Anthony Valentine

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**Anthony Valentine** was an English actor best known for his television roles: the ruthless Toby Meres in *Callan* (1967–72), the sadistic Major Horst Mohn in *Colditz* (1972–74), Bob in Tales of the Unexpected, the suave gentleman thief title character in *Raffles* (1977), and the murderous Baron Gruner in the *Sherlock Holmes* episode "The Illustrious Client" (1991).

## Early life and education

Valentine was born in Blackburn, Lancashire; he moved with his family to Chiswick, West London when he was 6 years old, going on to attend Acton County Grammar School.

## Career

Aged 9, Valentine was spotted tap-dancing in a stage version of *Robin Hood* at Ealing Town Hall. He made his acting debut at age 10 in the Nettlefold Studios film *No Way Back* (1949), and at age 12 he was a boy sleuth in *The Girl on the Pier* (1953). He worked regularly as a child actor for the BBC, most notably as Harry Wharton in the 1950s adaptation of *Billy Bunter of Greyfriars School*, having initially played Lord Mauleverer in earlier episodes.

In 1958, he appeared in a television production of Ibsen's *John Gabriel Borkman*, with Laurence Olivier as Borkman and Irene Worth as his wife, as part of ITV's *The Play of the Week* series.

Valentine was best known for his striking performances in particular television roles: ruthless Toby Meres in the series *Callan* (1967–72), sinister Luftwaffe officer Major Horst Mohn in the BBC drama *Colditz* (1974), the dashing eponymous role in Yorkshire TV's *Raffles* (1975-1977), and suave crook George Webster in *The Knock* (1994–96).

Valentine's early stage credits include: the premiere of Arnold Wesker's *Chicken Soup with Barley* (Royal Court Theatre, 1958); John Osborne's *Epitaph for George Dillon* (Royal Court Theatre, 1958); Australian drama *The Shifting Heart* (Duke of York's Theatre, 1959, with Leo McKern); John Mortimer's *Two Stars for Comfort* (Garrick Theatre, 1962, with Trevor Howard); the original cast of *Half a Sixpence* (Cambridge Theatre, 1963, with Tommy Steele); and *The Platinum Cat* (Wyndham's Theatre, London, 1965, with Kenneth Williams).

Later stage credits include: *No Sex Please We're British* (Strand Theatre, 1971); Anthony Shaffer's *Sleuth* (St Martin's Theatre, 1972, with Marius Goring); a revival of *Hans Christian Andersen* (London Palladium, 1977, again with Tommy Steele); *'Art'* (Wyndham's Theatre, 1999–2000); and he played Cardinal Monticelso in Webster's *The White Devil* (Lyric Theatre, 2000).

Valentine made his debut as a writer and director in 1998 at The Mill at Sonning with *The Waiting Game*. He went on to direct regularly at the Mill, productions including: *Separate Tables* (2005), *The Odd Couple* (2009) and *California Suite* (2012). On 12 November 2005 Valentine became a patron of the Thwaites Empire Theatre in his birthplace, Blackburn.

He narrated three *Wildlife Explorer* documentary films: *Powerful Predators*, *Animal Defences*, and *Weird and Wonderful*. He was also the voice of Dr. X on American heavy metal band Queensrÿche's 1988 album *Operation: Mindcrime*. He narrated a 1980 NOVA documentary entitled *It's About Time*, presented by Dudley Moore and featuring science fiction writer Isaac Asimov. He also voiced a television commercial for Gordon's gin.

## Sources

1. ↑ Rotten Tomatoes
2. ↑ Wikipedia entry