# Derek Benfield

Derek Benfield (11 March 1926 – 10 March 2009) was a British playwright and actor.
He was born in Bradford, West Riding of Yorkshire, and educated at Bingley Grammar School. He was the author of the stage farce Running Riot and played Patricia Routledge's character's husband in Hetty Wainthropp Investigates (1996–1998).
Arguably, Benfield's best known character portrayal was as transport company foreman Bill Riley in the UK television series The Brothers in the early 1970s. Before this, he starred as Frank Skinner in the 1970 cult sci-fi series broadcast on UK ITV, Timeslip. Some of his other television roles included Walter Greenhalgh in Coronation Street (1961–1969), Albert the Clerk in Rumpole of the Bailey (1978–80), and characters in Breakaway (1980) and First of the Summer Wine (1988).
His film credits include small roles in Crossplot (1969), I Don't Want to Be Born (1975) and Lifeforce (1985). His plays included the farces Post Horn Gallop and Wild Goose Chase, both about the fictional exploits of the eccentric Lord and Lady Elrood and visitors to their castle.
He also appeared with Colin Baker as John Hallam in the Doctor Who audio play Catch-1782 produced by Big Finish Productions.

## Plays

* The Young in Heart, 1953
* The Way the Wind Blows, 1954
* Champagne for Breakfast, 1954
* Wild Goose Chase, 1955
* Running Riot, 1958
* Out of Thin Air, 1961
* Fish out of Water, 1963
* Down to Brass Tacks, 1964
* Third Party Risk, 1964
* The Party, 1964
* Post Horn Gallop, 1965
* Murder for the Asking, 1967
* Off the Hook, 1970
* A Bird in the hand, 1973
* Panic Stations, 1975
* Caught on the Hop, 1979
* Beyond a Joke, 1980
* In for the Kill, 1981
* Look Who's Talking, 1984
* Touch and Go, 1984
* Flying Feathers, 1987
* Bedside Manners, 1990
* Toe in the Water, 1991
* Don't Lose the Place, 1992
* Anyone for Breakfast?, 1994
* Up and Running, 1995
* A Fly in the Ointment, 1996
* Two and Two Together, 1999
* Second Time Around, 2000?
* Funny Business, 2005
* In At the Deep End, 2005
* Over My Dead Body, 2005?
* First Things First, 2007

## Personal life

Benfield was married to actress Susan Lyle Grant from 1953 until his death in 2009. They had two children together and two grandchildren.

