Anthony Valentine

Anthony Valentine (17 August 1939 – 2 December 2015) was an English actor best known for his television roles: the ruthless Toby Meres in Callan (1967–72), the sadistic Major Horst Mohn in Colditz (1972–74), and the suave gentleman thief title character in Raffles (1977).

Anthony Valentine
as A. J. Raffles (1977)
Born(1939-08-17)17 August 1939
Died2 December 2015(2015-12-02) (aged 76)
Guildford, Surrey, England
OccupationActor
Spouse(s)
(m. 1982)

Early life and education

Valentine was born in Blackburn, Lancashire; he moved with his family to Chiswick, West London when he was 6 years old, going on to attend Acton County Grammar School.[1]

Career

Aged 9, Valentine was spotted tap-dancing in a stage version of Robin Hood at Ealing Town Hall.[2] He made his acting debut at age 10 in the Nettlefold Studios film No Way Back (1949), and at age 12 he was a boy sleuth in The Girl on the Pier (1953).[3] He worked regularly as a child actor for the BBC, most notably as Harry Wharton in the 1950s adaptation of Billy Bunter of Greyfriars School, having initially played Lord Mauleverer in earlier episodes.[1]

In 1958, he appeared in a television production of Ibsen's John Gabriel Borkman, with Laurence Olivier as Borkman and Irene Worth as his wife, as part of ITV's The Play of the Week series.[4]

Valentine was best known for his striking performances in particular television roles: ruthless Toby Meres in the series Callan (1967–72), sinister Luftwaffe officer Major Horst Mohn in the BBC drama Colditz (1974), the dashing eponymous role in Yorkshire TV's Raffles (1975-1977), and suave crook George Webster in The Knock (1994–96).[5]

Valentine's early stage credits include: the premiere of Arnold Wesker's Chicken Soup with Barley (Royal Court Theatre, 1958); John Osborne's Epitaph for George Dillon (Royal Court Theatre, 1958); Australian drama The Shifting Heart (Duke of York's Theatre, 1959, with Leo McKern); John Mortimer's Two Stars for Comfort (Garrick Theatre, 1962, with Trevor Howard); the original cast of Half a Sixpence (Cambridge Theatre, 1963, with Tommy Steele); and The Platinum Cat (Wyndham's Theatre, London, 1965, with Kenneth Williams).[6]

Later stage credits include: No Sex Please We're British (Strand Theatre, 1971); Anthony Shaffer's Sleuth (St Martin's Theatre, 1972, with Marius Goring); a revival of Hans Christian Andersen (London Palladium, 1977, again with Tommy Steele); 'Art' (Wyndham's Theatre, 1999–2000); and he played Cardinal Monticelso in Webster's The White Devil (Lyric Theatre, 2000).[6]

Valentine made his debut as a writer and director in 1998 at The Mill at Sonning with The Waiting Game. He went on to direct regularly at the Mill, productions including: Separate Tables (2005), The Odd Couple (2009) and California Suite (2012).[6] On 12 November 2005 Valentine became a patron of the Thwaites Empire Theatre in his birthplace, Blackburn.[1]

He narrated three Wildlife Explorer documentary films: "Powerful Predators", "Animal Defences", and "Weird and Wonderful". He was also the voice of "Dr. X" on American heavy metal band Queensrÿche's 1988 album, Operation: Mindcrime.[1] He narrated a 1980 NOVA documentary entitled It's About Time presented by Dudley Moore and featuring Science Fiction writer Isaac Azimov. He also voiced a television commercial for Gordon's Gin.

