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

Judy Matheson

 

Judy Matheson: 

One of the classic beauties of the golden era of Hammer horror films, Judy Matheson's most celebrated roles are in the saucy 1971 double-bill of 'Twins Of Evil' and 'Lust For A Vampire'. Other cult favourites of the era include 'Crucible Of Terror' (1971) and 'The Flesh & Blood Show' (1972), non-Hammer and more in the contemporary shocker mould than the gothic excesses of the former.

'The Emergence of Anthony Purdy, Esq, Farmer's
Labourer' a curious 1970 short film made by HTV  

After drama school and some early stage successes she found herself cast, alongside Euro superstar Capucine, in a Spanish giallo-style psychodrama, 'The Exquisite Cadaver', AKA 'Las Crueles' (1969). Although obscure at the time in the UK, it now seems to be partially eclipsing the traditional horrors as her stand-out performance. It's certainly a stylish piece, with the expected giallo tropes of lurid colours, modish fashion-house photography, mild nudity and outlandishly playful shocks. Matheson is very watchable in it, a screen presence not overshadowed by her more senior co-stars.      

         

'The Exquisite Cadaver' 1969

With the always brilliantly loathsome Ronald Lacey
in the lacklustre 'Crucible Of Terror' (1971) 

She made another little-known gem in 'The Emergence of Anthony Purdy, Esq, Farmer's
Labourer' with the great Freddie Jones, a 1970 exercise in rural conjugal awkwardness in grainy black and white. The same year she appeared on television in a documentary about the RSC featuring her friend, a talented young actress called Helen Mirren. Shortly before this,  she was shortlisted for a lead role in the TV sensation of 1969, 'Take Three Girls'. 

An iconic shot with the late great Peter Cushing
from the opening sequence of 'Twins Of Evil' (1971) 

That didn't happen though, and instead the early '70s saw a string of less-than-stellar film and TV offers. She's in a couple of typical Brit sex comedies, 'Confessions Of A Window Cleaner' (1974) and 'Percy's Progress' (1974), and adds some glamour to episodes of 'The Adventurer',  'The Sweeney' and 'The Professionals' before landing a longish stint on the teatime soap 'Crossroads' and a tiny role in a weird costume in 'Blakes 7'. 

 

A 'mutoid' apparently. 'Blakes 7'

From this point she seems to have moved focus to voiceover and continuity announcement work. She was a regular face on my local ITV region, TVS, in the '80s. In fact, she was out of the TV and film loop for 37 years, between 1980 and 2017, with the exception of personal appearances at Hammer fan conventions.

TVS continuity announcer in 1984

Roll on 2017 however, and it seems she's been lured back into the limelight by David Barry, better known as mummy's little soldier Frankie Abbott from 'Please Sir!'. Initially, he created a Fenn Street-meets-Vampires concoction called 'Frankula', followed in 2021 by 'The Lives Of Frankie Abbott'. There's also 'The Haunting of Margam Castle' which, like 'Frankula', features fellow cult horror star Caroline Munro, and 'What Did You Do In The War Mama?' with the similarly celebrated Madeline Smith. An intriguing development that seems likely to get the attention of the Hammer fanbase.

So, a salute then, but watch this space for updates.         

Judy Matheson-imdb

Derek Martin

Derek Martin:  
† Apr 11 1933 – Jan10 2026

If you watch 'EastEnders', you'll recognise Derek Martin as lovelorn cabbie Charlie Slater who was finally killed off in 2016, after 700+ episodes and even a spin-off, 'Slaters In Detention'. And if you don't watch 'EastEnders', you'll recognise him from dozens of cop series, gangster dramas and comedies, stretching back to the '60s.

Cutting up rough in an episode of 'The Professionals'

Despite having little formal drama training, Londoner Derek Martin has been ubiquitous in no-nonsense roles across British television for decades. Leaving his job at Smithfield meat market and starting as a stuntman and extra, he soon proved to be more than capable with dialogue and gradually built a reputation as reliable casting for heavies, coppers, soldiers and security guards. 

An uncredited appearance in the 'Doctor Who'
adventure 'The Claws Of Axos' from 1971

In 'The Curse Of Fendahl', a classic Tom Baker 'Who' from 1977 

An idea of this trajectory can be seen from his long involvement with 'Doctor Who'. Cast in no fewer than nine adventures from 1965 onwards, he was an uncredited extra until 1977's 'The Curse Of Fendahl'. A conscious decision to move away from stunt work and into speaking roles paid off after much effort and application. The long upwards haul included appearances in 'No Hiding Place', 'Adam Adamant Lives!', 'Z-Cars', 'Softly Softly', 'Terry & June', 'Hart To Hart' (an episode shot in London), 'Target', 'Shoestring', 'Private Schultz', 'Minder' and 'Angels'.        

As a redcap in an episode of 'It Ain't Half Hot Mum'
with the late Windsor Davies and Donald Hewlett  

As the bent copper DI Lyall in 'Law & Order' 

Big breaks came in the form of 'Law & Order' in 1978, a gritty police corruption drama featuring his soon-to-be 'EastEnders' colleague Peter Dean. He also played David Yip's guvnor DCI Berwick in 'The Chinese Detective' and Janet McTeer's cynical deputy in the prison drama 'The Governor'. 

A TV stalwart and deserving of a salute.

Derek Martin-imdb 

Nick Stringer

Nick Stringer:

Bullet headed, droopy-tached actor who is often cast as stubborn and belligerent working class characters. He's regularly seen on British TV playing trade-unionists, landlords, coppers, doormen, van drivers and cabbies. Lots of detective and cop shows, as you might expect, including 'The Sweeney', 'Target', 'The Gentle Touch', 'Shoestring', 'The Professionals', 'Bergerac', etc.   

In 'Only Fools and Horses' with David Jason

He's also done a lot of comedy, ranging from the mediocre: 'Bread', 'Rosie', 'Open All Hours', 'Birds of a Feather', to the moderately interesting: 'The New Statesman', 'Murder Most Horrid' and 'This is David Lander'.   

As Alan B'Stard's parliamentary rival Bob Crippen in 'The New Statesman'

Movie appearances include: 'The Long Good Friday' (1980), 'Clockwise' (1986), 'Personal Services' (1987), Roman Polanski's 'Oliver Twist' (2005), and the ill-advised Dylan Thomas romancer 'The Edge of Love' (2008).


Nick Stringer - imdb