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 from the early 1970s, The Brothers. 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 Bedside Manners, 1990 Anyone for Breakfast?, 1994 Up and Running, 1995 Two and Two Together, 1999 Funny Business, 2005 First Things First, 2007

Death Benfield died of stomach cancer on 10 March 2009 at the age of 82, on the day before his 83rd birthday.

Filmography Film

Television Year Title Role Notes 1955 Return to the Lost Planet Professor Bergman 3 episodes 1958The Larkins Mr. Burlington Thrush Episode: "Angry Young Man"1959 Third Barrister Episode: "Haul for One" Great Expectations Landlord 1 episode1960 Suspense Prison Doctor Episode: "Decision at Nine" ITV Sunday Night Drama Graves Episode: "The Devil Makes Sunday" Probation Officer George Cooper 1 episode1961 Three Live Wires Higgenbottom All 26 episodes Maigret Emile Episode: "Death of a Butcher"1962 Harpers West One Cedric Gilbert 1 episode Winning Widows Episode: "The Supermarket" Faces of Jim Episode: "The Face of Tradition"ITV Play of the Week Chancellor of the Exchequer Episode: "The Apple Cart"1963 Dr. Kusmich Episode: "War and Peace" Z-Cars Mr. Healey Episode: "It Never Rains..." Crane Osman Episode: "The Cannabis Syndicate" Drama 61-67 Taxi Driver Episode: "The Taxi's for Johnnie" The Victorians Tubbs Episode: "The Silver King" Marriage Lines Harold Episode: "The Threshold" ITV Playhouse Barrett Episode: "They Don't Make Summers Like They Used To" Sergeant Cork Mr. Spiller Episode: "The Case of the Fenian Men" Coronation Street Jim Baker 3 episodes1964 Dixon of Dock Green Mr. Stevens Episode: "All Sorts to Make a World"Z-Cars Mr. Brooke Episode: "Whistle and Come Home" McKinley Episode: "Finders Keepers" Detective Dr. Hamm Episode: "The Drawing" The Villains Harry Episode: "Contraband" Happily Ever After 1 episode The Protectors Betts Episode: "Who Killed Lazoryck?" Catch Hand Baxter Episode: "It's Only Bricks and Mortar" R3 Tom Collis 3 episodesNo Hiding Place Henry Mercer Episode: "Scaremonger"1965 Prescott Episode: "Music for Murder" Story Parade Mr. Laker Episode: "The Make-Believe Man" Cluff Josh Tupman Episode: "The Brothers" Riviera Police Voisin Episode: "That Kind of Girl" Jury Room Mr. Blakiston Episode: "Traitor" Theatre 625 Sergeant Byrom Episode: "The Siege of Manchester" The Mask of Janus Andrew Parsons 3 episodes1966Dixon of Dock Green Mr. Delaney Episode: "The Heister" Publican Episode: "Street of Fear" The Baron The Scientist Episode: "The Persuaders" The Likely Lads Cloakroom attendant Episode: "Brief Encounter" Public Eye Carter Episode: "I Could Set It to Music" The Troubleshooters Sloan Episode: "Four Cheers for Geoffrey" Blackmail Cully Episode: "The Haunting of Aubrey Hopkiss" Vendetta Police Sergeant Episode: "The Ice-Cream Man"1967 Z-Cars Mr. Blacker Episode: "The Great Fur Robbery" Dixon of Dock Green Jack Bowden Episode: "The Step-Brother" The Newcomers Mr. Hutchinson 3 episodes The Gamblers Fireman Episode: "The Man Beneath" Coronation Street Walter Greenhalgh Recurring roleSoftly, Softly Palmer Episode: "The Same the Whole World Over"1968 Moxham Episode: "In Bulk" Z-Cars Timmy Cater Episode: "Special Relationship" The Revenue Men Fender Episode: "Sentimental Value" The First Lady Mowbray Episode: "Cleverclogs" Champion House Gerald Dobson Episode: "Breakout" The Expert Harry Murdoch Episode: "Full Choke" The Root of All Evil? Peter Whittaker Episode: "You Can Only Buy Once"1969 Dixon of Dock Green Harry Fisher Episode: "The Jelly Man" Plays of Today Purdon Episode: "Men of Iron" Hadleigh Sergeant Moggs Episode: "Safety of the Realm" Paul Temple Victor Burgess Episode: "Message from a Dead Man" Out of the Unknown Tom Clarke Episode: "Immortality Inc"1970 Oh, Brother! Episode: "The Laughter of a Fool" Z-Cars Dicky Green Episode: "Cruising for Burglars" The Borderers Herdsman Episode: "Hostage" 1970–1971 Timeslip Frank Skinner Series regular1971 Z-Cars Thurley Episode: "Dan Dan..." Dixon of Dock Green Quilter Episode: "Flashpoint" Out of the Unknown Dr. Liam Moore Episode: "Welcome Home" Thirty-Minute Theatre Bradford Episode: "Jenkins"Doomwatch Arnold Payne Episode: "Public Enemy"1972 Dr. Ridley Episode: "Flood" Z-Cars Byrne Episode: "Sweet Girl" Man at the Top Mr. Cunliffe Episode: "All Very Hush, Hush" The Long Chase Fisherman 3 episodes 1972–1976 The Brothers Bill Riley Series regular, 89 episodes1973 The Flaxton Boys Sergeant Brophy 3 episodes Armchair Theatre Cyril Episode: "The Death of Glory"1975 Late Call Voice #2 Mini-series 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" 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 Minder Brown Episode: "A Lot of Bull and a Pat on the Back" In Loving Memory Alfred Pardoe Episode: "The Outing"1981 Hi-de-Hi! Rose's Dad Episode: "Desire in the Mickey Mouse Grotto" Crown Court Alfred Warrington Episode: "Leonora" Wilfred and Eileen Mr. Clough 1 episode1982 A Kind of Loving Franklyn 3 episodes Shine on Harvey Moon Chairman 2 episodes Yes Minister Aston Wanderers Board Member Episode: "The Middle-Class Rip-Off" 1983Hallelujah! Arthur Walton Episode: "Poor Box"1984 Andrew Gibson Episode: "Rock Bottom" Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense Undertaker Episode: "The Late Nancy Irving" The Gentle Touch Mr. Devis Episode: "Wise Child" Remington Steele Hector Tolouse Episode: "Maltese Steele" Juliet Bravo Mr. Darcy Episode: "Workforce" 1984–1985 The New Statesman Mr. Walmsley 2 episodes 1985 Travellers by Night Man in the forest Mini-series 1986 Casualty Mr. Davies Episode: "Crazies"1987 Worlds Beyond Dr. Meredith Episode: "The Black Thumb" Intimate Contact Edgar 3 episodes1988 Gentlemen and Players Harry Griffen Episode: "One for Sorrow, Two for Joy" Help! Mr. Kinnell Episode: "We Are Sailing" 1988–1989 First of the Summer Wine Mr. Scrimshaw Series regular, 13 episodes1989 Only Fools and Horses Registrar Episode: "Little Problems" That's Love Brian 1 episode1990 Agatha Christie's Poirot Dr. Adams Episode: "The Cornish Mystery" Making News Philip Baxter Episode: "Conspiracy" Casualty Eric Hogarth Episode: "Street Life"1992 Lovejoy Don Episode: "Angel Trousers" The Brittas Empire Mr. Franklin Episode: "New Generations" 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" 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 Piper1 episode 2005 Doctor Who: The Monthly Adventures John Hallam (voice)