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
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
- White Angel as Inspector Taylor
- Pat and Margaret as Billy
- Dandelion Dead
- Jo Brand Through the Cakehole
- Liberation as Lord Curzon
1993
- Cracker as Hennessy Senior
- The Trial as The Flogger
- The Baby of Mâcon as The Father Confessor
- The Detectives as Brother Ryan
- Tomorrow Calling as Mervyn Kihn
1992
- Carry On Columbus as The Bosun
- Black and Blue as Daddy Brett-Smith
- As You Like It as The Dukes
- My Friend Walter as Bertie Borrowbill
1991
- Miss Queencake
- 2Point4 Children as Frank
- How's Business as Mr. Bailey
- The War That Never Ends as Socrates
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
- Knights of God
1985
- Brazil as First 'Black Maria' Guard
- Dempsey and Makepeace as Don
- Screen Two as The Flogger
- Billy the Kid and the Green Baize Vampire as The Wednesday Man
- Murder Elite as Sgt Jessop
- Bulman
- A Crack in the Ice as The Peasant
1984
- Squaring the Circle as Kuron
- Bottle Boys as Les Burton
- Annika as Mr Daniels
1983
- Atlantis as Eddie
- The Boy Who Won the Pools as Mr. Baverstock
1981
- The Kamikaze Ground Staff Reunion Dinner as Tokkotai
- Take the Stage as Self
1980
- The Island as Rollo
- The Enigma Files as Prince
1979
- Minder as Billy Lynch
- Dick Turpin as Bracewell
1978
- The Big Sleep as Lou
- Strangers as George Bulman
- Danton's Death as Mercier
- Scorpion Tales as Easterman
1977
- Star Wars as General Taggi
- The Prince and the Pauper as Burly Ruffian
- One Day at a Time as Jack
- Gotcha / Campion's Interview as Sellors
- The Finishing Line
- Across the Andes by Frog as Sgt. Major
1976
- Voyage of the Damned as Engineering Officer
- The Littlest Horse Thieves
- The XYY Man as George Bulman
1974
- Callan as George
- Footsteps as Policeman
- Regan as Strip Club Heavy
- A Killer in Every Corner as Boz Bostyne
1972
- Van der Valk as Ullman
- The Protectors as Walters
1970
1965
- BBC Play of the Month as Mercier
1964
1963
- Doctor Who as Gavrok