio and TV series
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, the occasional character Sir Desmond Glazebrook in the TV series
Yes Minister and
Yes, Prime Minister, and Mr Becket in
Sammy's Super T-Shirt.
[6] He also appeared in the 1965
Morecambe and Wise film
The Intelligence Men as patron of the arts Sir Edward Seabrook, Lord Bartelsham in
Ripping Yarns, and Squire Dale in the
BBC Radio 4 adaptation of
The Small House at Allington.
[1]
[7]
[8] He played Admiral Croft in the 1971 BBC television adaptation of
Persuasion.
[9] He played the urbane head of the Secret Intelligence Service Sir James Greenley in ITV political drama
The Sandbaggers from 1978 to 1980. In 1986 he appeared in
Paradise Postponed, and voiced the professor Gus in
The Giddy Game Show (1985-7),
[1] in addition to a
cameo role (as Professor Jerry Coe) in the video for
Experiment IV by
Kate Bush. He also appeared in the final episode of Thames Television's production of
Rumpole of the Bailey (1992) as Rumpole's exculpatory dentist, Lionel Leering, and in the last series of
Lovejoy (1994) playing Tinker's brother-in-law.
On radio, in 1978 he played Sir Gerald Tarrant in a
BBC World Service adaptation of the
Modesty Blaise book
Last Day in Limbo and Professor Misty in the
BBC Radio 3
sitcom
Patterson in 1981.
[10] He also starred in the title role of
Lord Emsworth in several BBC Radio 4 series of
Blandings between 1985 and 1992.
[11]
In December 1990 he began teaching a course on stage acting in
Harare, Zimbabwe. He moved back to
England in January 1992.
[12]
His final film appearance was a cameo at the end of the family film
Loch Ness, which was released in 1996.
[13]
Personal life and death
In 1955 he married actress Benedicta Leigh née Hoskyns. They had a daughter Sarah (1956) and a son, Thomas (1958). They divorced in 1990.
Vernon died of complications from
Parkinson's disease on December 4, 1997.
[2]
Filmography
Film
Television
-
ITV Television Playhouse (1956–1963, 5 episodes) as Multiple roles
-
ITV Play of the Week (1957–1966, 9 episodes) as Multiple roles
-
Probation Officer (1959–1960, 5 episodes) as Doctor Lessing
-
No Hiding Place (1959–1961, 2 episodes) as John Eldin/Charles Lacey
-
Dixon of Dock Green (1960–1962, 2 episodes) as Fellowes/Pascoe
-
Emergency Ward 10 (1960, 1 episode) as Forrester
-
Francis Storm Investigates (1960, 1 episode) as Commodore Garwood
-
Deadline Midnight (1960, 1 episode) as Holroyd
-
Boyd Q.C. (1960, 1 episode) as Mr. Trottman
-
Theatre 70 (1960, 1 episode) as Mr. Pearson
-
The Odd Man (1960, 5 episodes) as Charles Ormiston
-
The Citadel (1960, 5 episodes) as Doctor Ivory
-
Jango (1961, 1 episode) as Parkinson
-
Stranger on the Shore (1961, 6 episodes) as David Gough
-
Stranger in the City (1962, 6 episodes) as David Gough
-
The Cheaters (1962, 1 episode) as Ken Northwood
-
Saki (1962, 8 episodes) as The Major
-
Maigret (1962, 1 episode) as Philippe
-
The Last Man Out (1962, 1 episode) as The Colonel
-
The Avengers (1962, 1 episode) as Lord Matterley
-
Harpers West One (1962, 1 episode) as Arthur Purvis
-
Z-Cars (1962, 1 episode) as Det. Chief Insp. Humphries
-
It Happened Like This (1963, 1 episode) as Harker
-
24-Hour Call (1963, 1 episode) as Wing Commander Battenby
-
Walter and Connie (1963, 1 episode) as Mr. Johns
-
The Saint (1963, 1 episode) as Sir John Ripwell
-
The Plane Makers (1963, 2 episodes) as Keith Saville
-
Crane (1964, 1 episode) as Wolsey
-
The Hidden Truth (1964, 1 episode) as William Anstruthe
-
Here's Harry (1964, 1 episode) as Self
-
The Marriage Lines (1964, 1 episode) as Mr. Renfrew-Smith
-
The Man in Room 17 (1965–1966, 26 episodes) as Edwin Oldenshaw
-
The Fellows (1967, 13 episodes) as Edwin Oldenshaw
-
ITV Playhouse (1967–1970, 3 episodes) as Multiple roles
-
Comedy Playhouse (1968, 1 episode) as Sir Reginald Polk-Mowbray
-
Mystery and Imagination (1968, 1 episode) as Professor Krempe
-
Harry Worth (1968, 1 episode) as Mr. Gilmore
-
The Man in Room 17 (1968–1972, 3 episodes) as Multiple roles
-
Thirty-Minute Theatre (1968, 1 episode) as Colonel O'Dwyer
-
Journey to the Unknown (1969, 1 episode) as Sir Gerald Walters
