Christopher John Benjamin (27 December 1934 – 10 January 2025) was an English actor with many stage and television credits from 1958 to 2016. He played Henry Gordon Jago in the 1977 Doctor Who story The Talons of Weng-Chiang, a role he reprised for the audio drama series Jago & Litefoot (2010–2017, 2021), and made two other appearances in the series, portraying Sir Keith Gold in Inferno (1970) and Colonel Hugh Curbishley in "The Unicorn and the Wasp" (2008). He also provided the voice of Rowf in the animated film The Plague Dogs (1982).Profile, behindthevoiceactors.com; accessed 23 January 2016. His radio acting career included two BBC Radio adaptations of Christopher Lee's crime drama Colvil and Soames.

Early life Benjamin was born in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, on 27 December 1934. He served in the Royal Air Force for his national service and studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.

Career Benjamin appeared regularly in television and radio from 1965. He is well known for his roles in some of the UK's biggest cult television programmes. This included playing the same character ("Potter") in two Patrick McGoohan dramas, Danger Man and The Prisoner, fuelling speculation that they are possibly linked. He played the Old Man (boss of Philip Roath) in the Thames Television comedy by Peter Tilbury, It Takes a Worried Man (1981). He was also an occasional guest star in The Avengers and Doctor Who, making three appearances in each, mostly in comedy roles.

Benjamin also played recurring roles in several period dramas. He was Sir John Glutton, the regular adversary in the period family adventure series Dick Turpin, Channing in several episodes of the third series of When The Boat Comes In, and Prosper Profond in the acclaimed 1967 adaptation of The Forsyte Saga. He reprised the role of Henry Gordon Jago, from the Doctor Who serial The Talons of Weng-Chiang in thirteen series of Jago and Litefoot audio plays, after a well-received episode of the Big Finish Productions audio C.D. series Doctor Who: The Companion Chronicles entitled The Mahogany Murderers, acting alongside Trevor Baxter as Professor George Litefoot. He played Sir William Lucas in the BBC's 1995 production of Pride and Prejudice.

Benjamin's few film roles included appearances in Ring of Bright Water (1969), Brief Encounter (1974), Hawk the Slayer (1980), The Tichborne Claimant (1998) and Angel (2007). His final screen appearance was in The Legend of Tarzan (2016).

Predominantly a stage actor, after six years in repertory theatres, Manchester, Salisbury and Bristol Old Vic (1958–1965), he performed regularly over twenty years with the Royal Shakespeare Company. He played Nick Bottom five times, at Bristol Old Vic, Regents Park, on Radio 3, at the RSC (including a tour of Australia and New Zealand) and finally at Glyndebourne in The Fairy-Queen, before retiring from the stage in 2012.

Benjamin's West End performances included How the Other Half Loves at the Duke of Yorks, A Voyage Round My Father at Wyndhams, The Clandestine Marriage at the Queens Theatre, Sweeney Todd at the Royal National Theatre, and The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui at the Saville (with Leonard Rossiter). He also appeared in several plays at the Donmar, the Kings Head, Mermaid, etc. He played Falstaff in rep at Salisbury, at Regents Park, and at the Globe in 2008 and after touring the US and UK in 2010.

Personal life and death Benjamin lived in Hampstead, London, with his wife, Anna Fox, an actress and writer. He died on 10 January 2025, at the age of 90.

