# Don Henderson

Donald Francis Henderson (10 November 1931 – 22 June 1997) was an English actor. He was known for playing both "tough guy" roles and authority figures, and is remembered for his portrayal of detective George Bulman between 1976 and 1987 in the popular Granada Television police drama series The XYY Man, Strangers, and Bulman, as priest Frank Kane in BBC drama The Paradise Club (1989–90), and as General Taggi in the first Star Wars film (1977). This last role also brought him attention from science fiction fans, and he later appeared in the cult science fiction television series Red Dwarf and Doctor Who.

## Biography

Henderson was born into a working-class family in Leytonstone, Essex, the son of a carpenter, and grew up in Epping. After completing his national service as a technician in the Royal Army Dental Corps, he served with Essex Constabulary, reaching the rank of detective sergeant in their CID, and worked as an insurance salesman. He did not become a professional actor until his thirties, when a friend dared him to audition for the Royal Shakespeare Company, with whom he subsequently performed from 1966 until 1972, going on to play many leading roles.
Henderson had two children, a son and a daughter, with his first wife Hilary, who died from a mysterious lung disease in 1977. He remarried in 1979; his second wife was the actress Shirley Stelfox, with whom he would appear professionally many times. He lived in his adopted home town of Stratford-upon-Avon for many years, where he was a familiar face to locals.

## Career

Henderson is best remembered for his role as the fictional detective George Bulman. This character featured in three TV series: The XYY Man in the mid-1970s; the later Strangers that saw Bulman rise from Detective Sergeant to Detective Chief Inspector and, in 1985, the series Bulman saw George retired from the police and pursuing a career as a horologist. He also starred in the popular TV drama series Warship.
Henderson made little money from his role in Star Wars—£300 for one day of filming. He also missed out on a large sum for his copy of the Star Wars script:
   "I have only once been recognised as having been in Star Wars, and that was when I was making a film in Los Angeles. Somebody in the hotel I was staying at offered me $2000 for my copy of the Star Wars script. As I growled at him in amazement, he took that as a refusal, or that he had offered too little and eventually went up to an offer of $5000! Sadly, as with all my used scripts, I had given it to my kids to scribble and draw on."

## Death

Henderson was first diagnosed with throat cancer in 1980. He died of the disease in Warwick on 22 June 1997, aged 65, and was survived by his second wife and his children. Stelfox herself died of cancer in 2015.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1968 | A Midsummer Night's Dream | Attendant | |
| 1974 | Callan | George | |
| 1974 | Abby | Flip | |
| 1975 | Brannigan | Geef | |
| 1975 | The Ghoul | Ghoul | |
| 1976 | Voyage of the Damned | Engineering Officer | |
| 1977 | Star Wars | General Taggi | |
| 1977 | Crossed Swords | Burly Ruffian | |
| 1978 | The Big Sleep | Lou | |
| 1980 | The Island | Rollo | |
| 1985 | Brazil | First Black Maria Guard | |
| 1985 | Murder Elite | Sergeant Jessop | |
| 1987 | Billy the Kid and the Green Baize Vampire | The Wednesday Man | |
| 1987 | Out of Order | Car Driver | |
| 1988 | Blanc de Chine | Malcolm | |
| 1988 | The Adventures of Baron Munchausen | Commander | |
| 1989 | Tank Malling | Percy | |
| 1989 | The BFG | Bloodbottler / Fleshlumpeater / Sergeant | Voice |
| 1990 | The Fool | Bob | |
| 1991 | How's Business | Mr. Bailey | |
| 1992 | Carry On Columbus | The Bosun | |
| 1992 | As You Like It | The Dukes | |
| 1993 | The Baby of Macon | Father Confessor | |
| 1993 | The Trial | Flogger | |
| 1994 | White Angel | Inspector Taylor | |
| 1994 | No Escape | Killian | |
| 1996 | The Wind in the Willows | The Sentry | |
| 1997 | Preaching to the Perverted | Commander Cope | |
| 1997 | FairyTale: A True Story | Sydney Chalker | (final film role) |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1973–1975 | Warship | Master-at-Arms Frank Heron | 18 episodes |
| 1975 | Poldark | Tom Carne | 3 episodes |
| 1976–1977 | The XYY Man | DS George Bulman | 13 episodes |
| 1978 | Crossroads | Mr Black | 6 episodes |
| 1978 | Danton's Death | Mercier | BBC Play of the Month |
| 1978–1982 | Strangers | George Bulman | 30 episodes |
| 1983 | Jemima Shore Investigates | Conrad Coleman | 1 episode |
| 1984 | Annika | Mr. Daniels | 2 episodes |
| 1985–1987 | Bulman | George Bulman | 20 episodes |
| 1986 | Dead Head | Det. Inspector Malcolm | Episode: "Why Me?" |
| 1987 | Knights of God | Colley | 6 episodes |
| 1987 | Doctor Who: Delta and the Bannermen | Gavrok | 3 episodes |
| 1988 | Last of the Summer Wine | Charlie | |
| 1988 | Maigret | Barge Captain | TV movie |
| 1989 | Minder | Billy Lynch | Episode: "Fiddler On The Hoof" |
| 1989–1990 | The Paradise Club | Frank Kane | 20 episodes |
| 1991 | Boon | Don | Episode: "Two Men in a Vault" |
| 1992 | 2Point4 Children | Frank (Ben’s Dad) | Series 2 Episode 3 "One Night In Bangkok" |
| 1993 | Cracker | John Hennessey | Series 1 episode 2 |
| 1994 | Pat and Margaret | Billy | |
| 1995 | The Famous Five | Block | Episode: "Five Go to Smuggler's Top" |
| 1996 | Casualty | Jerry Hunter | Episode: "Night Moves" |
| 1997 | Red Dwarf | Rogue Simulant | Episode: "Beyond a Joke" |

### Radio

* The Archers (1983) (Radio) ... Ben Warner