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Geoffrey Palmer
Actor

Geoffrey Palmer

4 Jun 1927Born
5 Nov 2020Died
93Age at death
152Credits

Biography

Geoffrey Dyson Palmer, OBE (4 June 1927 - 5 November 2020) was an English actor known for his roles in British television sitcoms playing Jimmy Anderson in The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin (1976–79), Ben Parkinson in Butterflies (1978–1983) and Lionel Hardcastle in As Time Goes By (1992–2005). His film appearances include A Fish Called Wanda (1988), The Madness of King George (1994), Mrs. Brown (1997), and Tomorrow Never Dies (1997).

Geoffrey Dyson Palmer was born on 4 June 1927 in North Finchley, Middlesex. He was the son of Frederick Charles Palmer, who was a chartered surveyor, and Norah Gwendolen (née Robins). He attended Highgate School from September 1939 to December 1945.

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He served as a corporal instructor in small arms and field training in the Royal Marines during his national service from 1946 to 1948, following which he briefly worked as an unpaid trainee assistant stage manager.

Palmer's early television appearances included multiple roles in episodes of The Army Game (Granada Television), two episodes of The Baron and as a property agent in Cathy Come Home (1966). After a major break in John Osborne's West of Suez at the Royal Court with Ralph Richardson, he acted in major productions at the Royal Court and for the National Theatre Company and was directed by Laurence Olivier in J. B. Priestley's Eden End. Palmer found the play so dull, however, that he was deterred from a stage career.

Two BBC sitcom roles brought him attention in the 1970s: the hapless brother-in-law of Reggie Perrin in The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin (1976–79), and the phlegmatic dentist Ben Parkinson in Butterflies (1978–1983).

In 1978, Palmer appeared as organized crimelord Simon Sinclair in London Weekend Television's hard-hitting police drama The Professionals, the episode entitled "Where the Jungle Ends".

Palmer played Doctor Price in the Fawlty Towers episode "The Kipper and the Corpse" (1979), determined to have breakfast amidst the confusion caused by the death of a guest and Fawlty's inept way of handling the emergency. In 1986, Palmer appeared as Donald Fairchild in the first series of an ITV sitcom, Executive Stress, alongside Penelope Keith. He later left, and was replaced by Peter Bowles.

Palmer later starred opposite Judi Dench for over a decade in another BBC sitcom, As Time Goes By (1992–2005). In 1997, he also appeared with Dench in the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies, in which he portrayed Admiral Roebuck to Dench's M, and Mrs Brown, playing Sir Henry Ponsonby to Dench's Queen Victoria.

Palmer married Sally Green in 1963. They had a daughter, Harriet, and a son, Charles, a television director. Palmer was a longtime resident of Lee Common in the Chiltern Hills, Buckinghamshire, and enjoyed fly fishing in his spare time. At the time of his death, he resided in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire.

Palmer died peacefully at his home on 5 November 2020, aged 93.

Known for

Filmography

The 80 most recent of 152 credits.