Death

Valentine died on 2 December 2015 in Guildford, Surrey.[2] He had suffered from Parkinson's disease since 2012. He was survived by his wife, actress Susan Skipper. The couple married in 1982, having met during the filming of the successful Raffles television series, and later appeared together again in a television film of Ivor Novello's show The Dancing Years (1979).[7]

Interviewed in 1995, Valentine recalled two earlier brushes with death. First, when he was dangerously ill with meningitis at the age of 26; second in 1974, when caught up in the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, he holed up for two days in a holiday hotel as gunfire raged outside. "I've always felt that everything since has been an incredible bonus," he said.[3]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1949No Way BackLittle Boy
1953The Girl on the PierCharlie Chubb
1954Adventure in the HopfieldsUncredited
1955The Brain MachineTony (Charlie's Son)
1956Fun at St. Fanny'sSchoolboy in AudienceUncredited
1960The Flesh and the FiendsStudentUncredited
1962The DamnedTeddy BoyUncredited
1963West 11Man at Party
1970PerformanceJoey Maddocks
1972Tower of EvilDr Simpson
1976To the Devil a DaughterDavid Kennedy
1979Escape to AthenaSS Major Volkmann
1981The Monster ClubMooney(segment "Vampire Story")
1982The Plague DogsCivil Servant #4Voice
1988A Father's RevengeVickersTV movie
1988The Dirty Dozen: The Fatal MissionBritish ColonelTV movie
1995Jefferson in ParisBritish Ambassador
1997The House of AngeloLord Travers
1998Cuisine américaineWellington
2002Two Men Went to WarSergeant Major Dudley

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1958John Gabriel BorkmanErhart, in ITV's The Play of the Week production.
1961A for AndromedaCorporal"The Miracle" and "The Last Mystery"
1967-1972CallanToby Meres
1967, 1968The Avengers1) George Cunliffe
2)Calvin
1)"The Bird Who Knew Too Much"
2)"Killer"
1969Softly, SoftlyYob"A Quantity of Gelignite"
1969Dr Finlay's CasebookBruce Cameron3 episodes
1970Department SGregory"The Soup of the Day"
1970CodenamePhilip West
1971-1974JusticeJames Eliot
1971BudgieJeff Staines"Grandee Hotel"
1972PathfindersSquadron Leader Jim Stanton"One Man’s Lancaster"
1972Z-CarsBright"Not Good Enough" (Parts 1 & 2) and "Connor"
1974ColditzMajor Horst Mohn
1975, 1977RafflesA. J. Raffles
1975ThrillerGarard"The Crazy Kill"
1975Space: 1999Male Alien"War Games"
1979-1983MinderMaurice Michaelson
1980, 1982Tales of the Unexpected1) Roland Trent
2) Bob
1) "I'll Be Seeing You"
2) "The Absence of Emily"
1980Hammer House of HorrorCliff"Carpathian Eagle"
1981Masada a.k.a. The AntagonistsMerovius, Head Tribune
1982AirlineDickie Marlowe"Look After Number One"
1983BergeracLionel"Prime Target"
1984-1986Robin of SherwoodBaron de Belleme
1986-1991LovejoyMichael Seymour"The Judas Pair" and "Just Desserts"
1989BoonSammy Robinson"Do Not Forsake Me"
1991The House of EliottVictor Stride
1991The Case-Book of Sherlock HolmesBaron Gruner"The Illustrious Client"
1993RidersColonel Carter
1994The DetectivesThe ChauffeurSeries 2 Episode 3
1994-1996The KnockGeorge Webster
1998The BillPaul Chambers"Too Many Crooks"
2001Waking the DeadPatrick Mantel"A Simple Sacrifice"
2002New TricksSpitz Snr"Creative Problem Solving"
2005Agatha Christie's PoirotGiovanni Gallaccio"After the Funeral"
2005-2008The CommanderEdward Sumpter"Virus", "Blackdog" and "Blacklight"
2006HeartbeatMac MacKenzie"This Happy Breed"
2006Nuremberg: Nazis on TrialPrison Commandant Colonel Burton C. Andrus
2007The Last DetectiveJimmy "The Gent" Vincent"Once Upon a Time on the Westway"
2009CasualtyEdward"The Price we Pay"
2009-2010Coronation StreetGeorge Wilson16 episodes

References

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