During his career, Peter worked with many legends of the cinema, stage and television. This is a directory of some of the more memorable ones.

Alfie ALLEN: The Comic Strip Presents… The Yob (TV), 1988

Keith ALLEN: The Comic Strip Presents… The Yob (TV), 1988

Lily ALLEN: The Comic Strip Presents… The Yob (TV), 1988

Patrick ALLEN:  The Widows of Jaffa (TV), 1957;  A Midsummer Night’s Dream (TV), 1964

Nicholas AMER: Nom-de-Plum – Child of Her Time (TV), 1956:

Harry ANDREWS: Alexander the Great (Film), 1956

Anthony ANDREWS:  Time and the Conway’s (Stage), 1975

Tony ANHOLT: Jason King – A Thin Band Of Air (TV), 1972

Peter ARNE: Night Conspirators (TV) 1963; Department S – The Double Death of Charlie Crippen, 1969: Department S – Soup Of The Day (TV), 1969

Anne ASTON: Jason King – Wanna Buy A Television Series? (TV), 1972

Dame Peggy ASHCROFT: The Good Woman of Setzuan (Stage),1956

Jane ASHER: Out of this World Cold Equations (TV),1962

Peter BARKWORTH: The Revenue Men – The Exile (TV), 1967

Alexandra BASTEDO: The Champions – The Invisible Man (TV), 1968; Department S – The Man Who Got A New Face (TV), 1969;

Ralph BATES: Jason King – Variations On A Theme (TV), 1972

Hermione BADDELEY: The Gambler (TV) 1956; The Innocents (Film), 1960; Mother Adam (Stage),1972 

George BAKER: Rupert of Henzu (TV), 1964 – (See below left: Peter with Barbara Shelley and George Baker)

Stanley BAKER:  Alexander the Great (Film), 1956

Lucille BALL: Lucy in London (TV),1966

Trevor BANNISTER: Turn Out The Light – A Boyhood Haunt (TV), 1967

Ronnie BARKER: Nom-de-Plum – Child of Her Time (TV), 1956: The Two Ronnies Christmas Special (TV), 1984

Alfie BASS: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (TV), 1964

Stephanie BEACHAM: Jason King – Chapter One: The Company I Keep (TV), 1972

Norman BIRD: Night of the Eagle/Burn Witch Burn (Film), 1962

Ed BISHOP: The Saint – The Man Who Likes Lions (TV), 1972

Norman BIRD: Night of the Eagle/Burn Witch Burn (Film), 1962

Isla BLAIR Department S – The Treasure Of The Costa Del Sol (TV), 1969; Jason King – A Red, Red Rose Forever (TV), 1972

Janet BLAIR: Night of the Eagle/Burn Witch Burn (Film), 1962

Brian BLESSED: Flash Gordon (Film), 1980

Clare BLOOM: Rosalynde (Radio play), 1955; Alexander the Great (Film), 1956; Duel of Angels (Stage), 1958 

James BOLAM: Present Laughter (TV),1964

Peter BOWLES: Department S – Six Days (TV), 1969

Wilfred BRAMBLE: The Widows of Jaffa (TV), 1957

Bernard BRESSLAW: Nom-De-Plum – The Man From The Sea (TV), 1956: The Spies (Stage),1966: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (TV), 1964

Jeremy BRETT: The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes – The Three Gables (TV),1993

Johnny BRIGGS: Department S – The Perfect Operation (TV), 1969

Tony BRITTON: The Rose Without A Thorn (TV), 1953

Brenda BRUCE: No Laughing Matter (Stage), 1957

Michael BRYANT: Jesus of Nazareth, 1956; The Duel (Stage),1968

Alfie BURKE:  Peter and Burke were in the same repertory company, and performed together in numerous plays

Raymond BURR: Underground (Stage),1983 (See right: Peter with Raymond Burr)

Richard BURTON: Alexander the Great (Film), 1956

Patrick CARGILL: Negative Evidence (TV), 1961: The Revenue Men – The Exile (TV), 1967; Babes in the Wood (Stage), 1986

Tony CAUNTER: Department S – The Man In The Elegant Room (TV), 1969: Wait Until Dark (Stage), 1989

Christopher CAZENOVE: Time and the Conways (Stage), 1975

Warren CLARKE: The Comic Strip Presents… The Yob (TV), 1988

Carol CLEVELAND: The Avengers – A Touch of Brimstone, 1966

Fay COMPTON: The Sleeping Prince (Radio) 1967

Kenneth CONNOR: As You Like It (Radio), 1953; Stage By Stage – The Relapse (A.K.A. Virtue in Danger) (TV), 1954

Tom CONTI: The Queen of Scots (TV), 1961

Adrianne CORRI: Sword of Freedom (TV), 1957: Epilogue To Capricorn (TV),1959; Department S – The Man Who Got A New Face (TV), 1969;

George COULOURIS: R3 – The Forum (TV), 1965; The Prisoner – Checkmate, 1967

Peter CRAZE: Engineer Extraordinary (TV), 1959 (See below left: Peter with Peter Craze)

Rosalie CRUTCHLEY: The Gambler (TV) 1956; A Tale of Two Cities (TV), 1957; The Prisoner – Checkmate (TV), 1967: Crown Court – The Son Of My Father, 1984