## Death

Benfield died of Stomach cancer on 10 March in 2009 at the age of 82 the day before his 83rd birthday.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1959 | Room at the Top | Man in Bar | Uncredited |
| 1962 | A Matter of Conscience | Gerasimovich | TV film |
| 1964 | House of Glass | Sapper Maggs | TV film |
| 1965 | Jury Room | Unknown | |
| 1969 | Mosquito Squadron | Airman Valet | Uncredited |
| 1969 | Crossplot | Man in cafe | |
| 1975 | I Don't Want to Be Born | Police Inspector | |
| 1975 | Safety - Everyone's Business | Unknown | |
| 1975 | Safety in Shipbuilding | Unknown | |
| 1977 | The Bia Safety Set: Safety - Hearing | Unknown | |
| 1977 | The Bia Safety Set: Safety - Seeing | Unknown | |
| 1977 | The Bia Safety Set: Safety - Dermatits | Unknown | |
| 1977 | Safety Hearing | Unknown | |
| 1978 | Charlie and Julie | Uncle Charlie | |
| 1979 | One Last Shock | Unknown | |
| 1979 | The Knowledge | Football Driver | TV film |
| 1980 | The Boy Who Never Was | Inspector | TV film |
| 1980 | Any Fool Can Do It? | Unknown | |
| 1980 | AA - The Sign for Service | Unknown | |
| 1982 | Remembrance | Vincent's Father | |
| 1984 | Arthur's Hallowed Ground | Eric | TV film |
| 1984 | Slimming Down | Grandad | |
| 1985 | Lifeforce | Physician | |
| 1986 | FMI: Service Reception Service | Unknown | |
| 1987 | The Girl | Janitor | |
| 1987 | Our Geoff | Ronnie | TV film |
| 1995 | Missing Persons | Unknown | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1955 | Return to the Lost Planet | Professor Bergman | 3 episodes |
| 1958 | The Larkins | Mr. Burlington Thrush | Episode: "Angry Young Man" |
| 1959 | The Larkins | Third Barrister | Episode: "Haul for One" |
| 1959 | Great Expectations | Landlord | 1 episode |
| 1960 | Suspense | Prison Doctor | Episode: "Decision at Nine" |
| 1960 | ITV Sunday Night Drama | Graves | Episode: "The Devil Makes Sunday" |
| 1960 | Probation Officer | George Cooper | 1 episode |
| 1961 | Three Live Wires | Higgenbottom | All 26 episodes |
| 1961 | Maigret | Emile | Episode: "Death of a Butcher" |
| 1962 | Harpers West One | Cedric Gilbert | 1 episode |
| 1962 | Winning Widows | | Episode: "The Supermarket" |
| 1962 | Faces of Jim | | Episode: "The Face of Tradition" |
| 1962 | ITV Play of the Week | Chancellor of the Exchequer | Episode: "The Apple Cart" |
| 1963 | ITV Play of the Week | Dr. Kusmich | Episode: "War and Peace" |
| 1963 | Z-Cars | Mr. Healey | Episode: "It Never Rains..." |
| 1963 | Crane | Osman | Episode: "The Cannabis Syndicate" |
| 1963 | Drama 61-67 | Taxi Driver | Episode: "The Taxi's for Johnnie" |
| 1963 | The Victorians | Tubbs | Episode: "The Silver King" |
| 1963 | Marriage Lines | Harold | Episode: "The Threshold" |
| 1963 | ITV Playhouse | Barrett | Episode: "They Don't Make Summers Like They Used To" |
| 1963 | Sergeant Cork | Mr. Spiller | Episode: "The Case of the Fenian Men" |
| 1963 | Coronation Street | Jim Baker | 3 episodes |
| 1964 | Dixon of Dock Green | Mr. Stevens | Episode: "All Sorts to Make a World" |
| 1964 | Z-Cars | Mr. Brooke | Episode: "Whistle and Come Home" |
| 1964 | Z-Cars | McKinley | Episode: "Finders Keepers" |
| 1964 | Detective | Dr. Hamm | Episode: "The Drawing" |
| 1964 | The Villains | Harry | Episode: "Contraband" |
| 1964 | Happily Ever After | | 1 episode |
| 1964 | The Protectors | Betts | Episode: "Who Killed Lazoryck?" |
| 1964 | Catch Hand | Baxter | Episode: "It's Only Bricks and Mortar" |
| 1964 | R3 | Tom Collis | 3 episodes |
| 1964 | No Hiding Place | Henry Mercer | Episode: "Scaremonger" |
| 1965 | No Hiding Place | Prescott | Episode: "Music for Murder" |
| 1965 | Story Parade | Mr. Laker | Episode: "The Make-Believe Man" |
| 1965 | Cluff | Josh Tupman | Episode: "The Brothers" |
| 1965 | Riviera Police | Voisin | Episode: "That Kind of Girl" |
| 1965 | Jury Room | Mr. Blakiston | Episode: "Traitor" |
| 1965 | Theatre 625 | Sergeant Byrom | Episode: "The Siege of Manchester" |
| 1965 | The Mask of Janus | Andrew Parsons | 3 episodes |
| 1966 | Dixon of Dock Green | Mr. Delaney | Episode: "The Heister" |
| 1966 | Dixon of Dock Green | Publican | Episode: "Street of Fear" |
| 1966 | The Baron | The Scientist | Episode: "The Persuaders" |
| 1966 | The Likely Lads | Cloakroom attendant | Episode: "Brief Encounter" |
| 1966 | Public Eye | Carter | Episode: "I Could Set It to Music" |
| 1966 | The Troubleshooters | Sloan | Episode: "Four Cheers for Geoffrey" |
| 1966 | Blackmail | Cully | Episode: "The Haunting of Aubrey Hopkiss" |
| 1966 | Vendetta | Police Sergeant | Episode: "The Ice-Cream Man" |
| 1967 | Z-Cars | Mr. Blacker | Episode: "The Great Fur Robbery" |
| 1967 | Dixon of Dock Green | Jack Bowden | Episode: "The Step-Brother" |
| 1967 | The Newcomers | Mr. Hutchinson | 3 episodes |
| 1967 | The Gamblers | Fireman | Episode: "The Man Beneath" |
| 1967 | Coronation Street | Walter Greenhalgh | Recurring role |
