Geoffrey Bayldon


Actor

About

Birth Place
Leeds, UK
Born
January 07, 1924
Died
May 10, 2017
Cause of Death
Respiratory Illness

Biography

Geoffrey Balydon was a prolific English stage and screen actor who landed dozens of film and TV roles in a highly-productive career spanning sixty-plus years. Born and raised in Leeds, Balydon never intended on becoming an actor. He went to the Hull College of Architecture as a teen, and when World War II broke out, he did his patriotic duty by enlisting in Royal Air Force and serving hi...

Biography

Geoffrey Balydon was a prolific English stage and screen actor who landed dozens of film and TV roles in a highly-productive career spanning sixty-plus years. Born and raised in Leeds, Balydon never intended on becoming an actor. He went to the Hull College of Architecture as a teen, and when World War II broke out, he did his patriotic duty by enlisting in Royal Air Force and serving his country. It was only after World War II ended that Balydon decided to pursue acting. He began his professional acting training at the prestigious Old Vic Theatre School, and by the late 40s was appearing in plays on the London stage. By the early 1950s, however, Balydon began gravitating towards film and television work. By the mid-50s he was landing guest spots on various British television shows, as well as small parts in films like "A Night to Remember" (1958), "Whirlpool" (1959), and "Libel" (1960). The following decade was Balydon's most notable period as a screen actor. In addition to appearing in "King Rat" (1965) and "To Sir With Love" (1967), Balydon also played Q in the spy comedy classic "Casino Royale" (1967). Balydon continued appearing regularly in both films and TV shows throughout the '70s, '80s and '90s, but his productivity began to slow once the new millennium hit. He appeared in his last film role in the 2010 romantic drama "Love/Loss", before retiring from acting for good. On May 10, 2017 Balydon died in his hometown of Leeds. He was 93.

Filmography

 

Cast (Feature Film)

Ladies in Lavender (2005)
Tom & Viv (1994)
L' Amour Necessaire (1991)
Graham Greene's "The Tenth Man" (1988)
Madame Sousatzka (1988)
Bullshot (1983)
The Monster Club (1981)
Porridge (1979)
The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976)
The Slipper and the Rose (1976)
Archbishop
The Gathering Storm (1974)
Gawain And The Green Knight (1973)
Tales from the Crypt (1972)
Guide
Asylum (1972)
Say Hello to Yesterday (1971)
Estate agent
The Bushbaby (1970)
Tillson
Scrooge (1970)
Toyshop owner
The House That Dripped Blood (1970)
Von Hartmann ("The Cloak")
The Raging Moon (1970)
Mr Latbury
Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed (1969)
Police doctor
Otley (1969)
Hewitt
A Dandy in Aspic (1968)
Lake
Two a Penny (1968)
Alec Fitch
Inspector Clouseau (1968)
Gutch
Assignment K (1968)
Boffin
Casino Royale (1967)
Q
To Sir, With Love (1967)
Weston
Gypsy Girl (1966)
Philip Moss
Where the Spies Are (1966)
Lecturer
Life at the Top (1965)
Industrial psychologist
King Rat (1965)
Squadron Leader Vexley
Bomb in the High Street (1964)
Clay
They All Died Laughing (1964)
Epicene [see note]
Becket (1964)
Brother Philip
The Playgirl and the War Minister (1963)
2d operator
55 Days at Peking (1963)
Smythe
The Webster Boy (1962)
Charles Jamieson
Portrait of a Sinner (1961)
Ransom
The Risk (1961)
Rosson
Libel (1959)
Second photographer
The Two-Headed Spy (1959)
Dietz
Horror of Dracula (1958)
A Night to Remember (1958)
The Stranger Left No Card (1952)

Cast (Special)

Heat of the Sun (1999)
Prince Caspian and the Voyage of the Dawn Treader (1990)
Mystery Mile (1990)
All Passion Spent (1989)
Cause Celebre (1988)

Cast (TV Mini-Series)

Blue Herrings (2000)

Life Events

1958

Appeared in the Peter Cushing-starring "Horror of Dracula"

1958

Co-starred with Kenneth More in "A Night to Remember"

1958

Appeared in "The Two-Headed Spy" with Jack Hawkins

1959

Appeared in "Libel" with Dirk Bogarde

1967

Appeared in the Sidney Poitier drama "To Sir With Love"

1968

Cast in the drama "Assignment K" with Stephen Boyd

1968

Appeared alongside Alan Arkin in "Inspector Clouseau"

1970

Played the lead in fantasy series "Catweazle"

1983

Appeared in the late-in-career comedy "Bullshot" with Alan Shearman

1988

Featured in Shirley MacLaine drama "Madame Sousatzka"

1991

Shared the screen with Ben Kingsley in "L' Amour Necessaire"

2005

Appeared alongside Maggie Smith in "Ladies in Lavender"

2010

Made his final film appearance in "Love/Loss"

Bibliography