Ronnie CORBETT: The Two Ronnies Christmas Special (TV), 1984

Bill COSBY: I, Spy – Let’s Kill Karlovassi (TV),1966

Robert CULP:  I, Spy – Let’s Kill Karlovassi (TV), 1966

Peter CUSHING: Alexander the Great (Film), 1956

Timothy DALTON:  Flash Gordon (Film), 1980

Stuart DAMON: The Champions – The Invisible Man (TV), 1967; Department S – Handicap Dead (TV), 1969

Windsor DAVIES: Turn Out The Lights – A Boyhood Haunt (TV), 1967

Dame Judi DENCH:  Time Remembered (Radio), 1965

Edward DE SOUZA: A Tale of Two Cities (TV), 1957; Two Gentlemen of Verona (Recording), 1965; Department S – The Double Death of Char lie Crippen (TV), 1969;

George DEVINE: The Good Woman of Setzuan (Stage), 1956

Basil DIGNHAM: Sword of Freedom – The Sicilian (TV), 1957; The Champions – The Invisible Man (TV), 1968; Department S – The Duplicated Man (TV), 1969; Department S – The Perfect Operation (TV), 1969; Department S – One Of Our Aircraft Is Empty (TV), 1969; Jason King – Variations On A Theme (TV), 1972

Vernon DOBCHEFF: Casino Real (TV), 1963

Amanda DONOHOE: Tank Malling (Film),1989

Michelle DOTRICE: Jason King – Buried in the Cold Cold Ground, 1972

Gabrielle DRAKE: The Servant (Stage), 1967

Paul EDDINGTON: Negative Evidence (TV), 1961 (See below righ: Peter with Paul Eddington)

Adrian EDMONDSON: The Comic Strip Presents… The Yob (TV), 1988

Denholm ELLIOTT: The Man In Room 17 – First Steal Six Eggs (TV),1966

Michael ELPHICK: Department S – Who Plays The Dummy? (TV), 1969

Clifford EVANS: Jason King – Every Picture Tells A Story (TV), 1972: Jason King – A Kiss For A Beautiful Killer (TV), 1972

Dame Edith EVANS: The Light is Dark Enough (TV),1958; This Book Is News (TV), 1958   

Fennella FIELDING: The Country Wife (Stage), 1990; Graham Roos album, ‘Quest’ – Track: ‘Night Dragon’ (2010).

Gerald FLOOD: Crown Court (TV), 1983; Underground (Stage), 1983

Steve FORREST: The Baron – The Legions of Ammak (TV), 1969

William FRANKLYN: Guilty Conscience (Stage), 1986

Liz FRASER: Jason King – An Author In Search Of Two Characters (TV), 1972

Ronald FRASER: Nom-De-Plum – The Man From The Sea (TV), 1956

Caron GARDNER: Department S – Black Out (TV), 1969

Julian GLOVER: Jason King – Variations On A Theme (TV), 1972

Colin GORDON: Night of the Eagle/Burn Witch Burn (Film), 1962; Department S – A Small War of Nerves (TV), 1969

Hannah GORDON: Light Up The Sky (Stage), 1986

Dulcie GRAY: Time and the Conways (Stage),1975

Nigel GREEN: The Bridge (TV), 1956; Jason King – As Easy As A.B.C. (TV), 1972

Sir Alec GUINNESS: Hamlet (Stage), 1951

Michael GWYNN: Department S – A Ticket To Nowhere (TV), 1969; Jason King – All That Glisters parts I & II (TV), 1972

Patricia HAINES: Night Conspirators (Stage),1963; Department S – The Trojan Tanker (TV), 1969  

John HALLEM: Department S – The Man In The Elegant Room (TV), 1969; Jason King – A Thin Band Of Air (TV), 1972; Flash Gordon (Film), 1980

Sheila HANCOCK: Bulman – I Met A Man Who Wasn’t There (TV), 1985

Jenny HANLEY: Department S – The Bones of Byrom Blain (TV), 1969

Edward HARDWICKE: The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes – The Three Gables (TV),

Juliete HARMER: Department S – A Ticket To Nowhere (TV), 1969; Department S – The Man In The Elegant Room (TV), 1969; Jason King – Uneasy Lies The Head (TV), 1972

Laurence HARVEY: As You Like It – (Radio play), 1953

Linda HAYDEN: Underground (Stage), 1983

Patricia HAYES: The Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense – And The Wall Came Tumbling Down (TV), 1984

James HAYTER: The Duel (Stage), 1968

Joan HEAL: The Taming of the Shrew (Stage), 1959 (See below left, Peter with Joan Heal)

Don HENDERSON: Bulman – I Saw A Man Who Wasn’t There (TV), 1985

Ian HENDRY: The Crossfire (TV),1967

Benny HILL:  A Midsummer Night’s Dream (TV),1964

Jan HOLDEN: Present Laughter (TV), 1964; Guilty Conscience (Stage), 1986 

Sally HOME: Rupert of Hentzau (TV), 1963; Night Conspirators (TV, 1962; Dracula (Stage), 1975

(Sir) Anthony HOPKINS: Department S – A Small War of Nerves (TV), 1969

Michael HORDEN: Alexander the Great (Film), 1956

Donald HOUSTON: Department S – The Ghost of Mary Burnham (TV), 1969′ Jason King – A Deadly Line In Digits (TV), 1972

