Robert Lankesheer

Robert Lankesheer (1914–1993) was a British stage, radio and television actor, best known for playing the character Leamington Sparr in the radio soap The Dales between 1963^[1] and 1966^[2] and Chamberlain in the television series Doctor Who in 1965.^[3]

Early life

He was born on 28 April 1914 in Southampton, England. Whilst working for the local government^[4] in the land registry department he took evening classes and qualified in law.^[5] He served in the army during World War II as an officer in the Royal Artillery.^[6] After the war he decided to take up acting professionally.

Career

On stage, in addition to his repertory theatre work,^[7][8] Robert Lankesheer played Sir Henry Burke in Templeton at the Arts Theatre in 1958^[9] and Mr Quelch between 1960 and 1963 in the Billy Bunter Christmas shows^[10][11][12] at the Victoria Palace Theatre and Queen's Theatre, London. He had a long association with The Royal Opera, Covent Garden, performing roles in Carmen (1973^[13]), A Midsummer Night's Dream (1974,^[14] 1976,^[15] 1984^[16]) and Die Zauberflöte (1979,^[17] 1980,^[18] 1983,^[19] 1985,^[20] 1986,^[21] 1987,^[22] 1989,^[23] 1991^[24]).

In films, Robert Lankesheer appeared in David Copperfield (1970) and Young Winston (1972).

His television credits include:

• The Malory Secret (1951)
• At Your Service Ltd (1951)
• The Trial of Andy Fothergill (1951)
• Emil and the Detectives (1952)^[25]
• Theatre Royal (1955)
• Tales from Dickens (1960)
• Starr and Company (1958)
• Dancers in Mourning (1959)
• An Arabian Night (1960)
• Deadline Midnight (1960)
• Dixon of Dock Green (1961, 1967)
• Emergency Ward 10 (1962)
• The Scales of Justice (1963)
• Out of This World (1962)
• The Avengers: Man with Two Shadows (1963)
• Doctor Who: The Crusade (1965)
• The Paradise Makers (1967)
• Z-Cars (1968, 1976)
• Dad's Army (1969)^[26]
• Rogues' Gallery: The Wicked Stage (1969)
• Junket 89 (1970)
• Bachelor Father (1970)
• Doctor in Charge (1972)
• An Evening with Francis Howerd (1975)^[27]
• Thriller (1975)
• The Professionals (1978)
• Fawlty Towers (1979)
• Reilly, Ace of Spies (1983)
• Full House (1985)

Death

Robert Lankesheer died on 29 December 1993 in London, England of emphysema.^[28]

References

1. "The Dales (Tue 19th Nov 1963, 16:15)". Radio Times. No. 2088. 16 November 1963. p. 33. Retrieved 18 January 2022 – via BBC Archives. (radio show aired on...) BBC Light Programme
2. "The Dales (Thu 22nd Sep 1966, 16:15)". Radio Times. No. 2236. 17 September 1966. p. 53. Retrieved 18 January 2022 – via BBC Archives. (radio show aired on...) BBC Light Programme
3. "Dr. Who: The Knight of Jaffa (Sat 3rd Apr 1965, 17:40)". Radio Times. No. 2160. 3 April 1965. p. 8. Retrieved 18 January 2022 – via BBC Archives. (tv show aired on...) BBC 1
4. "The London Gazette, 8 September 1933" (PDF).
5. Webber, Richard (2000). The complete A-Z of Dad's Army. Perry, Jimmy, 1923-, Croft, David, 1922-2011. London: Orion. p. 117. ISBN 0-7528-1838-4. OCLC 59565472.
6. "Supplement to the London Gazette, 7 January 1944" (PDF).
7. "Bradford Princes Theatre, The Court Players". The Stage. 16 October 1947.
8. "Bromley Rep with Frankie Howard, Sheila Hancock and Nigel Hawthorn". The Stage. 27 September 1956.
9. Wearing, J. P. (2014). The London stage 1950-1959 : a calendar of productions, performers, and personnel (Second ed.). Lanham. p. 577. ISBN 978-0-8108-9307-8. OCLC 880349749.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
10. "Billy Bunter Shipwrecked Programme, Victoria Palace Theatre" (PDF).
11. "Billy Bunter's Swiss Roll, Programme, Victoria Palace Theatre" (PDF).
12. "Billy Bunter's Christmas Circus, Queen's Theatre". The Stage. 3 January 1963.
13. "Carmen-24 July 1973 Evening 7.00pm". Royal Opera House. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
14. "A Midsummer Night's Dream-2 January 1974 Evening". Royal Opera House. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
15. "A Midsummer Night's Dream-5 May 1976 Evening 7.30pm". Royal Opera House. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
16. "A Midsummer Night's Dream-1 May 1984 Evening 7.30pm". Royal Opera House. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
17. "Die Zauberflöte-15 February 1979 Evening 7.00pm". Royal Opera House. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
18. "Die Zauberflöte-21 April 1980 Evening 7.30pm". Royal Opera House. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
19. "Die Zauberflöte-14 March 1983 Evening". Royal Opera House. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
20. "Die Zauberflöte-5 January 1985 Evening 7.00pm". Royal Opera House. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
21. "Die Zauberflöte-26 November 1986 Evening 7.00pm". Royal Opera House. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
22. "Die Zauberflöte-17 February 1987 Matinee 2.00pm". Royal Opera House. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
23. "Die Zauberflöte-17 July 1989 Evening 7.00pm". Royal Opera House. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
24. "Die Zauberflöte-28 February 1991 Evening". Royal Opera House. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
25. "Children's Television: Emil and the Detectives: 3: The Hotel in the Square (Tue 22nd Apr 1952, 17:00)". Radio Times. 20 April 1952. p. 43. Retrieved 18 January 2022 – via BBC Archives. (tv show aired on...) BBC tv
26. Webber, Richard (2000). The complete A-Z of Dad's Army. Perry, Jimmy, 1923-, Croft, David, 1922-2011. London: Orion. p. 125. ISBN 0-7528-1838-4. OCLC 59565472.
27. "Show of the Week: An Evening with Francis Howerd (Mon 14th May 1973, 21:25)". Radio Times. No. 2583. 12 May 1973. p. 27. Retrieved 18 January 2022 – via BBC Archives. (tv show aired on...) BBC Two
28. "Beyond the TARDIS: Obituary", Doctor Who Magazine, No. 213, 8 June 1994, pg.7

External links

• Robert Lankesheer at IMDb