R.I.P. Geoffrey Palmer

[Profpointy]

He was good. I wouldn't say his range was massive. I never saw his King Lear or his Uncle Vanya, but he always seemed to be pretty much the same character on the telly. However, he did play that character very well.

He was one of those at-first-glance, typecast character actors , yet when you saw him your attention perked up and there was a joy in him being in whatever show or film it was. He was always marvellous and totally believable in role, despite playing much the same character at least on the surface, albeit could be the hero, the "everyman" or the villain as needed. I dare say he could have done Lear or whatever or whatever if asked; maybe he did. Last thing I recall him being in was a Doctor Who Christmas special a few years back; the one with Kyllie in it. He didn't look any older than he did in Butterflies or Reggie Perrin 30 or more years earlier. After looking it up he'd been in Doctor Who 3 times:
The above space liner one with Kyllie in 2007, in Doctor Who and the Silurians in 1970, and again in "the Mutants" my favourite Pertwee story) in 1972. Sad to hear of his passing, even if 93 is a good innings

 

[Yellow Fang]

I did read an obituary that said that apart from slightly sad, grumpy, middle aged husbands, he was good at authoritarian figures, slightly out of their depth. He was good at remembering his lines apparently. It's not easy, acting. I suppose there is something to be said for actors who are very good at seeming themselves. You watch the film or the programme; you don't admire the acting.