Sally Anne HOWES: The King and I (Stage), 1976

Gareth HUNT: The Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense – And The Wall Came Tumbling Down (TV), 1984

Freda JACKSON: Duel of Angels (Stage), 1960

Colin JEAVONS: Nom-de-Plum – Child of Her Time (TV), 1956: The Avengers – A Touch of Brimstone (TV), 1966

Mervyn JOHNS: A Tale of Two Cities (TV), 1957

Stratford JOHNS: Department S – The Man In The Elegant Room (TV), 1969;

Margaret JOHNSON: Night of the Eagle/Burn Witch Burn (Film), 1962

Freddie JONES: Jason King – A Deadly Line In Digits (TV), 1972

Sam J. JONES: Flash Gordon, 1980

Yootha JOYCE: Turn Out The Lights – A Boyhood Haunt (T), 1967; Jason King – If It’s Got To Go, It’s Got To Go (TV), 1972

John JUNKIN: Jason King – That Isn’t Me, It’s Someone Else (TV. 1972

Felicity KENDAL:  Jason King – Toki (TV), 1972

Jean KENT: Love Her To Death (TV), 1957; Epilogue to Capricorn (TV), 1959

Deborah KERR: The Innocents (Film), 1960

David KILLICK: The King and I (Stage), 1974; Dracula (Stage), 1975; Present Laughter (Stage), 1975

(Sir) Ben KINGSLEY: Turn Out The Lights – ‘The Boyhood Haunt’ (TV), 1967

Roy KINNEAR: Jason King – An Author In Search Of Two Characters (TV), 1972 (See below right: Peter with Roy Kinnear)

Ronald LACEY: Department S – The Soup of the Day (TV), 1969: Jason King – Regular character, 1972

Dinsdale LANDEN: Jason King – It’s Too Bad About Auntie (TV), 1972

John LAURIE: The Queen of Scots (TV), 1961; The Two Gentlemen of Verona (Audio Book), 1965

Wilfred LAWSON: Liebelei (TV), 1954: Will Shakespeare (TV), 1953; L’Aiglon (TV), 1953

Rosemary LEACH:  Sherlock Holmes – The Illustrious Client (TV),1966

Vivien LEIGH: Duel of Angels (Stage), 1958/1960

Ronald LEIGH-HUNT:  Nights Conspirators (Stage & TV): Department S – The Perfect Operation (TV), 1969; Underground (Stage), 1983

John Le MESURIER: Jason King – If It’s Got To Go, It’s Got To Go (TV), 1972

Tutte LEMKOW: The Dybbuk (TV), 1952; L’Aiglon (TV), 1953; Will Shakespeare (TV), 1953; Siege Of Sidney Street (Film); Jason King – To Russia With… Panache! (TV), 1972

Sue LLOYD: Present Laughter (Stage), 1975; Department S – Black Out (TV), 1969: Jason King – An Author In Search Of Two Characters (TV), 1972

Charles LLOYD PACK:  The Enchanted (Stage), 1953; St Joan (Stage), 1954;  Jesus of Nazareth, 1956; Evening in Hochsberg (TV), 1957: Jason King – The Constance Missal (TV), 1972

David LODGE: The Avengers – Epic (TV), 1967

Arthur LOWE: Turn Out The Lights (TV),1967

Cyril LUCKHAM: Night Conspirators (Stage & TV), 1963; A Midsummer Night’s Dream (TV), 1964; Department S – The Perfect Operation (TV), 1969

Patrick MACNEE:  The Avengers – A Touch of Brimstone (TV); The Avengers – Epic (TV), 1967  

Philip MADOC: Casino Real (TV), 1963; Jason King – A Page Before Dying (TV), 1972

Elspeth MARCH: The Duel (Stage) 1968; Anastasia (Stage),1976;  Underground (Stage), 1983

Fredric MARCH: Alexander the Great (Film), 1956

David MARKHAM: Rope (TV), 1950

Millicent MARTIN: The Sleeping Prince (Radio) 1967

Alfred MARX: Jason King – Nadine (TV), 1972

Jean MARSH: Department S – The Perfect Operation (TV), 1969

Anna MASSEY: Esso World Theatre (TV),1966;  A Midsummer Night’s Dream (TV), 1964

Patrick McGOOHAN: The Prisoner – Checkmate (TV), 1967

Siobhán McKENNA: St. Joan (Stage), 1956

Leo McKERN: Also Amongst The Prophets (TV), 1955; The Widows of Jaffa (TV), 1957 (See below, left: Peter with Leo McKern and Patrick Allan at rehearsals for, The Widows of Jaffa)

Murray MELVIN: The Two Gentlemen of Verona (Audio), 1964.

