Barry Stanton

Barry Stanton:

A classical actor who knows his way around his 'King Lear' and his 'Hamlet' (he plays Claudius in the bizarre Quentin Crisp 1976 version), but also an archetypal 1970s 'big bloke', often playing a plain clothes copper who's a bit handy in a scrap, or the sort of hefty hard-nut who gets up slowly in a pub to show his size, before getting an unlikely duffing-up from a leading man. Barry Stanton appears in a fair bit of TV drama from the late-'60s on, such as 'The Saint', 'Z Cars', 'The Baron', 'Manhunt', 'Survivors',  'The Protectors', 'The Sweeney', 'Minder', and 'The Professionals'. He also turns up in the sadly-lost supernatural drama serial 'Witch Hunt' from 1967, high on many TV collector's list of BBC holy grails.   

As Noma in the 'Doctor Who' story 'The Twin Dilemma'

As Jim Hacker's press officer in 'Yes, Prime Minister'

In more recent years, he has been given less generic TV roles, such as his turns as a Jacondan alien in the first Colin Baker story for Doctor Who', 1984's 'The Twin Dilemma', and as Tory press officer Malcolm Warren in 'Yes, Prime Minister'. There was also the Shakespeare play cycle 'The Wars of the Roses' televised in 1990. 

   

As Claudius in the adventurous 'Hamlet' (1976) which featured Helen
Mirren as both Gertrude and Ophelia, and Quentin Crisp as Polonius 

'Demons Of The Mind (1972)

Film roles are also more varied: aside from 'Sweeney 2' (1978), there was Hammer horror 'Demons Of The Mind' (1972), 'Leon the Pig Farmer' (1993) and 'Robin Hood' (1991) - not the Kevin Costner 'Prince of Thieves' one from that year, another one starring Patrick Bergin and Uma Thurman. He's in the Jackie Chan kung-fu in Victorian England romp, Shanghai Knights (2003), and portrays the playwright/MP Sheridan in 'The Madness of King George' (1994).

As the Lord Chancellor in, 'Shanghai Knights' (2003)

A rare leading role came in the Roy Clarke sitcom 'Mann's Best Friends' in which he appeared with the likes of Fulton McKay, Patricia Brake, and Bernard Bresslaw. Sadly, it seems to have disappeared without a trace. He's also the splendidly over-acting postman who delivers the vampire Alexei Sayle in the 'Young Ones' episode 'Nasty'. 

As miserly boss Mr Grayson in 'Tucker's Luck' 

Barry Stanton-imdb

Richard O'Sullivan

Richard O'Sullivan: 
† May 7 1944 - Sep 4 2026

The fun-loving, trendy face of the 1970s sitcom, well-known from 'Man About The House', 'Robin's Nest', and 'Doctor At Large', he was also a child actor in 'Cleopatra' opposite Elizabeth Taylor, and appeared in 'Carry On Teacher' (1959) and 'The Young Ones' (1961). 

The 1961 drama 'Spare The Rod' which features
Max Bygraves as a new teacher at a tough school   

He's a bit of a household name compared to some actors I've been saluting, but he has fallen on hard times following a serious stroke and now lives in showbiz sheltered housing in south west London. If you're old enough, he's probably a part of your life, and I wish him well.

In 'Dandy in Aspic' (1967)

A bit bedraggled, but sitting in a Bentley with a nude  Gabrielle Drake
in the Val Guest sex comedy 'The Au Pair Girls' (1972). Can't be bad.

In the '80s sitcom 'Me and My Girl'

 

Richard O'Sullivan - imdb profile

Damaris Hayman

Damaris Hayman: 

† June 16 1929 – June 3 2021

The epitome of the eminently respectable horsey lady, Ms Hayman was cast strictly to type, having been born in Kensington and educated at Cheltenham Ladies' College. She was memorably eccentric in the classic Pertwee-era 'Doctor Who' story The Daemons, and had a number of appearances on TV, in 'The Sweeney', 'The Double Deckers', 'Wodehouse Playhouse' and, perhaps less predictably, 'The Young Ones' and 'Filthy Rich & Catflap'.

Damaris maintaining her dignity in 'On The Buses'

About to come a cropper during a seance in
''Full Circle' (aka 'The Hunting of Julia') (1977)

Film appearances include: 'Bunny Lake is Missing' (1965), 'The Pink Panther Strikes Again' (1976), Michael Palin's 'The Missionary' (1982), and the unlikely 'Confessions of a Driving Instructor' (1976). It might also be fun to spot some of her many uncredited extra appearances, such as in 'Greyfriars Bobby' (1961), The Belles of St Trinians' (1954), or the peculiar mystery movie 'Smokescreen' (1964) with Peter Vaughan.   

 'Smokescreen' (1964)

About to be run over by a piano in the Children's Film
Foundation classic, 'The Magnificent Six and a Half' (1968)

Damaris Hayman - imdb profile