Geoffrey Toone (15 November 1910 – 1 June 2005) was an English actor and former matinee idol. He was born in Ireland to English parents. Most of his film roles after the 1930s were in supporting parts, usually as authority figures, though he did play the lead character in the Hammer Films production The Terror of the Tongs in 1961.
Early life Born in Dublin, Ireland to English parents, he was educated at Charterhouse School and Christ's College, Cambridge. He served in the Royal Artillery during World War II, but was invalided out in 1942.
Career Toone's notable appearances include: As Sir Edward Ramsay in the musical film The King and I (he dances with Deborah Kerr in the banquet sequence, much to the annoyance of the King). As retired boxer and pimp Denny Lipp in "Jeff", a noteworthy 1960 episode of the TV series The Westerner, produced, directed and co-written by Sam Peckinpah. The episode also featured in a small role Warren Oates, who became a Peckinpah stalwart. The BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who: As Temmosus in the film of Dr. Who and the Daleks (1965) As Hepesh in the television story The Curse of Peladon in 1972. In Freewheelers as the Nazi officer Karl von Gelb who continually tries to avenge Germany's World War II defeat. As R. A. Crichton in "The Greasy Pole", a 1981 episode of Yes Minister. As Lord Ridgemere, owner of the stately home where Delboy and Rodney dropped a chandelier in the Only Fools and Horses episode, "A Touch of Glass". As Lord Bittlesham, a recurring character in the TV adaptation of P. G. Wodehouse's Jeeves and Wooster.
Personal life For many years Toone shared a house with his close friend, the actor Frank Middlemass. "To their general amusement", they were often mistaken to be lovers, but in fact were not.
Death Toone died from natural causes, aged 94, at Denville Hall in Northwood, London. At the time of his death, Toone was one of the last survivors of the Old Vic theatre company of the 1930s, having appeared alongside the likes of John Gielgud and Laurence Olivier in productions of Shakespeare. At the time, he was also the longest-lived actor to have appeared in Doctor Who.
Selected filmography
Queer Cargo (1938) .... Lieutenant Stocken Luck of the Navy (1938) .... Commander Clive Stanton Night Journey (1938) .... Johnny Carson Sword of Honour (1939) .... Bill Brown Poison Pen (1940) .... David An Englishman's Home (1940) .... Peter Templeton Hell Is Sold Out (1951) .... Swedish Consulate Clerk The Woman's Angle (1952) .... Count Cambia The Great Game (1953) .... Jack Bannerman The Man Between (1953) .... Martin Mallison Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955) (Season 1 Episode 5: "Into Thin Air" "The Vanishing Lady") - Basil Farnham Captain Lightfoot (1955) .... Captain Hood Diane (1956) .... Duke of Savoy The King and I (1956) .... Sir Edward Ramsey Johnny Tremain (1957) .... Major Pitcairn Zero Hour! (1957) .... Dr. Baird Murder at Site 3 (1959) .... Sexton Blake Once More, with Feeling! (1960) .... Dr. Richard Hilliard The Entertainer (1960) .... Harold Hubbard The Terror of the Tongs (1961) .... Captain Jackson Sale Captain Sindbad (1963) .... Mohar Echo of Diana (1963) .... Colonel Justin Dr. Crippen (1963) .... Mr. Tobin Blaze of Glory (1963) .... Roche The River Line (1964) .... Julian Dr. Who and the Daleks (1965) .... Temmosus Lady Killers (1981) .... Brigadier Cecil Winbolt The Scarlet Pimpernel (1982) .... Marquis de St. Cyr The Stone Carriers (1982) .... Narrator Strangers and Brothers (1984) .... Sir Oulstone Lyall
Television