Keith MICHELL: Loyalties (TV), 1962

Bernard MILES: This Book Is News (TV), 1958 

Spike MILLIGAN: Babes in the Wood (Stage), 1986

Isla MIRANDA: The Baron – The Legions of Ammak (TV), 1966; The Avengers – Epic (TV), 1967

John MOFFAT: The Adventures of Ben Gunn (TV), 1958

Geraldine MOFFAT: Department S – Six Days (TV), 1969; Jason King – The Constance Missal (TV), 1972

Kieron MOORE: The Siege of Sidney Street (Film), 1961;  Department S – Dead Men Die Twice (TV), 1969; Jason King – Toki (TV), 1972

Sir Roger MOORE: The Saint – The Man Who Likes Lions (TV), 1966:  The Saint – The Gadic Collection (TV), 1967 (See below right: Peter with Roger Moore in The Saint – The Man Who Likes Lions)

Peggy MOUNT: Brighton Festival – Royal Pavillion (Stage), 1974

Patrick MOWER: Department S – The Soup of the Day (TV), 1969; Jason King – Nadine (TV), 1972

Barbara MURRAY: The Rose Without A Thorn (TV), 1953; Present Laughter (TV), 1964; Department S – Dead Men Die Twice (TV), 1969; Jason King – A Red, Red Rose Forever (TV), 1972

Patrica NEAL: The Royal Family of Broadway (TV), 1958

Hildegaard NEIL: Present Laughter (Stage),1975;  Jason King – Flamingoes Only Fly On Tuesdays (TV), 1972

Anthony NICHOLLS: Night of the Eagle/Burn Witch Burn (Film), 1962; Department S – The Ghost of Mary Burnham (TV), 1962

Bill NIGHY:  Crown Court – The Son Of My Father (TV), 1984

Derek NIMMO: Duel of Angels (Stage), 1958

Merle OBERON: Assignment Foreign legion – The Debt (TV), 1956

Edmond O’BRIEN: Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color: The Further Adventures of Gallagher (TV), 1965

Richard O’BRIEN:  Flash Gordon (Film), 1980

Kate O’MARA: Department S – Who Plays The Dummy (TV), 1969; Jason King – A Kiss For A Beautiful Killer (TV), 1972; Light Up The Sky (Stage) 1985; As You Like It (Stage), 1988

Julian ORCHARD: A Tale of Two Cities (TV), 1957

John OSBOURNE:  The Good Woman of Setzuan (Stage), 1956

Richard O’SULLIVAN: The Queen of Scots (TV), 1961

Lance PERCIVAL: Jason King – Uneasy Lies The Head (TV), 1972

Esme PERCY: Rosalynde (Radio play), 1955; The Good Woman of Setzuan (Stage), 1956

Bill PERTWEE: Babes in the Wood (Stage), 1986

Ingid PITT: Jason King – Nadine (TV), 1972 (See below left: Peter with Ingrid Pitt)

Donald PLEASENCE: The Dybbuk (TV), 1952

Joan PLOWRIGHT: The Good Woman of Setzuan (Stage), 1956

Olaf POOLEY:  English Family Robinson – Free Passage Home (TV), 1957: The Adventures of Ben Gunn (TV), 1958; Jason King – A Page Before Dying (TV), 1972

Nyree Dawn PORTER: The Duel (Stage), 1968

Eric PORTMAN: The Crossfire (TV), 1967

Mike PRATT: Jason King – A Red, Red Rose Forever (TV), 1972

Dennis PRICE: Jason King – Regular Character (TV), 1972

David PROWSE: The Champions – The Invisible Man (TV), 1968; Department S – The Treasure of the Costa del Sol (TV0; 1969

Edmund PURDOM: Sword of Freedom – The Sicilian (TV), 1957;

Ronald RADD:  The Bridge (TV), 1956; Ordeal By Fire (TV), 1957; A Tale of Two Cities (TV), 1957; Night Conspirators (Stage & TV), 1963; The Prisoner – Checkmate (TV), 1967;  Department S – The Perfect Operation (TV), 1969; Jason King – Chapter One: The Company I Keep (TV), 1972 (See below right: Peter with Ronald Radd in The Prisoner)

Ronald REAGAN: General Electric Theatre – Time To Go Now (TV), 1958

Sir Michael REDGRAVE: The Innocents (Film), 1960

Wendy RICHARD: Turn Out The Lights – A Boyhood Haunt (TV), 1967

Sir Ralph RICHARDSON: Cyrano de Bergerac (Audio Recording), 1964; Esso World Theatre (TV), 1964 

Dame Diana RIGG:  The Avengers – A Touch of Brimstone (TV), 1966; The Avengers – Epic (TV), 1967  

Edina RONAY: The Servant (Stage), 1966; Department S – Les Fluers Du Mal (TV), 1969; Department S – One Of Our Aircraft Is Empty (TV), 1969; Jason King – A Thin Band Of Air (TV), 1972

Michael ROBBINS: On Trial – Sir Roger Casement (TV), 1960; Turn Out The Light – A Boyhood Haunt (TV), 1967: Department S – The Man In The Elegant Room (TV), 1969

Toby ROBINS: Department S – The Man In The Elegant Room (TV), 1969; Jason King – Chapter One: The Company I Keep (TV), 1972; Jason King – That Isn’t Me, It’s Someone Else (TV), 1972; Present Laughter (Stage), 1975

Anton RODGERS: Department S – One Of Our Aircraft Is Empty (TV), 1969; Jason King – All That Glisters parts I & II (TV), 1972

Guy ROLFE: Department S – Death On Reflection (TV), 1969;

Ruth ROMAN:  I, Spy – Let’s Kill Karlovassi (TV), 1966 (See below left: Peter with Ruth Roman)

