Donald Francis Henderson (10 November 1931 – 22 June 1997)Ancestry/Find My Past (his birth was registered in the December 1931 quarter) was an English actor. He was known for playing both "tough guy" roles and authority figures, and is remembered for his portrayal of detective George Bulman between 1976 and 1987 in the Granada Television police drama series The XYY Man (1976-1977), Strangers (1978–1982), and Bulman (1985-1987). He was priest Frank Kane in BBC drama The Paradise Club (1989–90), and as General Tagge in the first Star Wars film (1977). Other credits included Warship (1973-1975), Poldark (1975), Doctor Who: Delta and the Bannermen (1987), Brazil (1985), The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988), Last of the Summer Wine (1988), Maigret (1988), Minder (1989), The Fool (1990), Boon (1991), Cracker (1993) and The Wind in the Willows (1996).

Biography Henderson was born into a working-class family in Leytonstone, Essex, the son of a carpenter, and grew up in Epping. After completing his national service as a technician in the Royal Army Dental Corps, he served with Essex Constabulary, reaching the rank of detective sergeant in their CID, and worked as an insurance salesman. He did not become a professional actor until his thirties, when a friend dared him to audition for the Royal Shakespeare Company, with whom he subsequently performed from 1966 until 1972.

Henderson had two children, a son and a daughter, with his first wife Hilary, who died from a mysterious lung disease in 1977. He remarried in 1979; his second wife was the actress Shirley Stelfox, with whom he would appear professionally many times. He lived in his adopted home town of Stratford-upon-Avon for many years, where he was a familiar face to locals.

Career Henderson is best remembered for his role as the fictional detective George Bulman. This character featured in three TV series: The XYY Man (1976-1977), Bulman rise from Detective Sergeant to Detective Chief Inspector in Strangers (1978–1982), and, in 1985, his character had retired from the police and was pursuing a career as a horologist in the series Bulman (1985-1987). He also starred in the TV drama series Warship.

In 1977, he appeared as General Taggi, Chief of the Imperial Army and a member of the Empire's Joint Chiefs, in the film Star Wars (1977).

Henderson made little money from his role in Star Wars—£300 for one day of filming. He also missed out on a large sum for his copy of the Star Wars script: "I have only once been recognised as having been in Star Wars, and that was when I was making a film in Los Angeles. Somebody in the hotel I was staying at offered me $2000 for my copy of the Star Wars script. As I growled at him in amazement, he took that as a refusal, or that he had offered too little and eventually went up to an offer of $5000! Sadly, as with all my used scripts, I had given it to my kids to scribble and draw on."

In 1987, he played Gavrok in 3 episodes of Doctor Who: Delta and the Bannermen. He played Frank Kane working alongside Leslie Grantham (who played his brother) in 20 episodes of The Paradise Club (1989–1990).

Henderson voiced Tommy Brock in The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends.

His last television role was in 1997, when he played a Rogue Simulant in Episode: "Beyond a Joke" of the BBC2 comedy Red Dwarf.

Death Henderson was first diagnosed with throat cancer in 1980, and died of the disease at Warwick Hospital on 22 June 1997, aged 65, and was survived by his second wife Shirley Stelfox and his children.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes/Ref. 1968 A Midsummer Night's Dream Attendant 1974 Callan George Abby Flip 1975 Brannigan Geef The Ghoul Ghoul 1976 Voyage of the Damned Engineering Officer 1977 Star Wars General Tagge Crossed Swords Burly Ruffian 1978 The Big Sleep Lou 1980 The Island Rollo 1985 Brazil First Black Maria Guard Murder Elite Sergeant Jessop 1987 Billy the Kid and the Green Baize Vampire The Wednesday Man Out of Order Car Driver1988 Blanc de Chine Malcolm The Adventures of Baron Munchausen Commander 1989 Tank Malling Percy The BFG Bloodbottler / Fleshlumpeater / Sergeant Voice 1990 The Fool Bob 1991 How's Business Mr. Bailey 1992 Carry On Columbus The Bosun As You Like It The Dukes 1993 The Baby of Macon Father Confessor The Trial Flogger 1994 White Angel Inspector Taylor No Escape Killian 1996 The Wind in the Willows The Sentry 1997 Preaching to the Perverted Commander Cope FairyTale: A True Story Sydney Chalker (final film role)

Television Year Title Role Notes/Ref. 1973–1975 Warship Master-at-Arms Frank Heron 18 episodes 1975 Poldark Tom Carne 3 episodes 1976–1977 The XYY Man DS George Bulman 13 episodes 1978 Crossroads Mr Black 6 episodes Danton's Death Mercier BBC Play of the Month 1978–1982 Strangers George Bulman 30 episodes 1983 Jemima Shore Investigates Conrad Coleman 1 episode 1984 Annika Mr. Daniels 2 episodes 1985–1987 Bulman George Bulman 20 episodes 1986 Dead Head Det. Inspector Malcolm Episode: "Why Me?" 1987 Knights of God Colley 6 episodes Doctor Who: Delta and the Bannermen Gavrok 3 episodes 1988 Last of the Summer Wine Charlie Maigret Barge Captain TV movie 1989 Minder Billy Lynch Episode: "Fiddler On The Hoof" 1989–1990 The Paradise Club Frank Kane 20 episodes 1991 Boon Don Episode: "Two Men in a Vault" 1992 2Point4 Children Frank (Ben’s Dad) Series 2 Episode 3 "One Night In Bangkok" 1993 Cracker John Hennessey Series 1 episode 2 1994 Pat and Margaret Billy 1995 The Famous Five Block Episode: "Five Go to Smuggler's Top" 1996 Casualty Jerry Hunter Episode: "Night Moves" 1997 Red Dwarf Rogue Simulant Episode: "Beyond a Joke" 1998The World of Peter Rabbit and FriendsTommy Brock1 episode

Radio

The Archers (1983) (Radio) ... Ben Warner

References

External links

Don Henderson BFI