Robert Lankesheer (1914–1993) was a British stage, radio and television actor, best known for playing the character Leamington Sparr in the radio soap The Dales between 1963[1] and 1966[2] and Chamberlain in the television series Doctor Who in 1965.[3]
Early life edit
He was born on 28 April 1914 in Southampton, England. Whilst working for the local government[4] in the land registry department he took evening classes and qualified in law.[5] He served in the army during World War II as an officer in the Royal Artillery.[6] After the war he decided to take up acting professionally.
Career edit
On stage, in addition to his repertory theatre work,[7][8] Robert Lankesheer played Sir Henry Burke in Templeton at the Arts Theatre in 1958[9] and Mr Quelch between 1960 and 1963 in the Billy Bunter Christmas shows[10][11][12] at the Victoria Palace Theatre and Queen's Theatre, London. He had a long association with The Royal Opera, Covent Garden, performing roles in Carmen (1973[13]), A Midsummer Night's Dream (1974,[14] 1976,[15] 1984[16]) and Die Zauberflöte (1979,[17] 1980,[18] 1983,[19] 1985,[20] 1986,[21] 1987,[22] 1989,[23] 1991[24]).
In films, Robert Lankesheer appeared in David Copperfield (1970) and Young Winston (1972).
His television credits include:
- The Malory Secret (1951)
- At Your Service Ltd (1951)
- The Trial of Andy Fothergill (1951)
- Emil and the Detectives (1952)[25]
- Theatre Royal (1955)
- Tales from Dickens (1960)
- Starr and Company (1958)
- Dancers in Mourning (1959)
- An Arabian Night (1960)
- Deadline Midnight (1960)
- Dixon of Dock Green (1961, 1967)
- Emergency Ward 10 (1962)
- The Scales of Justice (1963)
- Out of This World (1962)
- The Avengers: Man with Two Shadows (1963)
- Doctor Who: The Crusade (1965)
- The Paradise Makers (1967)
- Z-Cars (1968, 1976)
- Dad's Army (1969)[26]
- Rogues' Gallery: The Wicked Stage (1969)
- Junket 89 (1970)
- Bachelor Father (1970)
- Doctor in Charge (1972)
- An Evening with Francis Howerd (1975)[27]
- Thriller (1975)
- The Professionals (1978)
- Fawlty Towers (1979)
- Reilly, Ace of Spies (1983)
- Full House (1985)
Death edit
Robert Lankesheer died on 29 December 1993 in London, England of emphysema.[28]
References edit
- ^ "The Dales (Tue 19th Nov 1963, 16:15)". Radio Times. No. 2088. 16 November 1963. p. 33. Retrieved 18 January 2022 – via BBC Archives.
(radio show aired on...) BBC Light Programme
- ^ "The Dales (Thu 22nd Sep 1966, 16:15)". Radio Times. No. 2236. 17 September 1966. p. 53. Retrieved 18 January 2022 – via BBC Archives.
(radio show aired on...) BBC Light Programme
- ^ "Dr. Who: The Knight of Jaffa (Sat 3rd Apr 1965, 17:40)". Radio Times. No. 2160. 3 April 1965. p. 8. Retrieved 18 January 2022 – via BBC Archives.
(tv show aired on...) BBC 1
- ^ "The London Gazette, 8 September 1933" (PDF).
- ^ Webber, Richard (2000). The complete A-Z of Dad's Army. Perry, Jimmy, 1923-, Croft, David, 1922-2011. London: Orion. p. 117. ISBN 0-7528-1838-4. OCLC 59565472.
- ^ "Supplement to the London Gazette, 7 January 1944" (PDF).
- ^ "Bradford Princes Theatre, The Court Players". The Stage. 16 October 1947.
- ^ "Bromley Rep with Frankie Howard, Sheila Hancock and Nigel Hawthorn". The Stage. 27 September 1956.
- ^ Wearing, J. P. (2014). The London stage 1950-1959 : a calendar of productions, performers, and personnel (Second ed.). Lanham. p. 577. ISBN 978-0-8108-9307-8. OCLC 880349749.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ "Billy Bunter Shipwrecked Programme, Victoria Palace Theatre" (PDF).
- ^ "Billy Bunter's Swiss Roll, Programme, Victoria Palace Theatre" (PDF).
- ^ "Billy Bunter's Christmas Circus, Queen's Theatre". The Stage. 3 January 1963.
- ^ "Carmen-24 July 1973 Evening 7.00pm". Royal Opera House. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
- ^ "A Midsummer Night's Dream-2 January 1974 Evening". Royal Opera House. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
- ^ "A Midsummer Night's Dream-5 May 1976 Evening 7.30pm". Royal Opera House. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
- ^ "A Midsummer Night's Dream-1 May 1984 Evening 7.30pm". Royal Opera House. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
- ^ "Die Zauberflöte-15 February 1979 Evening 7.00pm". Royal Opera House. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
- ^ "Die Zauberflöte-21 April 1980 Evening 7.30pm". Royal Opera House. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
- ^ "Die Zauberflöte-14 March 1983 Evening". Royal Opera House. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
- ^ "Die Zauberflöte-5 January 1985 Evening 7.00pm". Royal Opera House. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
- ^ "Die Zauberflöte-26 November 1986 Evening 7.00pm". Royal Opera House. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
- ^ "Die Zauberflöte-17 February 1987 Matinee 2.00pm". Royal Opera House. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
- ^ "Die Zauberflöte-17 July 1989 Evening 7.00pm". Royal Opera House. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
- ^ "Die Zauberflöte-28 February 1991 Evening". Royal Opera House. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
- ^ "Children's Television: Emil and the Detectives: 3: The Hotel in the Square (Tue 22nd Apr 1952, 17:00)". Radio Times. 20 April 1952. p. 43. Retrieved 18 January 2022 – via BBC Archives.
(tv show aired on...) BBC tv
- ^ Webber, Richard (2000). The complete A-Z of Dad's Army. Perry, Jimmy, 1923-, Croft, David, 1922-2011. London: Orion. p. 125. ISBN 0-7528-1838-4. OCLC 59565472.
- ^ "Show of the Week: An Evening with Francis Howerd (Mon 14th May 1973, 21:25)". Radio Times. No. 2583. 12 May 1973. p. 27. Retrieved 18 January 2022 – via BBC Archives.
(tv show aired on...) BBC Two
- ^ "Beyond the TARDIS: Obituary", Doctor Who Magazine, No. 213, 8 June 1994, pg.7