# Geoffrey Bayldon

Albert Geoffrey Bayldon (7 January 1924 – 10 May 2017) was an English actor. After playing roles in many stage productions, including the works of William Shakespeare, he became known for portraying the title role of the children's series Catweazle (1969–70). Bayldon's other long-running parts include the Crowman in Worzel Gummidge (1979–81) and Magic Grandad in the BBC television series Watch (1995).

## Early life

Bayldon was born 7 January 1924 in Leeds and attended Bridlington School and Hull College of Architecture. Following service in the Royal Air Force during World War II, he appeared in amateur theatricals and then trained at the Old Vic Theatre School.

## Career

Bayldon enjoyed a substantial stage career, including work in the West End and for the RSC. He made several film appearances in the 1960s and 1970s, including King Rat (1965), To Sir, with Love (1967), Casino Royale (as Q) (1967), the Envy segment of The Magnificent Seven Deadly Sins (1971), the Marc Bolan/T. Rex film Born to Boogie (1972), The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976), as well as the film versions of Steptoe and Son, Steptoe and Son Ride Again (1973) as the vicar, and Porridge (1979) as the Prison Governor.
Bayldon also appeared in several horror films; Dracula and Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed for Hammer Films and The House That Dripped Blood, Asylum and Tales from the Crypt for Amicus. In 2004, after many years of successful television work he appeared in the film Ladies in Lavender.
He appeared in Doctor Who with a guest appearance as Organon in The Creature from the Pit (1979) opposite Tom Baker as the Fourth Doctor. Subsequently, he played an alternative First Doctor in two audio plays based on the Doctor Who television series by Big Finish Productions in the Doctor Who Unbound series: Auld Mortality (2003) and A Storm of Angels (2005). In 1963, Bayldon had been one of the first actors offered the role of the Doctor.
Bayldon's other television roles include, ITV Play of the Week (1957, 1959, 1964, 1967), The Avengers (1961 and 1967), Z-Cars (1963, 1968), Theatre 625 (1964–1968), The Wednesday Play (1968, 1969), ITV Sunday Night Theatre (1970, 1972), Space: 1999 (1976), The Tomorrow People (1976), Tales of the Unexpected (1980, 1983), Blott on the Landscape (1985), Star Cops (1987), Rumpole of the Bailey (1987), The Chronicles of Narnia (1989). He later took part in a number of BBC Schools programmes, where he displayed a number of otherwise unexploited talents (such as singing). In 1993, he played Simplicio in the Open University video Newton's Revolution.
In 1986, Bayldon provided the vocals on Paul Hardcastle's "The Wizard" which was also used (without the vocal) as the theme for BBC1's Top of the Pops.
Among his later television appearances were the Five game show Fort Boyard (1998–2001), Waking the Dead (2004), Heartbeat (2004) and Casualty (2006, after previous appearances in 1991, 1997 and 2004). His final television appearances, before his retirement, were New Tricks (2007) and My Family (2010).

## Death

Bayldon died on 10 May 2017, aged 93, from undisclosed causes. He was predeceased by his partner, actor Alan Rowe, who died in 2000.