Margaret RUTHERFORD: Time Remembered (Stage), 1964; (Radio Play), 1965

John SAVIDENT: Department S – The Double Death of Charlie Crippen (TV), 1969

John SCHLESSINGER: Will Shakespeare (TV), 1953

Tony SELBY: Department S – The Man From X (TV), 1969

1958

Elizabeth SELLARS: Will Shakespeare (TV), 1953; Ordeal By Fire (TV), 1957; The Shining Hour (TV),

Barbara SHELLEY: Rupert of Henzu (TV),1964; The Revenue Men – The Exile (TV), 1967

Frank SINGUINEAU: The Widows of Jaffa (TV), 1957; Night of the Eagle (Film), 1962

Donald SINDEN: The Siege of Sidney Street (Film),1960

Madeline SMITH: Jason King – All That Glisters parts I & II (TV), 1972

Sir Patrick STEWART: Cyrano De Bergerac (Stage), 1959

Sheila STEAFEL: Hotel Riviera (TV), 1957

Nigel STOCK: Sherlock Holmes – The Illustrious Client (TV), 1965 (See below right: Peter with Nigel Stock)

Dudley SUTTON: Department S – Handicap Dead (TV), 1969

Ann TODD: Duel of Angels, (Stage), 1958

Chaim TOPOL: Flash Gordon (Film), 1980

Patrick TROUGHTON: Nom-De-Plum – The Man From The Sea (TV), 1956; Ordeal By Fire (TV), 1957;  Night Conspirators (Stage), 1963;  Jason King – That’s Not Me, It’s Someone Else (TV), 1972

Mary URE: Duel of Angels (Stage), 1960;  The Two Character Play (Stage), 1967 (see below left: Peter with Mary Ure in Duel of Angels)

Anthony VALENTINE: Department S – The Soup of the Day (TV), 1969

Wanda VENTHAM: Department S – The Man From X (TV), 1969

Richard VERNON:  The Man In Room 17 – First Steal Six Eggs (TV), 1966

Max VON SYDOW: Flash Gordon (Film), 1980

Billie WHITELAW: Terminus – Hour of Decision (TV), 1955

Kenneth WILLIAMS:  St Joan (Stage), 1954  

Douglas WILMER: Rosalynde (Radio play), 1955; St Joan (Stage), 1954; Sherlock Holmes – The Illustrious Client (TV), 1965 

Ray WINSTON: Tank Malling (Film), 1989

John WOODVINE:  The Taming of the Shrew (Stage), 1959; Turn Out The Lights – A Boyhood Haunt (TV), 1967

Jeremy YOUNG: Department S – The Pied Piper of Hambledown (TV), 1969

Taken from the Bradford Telegraph and Argus

A PRESENTER of Bradford-based BCB Radio has paid tribute to the late Peter Wyngarde who died in 2018 aged 90. The British actor was best known for his TV role as suave, flamboyantly-dressed sleuth Jason King in Department S and its Seventies spin-off, which was named after his character.

Carl Gresham, who has been presenting with BCB for 18 years has shared his memories of the actor to whom he was promotional manager for public appearances in front of adoring female fans in his hey-day.

Mr Gresham rose from a local record shop manager “for a tenner a week” to an entrepreneur and theatrical and promotional manager rubbing shoulders with some of the biggest stars to hit stage and TV screens.

He has also been a columnist, disc jockey, actor, presenter and a musicologist.

He developed many personal friendships with the stars who he later employed when he launched his personal appearances company.

One of these great friends was Peter Wyngarde.

On hearing the news he had died, Mr Gresham told the Telegraph & Argus: “I’d just like to say how sorry I was to read of Peter’s death.

“During the ’70s we had a contract to officially open over 30 Woolworths newly refurbished stores throughout the UK.

“Other than my friends and clients, Morecambe & Wise, Peter was the most requested and highest paid celebrity making personal appearances.

“He was a charmer with the ladies and his appearances on the Woolworths engagements drew in excess of 5,000 screaming ladies.

Though Mr Gresham was from Bradford, the nearest he got Wyngarde to the city was to Barnsley’s Arndale Centre.

“Peter was an absolute joy to work with and drew massive crowds. We were even turned away from a Woolworths store on one occasion.

“The police said the stores around “Woolies”, in the Arndale Centre, were worried their all-glass frontages might break.

“On the way there we were stopped by a police car and a lovely police lady said: “Hello, Jason.” (They always called Peter by his TV role name). “I’m sorry but we can’t let you go any further.

“Peter asked me: “Dear Boy, will I still get paid?”

“To which I replied, of course you will, and, of course, he did. Woolworths said whilst they were sorry not to have had Peter in person the story hit nearly all the front pages of the daily newspapers. They couldn’t have bought that publicity!

“He was a wonderful gentleman.”

Wyngarde, the French-born son of a diplomat, also notched up roles in The Avengers, The Saint, The Prisoner and appeared as villain Klytus in Flash Gordon and as Timanov in Doctor Who: Planet Of Fire.

“He died at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, in London after having been unwell for a couple of months.”

Click HERE for Carl Gresham’s interview with the Official Peter Wyngarde Appreciation Society.

