
Geoffrey Palmer
Geoffrey Dyson Palmer, OBE (4 June 1927 - 5 November 2020) was an English actor known for his roles in British television sitcoms playing Jimmy Anderson in The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin (1976โ79), Ben Parkinson in Butterflies (1978โ1983) and Lionel Hardcastle in As Time Goes By (1992โ2005). His film appearances include A Fish Called Wanda (1988), The Madness of King George (1994), Mrs. Brown (1997), and Tomorrow Never Dies (1997). Geoffrey Dyson Palmer was born on 4 June 1927 in North Finchley, Middlesex. He was the son of Frederick Charles Palmer, who was a chartered surveyor, and Norah Gwendolen (nรฉe Robins). He attended Highgate School from September 1939 to December 1945. He served as a corporal instructor in small arms and field training in the Royal Marines during his national service from 1946 to 1948, following which he briefly worked as an unpaid trainee assistant stage manager. Palmer's early television appearances included multiple roles in episodes of The Army Game (Granada Television), two episodes of The Baron and as a property agent in Cathy Come Home (1966). After a major break in John Osborne's West of Suez at the Royal Court with Ralph Richardson, he acted in major productions at the Royal Court and for the National Theatre Company and was directed by Laurence Olivier in J. B. Priestley's Eden End. Palmer found the play so dull, however, that he was deterred from a stage career. Two BBC sitcom roles brought him attention in the 1970s: the hapless brother-in-law of Reggie Perrin in The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin (1976โ79), and the phlegmatic dentist Ben Parkinson in Butterflies (1978โ1983). In 1978, Palmer appeared as organized crimelord Simon Sinclair in London Weekend Television's hard-hitting police drama The Professionals, the episode entitled "Where the Jungle Ends". Palmer played Doctor Price in the Fawlty Towers episode "The Kipper and the Corpse" (1979), determined to have breakfast amidst the confusion caused by the death of a guest and Fawlty's inept way of handling the emergency. In 1986, Palmer appeared as Donald Fairchild in the first series of an ITV sitcom, Executive Stress, alongside Penelope Keith. He later left, and was replaced by Peter Bowles. Palmer later starred opposite Judi Dench for over a decade in another BBC sitcom, As Time Goes By (1992โ2005). In 1997, he also appeared with Dench in the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies, in which he portrayed Admiral Roebuck to Dench's M, and Mrs Brown, playing Sir Henry Ponsonby to Dench's Queen Victoria. Palmer married Sally Green in 1963. They had a daughter, Harriet, and a son, Charles, a television director. Palmer was a longtime resident of Lee Common in the Chiltern Hills, Buckinghamshire, and enjoyed fly fishing in his spare time. At the time of his death, he resided in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire. Palmer died peacefully at his home on 5 November 2020, aged 93
Known For
Credits
- 2021 ยทTo Oliviaas
- 2014 ยทPaddingtonas Head Geographer
- 2013 ยทWalrus: Two Tonne Tuskeras Narrator
- 2012 ยทBert & Dickieas Charles Burnell
- 2012 ยทThe Hollow Crownas Lord Chief Justice
- 2012 ยทRun For Your Wifeas Man on Toilet
- 2012 ยทQueen Victoria's Last Love: Abdul Karimas Narrator
- 2011 ยทLost Christmasas Dr. Clarence
- 2011 ยทW.E.as Stanley Baldwin
- 2009 ยทFawlty Towers: Re-Openedas Self / Dr Price
- 2009 ยทThe Pink Panther 2as Joubert
- 2008 ยทChateau Montyas
- 2008 ยทMargaret Thatcher: The Long Walk to Finchleyas Sir John Crowder
- 2008 ยทAshes to Ashesas Lord Scarman
- 2007 ยทDoctor Who: Voyage of the Damnedas Captain Hardaker
- 2007 ยทThe Alan Titchmarsh Showas Self
- 2006 ยทThe One Showas Self
- 2005 ยทThe Man-Eating Leopard of Rudraprayagas Corbett's Ghost
- 2005 ยทPope John Paul II: 1920 - 2005as Narrator
- 2005 ยทDoctor Whoas Captain Hardaker
- 2004 ยทPiccadilly Jimas Bayliss
- 2004 ยทHe Knew He Was Rightas Sir Marmaduke Rowley
- 2003 ยทThe Young Visitersas Minnit
- 2003 ยทPeter Panas Sir Edward Quiller Couch
- 2003 ยทAbsolute Poweras
- 2003 ยทGrumpy Old Menas Narrator
- 2002 ยทDickensas
- 2002 ยทStig of the Dumpas Robert