-
Department S (1969, 1 episode) as Colonel Loring
-
W. Somerset Maugham (1969, 1 episode) as Lord Kastellan
-
Fraud Squad (1970, 1 episode) as Sir Roy Prentiss
-
Biography (1970, 1 episode) as Tycho Brahe
-
UFO (1971, 1 episode) as Stone
-
Seasons of the Year (1971, 1 episode) as Lord Rudge
-
Paul Temple (1971, 1 episode) as Carlton
-
The Mind of Mr. J.G. Reeder (1971, 1 episode) as Major Olbude
-
Brett (1971, 1 episode) as Sutherland
-
Albert and Victoria (1971, 1 episode) as Mr. Ridley
-
The Persuaders! (1971, 1 episode) as Sir Maxwell Dean
-
The Guardians (1971, 1 episode) as Face
-
Hadleigh (1971–1976, 3 episodes) as Sir Geoffrey Osborne
-
Persuasion (1971, 5 episodes) as Admiral Croft
-
The Adventurer (1972, 1 episode) as Sir Richard McKenzie
-
Softly, Softly: Task Force (1972, 1 episode) as Sir Ralph Townley
-
The Sextet (1972, 8 episodes) as Multiple roles
-
Man at the Top (1972, 2 episodes) as Lord Belmont
-
Between the Wars (1973, 1 episode) as Morton
-
Late Night Theatre (1973, 1 episode) as Morry Sheldon
-
Special Branch (1973, 1 episode) as Townsend
-
Upstairs, Downstairs (1973, 2 episodes) as Major Cochrane-Danby
-
Harriet's Back in Town (1973, 6 episodes) as Oliver Warburton
-
Dolly (1973, 2 episodes) as Mr. Hilary Musgrave
-
Dial M for Murder (1974, 1 episode) as The Chief
-
Justice (1974, 1 episode) as Lord Tilling
-
Thriller (1974, 1 episode) as George Cornfield
-
Village Hall (1974, 1 episode) as Cedric Wellbeloved
-
Affairs of the Heart (1974, 1 episode) as Colonel Chart
-
Edward the Seventh (1975, 3 episodes) as Lord Salisbury
-
Dawson's Weekly (1975, 1 episode) as Solicitor
-
The Duchess of Duke Street (1976–1977, 18 episodes) as Major Smith-Barton
-
Ripping Yarns (1976, 1 episode) as Lord Bartlesham
-
The Cedar Tree (1977, 2 episodes) as Lord Evelyn Forbes
-
Do You Remember? (1978, 1 episode) as Lord Greenham
-
The Sandbaggers (1978–1980, 12 episodes) as Sir James Greenley / "C"
-
Yes Minister (1980–1981, 2 episodes) as Sir Desmond Glazebrook
-
Bognor (1981, 6 episodes) as Lord Wharfedale
-
Roger Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1981, 1 episode) as Judge
-
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1981, 2 episodes) as Slartibartfast
-
Legacy of Murder (1982, 6 episodes) as Roland Tolhurst
-
L for Lester (1982, 5 episodes) as Mr. Davies
-
Something in Disguise (1982, 5 episodes) as Herbert Browne-Lacey
-
Strangers (1982, 1 episode) as Sir Geoffrey
-
Nanny (1982, 6 episodes) as Duke of Broughton
-
The Boy Who Won the Pools (1983, 2 episodes) as Sir Malvern West
-
Pig in the Middle (1983, 1 episode) as Lord Gathorne
-
Leaving (1984, 6 episodes) as Mr. Chessington
-
Roll Over Beethoven (1985, 13 episodes) as Oliver Purcell
-
Summer Season (1985, 1 episode) as Thompson
-
Ladies in Charge (1986, 1 episode) as Lord Brampton
-
Lytton's Diary (1986, 1 episode) as Duncan Anderson
-
Paradise Postponed (1986, 9 episodes) as Sir Nicholas Fanner
-
Chance in a Million (1986, 1 episode) as Uncle Evelyn
-
The Return of the Antelope (1986–1988, 13 episodes) as Mr. Garstanton
-
Last of the Summer Wine (1987, 1 episode) as The Vicar
-
Yes, Prime Minister (1987, 1 episode) as Sir Desmond Glazebrook
-
Hot Metal (1988, 1 episode) as Lord Gilbert
-
A Gentleman's Club (1988, 6 episodes) as George
-
Casualty (1988, 1 episode) as Dr. Richard Payton
-
Helping Henry (1988, 6 episodes) as Cosmic 1
-
The Storyteller (1988, 1 episode) as King
-
About Face (1989, 1 episode) as Bingham
-
KYTV (1992, 1 episode) as Chester Chuckles
-
The Camomile Lawn (1992, 2 episodes) as General Peachum
-
Rumpole of the Bailey (1992, 1 episode) as Lionel Leering
-
Bonjour la Classe (1993, 1 episode) as Sir Lionel
-
You Rang, M'Lord? (1993, 1 episode) as The Earl of Swaffham
-
The Return of the Borrowers (1993, 3 episodes) as Mr. Pott
-
Rides (1993, 1 episode) as Arthur Copthorne
-
Frank Stubbs Promotes (1994, 1 episode) as Lord Dunstable
-
Lovejoy (1994, 1 episode) as Roger Nettleton
-
Class Act (1994–1995, 14 episodes) as Sir Horace Mainwaring
References
External links
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