Bernard Archard

Bernard Archard ( born August 20, 1916 in Fulham, † 1 May 2008 the Witham Friary, Somerset ) was an English actor.

Life and career

Archard was the child of a well-off family; his father was mayor of Fulham and in civilian life jeweler. With the aid of a scholarship he began in 1938 the acting studies at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art During the war, conscientious objectors Archard did his alternative service at the Quakers.

After the war he took work as a stage actor again - in the season 1938/39, he had a first experience. Until the mid- 1950s, he appeared in numerous engagements throughout the country; 1948 together with his partner James Belchamer he had met at the theater festival in Edinburgh in 1948. Both were among a number of years on a touring theater company, which had its seat in Torquay.

There was a great success was not in sight, both wanted to emigrate to Canada in the late 1950s, as many television exposures put the plans on hold. 1959 obliged the producer Elwyn Jones and Robert Barr Archard for the lead role in Spycatcher, a 24 -part television series that was produced until 1961. From now on, the tall, distinguished- looking Archard was in demand as a star; besides accumulating film appearances, he had guest roles, so, in numerous TV shows as Chief Inspector McPhail next to Francis Matthews and Ros Drinkwater in two episodes of the German - British television series Paul Temple or in Doctor Who, Z Cars, The Professionals, Secret Order for John Drake The Avengers and melon or Dad's Army. In addition, he was still to be seen on the stage, including in the 1980/81 season at the Old Vic

Archard 1992, retired from active film events; at the age of ninety years he let his relationship with Belchamer register as a civil partnership.

Filmography (selection)

External links and sources

• Bernard Archard at the Internet Movie Database (English)
• Obituary in The Independent
• Obituary in The Guardian
• Obituary in The Times
• Bertrand van Wonterghem: In Memoriam, Bernard Archard, Euro Up # 16, 2009