Peter Wyngarde

Posted on by Tony CrawleyCategories:Actors
  1. Richard Burton, Alexander The Great, 1955.       The smooth, French-born UK actor tested for the lead… and probably complained that Alexander did not wear any flamboyant cravats. The Money Men preferred a bigger attraction. Wyngarde (nephew of the great French actor Louis Jouvet) was compensated with Pausanias. From 1969-1972, he was famous for TV’s Department S and Jason King… and for “gross indecency” at a Gloucester bus station toilet in 1975
  2. Bill Fraser, Doctor Who #110: Meglos, TV, 1980.      Co-writer John Flanagan created General Grugger for Lee Marvin (!) – and was staggered when new producer John Nathan-Taylor chose Fraser, a sitcom clown. Akin to subbing Marvin with Phil Silvers. Some thought was also given to four Z Cars cops – Brian Blessed, James Ellis, Stratford Johns, Frank Windsor – and the Houston brothers, Donald and Glyn. Plus Wyngarde, Harry Andrews, Bernard Archard, Peter Cushing, Ronald Fraser, Peter Gilmore, TP McKenna, Donald Pleasence, Leonard Sachs, George Sewell, Nigel Stock, John Stratton, Richard Todd and Peter Vaughan… very familiar names on Nathan-Taylor’s casting (dart) board throughout his eclectic and scandalous 80s reign.
  3. Emrys James, Doctor Who #112: State of Decay, 1980.      There were 21 potential Aukons and all – except James – had been this way before, standing at the Whoverse portal, awaiting fa callback…Wyngarde, Peter Arne, Colin Baker, Steven Berkoff, John Carson, David Collings, Peter Gilmore, Michael Gothard, John Hallam, Donald Houston, Martin Jarvis, Michael Jayston, Ronald Lacey, William Lucas, Ian McKellen, John Normington, Patrick Stewart, Anthony Valentine, Peter Vaughan, David Warner.
  4. John Fraser, Doctor Who #115: Logopolis, TV, 1981.      Age apparently, didn’t matter. The Monitor was 60 but producer John Nathan-Taylor’s usual suspects ranged from Harry Andrews at 77 to Hywel Bennett at…37!   Plus Maurice Denham, 72; Marius Goring, 69; Peter Cushing, 68; Bernard Archard, Michael Gough, 65; Nigel  Stock, 62; Geoffrey Bayldon, 57; William Lucas, 56; Frank Finley, 55; Barry Foster, Frank Windsor, 54; Johm Fraser, 50; Peter Wyngarde, 48. This was the episode that Brian Epstein would not let The Beatles appear in. But he OKed Top of the Pops footage of Ticket To Ride.
  5. Patrick Stewart, Lifeforce, 1984.
  6. Michael Gothard, Lifeforce, 1984.
  7. Aubrey Morris, Lifeforce, 1984.
  8. Frank Finlay, Lifeforce, 1984.
  9. Tom Adams, Doctor Who #130: Warriors of The Deep, 1984.       Competing for Commander Vorshak in Doc5 Peter Davison’s finale were 13 of the astonishing army of 203 candidates for just 18 roles in that year’s Lifeforce movie mess:: Wyngarde, Steven Berkoff, Kenneth Colley, Michael Craigh, Paul Darrow, Anton Diffring, Del Henney, Martin Jarvis, Ian McCulloch, Patrick Mower, Patrick Stewart, David Warner, and Simon Williams. Plus three outsiders: Brian Blessed, Peter Gilmore, Gareth Hunt. The difference being Who was science fiction and Lifeforce was science fart. Wyngarde finally took his over-the-fop acting into #134: Planet of Fire, 1984, as Timanmov opposite Doc5 Peter Davison on Lanazarote.

 

 Birth year: 1927Death year: 2018Other name: Casting Calls:  9