| 1967 | Softly, Softly | Palmer | Episode: "The Same the Whole World Over" |
| 1968 | Softly, Softly | Moxham | Episode: "In Bulk" |
| 1968 | Z-Cars | Timmy Cater | Episode: "Special Relationship" |
| 1968 | The Revenue Men | Fender | Episode: "Sentimental Value" |
| 1968 | The First Lady | Mowbray | Episode: "Cleverclogs" |
| 1968 | Champion House | Gerald Dobson | Episode: "Breakout" |
| 1968 | The Expert | Harry Murdoch | Episode: "Full Choke" |
| 1968 | The Root of All Evil? | Peter Whittaker | Episode: "You Can Only Buy Once" |
| 1969 | Dixon of Dock Green | Harry Fisher | Episode: "The Jelly Man" |
| 1969 | Plays of Today | Purdon | Episode: "Men of Iron" |
| 1969 | Hadleigh | Sergeant Moggs | Episode: "Safety of the Realm" |
| 1969 | Paul Temple | Victor Burgess | Episode: "Message from a Dead Man" |
| 1969 | Out of the Unknown | Tom Clarke | Episode: "Immortality Inc" |
| 1970 | Oh, Brother! | | Episode: "The Laughter of a Fool" |
| 1970 | Z-Cars | Dicky Green | Episode: "Cruising for Burglars" |
| 1970 | The Borderers | Herdsman | Episode: "Hostage" |
| 1970-1971 | Timeslip | Frank Skinner | Series regular |
| 1971 | Z-Cars | Thurley | Episode: "Dan Dan..." |
| 1971 | Dixon of Dock Green | Quilter | Episode: "Flashpoint" |
| 1971 | Out of the Unknown | Dr. Liam Moore | Episode: "Welcome Home" |
| 1971 | Thirty-Minute Theatre | Bradford | Episode: "Jenkins" |
| 1971 | Doomwatch | Arnold Payne | Episode: "Public Enemy" |
| 1972 | Doomwatch | Dr. Ridley | Episode: "Flood" |
| 1972 | Z-Cars | Byrne | Episode: "Sweet Girl" |
| 1972 | Man at the Top | Mr. Cunliffe | Episode: "All Very Hush, Hush" |
| 1972 | The Long Chase | Fisherman | 3 episodes |
| 1972-1976 | The Brothers | Bill Riley | Series regular, 89 episodes |
| 1973 | The Flaxton Boys | Sergeant Brophy | 3 episodes |
| 1973 | Armchair Theatre | Cyril | Episode: "The Death of Glory" |
| 1975 | Late Call | Voice #2 | Mini-series |
| 1975 | Dixon of Dock Green | Skinner | Episode: "Chain of Events" |
| 1976 | Hunter's Walk | Bert Brown | Episode: "Say Nothing" |
| 1978 | Armchair Thriller | Mr. Cooper | Episode: "The Girl Who Walked Quickly" |
| 1978 | Z-Cars | Detective Superintendent Ramsden | Episode: "Departures" |
| 1978-1980 | Rumpole of the Bailey | Albert Handyside | Recurring role, 4 episodes |
| 1979 | Thundercloud | Beattie | Episode: "Carry on Number One" |
| 1980 | Breakaway | Leo Corby | 3 episodes |
| 1980 | Minder | Brown | Episode: "A Lot of Bull and a Pat on the Back" |
| 1980 | In Loving Memory | Alfred Pardoe | Episode: "The Outing" |
| 1981 | Hi-de-Hi! | Rose's Dad | Episode: "Desire in the Mickey Mouse Grotto" |
| 1981 | Crown Court | Alfred Warrington | Episode: "Leonora" |
| 1981 | Wilfred and Eileen | Mr. Clough | 1 episode |
| 1982 | A Kind of Loving | Franklyn | Mini-series |
| 1982 | Shine on Harvey Moon | Chairman | 2 episodes |
| 1982 | Yes Minister | Aston Wanderers Board Member | Episode: "The Middle-Class Rip-Off" |
| 1983 | Hallelujah! | Arthur Walton | Episode: "Poor Box" |
| 1984 | Hallelujah! | Andrew Gibson | Episode: "Rock Bottom" |
| 1984 | Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense | Undertaker | Episode: "The Late Nancy Irving" |
| 1984 | The Gentle Touch | Mr. Devis | Episode: "Wise Child" |
| 1984 | Remington Steele | Hector Tolouse | Episode: "Maltese Steele" |
| 1984 | Juliet Bravo | Mr. Darcy | Episode: "Workforce" |
| 1985 | Travellers by Night | Man in the forest | Mini-series |
| 1985 | The New Statesman | Mr. Walmsley | 1 episode |
| 1986 | Casualty | Mr. Davies | Episode: "Crazies" |
| 1987 | Worlds Beyond | Dr. Meredith | Episode: "The Black Thumb" |
| 1987 | Intimate Contact | Edgar | 3 episodes |
| 1988 | Gentlemen and Players | Harry Griffen | Episode: "One for Sorrow, Two for Joy" |
| 1988 | Help! | Mr. Kinnell | Episode: "We Are Sailing" |
| 1988-1989 | First of the Summer Wine | Mr. Scrimshaw | Series regular, 13 episodes |
| 1989 | Only Fools and Horses | Registrar | Episode: "Little Problems" |
| 1989 | That's Love | Brian | 1 episode |
| 1990 | Agatha Christie's Poirot | Dr. Adams | Episode: "The Cornish Mystery" |
| 1990 | Making News | Philip Baxter | Episode: "Conspiracy" |
| 1990 | Casualty | Eric Hogarth | Episode: "Street Life" |
| 1992 | Lovejoy | Don | Episode: "Angel Trousers" |
| 1992 | The Brittas Empire | Mr. Franklin | Episode: "New Generations" |
| 1992 | Screen One | Man on Bus | Episode: "Trust Me" |
| 1993 | Mulberry | Alf | Episode: "A Musical Evening" |
| 1994 | The Inspector Alleyn Mysteries | Alfred Belt | Episode: "Hand in Glove" |
| 1994 | Men of the World | Mr. Buxton | Episode: "Lost in France" |
| 1996 | Peak Practice | Fred Hargrave | Episode: "Whipping Boy" |
| 1996-1998 | Hetty Wainthropp Investigates | Robert Wainthropp | Series regular, 23 episodes |
| 1997 | Frighteners | Jack Hammond | Episode: "Rose Cottage" |
| 2001 | Hearts and Bones | Mike Piper | 1 episode |
| 2005 | Doctor Who: The Monthly Adventures | John Hallam (voice) | 1 episode |