Martin Benjamin Benson (10 August 1918 – 28 February 2010) was an English actor who appeared in films, theatre and television. His credits include The Strange World of Planet X (1958), Once More, with Feeling! (1959), Exodus (1960), Five Golden Hours (1961), Cleopatra (1963), A Shot in the Dark (1964), Goldfinger (1964), Pope Joan (1972), The Omen (1976), Mohammad, Messenger of God (also 1976), The Sea Wolves (1980), The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1981), and Angela's Ashes (1999).

Early life Benson was born in the East End of London, into a Jewish family,William D. Rubinstein, Michael Jolles, Hilary L. Rubinstein, The Palgrave Dictionary of Anglo-Jewish History, Palgrave Macmillan (2011), p. 75 the son of a Russian-Jewish grocer and his Polish-Jewish wife who had left Russia at the revolution. After attending Tottenham Grammar School on a scholarship, he served in the 2nd Searchlight, Royal Artillery, during World War II. Stationed in Cairo, Egypt, he and Arthur Lowe founded the repertory company Mercury Theatre in Alexandria.

Career Benson is remembered for his role as the Kralaholme in the original London production of The King and I, a role he recreated in the Oscar-winning film version.

Appearing in films for over six decades, Benson played mostly supporting characters or villains. His films include The Blind Goddess (1948), Wheel of Fate (1953), Interpol (1957), The Strange World of Planet X (1958), Once More, with Feeling! (1959), Exodus (1960), Five Golden Hours (1961), A Shot in the Dark (1964), Pope Joan (1972), The Omen (1976), Mohammad, Messenger of God (also 1976), The Sea Wolves (1980) and Angela's Ashes (1999).

Benson also had an uncredited role in MGM's hit historical film, Ivanhoe, and in 1963 he acted in another historic film, as Ramos in Cleopatra (which also starred Elizabeth Taylor). Benson played both serious roles, such as Ali in Killers of Kilimanjaro (1959) and comic roles, such as Maurice in A Shot in the Dark.

In 1964, Benson appeared as Mr. Solo, the gangster who is killed by Goldfinger's henchman Oddjob in the James Bond film Goldfinger.

Television Benson appeared in many roles on television. He played a barrister, using his own name, in the unscripted series The Verdict is Yours which ran for several years in the 1950s. Cases were shown and the previously unknown verdict was given by jury of viewers. In 1957 he made a guest appearance on The Jack Benny Show. In the same year he played the recurring character the Duke de Medici in the children's adventure series Sword of Freedom. In 1960 he appeared in the series Danger Man in the episode entitled "Position of Trust" as Fawzi. In 1981 he appeared in the television production of The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy, albeit unrecognisable under the heavy make-up and costume of Prostetnic Vogon Jeltz, leader of the Vogon fleet sent to destroy Earth. His last appearance was in the TV series Casualty in 2005.

Death Benson died in his sleep on 28 February 2010, from natural causes.

Filmography

Film +YearTitleRoleNotes1942Suspected Person Uncredited1948The Blind Goddess Count Stephan MiklaBut Not in Vain Mark Meyer1949Trapped by the Terror Prison GovernorUnder Capricorn Man Carrying Shrunken HeadUncreditedThe Adventures of PC 49Skinny Ellis1951I'll Get You for This Frankie SperazzaAssassin for Hire CatesbyNight Without StarsWhite CapThe Dark Light LuigiHotel Sahara UncreditedMystery JunctionSteve Harding1952Judgment Deferred Pierre DesportesThe Frightened Man Alec StoneWide BoyRoccoIvanhoe UncreditedThe Gambler and the LadyPat1953Top of the Form CliquotWheel of Fate RiscoeRecoil FarnboroughAlways a BrideHotel Desk ClerkUncreditedBlack 13BrunoEscape by Night Guillio1954You Know What Sailors Are Agrarian OfficerUncreditedWest of ZanzibarDhofarKnave of Hearts ArtUncredited1955Passage Home GutierresDoctor at SeaHead WaiterUncredited1956Soho Incident Rico Francesi23 Paces to Baker Street PillingsThe King and I Kralahome1957Istanbul Mr. DariusDoctor at Large Captain VarolliThe Flesh Is WeakAngelo GianiMan from Tangier VossWindom's WaySamcar1958The Strange World of Planet X SmithSea of Sand German Half-track OfficerUncreditedThe Two-Headed SpyGen. Wagner1959Make Mine a MillionChairmanKillers of Kilimanjaro Ali1960Once More, with Feeling! Luigi BardiniOscar Wilde George AlexanderSands of the Desert SelimThe Gentle Trap Ricky BarnesThe 3 Worlds of Gulliver FlimnapExodus Mordekai1961Gorgo DorkinFive Golden Hours EnricoA Matter of WHO Rahman1962The Silent Invasion BorgeSatan Never Sleeps KuznietskyVillage of Daughters1st PickpocketCaptain Clegg Mr. RashThe Fur CollarMartin Benson1963CleopatraRamos 1964Mozambique Da SilvaA Shot in the Dark MauriceBehold a Pale HorsePriestGoldfinger Mr. Solo1965The Secret of My Success Rex Mansard1966A Man Could Get Killed Politanu1967The Magnificent Two President DiazBattle Beneath the EarthGen. Chan Lu1972Pope Joan Lothair1973Tiffany Jones Petcek1976The OmenFather SpilettoMohammad, Messenger of GodAbu-Jahal1979Meetings with Remarkable Men Dr. IvanovThe Human Factor Boris1980The Sea Wolves Mr. Montero1981Sphinx Muhammed1988Young Toscanini Comparsa Uncredited1999Angela's Ashes Christian Brother

