Andy Bradford

 

Andy Bradford:

Although a much-lauded name in the British film and TV industry, largely through his excellent work as a stuntman and fight co-ordinator, Andy Bradford isn't all that well known as an actor, despite having appeared in a pretty interesting cross-section of productions over the years. My personal favourite being the still-chilling and odd 'Robin Redbreast'. 

In 'The Family Way' (1966)

In the folk horror Play for Today, 'Robin Redbreast' 
with the late Anna Cropper in 1970 

As agent 009 in 'Octopussy' (1983) pursued
by two deadly assassins 

Beginning with an uncredited appearance in 'Carry On Cowboy' (1965), Andy Bradford has cropped up in a surprising list of TV favourites. There's been a mix of cop shows such as 'Z-Cars', 'Special Branch', 'Dixon of Dock Green', all the way up to 'Taggart' and several episodes of 'The Bill', as well as the expected action series where his stunt skills obviously came in handy, including 'The Protectors', 'The Adventurer', 'The Professionals', 'The Sandbaggers' and er, 'Dempsey & Makepeace'.  

Bradford (far right) in 'Catweazle', as one of 
Sam's roleplaying Norman knight pals

Other, less expected, shows include 'Catweazle', 'Mr Bean', four different characters in the distinctly action-light 'Crown Court', as well as soaps such as 'Coronation Street' and"Emmerdale Farm'. All very redolent stuff for me, and perhaps some of you.

Andy Bradford-imdb

Brian Croucher

Brian Croucher:

Tough looking customer Brian Croucher is probably best known as Ted Hills in the BBC soap EastEnders in the mid-90s, but you're almost certain to recognise him from many TV appearances before that. Very much in step with the gritty dramas of the late 60s and early 70s, you'll spot him on both sides of the law in 'Callan', 'Villains', 'Softly Softly: Task Force' and others, culminating in the relentless 'Out' in 1978, with Brian Cox.   

In the teen sci-fi adventure series, The Jensen Code.
Made in colour in 1973, it only survives in b&w. 

Things broaden out a bit as the '70s roll on. He is well known in Whovian circles for the Tom Baker-era 'Robots of Death' in which he plays Borg, complete with eye makeup and glitter costume. More space camp was to follow when he took over from Steven (Harry Fenning) Grief in the role of leather-clad baddie Travis in 'Blakes 7'. 

In the 'Dr Who' adventure 'Robots of Death'

Travis trains his rather Alvin Stardust ring weapon
on the crew of the Liberator in 'Blakes 7'  

Into the 80s with an entertaining mix of action and comedy favourites. We've got 'The Professionals', 'Shoestring', 'The New Avengers', 'Quatermass' and 'Blood Money' nicely balancing 'The Young Ones', 'The Lenny Henry Show', 'Filthy Rich & Catflap' and 'Chance In A Million' - with 'Minder'  somewhere in the middle. No 'Sweeney' though, which seems surprising.

'Out' - gritty, well written stuff from ITV

And more of the same into the 90s, with the EastEnders role ongoing for a couple of years or more. Around the same time you might notice him popping up all serious in 'Wycliffe', 'Rockliffe's Babies' or 'Fools' Gold' -  the Sean Bean drama based on the Brinks-Mat robberies. Or you might see him in some well-liked comedy including 'Bottom' and 'The Comic Strip Presents' (he must have got on well with that bunch), 'The Upper Hand', 'Birds Of A Feather', and spoofing some of his old roles in 'The Detectives'.   

        

Classic mid-90s 'EastEnders'

On the big screen, he can chalk up a few interesting oddities, such as the kitchen sink Roy Harper vehicle 'Made' (1972), 'Burke & Hare' (1972), 'O Lucky Man' (1973), that delightful short with Leonard Rossiter, 'The Waterloo Bridge Handicap' (1978), 'Scrubbers' (1982), 'I'll Sleep When I'm Dead' (2003), and 'Big Fat Gypsy Gangster' (2011). 

He does a few 'Casualty', 'Doctors' and 'The Bill', like most working character actors will these days, and he's an excellent interview subject and a popular raconteur among 'Dr Who' and 'Blakes 7' fans. A broader salute is due.               

Brian Croucher-imdb

Michael Culver

Michael Culver: 

† Jun 16 1938– Feb 27 2024

Now here's a face of the seventies, a lean, shrewd-looking actor who carved his name into a swathe of memorable roles through the heyday of popular television, yet without quite becoming a star.   

As the caddish Danny, telling the world that he doesn't love Annabelle. Soon to be 

pushed off the Albert Bridge by that miffed lady and not, as it turns out, by

a lovelorn Rodney Bewes. All in a day's work for a 'Man In A Suitcase'.  
         

He's another of that dwindling band of actors whose careers straddle the cult TV years of the '60s and '70s, when he appeared in 'Maigret', 'The Avengers', 'The Plane Makers', 'Man In A Suitcase', and 'Space:1999', and more mature roles in dramas such as 'Within These Walls', 'Doomwatch', 'Churchill's People' and 'Warship'. Perhaps his highest-profile part was in the very popular 'Secret Army' as the comparatively sympathetic German officer Brandt who tempers some of the Nazi fervour of his Gestapo counterpart Kessler (played by Clifford Rose). Younger viewers at the time would probably associate him more with 'The Adventures Of Black Beauty'.

Hirsute's you. Culver plays the dastardly kidnapper Kurt with some

impressive mutton chops, alongside the late Ralph Bates at his glossiest

in 'Nuisance Value', an episode of 'The Persuaders' from 1972 

The later '70s and early '80s kept things nicely on the boil with appearances in favourites like 'The Sweeney', 'Minder', 'Squadron', 'Hammer House Of Horror', 'The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes', 'Boon', 'The Professionals' and 'Shoestring'.  

As Prior Robert in the medieval detective series 'Cadfael'

Then there's the cinema CV, which contains some pretty impressive titles, kicking off with (uncredited) roles in 'From Russia With Love' (1963) and 'Thunderball' (1965), and including 'A Passage To India' (1984), the Peter O'Toole 'Goodbye Mr Chips' (1969). As with many British character actors, though, he is known throughout geekdom for his brush with the Star Wars franchise, in this case as Captain Needa, another imperial officer who gets on the wrong side of Darth Vader. 

Still breathing in 'The Empire Strikes Back' (1980). But not for long. 

Michael Culver-imdb

David Horovitch

David Horovitch

A very dependable British actor with a look somewhere between Bob Hope and Droopy, He's possibly best known as eternally on-the-wrong-track Inspector Slack in 'Agatha Christie's Miss Marple', but his lugubriously expressive style has found a place in 'The New Avengers', 'Bulman', 'Boon', 'A Touch of Frost', 'Just William', 'Drop the Dead Donkey', 'Peak Practice', 'Foyle's War' and dozens of others.

The results of sneaking up on Steed at the billiard table in 'The New Avengers'

Listening to Miss Marple explain where he went wrong yet again.

On the silver screen, he's been much less ubiquitous, but can be spotted in the Disney sequel '102 Dalmatians' (2000) as Cruella DeVile's shrink, and in the odd British-set Woody Allen movie 'Cassandra's Dream' (2007) with Ewan MacGregor and Colin Farrell.

Something a bit different in the star-studded 1983 series
'The Cleopatras' as Chickpea, one of the many Ptolemys

In a long and distinguished theatre career, including work with the RSC and Manchester's Royal Exchange Theatre, he's covered much of the canon, from 'Charley's Aunt', 'An Inspector Calls' and 'The Importance of Being Earnest' to Ibsen, Sheridan, and of course Shakespeare.

David Horovitch-imdb