Year Title Role Notes 1954 Sunday Night Theatre Achilles Series 5, Episode 38: "Troilus and Cressida" 1955 Studio 57 Nils Larsen Season 2, Episode 7: "Win a Cigar" 1955 The United States Steel Hour Dr. Parker Season 3, Episode 12: “Edward My Son" 1956 The Loretta Young Show Cookie Season 3, Episode 26: "Gesundheit" 1956 Crusader Vendron/Munro Season 2, 2 Episodes 1956 Producers’ Showcase Clyde Lockert Season 2, Episode 10: "Dodsworth" 1956 Camera Three King Arthur Season 1, Episode 36: "The Deadly Riddle 1956 Playwrights '56 Robert Cartwright Episode 18: "Keyhole" 1956 The Alcoa Hour Treleaven/Leeds Season 1 & 2, 2 Episodes 1956 Conflict Captain Geoffrey Thorpe Season 1, Episode 2: "Condemned to Glory" 1956 On Trial Lenier Season 1, Episode 5: "The De Santre Story" 1956-1957 Matinee Theater Actor/Daniel/Dr. Howard Kemp Season 1 & 2, 6 Episodes 1957 Cheyenne Jim Harwick Series 2, Episode 14: "Big Ghost Basin" 1957 Kraft Television Theatre Actor Season 10, Episode 42: "The First and the Last" 1958 Armchair Theatre Benjamin Stratton Series 2, Episode 30: "Miss Olive" 1958 Ivanhoe Sir Maurice Episode 31: "Three Days to Worcester" 1960 Tales of the Vikings Krona/Jayson 2 Episodes 1960 Markham Arthur Simms Season 2, Episode 28: "The Snarled Web" 1960 On Trial Thomas Poplett Episode 9: "Governor Wall" 1960 Knight Errant Limited John Dover Series 3, Episode 2: "John Dover" 1960 The Westerner Denny Lipp Episode 1: "Jeff" 1960 The Odd Man Steve Gardiner Series 1, All 8 Episodes 1961 One Step Beyond Jim Low Season 3, Episode 32: "The Villa" 1961 Family Solicitor Robert Allen Episode 16: "In Custody" 1963 It Happened Like This Solforth Episode 4: "The Man with His Hand in His Pocket" 1963 Z-Cars My Lord Series 2, Episode 23: "The Main Chance” 1963 Zero One Lawyer Series 2, Episode 1: "The Golden Silence" 1963 Drama 61-67 Prosecuting Counsel Series 3, Episode 15: "Drama '3: A Well Dressed Man" 1963 Emergency Ward 10 Sir William Isaacs Series 1, Episode 624 1964 Play of the Week Captain George Montagu Series 9, Episode 20: "Acquit or Hang!" 1965 The Scales of Justice Sir Joseph Kenton Episode 7: "Personal and Confidential" 1965 Contract to Kill Jacques Charlustin Episodes 1-5 1965 199 Park Lane Sergeant Baines 15 Episodes 1965 The Third Man Paul Clarke Series 4, Episode 2: "Members Only: Part 1" 1966 Death is a Good Living Jim Prescott All 4 Episodes 1968-1969 Freewheelers Von Gelb Series 1-3, 36 Episodes 1970 Codename Karl Dickinson Episode 11: "Appointment in Prague" 1971 The Troubleshooters Sir Charles Bliss Series 7, 3 Episodes 1971 The Persuaders! The General Episode 6: "The Time and the Place" 1972 Doctor Who Hepesh Series 9, Episodes 5-8: "The Curse of Peladon" 1972 New Scotland Yard Sir Geoffrey Oxborough Series 2, Episode 3: "A Gathering of Dust" 1972 Colditz President of the Court Series 1, Episode 11: "Court Martial" 1973 ITV Sunday Night Theatre Von Ribbentrop Series 5, Episode 14: "The Death of Adolf Hitler" 1973A Little Princess Mr Carmichael Episodes 3-6 1973Crown CourtColonel G.H. Hore-Davis Series 2, Episode 44-45: "Beware of the Dog" 1974Fall of EaglesGroener Episodes 12-13 1974Sutherland’s LawJudgeSeries 2, Episode 8: "The Evidence" 1974WarshipGeneral TieringSeries 2, Episodes 1-2 1974Microbes and MenVon GosslerEpisode 5: "The Turberculin Affair" 1975Churchill’s PeopleLord CastlereaghEpisode 26: "Death of Liberty" 1976The New Avengers MinisterSeries 1, Episode 8: "The Tale of the Big Why 1977When the Boat Comes InChief ConstableSeries 2, Episode 12: "In the Front Line You Get Shot At 1977Anna KareninaPrince Shcherbatsky 6 Episodes 1978All Creatures Great and SmallMajor General RansomSeries 1, Episode 9: "The Last Furlong 1979Thomas & SarahGeneralEpisode 6: "Alma Mater" 1979Citizen SmithSir Geoffrey HaydonSeries 3, Episode6: "The Party’s Over" 1981Yes MinisterR A Crichton Series 2, Episode 4: "The Greasy Pole" 1981Winston Churchill: The Wilderness YearsSir Louis KershawEpisodes 2-4 1982Only Fools and Horses Lord Ridgemere Series 2, Episode 7: "A Touch of Grass" 1983Number 10Baron RothschildEpisode 6: "Dizzy" 1983The Consultant Sir Neville JohnsonEpisode 1: "Invitation to Tender" 1983The Nation’s HealthRandolph SpenceEpisodes 2-4 1988War and Remembrance British Ambassador Part VII 1991Parnell and the Englishwoman O’Gorman MahonEpisode 1: "The Meeting" 1991-1993Jeeves and WoosterLord Bittlesham Series 2, 3 & 4, 3 Episodes 1991 Casualty Mr Bridges Series 6, Episode 8: "Living in Hope" 1994-1995The High LifeEarl Islay2 Episodes 1994Middlemarch Sir Godwin LydgateEpisodes 3-4 1997The Apocalypse WatchGeneral WeigelTV Movie (Final Role)
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