Television +YearTitleRoleNotes1953–1956Rheingold TheatreVarious8 episodes1954–1957The Vise Carlos/Ambroise Martin2 episodes1956Colonel March of Scotland YardDupontEpisode: "The Silent Vow"1956–1957Sailor of FortuneEl Sayid/Police Chief2 episodes1957Assignment Foreign LegionVarious3 episodesThe Adventures of AggieSheikh FeisalEpisode: "Tarboosh"The Jack Benny ProgramMan Using TelescopeEpisode: "Jack in Paris"The Adventures of Sir LancelotHassimEpisode: "The Mortaise Fair"Overseas Press Club – Exclusive!Dimitrios Episode: "Santa Claus in a Jeep"The New Adventures of Martin KaneEpisode: "The Missing Daughter Story"O.S.S. TulioEpisode: "Operation Payday"1957–1959Sword of Freedom Duke de Medici27 episodes1958The New Adventures of Charlie ChanAhmed/Roberto Ricci2 episodesThe Invisible Man OmarEpisode: "Crisis in the Desert"White Hunter Piet RitterEpisode: "Dead Man's Tale"The Verdict Is YoursCounsel for the PaintiffEpisode: "The Case of the Offensive General"1959The Third Man KarsosEpisode: "An Offering of Pearls"Dial 999WaymacEpisode: "Special Branch"1960Interpol CallingAhmedEpisode: "Mr. George"The Army GameCaptain StrickleyEpisode: "Bowler Hatting of Pocket"The Four Just Men Captain RenaldEpisode: "The Boy Without a Country"1960–1965Danger ManFawzi/General Ventura2 episodes1960–1961The Charlie Drake ShowFagin1960–1963ITV Television PlayhouseVarious3 episodes1961One Step Beyond Klaus Karnak/Dr. Evans2 episodes1961–1965No Hiding PlaceTomas Bexinga/Bernard Huntley1962Richard the Lionheart Forked Beard/JewellerThe Verdict Is YoursProsecuting Counsel1963Ghost Squad ZervasEpisode: "Death of a Sportsman"Suspense John HaythornEpisode: "The Uncertain Witness"1963–1967The SaintVarious3 episodes1965BBC Play of the MonthRezso KantnerEpisode: "The Joel Brand Story"1966The Wednesday PlayRudiEpisode: "Why Aren't You Famous?"Court Martial Padre VergaEpisode: "Achilles' Heel"1967Theatre 625Eric Jan Hanussen/Joseph Scharff2 episodes1968The Troubleshooters Major General HassefEpisode: "The Slight Problem with the Press" The ChampionsGarcianEpisode: "Full Circle"1973 The AdventurerNicky AsteriEpisode: "The Case of the Poisoned Pawn"1974A Little Bit of WisdomSharkieEpisode: "The Magic Monkey of Kubla Khan"1976ThrillerSpiros LemkeEpisode: "The Next Victim"1977Jesus of Nazareth Pharisee2 episodesThe Onedin LineRanocciEpisode: "The Hostage"The Professionals VillaEpisode: "Long Shot"1978Return of the SaintElimEpisode: "One Black September"1979Telford's ChangeJacques Dupont2 episodes1980BBC2 PlayhouseSchrayerEpisode: "Pews"1981The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Vogon Captain2 episodesTales of the UnexpectedVascoEpisode: "The Way to Do It"1986The Clairvoyant Browser1 episode1988Wyatt's WatchdogsJudge GoodmanEpisode: "A Clot on the Landscape"1989Campion Isaac MelchizadekEpisode: "Look to the Lady"The BillCravenEpisode: "Make My Day"1992The Camomile Lawn Pauli3 episodes1998Last of the Summer WineThe VicarEpisode: "The Only Disel Saxophone in the Country"2005Casualty Rudy GoldspinkEpisode: "Aftermath"

References

External links

Obituary in The Times Martin Benson – Daily Telegraph obituary