Selected filmography +YearTitleRoleNotes1965The Wednesday PlayDan RoystonSir Jocelyn, the Minister Would Like a WordZ-Cars Dennis LuddEpisode: "Give a Dog a Name"The Man in Room 17Chief Supt. CraythorpeEpisode: "The Millons of Muzafariyah"1966OrlandoThe Great Cardini5 episodesThe BaronVerelEpisode: "The Seven Eyes of Night"1966–1968The AvengersVarious roles3 episodes1967Danger ManPotterEpisode: "Koroshi"The Forsyte SagaProsper Profond4 episodes1967–1968The PrisonerVarious roles3 episodes1968Public EyeBarnbyEpisode: "There's No Future in Monkey Business"Late Night HorrorAlgy SomervilleThe Kiss of BloodThe SaintFishEpisode: "The Master Plan"1969Ring of Bright WaterLondon Fishmonger FilmFraud SquadLal ChoudhryEpisode: "Over a Barrel"The Gold RobbersEdward MeakinEpisode: "An Oddly Honest Man"1970Ace of WandsFalk2 episodesPaul TempleRoffeyEpisode: "The Artknappers"The Roads to FreedomAssistant Superintendent1 episode1970, 1976Softly, Softly: Task ForceChief Immigration Officer Ingrams/Civil Servant2 episodes1970, 1977Doctor WhoSir Keith Gold/Henry Gordon Jago2 serials: Inferno and The Talons of Weng-Chiang1971Jason KingThe Police InspectorEpisode: "A Red Red Rose Forever"Man at the TopMr. FisherEpisode: "A Bit of Spare, Nothing Else"Never Mind the Quality, Feel the WidthDr. ShapiroEpisode: "Manny Cohen R.I.P."1972BudgieClaudeEpisode: "Twenty-Four Thousand Ball Point Pens"The Protectors BankerEpisode: "The Quick Brown Fox"The Strauss FamilyDomnayer5 episodesThe Onedin LineSaid Ben AlimEpisode: "The Challenge"1973Bowler Supt. Chamberlain3 episodesJack the RipperClub Man2 episodesNew Scotland YardMr. FosterEpisode: "Rogues Gallery"Upstairs, DownstairsMax WeinbergEpisode: "A Change of Scene"Van der ValkMulderEpisode: "Rich Man, Poor Man"1974Brief EncounterPorter FilmFather BrownDukesEpisode: "The Quick One"Special BranchDr. Eric BlythEpisode: "Stand and Deliver"1975Churchill's PeoplePeterEpisode: "On the Anvil"Village HallBill JollyOld Scores1975–1976PoldarkSir Hugh Boldrugan9 episodes1976AngelsSamuelsEpisode: "Challenges"HadleighObermanEpisode: "Hong Kong Rock"The SquirrelsCraigEpisode: "The Cruise"Gangsters Assistant Managing Director3 episodes1977RoomsBernard MetcalfeTargetPanterEpisode: "Blow Out"When the Boat Comes InChanning3 episodesYes, Honestly Roscoe B. RoscoeEpisode: "Educating Mr. Roscoe"1978Armchair ThrillerDet. Inspector Tarrant5 episodesGet Some In!Sergeant Foot2 episodesScorpion TalesArabEpisode: "Crimes of Persuasion"The SandbaggersDavid FollettEpisode: "The Most Suitable Person"Wilde Alliance MillerEpisode: "Affay in Amsterdam"1979–1980Dick TurpinSir John Glutton14 episodes1980Hawk the SlayerFitzwalterFilmShoestringLeacockEpisode: "Room with a View"Play For TodayRabbiThe ExecutionerWe, the Accused Inglewood3 episodes1980–1982Holding the FortCol. Aubrey Sanderson5 episodes1981A Spy at EveningStevens 4 episodesPlay For TodayMr. PorterA Brush with Mr. Porter on the Road to El DoradoWinston Churchill: The Wilderness YearsAir Ministry OfficialEpisode: "The Flying Peril"1981–1983It Takes a Worried ManThe Old Man16 episodes1982Shine on Harvey MoonMr. Hartley2 episodesThe Life and Times of Nicholas NicklebyMr. Vincent Crummings3 episodesThe Plague DogsRowf (voice)Film1984Minder Mr. RushmereEpisode: "The Car Lot Baggers"1985Blott on the LandscapeChief ConstableEpisode: "Man in a Tree"Black SilkJudgeEpisode: "Winner Takes All"1986Dempsey and MakepeaceSam PowellEpisode: "Mantrap"Call Me, MisterShop ManagerEpisode: "The Other Woman"The Return of Sherlock HolmesDr. HuxtableEpisode: "The Priory School"1987BoonTeddy RawlingstonEpisode: "A Fistful of Pesetas"CasanovaMassimoTV movieThe Diary of Anne FrankMr Van Daan3 episodesYes, Prime Minister French AmbassadorEpisode: "A Diplomatic Incident"1988MelbaCol. Otway4 episodesKing and CastleEnwrightEpisode: "Cons"1989SaracenCharles SaundersEpisode: "Girls' Talk"1990BrassSir Dudley TilstockEpisode: "Bradley Gets on Top"CampionCoronerEpisode: "Flowers for the Judge – Part 1"HaggardLord TartletEpisode: "The Great Lover"Spymaker: The Secret Life of Ian FlemingMcKinnonTV movie1991Rumpole of the BaileySir Denis TolstonEpisode: "Rumpole and the Right to Silence"Thatcher: The Final DaysGeorge YoungerTV movieShe-Wolf of LondonDr. MorrisEpisode: "Voodoo Child"1992A Likely LadHarold Sowter6 episodesCasualtyHenry LindallEpisode: "Cry Wolf"MaigretGuillaume SaureEpisode: "Maigret and the Burgular's Wife"Inspector MorseProfessor FurlongEpisode: "Cherubim & Seraphim"London's BurningMr. Brody2 episodes1994LovejoyWalidEpisode: "Fruit of the Desert"The Tomorrow PeopleMiddlemass4 episodes1995Pride and PrejudiceSir William Lucas5 episodes1998SeesawMalcolm Green2 episodes The Last SaluteSir GilbertEpisode: "One for the Road"The Tichborne ClaimantGibbesFilm1999Treasure IslandSquire TrelawneyTV movie2001Sword of Honour Doctor TV movie2003Foyle's WarBrigadier HarcourtEpisode: "War Games"Looking For VictoriaLord StanleyTV movie2003–2006Judge John DeedSteve Gaydon4 episodes2004Down to EarthMr. YatesEpisode: "Family Ties"2005Midsomer MurdersHarvey CraneEpisode: "Midsomer Rhapsody"2006HeartbeatOliver RidleyEpisode: "Accidents Happen"Rosemary & ThymeTrevor SquiresEpisode: "Seeds of Time"2007AngelLord NorleyFilm2008Doctor WhoColonel Hugh CurbishleyEpisode: "The Unicorn and the Wasp"2009DoctorsArthur CuthbertEpisode: "Up the Garden Path"2011The Merry Wives of WindsorSir John FalstaffVideo2016The Legend of TarzanLord KnutsfordFilm

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