Don Henderson
Born: 1932-11-10 in Leytonstone, London, England, UK
Died: 1997-06-22
Known For: Acting
Biography
Born Donald Francis Henderson in Leystonstone, 1931, Don Henderson was an English actor of stage, television and screen. He was best 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 a trilogy of popular Granada Television police drama series; The XYY Man, Strangers, and Bulman. Following the end of Bulman, Henderson starred as the priest Frank Kane in the BBC drama series The Paradise Club, penned by Bulman creator Murray Smith. Henderson starred in several cult and sci fi serials and films, most notably in the first Star Wars movie in which he played General Tagge, and Doctor Who and Red Dwarf. Prior to acting, Henderson was a dental technician in the army and a detective sergeant in the Essex constabulary, but he resigned when he found he had sympathy for the criminals he was obliged to arrest. He was married twice, firstly to Hilary who died in 1977, and then to the actress Shirley Stelfox, whom he met filming The XYY Man. The pair set up home in Stratford-Upon-Avon and appeared together professionally many times until his death from throat cancer in 1997.
Filmography
1998
- The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends: The Tale of Mr. Tod as Tommy Brock (voice)
1997
- Danielle Steel's Zoya as Feodor
- Preaching to the Perverted as Commander Cope
1996
- The Wind in the Willows as The Sentry
1994
- No Escape as Killian
- Dandelion Dead
- Jo Brand Through the Cakehole
- Liberation as Lord Curzon
- Pat and Margaret as Billy
- White Angel as Inspector Taylor
1993
- Cracker as Hennessy Senior
- The Detectives as Brother Ryan
- The Baby of Mâcon as The Father Confessor
- The Trial as The Flogger
- Tomorrow Calling as Mervyn Kihn
1992
- Carry On Columbus as The Bosun
- Black and Blue as Daddy Brett-Smith
- My Friend Walter as Bertie Borrowbill
- As You Like It as The Dukes
1991
- 2Point4 Children as Frank
- Merlin of the Crystal Cave as Galapas
- The War That Never Ends as Socrates
- Miss Queencake
- How's Business as Mr. Bailey
1989
- The Paradise Club as Frank Kane
- Making Out
- Tank Malling as Percy
1988
- Red Dwarf as Rogue Simulant
- The Adventures of Baron Munchausen as Commander
- Maigret as Barge Captain
- Blanc de Chine as Malcolm
1987
- The New Statesman as Brigadier Miljanic
- Doctor Who: Delta and the Bannermen as Gavrok
- The Secret World of Polly Flint as Old Mazy
1985
- Screen Two as The Flogger
- Dempsey and Makepeace as Don
- Brazil as First 'Black Maria' Guard
- Bulman as George Bulman
- Billy the Kid and the Green Baize Vampire as The Wednesday Man
- Murder Elite as Sgt Jessop
- A Crack in the Ice as The Peasant
1984
- Bottle Boys as Les Burton
- Annika as Mr Daniels
- The Master of Ballantrae as Hicks (uncredited)
- Squaring the Circle as Kuron
1983
- The Boy Who Won the Pools as Mr. Baverstock
- Atlantis as Eddie
1981
- The Kamikaze Ground Staff Reunion Dinner as Tokkotai
- Take the Stage as Self
1980
- The Enigma Files as Prince
- The Island as Rollo
1979
- Minder as Billy Lynch
- Dick Turpin as Bracewell
1978
- Strangers as DS George Bulman
- Scorpion Tales as Easterman
- The Big Sleep as Lou
- Danton's Death as Mercier
1977
- Star Wars as General Taggi
- The Prince and the Pauper as Burly Ruffian
- Across the Andes by Frog as Sgt. Major
- The Finishing Line
- Gotcha / Campion's Interview as Sellors
- One Day at a Time as Jack
1976
- Ripping Yarns as Sgt. Major
- Voyage of the Damned as Engineering Officer
- The XYY Man as DS George Bulman
- The Littlest Horse Thieves
1974
- Callan as George
- Regan as Strip Club Heavy
- Footsteps as Policeman
- A Killer in Every Corner as Boz Bostyne
1972
- The Protectors as Walters
- Van der Valk as Ullman
- New Scotland Yard as Harry Watson
1970
1965
- BBC Play of the Month as Mercier
1964
1963
- Doctor Who as Gavrok