Richmond Theatre production. October 1950

Character: Willy Pentridge

The Story

The action of the play takes place in the Convent of Our Lady of Rheims; a French Nursing Order, at Denzil St David, and in a village some miles from Norwich, England. It’s 1947.

ACT I: The Great Hall of the Convent, around 6pm.

ACT II

• Scene 1: Sister Mary’s Room, two hours later
• Scene 2: The same, next evening 

ACT III

• Scene 1: The same, next afternoon
• Scene 2: The Great Hall, three hours later

Willy Pentridge (Peter Wyngarde) is a Autistic man who is employed as an odd-job man at a convent.Although he’s considered an “idiot” by some of the more bigoted in the local village he is, in fact, very perceptive and not a stranger to the occasional wise word. Indeed, Nurse Brent says of him: “He knows more about the weather than normal people”, whilst Nurse Phillips declares: “I hate the horrible Willy prowling around!”

A murder of a young man takes place at the Convent, for which his sister- Sarat Carn, is accused, judged and sentenced to execution. Against the wishes of the Mother Superior, Sister Mary goes to see her and agrees to help with her appeal which, inexorably, fails.

The Sister inevitably pits her instinct concerning Sarat’s innocence contrary to the authority of the Mother Superior,who speculates that the Order might’ve lost the Sister spiritually: “For you matters are never simple or uncomplicated.”

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© Copyright The Hellfire Club: The OFFICIAL PETER WYNGARDE Appreciation Society: https://www.facebook.com/groups/813997125389790/

This is a track from Graham Roos 2010 album, ‘Quest’, which features the voices of Peter Wyngarde and Fenella Fielding

Graham Roos is a multi award winning writer and director.

He was born in Sheffield and won an Art Scholarship to Rugby School. His career has spanned the media of art, theatre, film, music, radio, opera and publishing.

Quest – CD of spoken word, with the voices of Fenella Fielding, Peter Wyngarde, Martin Hancock, Sam Fox, James Dreyfus.​

Download from:

Guest

Broadcast: November 1973

Click below for…

‘The King and I’: Review and Photographs

Interviews

The Film Room

The TV Room

Television Listings and Reviews

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© The Hellfire Club: The OFFICIAL PETER WYNGARDE Appreciation Society: https://www.facebook.com/groups/813997125389790/

South (Clip)

The Prisoner – ‘Checkmate’ trailer

Present Laughter (Clip)

Department S trailer

Jason King trailer

Bravo TV trailer (24th July, 1995)

Click HERE for The Film Room

By BlackberryJuniper

To begin, for my first ever picture on the blog.  Do have a proper look at this exhibition of early 70’s utter cool (a famous promo pic from the time).  And note – who else can carry off leather pants in this way, and a moustache, and still be astonishingly intelligent and a slightly louche action hero also?

Now, I don’t mean for a moment to be merely dribbling over one of the most gorgeous actors, in a horrible sexist way.  I would sincerely love to meet Peter Wyngarde and have, umm, a croissant and some orange juice (was thinking he’s rather older now, and may not fancy champagne or coffee, he’s in his 80’s now) with him.  I would love to chat and hear stories, and just listen to the marvellous George Sanders-esque voice .  I truly think the man is one of the best actors we had, before some people got hot under the collar that despite always being a ladies man on TV, he got arrested for some business in a toilet in Gloucester with a truck driver in 1975.  (The fact that his acting colleagues often called him – we hear, here and there – ‘Petunia Winegum’ as a nickname, testifies to the fact that being gay wasn’t a secret amongst people that knew him.)  Since some people weren’t ready to handle the fact that the leather trousers were active in a way they hadn’t expected, his career suffered and got halted, really.  What a total bloody shame!  After all those sudden 1965-67ish appearances in staples like The Avengers, The Saint, Armchair Theatre and The Prisoner, he drifted away.  Just when it was all getting going.

My earliest Peter Wyngarde memory is a masked Peter Wyngarde, as seen in Flash Gordon.  Which is one of the most perfect films ever made and I wouldn’t change a hair on its head whatsoever.  (This will be elaborated on in that other post I threatened about my 5 favourite films ever, to come).  How many people dislike this film so strongly is completely beyond me?  What does it matter that the actor playing Flash Gordon apparently wasn’t acting very well?  I thought he did fine, they didn’t paint him as a great brain – more as a character that had heart and energy; Sam Jones did fine with that brief, I reckon.  What is there to dislike about the intense, insane over colourisation:  all that GOLD, and green, and red, and orange, and shininess everywhere??  Every time I watch it I am cheered up even if the sound is down!  And if the sound is up, I get to hear Ornella Muti (who Alias Octa always described as ‘born to fuck’, in a true teenage boy way) purring and sulking, Melody Anderson cheerleading and offering Suzanne Danielle the elixir that will make a night with the Emperor Ming doable (his sexual weirdness is hinted at several times, in a rather titillating way).  And then there’s Emperor Ming himself, Max von Sydow, who despite his marvellous face makeup and great costuming, still manages attract my attention by doing more evil hand rubbing acting than anyone I have since seen in a film; more pregnant pauses before evil sneering.  And of course, Brian Blessed yelling ‘DIVE!’ (which I have recently taken to yelling at Fluffhead in the living room as we have a mattress on the floor at the moment – at my command, in badly executed Blessed-eze, Fluffhead will run full steam at the mattress and propel himself headfirst onto it bellowing with joy, and holding his Josie Jump toy from ‘Ballamory’ – as she jumps too…).  And the Queen soundtrack…the Love Capsule music is always overlooked and so sensually splendid I bought the whole soundtrack just for that, those few seconds…

