Dinsdale Landen

Dinsdale James Landen (4 September 1932 – 29 December 2003) was an English actor. His television appearances included starring in the shows Devenish and Pig in the Middle (1980). The Independent named him an "outstanding actor with the qualities of a true farceur". He performed in many Shakespeare plays at Stratford-upon-Avon and Regent's Park Open Air Theatre. As a stage actor he appeared as Richard Dazzle in the RSC's 1970 production of London Assurance. He appeared in James Saunders's play Bodies in the West End in 1979, receiving a nomination for a Society of West End Theatre Award.

His film roles include appearances in Operation Snatch (1962), A Jolly Bad Fellow (1964), Rasputin, the Mad Monk (1966), Mosquito Squadron (1969), Every Home Should Have One (1970), Young Winston (1972), Digby, the Biggest Dog in the World (1973), International Velvet (1978), Morons from Outer Space (1985) He portrayed Rupert Purvis in the 1982 production of Tom Stoppard's play The Dog It Was That Died and played the urbane Ambassador McKenzie in the BBC Radio 4 series Flying the Flag.

He played Dr Mark Thorn, Guardians officer and official psychiatrist, in Episode 6 of the 1971 London Weekend Television series The Guardians.

Landen was the only actor to play the same character, private detective Matthew Earp, in two episodes of Thriller ("An Echo of Theresa" and "The Next Scream You Hear" from 1973 and 1974 respectively). He appeared in The Glittering Prizes (1976) as Gavin Pope.

In 1977 Landen starred in his own situation comedy, Devenish, playing a Basil Fawlty-type character in a Reggie Perrin-type situation, designing board games. In 1980 he starred as Barty Wade in the television series Pig in the Middle with Liza Goddard.

In 1984 Landen played Jean-Martin Charcot in the television series Freud.

In 1987 he played the lead in a BBC TV production of What the Butler Saw, playing Dr Prentice in a production also featuring Prunella Scales, Timothy West and Bryan Pringle.

In 1989 he made a guest appearance in Doctor Who as Dr Judson, a wheelchair-using genius taken over by the titular villain of the serial The Curse of Fenric.

In 1992 Landen provided the voice of the arch villain Mr Tod in the BBC/Fuji Television children's animated series The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends. He played a recurring role in Lovejoy, a mentor to the main character during the series run in the 1990s.

Personal life Landen was married to the actress Jennifer Daniel. He and his wife wrote the 1985 nonfiction book The True Story of H.P. Sauce.

Death Landen died at his home in South Creake, Norfolk, on 29 December 2003 after becoming ill with pneumonia. He had been diagnosed with oral cancer several years before his death, but was in remission at the time.

Filmography