Jeremy Mahony Sinden (14 June 1950 – 29 May 1996) was an English actor, known for his roles as eccentric military men and overgrown schoolboys.Times Obituary 31 May 1996
Early life
Sinden was born on 14 June 1950 in London into a theatrical family; both his parents were actors. His father was Sir Donald Sinden and his mother was Diana Mahony. He was educated at Edgeborough and Lancing College.
Career
Theatre Sinden worked at the Pitlochry Festival Theatre, training as an assistant stage manager. While working in that position for two seasons in Stratford-upon-Avon with the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1970-71, he also understudied 45 different roles. He appeared in pantomime and rep in Bournemouth, Farnham, Leatherhead and Windsor, and he worked one season at the Chichester Festival Theatre.
He enrolled at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA), where he studied for three years and won the Forsyth Award. Whilst still at drama school, he made his West End stage acting début in 1972 at the Cambridge Theatre as Private Broughton in R. C. Sherriff's Journey's End. Returning to the Chichester Festival Theatre, he appeared in four plays there.
Sinden played Baloo the Bear in a 1984 West End production of Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book at the Adelphi Theatre, a production that also featured Fenella Fielding as Kaa the Python. In 1994 he appeared at the Royal National Theatre as Major Swindon in Shaw's The Devil's Disciple.
His last performance was also for the National, the following year at the Old Vic, playing Toad in Alan Bennett's adaptation of The Wind in the Willows. The Times reviewer described his performance as "a nice smug Toad, who wears everything down to his convict's arrows like a model on a Paris catwalk."
Film Sinden made his film debut as rebel fighter pilot "Gold Two" in Star Wars (1977). His character was later identified as Dex Tiree in the 2015 reference book, Ultimate Star Wars.
He appeared in such films as Rosie Dixon – Night Nurse (1978); Chariots of Fire (1981) playing the president of the Gilbert and Sullivan society; Ascendancy (1983); Madame Sousatzka (1988); The Object of Beauty (1991); Let Him Have It (1991) and The Innocent (1993).
TV Sinden's work on television included playing Anthony Mortimer in Crossroads for two years, The Expert, Danger UXB, Henry Weldon in Have His Carcase, 'Boy' Mulcaster in Brideshead Revisited, The Far Pavilions, Never the Twain, Robin of Sherwood, Lord Mountbatten: The Last Viceroy, Middlemarch, The House of Windsor and As Time Goes By. His last role was as Mr Barling in The Famous Five series episode Five Go To Smugglers Top, which was dedicated to him following its broadcast in 1996.
Personal life Sinden married actress Delia Lindsay in 1978. They had two daughters.
On 4 September 1968, Sinden and his brother Marc were part of the "Na-Na" chorus on "Hey Jude", recording and filming the song with the Beatles at Twickenham Film Studios.Pinchabout, Emma (6 March 2009). He can be seen directly behind Ringo in an orange shirt and tan jacket. . Liverpool Daily Post.
Death In the mid-1990s Sinden developed lung cancer. This occurred at the same time as his best friend, Simon Cadell, was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Cadell's father, John Cadell, had been Donald Sinden's theatrical agent for more than 30 years. On 29 May 1996, twelve weeks after Cadell's death, Sinden died aged 45.Croydon Life, 14 June 2008
Filmography
Film
Year Title Role Notes 1977 Star Wars Dex Tiree (Gold Two) 1978 Rosie Dixon – Night Nurse Dr. Robert Fishlock 1981 Chariots of Fire President-Gilbert & Sullivan Society 1981 Mark Gertler: Fragments of a Biography Vorticist 1982 Doll's Eye Business Executive 1983 Ascendancy Darcy 1988 Madame Sousatzka Woodford 1991 The Object of Beauty Jonathan 1991 Let Him Have It Soames Daily Telegraph 1993 The Innocent Captain Lofting
Television
Year Title Role Notes 1976 The Sweeney Detective Constable Feast 1 episode 1976 The Expert Price 9 episodes 1976–1978 Crossroads Anthony Mortimer 20 episodes 1979 Danger UXB Lieutenant Ivor Rodgers 10 episodes 1981 Brideshead Revisited Boy Mulcaster 4 episodes 1984 The Far Pavilions Raikes 2 episodes 1986 Robin of Sherwood Mortimer 1 episode 1986 Lord Mountbatten: The Last Viceroy Ronald Brockman 6 episodes 1987 Lord Peter Wimsey: Have His Carcase Henry Weldon 4 episodes 1994 Middlemarch Captain Lydgate 3 episodes The House of Windsor Giles Huntingdon 6 episodes 1995 The Famous Five Barling 2 episodes 1996 As Time Goes By Alan 2 episodes
References
External links