Richard Vernon

Richard Vernon began acting near the end of his wartime service with the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve, producing, directing and starring in a production of George Bernard Shaw's 'Heartbreak House' for the Combined Services Club. After being demobbed, he then completed his training at the Central School of Speech and Drama. On the stage from 1950, he subsequently enjoyed a successful theatrical career in West End productions ranging from 'Peter Pan' (as Mr. Darling) to Noël Coward's 'Hay Fever' (as Richard Greatham).

During the 60s, he appeared in supporting roles in several prestigious motion pictures, including Village of the Damned (1960), The Yellow Rolls-Royce (1964) and Goldfinger (1964). Considerably better employed on the small screen, Richard evolved into the consummate scene-stealer. Looking older than his years and with his dignified bearing, he came to specialize in impersonating typically British stiff-upper-lip military or aristocratic types or senior public servants.

A noteworthy early starring role was as The Man in Room 17 (1965), a barrister and ex- war correspondent assigned to a secret unit as an infallible criminologist investigating cases deemed too difficult for the local plods and Scotland Yard.

A natural propensity for period drama then insured his successful run in several popular series, notably Upstairs, Downstairs (1971) and The Duchess of Duke Street (1976). Above all, Richard excelled in gleeful old rogues and slightly dishevelled or befuddled eccentrics. He also had a way of delivering even the funniest of lines totally deadpan and matter-of-fact.

He was wonderfully droll as Lord Bartlesham in the Ripping Yarns (1976) episode 'Roger of the Raj'.