The other favourite film was Night of the Eagle (1962). I can’t recommend this film highly enough.  You must have gathered by now, that I have a (debatably healthy or not) strong interest in all things inexplicable currently, and labelled ‘supernatural’.  So any film, with a hint of this, and there I am, to have a look and a think about it.  Remember long ago when BBC2 late at night used to have those truly excellent summer horror film seasons on Saturdays, I’m sure I’ve mentioned them before?  With one old-ish thing first, like I Walked With A Zombie or Cat People, and then a more ‘modern’ one after – anything from a Christopher Lee Dracula, to a Legend of Hell House?  That’s where I first saw Night of the Eagle.  Spoiler alert!!  About a scientific and sceptical professor who is doing very well in his rising career at a small university, but is unaware this is because his wife is working protective voodoo on his behalf; as she is actually battling the forces of greedy and voracious bad magic, summoned up by the Head Teacher, Margaret Johnston.  At the end she summons a huge thoughtform eagle to get rid of Wyngarde’s character, but a wonderful contrivance with an old eight track player sends it against her instead, hence the title. End of Spoiler.  This is the face of Peter Wyngarde I had been very familiar with for years – Which doesn’t look at all like the first picture, does it?  I had no idea it was the same person.  It’s a genuinely scary film, with some good jumpy moments.  I think you should all buy it, and it is available (under a fiver on Amazon UK); but for the skint amongst us, go and feast your eyes on the acting talent that is this man, on YouTube – the whole film is up there at the moment.  For years, this film was sought after by me, until Alias Alan got me a copy for Xmas a few moons back.

Another thing I had been wanting for ages (I had it when first released but then sold it, as I do tend to do when needing money; and then of course it went out of circulation and now goes for silly money on ebay) was the Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense (1984).  I had been remembering my favourite episode of this (about a haunting that turns out to have been from the future not the past – ahhhhhhhh, clever!) for a while, and had a yen to see it again.  Stanley went to trouble and found the lot for me online.  I started to watch them in the day, while Fluffhead and I read ‘Spot at Home’ and ‘Pip the Puppy’ and I tried repeatedly to teach him how to draw a flower with a pencil, since he loves curvy shapes at the moment.  I was dazzled by the brilliance of the episode ‘Checkmate’, good old Susan George, and I usually hate espionage things (its all very Traditional Boy-Aimed Crud in my opinion, excepting Day Of The Jackal, which I find amazing), and then an episode came on with That Voice!  Putting down my toast and honey (my other current obsession, honey), I see that Peter Wyngarde is there, complete with wonderful moustache, and robed as a devil worshipping priest.  I think it’s slightly likely that he was a little bored by this acting assignment, as I have rarely seen him loucher in something; then again, it’s a very slight story (which I won’t bother to relate).  There’s a funny scene near the end of the episode (‘And the Wall Came Tumbling Down’) where Wyngarde’s character is supposed to be dead on the floor.  The scene’s focus is away from him, to the actors still alive, upright and talking, gesturing.  Of course, I was just staring at Peter Wyngarde on the floor, loving those cheekbones and eyebrows.  I don’t know how long the scene may have taken to film, but he gets bored being on the floor and makes a face, licking his lips and the tip of his moustache very obviously.  It made me laugh out loud.

People make much of how kitsch these series are today; how camp, how unreal, how …silly.  Now.  You’re talking here, with someone who violently adores Flash Gordon, so are these things going to bother me in the slightest?  I really think not.  It is all silly, and light; and yet so disarming.  Fun.  Escapist.  Occasionally very clever in terms of story telling, and even thought provoking.  The ensemble of the team of the Department S series was great, and it’s quite shameful that it was only the one series.  Boo.  But then was Jason King, so at least my favourite character is still about.  

He would say things like ‘I abhor violence’, before gracefully launching himself across a room to box someone’s ears in that very theatrical and obviously unreal way they did in those TV days.  And his hair would not ruffle; his handkerchief would remain dandily in the pocket.  And you can’t see it, but his sleeve turnbacks would also remain blissful and unperturbed.  I have no idea why this is so important to me; I think it ties in to my sense of screaming for order in a life of chaos!  The series’s weren’t just the usual formulaic ITC action-quirky international star of the week vehicles (well, that WAS the formula, but…).  Wyngarde’s portrayal of Jason King managed to make me actually want to BE him as this character.  As in, I added Jason King to my mental list of TV and film characters whose traits I really would do to acquire in life.   

He managed to be astonishingly arrogant, yet also vulnerable and emotional.  Intelligent, and strangely clueless at times.  And so stylish in terms of fabric and colour that I think it really did get burned into my brain forever and affect the way I see clothes even now (no, I don’t want to dress like Geord Sand as a result; but I really care if the colours go or not, and if the whole thing looks put together!)  (You wouldn’t know this at all from the way I dress since Fluffhead; but what can I say – there’s a raging mixed up vintage style in there, and it will explode out when I am free to be rufflier, later in life.