- 2001 ยทThe Savagesas Donald
- 2001 ยทThe 1940's Houseas Narrator (voice)
- 2000 ยทRatas The Doctor
- 1999 ยทAnna and the Kingas Lord John Bradley
- 1998 ยทAlice Through the Looking Glassas White King
- 1998 ยทMr. Men & Little Miss: The Christmas Letteras Narrator / Santa
- 1998 ยทReckless: The Sequelas Robert Crane
- 1998 ยทStiff Upper Lipsas His Butler's Voice
- 1997 ยทTomorrow Never Diesas Admiral Roebuck
- 1997 ยทMrs Brownas Henry Ponsonby
- 1996 ยทThe Legacy of Reginald Perrinas
- 1995 ยทLook at the State We're In!as The Ruler
- 1994 ยทThe Madness of King Georgeas Warren
- 1993 ยทStalag Luftas The Kommandant
- 1992 ยทAs Time Goes Byas Lionel Hardcastle
- 1991 ยทA Question of Attributionas Donleavy
- 1991 ยทSmack and Thistleas Sir Horace Wimbol
- 1989 ยทAgatha Christie's Poirotas Vice Admiral Hamling
- 1988 ยทChristabelas Mr. Burton
- 1988 ยทHawksas SAAB Salesman
- 1988 ยทA Fish Called Wandaas Judge
- 1987 ยทInspector Morseas Matthew Copley-Barnes
- 1986 ยทSeason's Greetingsas Bernard
- 1986 ยทExecutive Stressas
- 1986 ยทClockwiseas Headmaster
- 1986 ยทThe Insurance Manas The Angry Doctor
- 1986 ยทHot Metalas
- 1985 ยทA Zed & Two Noughtsas Fallast
- 1985 ยทAbsurd Person Singularas Ronald Brewster-Wright
- 1985 ยทInside Rooms: 26 Bathrooms, London & Oxfordshireas Narrator
- 1984 ยทOxbridge Bluesas Fred
- 1984 ยทFairly Secret Armyas Major Harry Truscott
- 1983 ยทNatural Worldas Narrator
- 1983 ยทThe Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrinas Jimmy Anderson
- 1983 ยทThe Honorary Consulas British Ambassador
- 1983 ยทBlackadderas Field Marshal Haig
- 1983 ยทDalglieshas Edwin Lorrimer
- 1982 ยทThe Houseboyas Eric
- 1982 ยทWhoops Apocalypseas
- 1982 ยทThe Kenny Everett Television Showas Various
- 1982 ยทThe Kenny Everett Television Showas Self
- 1982 ยทMr. Kershaw's Dream Systemas Psychiastrist
- 1981 ยทA Midsummer Night's Dreamas Quince
- 1981 ยทThe Last Songas
- 1981 ยทBergeracas Nigel Carter
- 1980 ยทSafe at Work?as Narrator
- 1979 ยทThe Outsideras Col. Wyndham
- 1978 ยทThe BBC Television Shakespeareas Quince
- 1978 ยทButterfliesas Ben Parkinson
- 1978 ยทAn Audience with...as Self
- 1977 ยทThe Professionalsas Avery
- 1977 ยทThe Professionalsas Simon Sinclair
- 1976 ยทThe Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrinas Jimmy Anderson
- 1976 ยทBill Brandas Malcolm Frear
- 1976 ยทLoyaltiesas Graviter
- 1976 ยทA Story to Frighten the Childrenas Det. Chief Insp. Harris
- 1976 ยทThe Battle of Billy's Pondas First Policeman
- 1975 ยทFawlty Towersas Dr. Price
- 1975 ยทAngelsas
- 1975 ยทEdward the Seventhas Sir Edward Clarke
- 1975 ยทGoodbyeas Jack
- 1975 ยทThe Sweeneyas Commander Watson
- 1974 ยทMr. Men and Little Missas
- 1973 ยทO Lucky Man!as Examination Doctor/Basil Keyes
- 1973 ยทOnly Make Believeas Richard Nicholls
- 1972 ยทColditzas Doc
- 1972 ยทCrown Courtas Kenneth Eden
- 1972 ยทVan der Valkas Head of Faculty
- 1970 ยทThe High Gameas Man at the Clinic
- 1966 ยทCathy Come Homeas Property Agent
- Future ยทBest Of Enemiesas
- 1972 ยทDoctor Who: The Mutantsas Administrator
- 1971 ยทMichael Reganas Chief Superintendent
- 1970 ยทThe Goodiesas
- 1970 ยทThe Goodiesas School Headmaster
- 1970 ยทPlay for Todayas
- 1970 ยทPlay for Todayas Detetective Chief Inspector Harris
- 1970 ยทPlay for Todayas Jack Buckett
- 1970 ยทDoctor Who and the Siluriansas Masters
- 1970 ยทDoomwatchas Major Sims
- 1968 ยทThe Expertas Asst. Chief Constable Rogers
- 1967 ยทThe Revenue Menas Bill Mitchell
- 1966 ยทMystery and Imaginationas
- 1966 ยทSoftly, Softlyas
- 1965 ยทOut of the Unknownas Chief Officer
- 1965 ยทNo Place Like Earthas Chief Officer
- 1965 ยทThe Troubleshootersas Jeremy Martin
- 1965 ยทThe Man In Room 17as Ian McWatt
- 1965 ยทThe Joe Baker Showas
- 1965 ยทGideon's Wayas Jeff Grant
- 1964 ยทThe Wednesday Playas Property Agent
- 1964 ยทRing of Spiesas Police Officer (uncredited)
- 1963 ยทDoctor Whoas Administrator
- 1963 ยทDoctor Whoas Masters
- 1963 ยทThe Human Jungleas Williams
- 1962 ยทA Prize of Armsas Cpl. Myers
- 1962 ยทThe Saintas Pete Ferguson
- 1962 ยทBulldog Breedas
- 1961 ยทThe Avengersas
- 1961 ยทThe Avengersas Paul Manning
- 1961 ยทThe Avengersas Martin Smythe
- 1959 ยทNo Hiding Placeas
- 1957 ยทThe Army Gameas