Caroline Blakiston

 

Caroline Blakiston: 

For someone who can lay claim to a named character in the Star Wars franchise - Mon Mothma in 'Return Of The Jedi' (1983) - as well as a royal flush of the classic cult TV adventure shows of the '60s - including 'The Saint', 'The Baron', 'The Champions', 'Department S' and no fewer than three episodes of 'The Avengers' - it's surprising that you might be forgiven for not immediately knowing the name of Caroline Blakiston.

In 'Return Of The Jedi' (1983) briefing on the attack on Endor.
In later films, and the upcoming TV spin-off 'Andor', the role of
Mon Mothma was taken over by Australian actress Genevieve O'Reilly.   

Amazingly assured and accomplished from an early age, she has commanded substantial roles since the very beginning of the '60s, including two of the biggest successes of that decade in 'Emergency Ward 10' and 'The Forsyte Saga'. Radiating upper-class style and authority, she excelled as professional and aristocratic characters. She is, in fact, related to several titled families, although by no means a snob, having been married to fellow character actor, the great Russell Hunter - who came to the profession via the Glasgow shipyards.     

In the enormously popular television melodrama
'The Forsyte Saga', here with John Phillips 

 
In the dramas and period melodramas of the '60s and '70s, she cuts an impressive swathe of lady magistrates, doctors, high-ranking civil servants and landed gentry. Spot her in 'Wives & Daughters', 'The Mallens', 'Charters & Caldicott' and 'Raffles'. She was a regular as a barrister in 'Crown Court', and can be seen in 'The Sweeney', 'Nanny' and many more. 

In the stylishly-shot 'Public Eye'

Caroline Blakiston's movie credits beyond 'Jedi' are surprisingly slim. She's in 'The Magic Christian' (1969) with Peter Sellers and Ringo Starr, and a couple of other biggish films like 'Yanks' (1979), 'Fourth Protocol (1987), and Woody Allen's 'Scoop' (2006), but it's more likely that you've spotted her on the small screen.  

As a programmed super agent in an episode of
'The Champions', entitled 'The Experiment

In an episode of 'The Saint' with Roger Moore

The '80s and '90s saw her  pop up in 'Shoestring', 'Chancer', 'Mulberry' and the counter-espionage drama 'Mr Palfrey Of Westminster' with Alec McCowan, in which she plays Palfrey's M-like boss, the Coordinator.  On the comedy front, she's in 'Murder Most Horrid' and the mill melodrama pastiche 'Brass'.    

As the mysterious Coordinator in the understated  
spy drama series, 'Mr Palfrey Of Westminster'

More recently there have been medical machinations of the 'Casualty', Holby City' and 'Doctors' variety, and some detective and period pieces such as 'Poirot', 'Midsomer Murders', 'Father Brown', and 'Poldark. All quite in order for the latter stages of a long and distinguished career stretching back to the early '60s.  

Caroline Blakiston-imdb   

Milton Johns

Milton Johns: 

The king of snide. The emperor of unctuous. He's the perfect casting for a mean-minded official, sinister headteacher, devious accountant or oily undertaker. It's always a pleasure to see him pop up on TV in 'Minder', 'Budgie', 'Doctor Who' or 'Tucker's Luck'. Or the odd period drama, from 'Poldark' and 'A Horseman Riding By' to 'War & Remembrance' (as Adolph Eichmann) and 'The Scarlet Pimpernel'. And let's not forget 'The Basil Brush Show', 'Coronation Street' and the popular kids' space movie 'The Empire Strikes Back' (1980).

Milton Johns - imdb profile

Christopher Benjamin

Christopher Benjamin: 

† Dec 27 1934 – Jan 10 2025

Delighted to find that this instantly recognisable actor is still going strong with the Royal Shakespeare Company. He was the link between 'Danger Man' and 'The Prisoner' playing the same character, Potter, and was a natural for 'The Avengers', 'The Saint' and 'Jason King' playing pompous, officious, charming and effete characters with equal brio and verve. Mix in an impressive high-brow and low-brow CV ranging from 'Rumpole' and 'Poldark' to 'When The Boat Comes In' and 'Dick Turpin' and you have a one-man history of British television. A stalwart.

In the opening episode of 'The Prisoner'

As Marmalade Atkins' much put-upon headmaster

He portrayed the memorable Henry Jago in the classic 'Doctor Who' story, 'The Talons Of Weng Chiang' in 1977, teaming up with the late Trevor Baxter's Professor Litefoot so successfully that the pair became spin-off characters 'Jago & Litefoot' with their own canon of adventures.  

In the 1966 'Avengers' episode 'How To Succeed... At Murder'

As Victorian actor-manager Henry Gordon Jago, a character so popular
with 'Dr Who' fans that he gained his own adventures: 'Jago & Litefoot'  

Christopher Benjamin - imdb profile