  1. TBABest Of EnemiesSeries (7 episodes)
  2. 2021To OliviaFilm
  3. 2014PaddingtonFilm: Head Geographer
  4. 2013Walrus: Two Tonne TuskerFilm: Narrator
  5. 2012Bert & DickieFilm: Charles Burnell
  6. 2012The Hollow CrownSeries: Lord Chief Justice (1 episode)
  7. 2012Run For Your WifeFilm: Man on Toilet
  8. 2012Queen Victoria's Last Love: Abdul KarimFilm: Narrator
  9. 2011Lost ChristmasFilm: Dr. Clarence
  10. 2011W.E.Film: Stanley Baldwin
  11. 2009The Pink Panther 2Film: Joubert
  12. 2008Chateau MontySeries (6 episodes)
  13. 2008Margaret Thatcher: The Long Walk to FinchleyFilm: Sir John Crowder
  14. 2008Ashes to AshesSeries: Lord Scarman (1 episode)
  15. 2007Doctor Who: Voyage of the DamnedFilm: Captain Hardaker
  16. 2006James Bond's Greatest HitsFilm: Narrator (voice)
  17. 2005The Man-Eating Leopard of RudraprayagFilm: Corbett's Ghost
  18. 2005Pope John Paul II: 1920 - 2005Film: Narrator
  19. 2004Piccadilly JimFilm: Bayliss
  20. 2004He Knew He Was RightSeries: Sir Marmaduke Rowley (3 episodes)
  21. 2003The Young VisitersFilm: Minnit
  22. 2003Peter PanFilm: Sir Edward Quiller Couch
  23. 2003Absolute PowerSeries (12 episodes)
  24. 2003Looking for VictoriaSeries: Narrator (2 episodes)
  25. 2003Grumpy Old MenSeries: Narrator (14 episodes)
  26. 2002DickensSeries: Thackeray (3 episodes)
  27. 2002Stig of the DumpSeries: Robert (6 episodes)
  28. 2001The SavagesSeries: Donald (6 episodes)
  29. 2001The 1940s HouseSeries: Narrator (voice) (5 episodes)
  30. 2000RatFilm: The Doctor
  31. 1999Anna and the KingFilm: Lord John Bradley
  32. 1998Alice Through the Looking GlassFilm: White King
  33. 1998Mr. Men & Little Miss: The Christmas LetterFilm: Narrator / Santa
  34. 1998Reckless: The SequelFilm: Robert Crane
  35. 1998Stiff Upper LipsFilm: His Butler's Voice
  36. 1997Tomorrow Never DiesFilm: Admiral Roebuck
  37. 1997Mrs BrownFilm: Henry Ponsonby
  38. 1996The Legacy of Reginald PerrinSeries: Jimmy Anderson (7 episodes)
  39. 1995Mr. Men and Little MissSeries (104 episodes)
  40. 1995Look at the State We're In!Series: The Ruler (1 episode)
  41. 1994The Madness of King GeorgeFilm: Warren
  42. 1993Stalag LuftFilm: The Kommandant
  43. 1992As Time Goes BySeries: Lionel Hardcastle (67 episodes)
  44. 1991A Question of AttributionFilm: Donleavy
  45. 1991Smack and ThistleFilm: Sir Horace Wimbol
  46. 1989Screen OneSeries: Donleavy (1 episode)
  47. 1989Agatha Christie's PoirotSeries: Vice Admiral Hamling (1 episode)
  48. 1988ChristabelSeries: Mr Burton (2 episodes)
  49. 1988HawksFilm: SAAB Salesman
  50. 1988A Fish Called WandaFilm: Judge
  51. 1987Inspector MorseSeries: Matthew Copley-Barnes (1 episode)
  52. 1986Season's GreetingsFilm: Bernard
  53. 1986Executive StressSeries (19 episodes)
  54. 1986ClockwiseFilm: Headmaster
  55. 1986The Insurance ManFilm: The Angry Doctor
  56. 1986Hot MetalSeries: Harold Stringer (6 episodes)
  57. 1985A Zed & Two NoughtsFilm: Fallast
  58. 1985Radio PicturesFilm: Glyn Bryce
  59. 1985Inside Rooms: 26 Bathrooms, London & OxfordshireFilm: Narrator
  60. 1985Absurd Person SingularFilm: Ronald Brewster-Wright
  61. 1984Oxbridge BluesSeries: Fred (1 episode)
  62. 1984Fairly Secret ArmySeries: Major Harry Kitchener Wellington Truscott (13 episodes)
  63. 1983Waters of the MoonFilm: Robert Lancaster
  64. 1983Natural WorldSeries: Narrator (1 episode)
  65. 1983The Fall and Rise of Reginald PerrinFilm: Jimmy Anderson
  66. 1983The Honorary ConsulFilm: British Ambassador
  67. 1983BlackadderSeries: Field Marshal Haig (1 episode)
  68. 1983DalglieshSeries: Edwin Lorrimer (2 episodes)
  69. 1983Death of an Expert WitnessSeries: Edwin Lorrimer (3 episodes)
  70. 1982The Funny Side of ChristmasFilm: Jimmy Anderson, Ben Parkinson
  71. 1982The HouseboyFilm: Eric
  72. 1982Whoops ApocalypseSeries: Foreign Secretary (4 episodes)
  73. 1982The Kenny Everett Television ShowSeries: Various (1 episode)
  74. 1982Mr. Kershaw's Dream SystemFilm: Psychiastrist
  75. 1981A Midsummer Night's DreamFilm: Quince
  76. 1981The Last SongSeries (13 episodes)
  77. 1981BergeracSeries: Nigel Carter (1 episode)
  78. 1981Plays for PleasureSeries: Alec Boot (1 episode)
  79. 1980Safe at Work?Film: Narrator
  80. 1979The OutsiderFilm: Col. Wyndham

Biography and credits from TMDB. This website uses TMDB and the TMDB APIs but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise approved by TMDB.