I think what I saw there, in his portrayal of that character was an amazing ability to disregard the categorisations of other people, and sail through life as HIMSELF.  To not be afraid, to not be cowed, to speak out and say your piece and hold your head up whilst doing so.  And not be afraid to be clever.  (Yes, I read a lot into what I see; the brain just won’t go off.)

And then you see Peter Wyngarde’s actual life, and see that for the time he was in, he was too big to handle, too large for the life around him, for the narrow minded amongst us.  He did get cowed, in the sense that his career got stalled so badly he had to go and do theatre work abroad (grand, but what a shame we lost him HERE) and it never really recovered here when he got back.  He did loads, go and see on Internet Movie Data Base, or the Hellfire Hall website, or YouTube…I could’ve watched so much more of him.  Bloody tragic.  I’m sure I’m not alone in that.  I have friends on Facebook who have memories of him in pubs in Brighton in the 60’s: apparently he dressed just as wonderfully in real life, complete with the imported Sobraine cigarettes, cravats, and undisputed wit.  There’s a fan page for him on Facebook, where a picture of him was recently posted as he is now – in his 80’s the man still reeks of poise and confidence; it’s just in the bearing; and the leather trousers he is still wearing.  Ooooooooo – I envy that, I admire that!  

Long Live the Peter Wyngarde of the past, the present, and the imagination… King of Cool, and Much Under-rated Brilliant Actor.  May I take on those traits I see in him, and glide through life with the same casual insouciance and verve.  I wish I may.

By popular demand…!

Few actors epitomised the gaudy stylishness of the 1960s and early 1970s better than the charismatic Peter Wyngarde, who passed away on January 15th after a short illness at the age of 90.

By Paul Mount – 18 January, 2018

Although he kept his true age – and, indeed, much of his own personal biographical history (he spent time as a child during the Second World War at an internment camp for children near Shanghai) – shrouded in mystery, Peter Wyngarde (his birth name, at least, is accepted as Cyril Goldbert) was a regular on many of the classic ITV adventure series of the 1960s including The Saint and The Avengers and he appeared as No 2 in ‘Checkmate’, an episode of Patrick McGoohan’s The Prisoner in 1967. But he became an “overnight sensation” in 1969 when he was cast as flamboyant thriller author/investigator Jason King on ITC’s Department S (think X Files without the torches…or monsters or alien invasion conspiracies) alongside Rosemary Nicholls and Joel Fabiani. TV had never seen a hero quite like King, with his extravagant champagne-quaffing lifestyle, extraordinary fashion sense and luxurious  handlebar moustache – although he was nearly an entirely different character, as he told Hellfire Club (named after his appearance in the legendary ‘A Touch of Brimstone’ episode of The Avengers in 1966), the Peter Wyngarde Appreciation Society, just last year. “When Department S was being planned, I was told that I was going to be an Oxford professor sitting at his desk solving problems for two Americans. I thought it was a bit dull. Then I had the bright idea of basing him on Ian Fleming. The clothes were sort of an extension of me. I was a bit of a peacock then. I loved clothes, but I didn’t much like the kind of fashions that were about for guys in those days. Then I saw a picture of an Edwardian riding jacket and I thought it had real style, so I did some drawings and had a similar coat made.” King was an instant hit, a worldwide sex symbol, and the character was resurrected in a less-successful and more mundane series (Jason King) in 1971.

Wyngarde more or less disappeared from TV screens during the rest of the decade but his career flourished on stage and he had little time for critics who insisted that his career had become derailed. “That’s because they haven’t the intellect to notice that there are mediums other than television,” he told Hellfire Club. “If you’re not on the box every week they think you’ve disappeared! My first love was always the stage, and after Jason King ended, I couldn’t wait to return to the theatre. I feel that if some journalists had a brain, they’d be dangerous!”

Notable screen roles followed though. In 1980 he played Klytus in Flash Gordon and appeared in the 1984 Doctor Who serial ‘Planet of Fire’ alongside Peter Davison’s fifth Doctor. “I’d been asked to appear in the series in the 1970’s, but it was due to be filmed entirely on a soundstage, which I’d have hated, so I turned it down. When ‘Planet of Fire’ came about, I was told that we’d be filming almost exclusively on location (the serial was filmed in Lanzarote), so I jumped at the chance. It gave me the opportunity to do a lot of sunbathing between my scenes, which I love.” In 1994 he appeared as Langdale Pike in Granada’s acclaimed Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes series  with Jeremy Brett as the Great Detective. He left a stage production in 1995 after contracting a throat infection and much of his subsequent work involved providing voiceovers and narrations and attending fan events celebrating the ‘golden age’ of classic and cult television.

A vibrant, outspoken and outrageous talent – “He was one of the most unique, original and creative actors that I have ever seen,” said his agent/manager Thomas Bowington – Peter Wyngarde might not have scaled the professional heights of some of his contemporaries and Jason King might not have been the work he’d have preferred to have been remembered for but in both Department S and his own series he  created a character and an image which in many ways helped define both a generation and a decade.

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The Hellfire Club: The OFFICIAL PETER WYNGARDE Appreciation Society: https://www.facebook.com/groups/813997125389790/