## TV and film credits

* The Stranger Left No Card (1952) as Hotel - Receptionist
* Trent's Last Case (1952) as Reporter in Court (uncredited)
* Sword of Freedom TV series (Episode, The Ship, 1957) as The Physician
* Sword of Freedom TV series (Episode, The Lion and the Mouse, 1957) as Luigi
* Sword of Freedom TV series (Episode, A Choice of Weapons, 1957) as Muzio
* OSS TV series (Episode, Operation Dagger, 1957) as Abwehr Lieutenant
* The Adventures of Robin Hood TV series (Episode, The Angry Village, 1957) as Cal
* The Adventures of Robin Hood TV series (Episode, The Genius, 1958) as Count De Severne
* The Camp on Blood Island (1958) as Foster – New Prisoner (uncredited)
* Dracula (1958) as Porter
* A Night to Remember (1958) as Wireless Operator Cyril Evans – Californian
* The Two-Headed Spy (1958) as Dietz
* Whirlpool (1959) as Wendel
* Idol on Parade (1959) as Record Producer. (uncredited)
* The Rough and the Smooth (1959) as Ransom
* Libel (1959) as Second Photographer
* Cone of Silence (1960) as Aircraft Controller (uncredited)
* The Day They Robbed the Bank of England (1960) as The Bombardier bartender (uncredited)
* An Age of Kings (miniseries, 1960) as Edmund of York / Worcester / Chief Justice
* Man from Interpol (Episode, The International Diamond Incident, 1960) as Freddie
* Suspect (1960) as Rosson
* You Can't Win TV series (Episode, Epitaph on a Tin, 1961) as Mr Wishart
* The Avengers (Episode, The Deadly Air, 1961) as Professor Kilbride
* Greyfriars Bobby (1961) as The Vicar (uncredited)
* Disneyland (Episode, The Prince and the Pauper: The Pauper King, 1962) as Sir Goeffrey
* The Winter's Tale (1962) as Antigonus
* The Webster Boy (1962) as Charlies Jamieson
* Jigsaw (1962) as Constable at Murder Scene (uncredited)
* The Longest Day (1962) as Officer at Eisenhower Briefing (uncredited)
* The Amorous Prawn (1962) as 2nd Telephone – Operator
* 55 Days at Peking (1963) as Smythe
* Z-Cars (Alarm Call, 1963) as Blake
* Bomb in the High Street (1963) as Clay
* Becket (1964) as Brother Philip (uncredited)
* Detective (End of Chapter, 1964) as Stephen Protheroe
* The Saint (The Scorpion, 1964) as Wilfred Garniman
* Ghost Squad (Rich Ruby Wine, 1964) as Hartmann
* The Massingham Affair (6 episodes, 1964) as Mr Lumley
* Danger Man (A Very Dangerous Game, 1965) as Dickinson
* Play of the Month (Luther, 1965) as Cajetan
* King Rat (1965) as Squadron Leader Vexley
* Life at the Top (1965) as Industrial Psychologist
* Dead Man's Chest (1965) as Lane
* Sky West and Crooked (1966) as Rev. Phillip Moss
* Theatre 625 (The Family Reunion, 1966)
* Where the Spies Are (1966) as Lecturer
* The Saint (The Art Collectors, 1967) as Marcel Legrand
* Theatre 625 (Incantation of Casanova, 1967) as Don Antonio Capitani
* The Avengers (Escape in Time, 1967) as Clapham
* Casino Royale (1967) as Q
* Theatre 625 (Kittens Are Brave, 1967) as Gordon Shiplake
* To Sir, with Love (1967) as Theo Weston
* Two a Penny (1968) as Alec Fitch
* Theatre 625 (To See How Far It Is, 1968) as Palmer
* Assignment K (1968) as The Boffin
* Inspector Clouseau (1968) as Gutch
* A Dandy in Aspic (1968) as Lake
* The Wednesday Play as Mr Mileson ("A Night with Mrs Da Tanka", 1968)
* The First Lady ("King of Furness", 1968) as Albert Craig
* Play of the Month (Saint Joan, 1968) as Archbishop of Rheims
* Z-Cars (Breakdown: Part 1 & 2, 1968) as Mr Smayles
* Otley (1968) as Inspector Hewett
* The Wednesday Play ("A Child and a Half", 1969) as Henry Ramsden
* Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed (1969) as Police Doctor
* Journey to the Unknown (1969) as Mr Plimmer (Episode "The Last Visitor")
* Special Branch ("The Promised Land", 1969) as Alex Rushmer
* The Bushbaby (1969) as Tilison
* Codename (Opening Gambit, 1970) as Blair
* Danton (1970) as Couthon
* Scrooge (1970) as Pringle
* Say Hello to Yesterday (1971) as Makelaar, Estate Agent
* The Raging Moon (1971) as Mr Latbury
* The House That Dripped Blood (1971) as Theo Von Hartmann (segment 4, "The Cloak")
* Catweazle (26 episodes, 1970–1971) as Catweazle
* Play of the Month (Platonov', 1971) as Sergei Voinitsev
* The Magnificent Seven Deadly Sins (1971) as Vernon (segment "Envy")
* Tales from the Crypt (1972) as Guide
* Van der Valk ("Blue Notes", 1972) as Joseph Kettner
* Au Pair Girls (1972) as Mr Howard
* Asylum (1972) as Max
* Born To Boogie (1972) as Waiter
* The Adventures of Black Beauty (The Viking Helmet: Parts 1 & 2, 1972) as Professor Miles
* The Strauss Family (Revolution, 1972) as Schlumberger
* The Pathfinders ("Unusual Ally", 1973) as Dr Pers Anderson
* Special Branch ("All the King's Men", 1973) as Sumner
* Gawain and the Green Knight (1973) as Wiseman
* Steptoe and Son Ride Again (1973) as Vicar
* Armchair Theatre ("That Sinking Feeling", 1973) as Uncle Norman
* Orson Welles Great Mysteries (The Ingenious Reporter, 1973) as Magistrate
* Napoleon and Love (miniseries, 1974) as Prince van Mecklenburg
* Alice Through the Looking-Glass (television film, 1974) as White Knight
* Comedy Playhouse (Franklyn and Johnnie, 1974) as Franklyn Sims
* Play of the Month ("The Wood Demon", 1974) as Dyadin
* Crown Court ("The Murder Monitor", 1975)
* Edward the King (miniseries, 1975) as Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman
* The Slipper and the Rose (1976) as Archbishop
* Space: 1999 – Number Eight ("One Moment of Humanity", 1976)
* BBC2 Playhouse (The Mind Beyond: The Man with the Power, 1976) as Mr Smythe
* The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976) as Dr. Claude Duval
* Charleston (1977) as Uncle Fred
* Just William (1977 TV series) ("William's Lucky Day", 1977) as Great Man
* The Duchess of Duke Street ("Shadows", 1977) as Collinghurst
* Sky Hunter (1978) as Mr Charles Trim
* The Famous Five ("Five Go to Billycock Hill", 1978) as Mr Gringle
* All Creatures Great and Small ("Pride of Possession", 1978) as Roland Partridge
* Worzel Gummidge (1979–81) as The Crowman
* Porridge (1979) as the Prison Governor
* Doctor Who ("The Creature from the Pit", 1979) as Organon
* Cribb (Something Old, Something New, 1980) as Oom Ezra Winter
* Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson ("The Case of the Deadly Tower", 1980) as Hadlock
* Tales of the Unexpected ("Fat Chance", 1980) as Dr Applegate
* The Monster Club (1981) as Psychiatrist
* Lady Killers (My Perfect Husband, 1981) as Dr. French
* Juliet Bravo ("Journeys", 1981) as Jack Lord
* Bergerac ("Relative Values", 1981) as Henry Bernard
* Tales of the Unexpected ("Down Among the Sheltering Palms", 1983) as Sid
* Hallelujah! ("Counselling" and "Luncheon Club", both 1983) as Mr Sedgewick
* Bullshot (1983) as Colonel Hinchcliff
* All Creatures Great and Small 1983 Christmas special (television film, 1983) as Mr Mason
* Hallelujah! (A Goose for Mrs Scratchit, 1984) as Jacob Marley
* Blott on the Landscape (miniseries, 1985) as Ganglion
* Hold the Back Page ("Fathers, Sons and Lovers", 1985)
* In Loving Memory ("Up in the World", 1986) as Balloonist
* All Passion Spent (television film, 1986) as William
* Cause célèbre (television film, 1987) as Humphreys
* Rumpole of the Bailey ("Rumpole and the Judge's Elbow", 1987) as Brinsley Lampitt
* Star Cops ("Other People's Secrets", 1987) as Ernest Wolfhartt
* The Storyteller ("Sapsorrow", 1988) as Koning
* Madame Sousatzka (1988) as Mr Cordle
* The Tenth Man (television film, 1988)
* Dramarama (The Pisces Connection, 1989) as Visser
* All Creatures Great and Small ("Where Sheep May Safely Graze", 1989) as Geoff Hatfield
* Prince Caspian and the Voyage of the Dawn Treader (television film, 1989) as Ramandu
* Campion – Rev Swithin Cush ("Mystery Mile: Part 1", 1990)
* Van der Valk ("The Little Rascals", 1991) as Nicolas Meijers
* l'Amore necessario (1991) as Bernardo
* Casualty (Facing Up, 1991) as Duncan Frain
* Soldier Soldier (Further Education, 1994) as Jack Knight
* Tom & Viv (1994) as Harwent
* Asterix in America (1994) as Getafix (English version, voice)
* Magic Grandad (1995) as Magic Grandad
* Last of the Summer Wine ("Adopted by a Stray", 1995) as Mr Broadbent
* Wycliffe ("Wild Oats", 1995) as Gilbert Rawle
* Pie in the Sky ("Black Pudding", 1995) as Seymour Flint
* The Biz (1995, TV Series) as Markov
* Faith in the Future ("Art Lovers", 1996) as Mr. Quigley
* Casualty ("Déjà Vu", 1997) as Alby James
* Casualty ("A Taste of Freedom", 1997) as James Ellington
* Wycliffe ("Old Crimes, New Times", 1997) as Rechter
* Heat of the Sun (miniseries, 1998) as Rafe Goodwin
* Heartbeat ("Spellbound", 1998) as Follett
* Peak Practice ("Once in a Lifetime" and "A Change of View", both 1998) as Alby James
* Where the Heart Is ("Love", 1998) as Edward Smith
* Asterix & Obelix Take On Caesar (1999) as Additional voice (voice, uncredited)
* Midsomer Murders (Blue Herrings, 2000) as Arthur Prewitt
* Where the Heart Is ("Relative Strangers", 2002) as Wally Vernon
* Fort Boyard (1998–2001) as Professor
* Looking for Victoria (television film, 2003) as Sir Henry Ponsonby
* Ladies in Lavender (2004) as Mr Penhaligan
* Waking the Dead (In Sight of the Lord, 2004) as Edward Atkinson
* Casualty ("Inside Out", 2004) as Ralph Michaels
* Heartbeat ("Money, Money, Money", 2004) as Gilbert Percy
* Casualty ("Needle", 2006) as Wilf Simpson
* New Tricks ("God's Waiting Room", 2007) as Leonard Casey
* My Family (The Son'll Come Out, 2010) as Joe (final appearance)