Geoffrey Whitehead
Encyclopedia
Geoffrey Whitehead is an English
actor
. He has appeared in a huge range of television, film and radio roles. In the theatre, he has played at the Shakespeare Globe, St. Martin's Theatre and Bristol Old Vic.
His television appearances include Z-Cars
(1964–1965 and 1972–1975), playing two different regular characters, Holmes
in the 1980 television series Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson, Viatorus in Chelmsford 123
(1988-1990), Richard Smith in Second Thoughts
(1991–1994), and other parts in The House of Eliott
(1991), Executive Stress
, Little Britain
, The Worst Week of My Life
and Not Going Out
. He is regularly seen on British television as well as filling many roles on radio, where he featured in the 3rd and 4th episodes of the fifth series of the BBC Radio 4
comedy series Old Harry's Game
in the role of Roland Kingworthy, as "Prior Robert" in the 1980s BBC radio dramatisations of Cadfael
, as John Barsad in the radio dramatization of Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities
and most recently as Justice Wargrave in the BBC Radio 4
dramatization of Agatha Christie
's And Then There Were None
on 13 November 2010. He has also starred in Little Britain
. He has starred on BBC radio in many comic roles, including Bleak Expectations
, featuring as four entire families. He is now appearing in the 2009 BBC
remake of Reggie Perrin as Reggie's Father-in-Law, William.
In 2011, he joined the cast of Not Going Out
as Geoffrey Adams, the father of two central characters. This character had been recurring since 2007, but had previously been played by Timothy West
. It is currently unknown whether Whitehead will continue in this role.
His regular radio roles include:
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
. He has appeared in a huge range of television, film and radio roles. In the theatre, he has played at the Shakespeare Globe, St. Martin's Theatre and Bristol Old Vic.
His television appearances include Z-Cars
Z-Cars
Z-Cars is a British television drama series centred on the work of mobile uniformed police in the fictional town of Newtown, based on Kirkby in the outskirts of Liverpool in Merseyside. Produced by the BBC, it debuted in January 1962 and ran until September 1978.-Origins:The series was developed by...
(1964–1965 and 1972–1975), playing two different regular characters, Holmes
Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective created by Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The fantastic London-based "consulting detective", Holmes is famous for his astute logical reasoning, his ability to take almost any disguise, and his use of forensic science skills to solve...
in the 1980 television series Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson, Viatorus in Chelmsford 123
Chelmsford 123
Chelmsford 123 is a British television situation comedy produced for Channel 4 by Hat Trick Productions. It ran for two series, of six and seven episodes, in 1988 and 1990....
(1988-1990), Richard Smith in Second Thoughts
Second Thoughts (TV series)
Second Thoughts was a British comedy television programme running from 1991 to 1994. It was broadcast on the ITV network and made by the ITV company LWT. It was followed by a sequel, Faith in the Future...
(1991–1994), and other parts in The House of Eliott
The House of Eliott
The House of Eliott is a British television series produced and broadcast by the BBC in three series between 1991 and 1994. The series starred Stella Gonet and Louise Lombard as two sisters in 1920s London who establish a dressmaking business and eventually their own haute couture fashion house...
(1991), Executive Stress
Executive Stress
Executive Stress is a British sitcom that aired on ITV from 1986 to 1988. Produced by Thames Television, it first aired on 20 October 1986. After three series, the last episode aired on 27 December 1988....
, Little Britain
Little Britain
Little Britain is a British character-based comedy sketch show which was first broadcast on BBC radio and then turned into a television show. It was written by comic duo David Walliams and Matt Lucas...
, The Worst Week of My Life
The Worst Week of My Life
The Worst Week of My Life is a British comedy television series, first broadcast on BBC One between March and April 2004. A second series was aired between November and December 2005 and a three-part Christmas special, The Worst Christmas of My Life was shown during December 2006...
and Not Going Out
Not Going Out
Not Going Out is a British television sitcom that has aired on BBC One since 2006. Starring Lee Mack, Tim Vine, Sally Bretton, Miranda Hart and Katy Wix, it was initially written by Mack, Andrew Collins, Paul Kerensa, Simon Evans and Peter Tilbury, but now features contributions from other...
. He is regularly seen on British television as well as filling many roles on radio, where he featured in the 3rd and 4th episodes of the fifth series of the BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
comedy series Old Harry's Game
Old Harry's Game
Old Harry's Game is a UK radio comedy written and directed by Andy Hamilton, who also plays the cynical, world-weary Satan. "Old Harry" is one of many names for the devil...
in the role of Roland Kingworthy, as "Prior Robert" in the 1980s BBC radio dramatisations of Cadfael
Cadfael
Brother Cadfael is the fictional main character in a series of historical murder mysteries written between 1977 and 1994 by the linguist-scholar Edith Pargeter under the name "Ellis Peters". The character of Cadfael himself is a Welsh Benedictine monk living at Shrewsbury Abbey, in western England,...
, as John Barsad in the radio dramatization of Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities
A Tale of Two Cities
A Tale of Two Cities is a novel by Charles Dickens, set in London and Paris before and during the French Revolution. With well over 200 million copies sold, it ranks among the most famous works in the history of fictional literature....
and most recently as Justice Wargrave in the BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
dramatization of Agatha Christie
Agatha Christie
Dame Agatha Christie DBE was a British crime writer of novels, short stories, and plays. She also wrote romances under the name Mary Westmacott, but she is best remembered for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections , and her successful West End plays.According to...
's And Then There Were None
And Then There Were None
And Then There Were None is a detective fiction novel by Agatha Christie, first published in the United Kingdom by the Collins Crime Club on 6 November 1939 under the title Ten Little Niggers which was changed by Dodd, Mead and Company in January 1940 because of the presence of a racial...
on 13 November 2010. He has also starred in Little Britain
Little Britain
Little Britain is a British character-based comedy sketch show which was first broadcast on BBC radio and then turned into a television show. It was written by comic duo David Walliams and Matt Lucas...
. He has starred on BBC radio in many comic roles, including Bleak Expectations
Bleak Expectations
Bleak Expectations is a Radio 4 comedy series, whose first series premiered in August 2007. It is a pastiche of the works of Charles Dickens – such as Bleak House and Great Expectations, from which it derives its name – and costume dramas set in the same period, and parodies several of their plot...
, featuring as four entire families. He is now appearing in the 2009 BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
remake of Reggie Perrin as Reggie's Father-in-Law, William.
In 2011, he joined the cast of Not Going Out
Not Going Out
Not Going Out is a British television sitcom that has aired on BBC One since 2006. Starring Lee Mack, Tim Vine, Sally Bretton, Miranda Hart and Katy Wix, it was initially written by Mack, Andrew Collins, Paul Kerensa, Simon Evans and Peter Tilbury, but now features contributions from other...
as Geoffrey Adams, the father of two central characters. This character had been recurring since 2007, but had previously been played by Timothy West
Timothy West
Timothy Lancaster West, CBE is an English film, stage and television actor.-Career:West's craggy looks ensured a career as a character actor rather than a leading man. He began his career as an Assistant Stage Manager at the Wimbledon Theatre in 1956, and followed this with several seasons of...
. It is currently unknown whether Whitehead will continue in this role.
His regular radio roles include:
- Weak at the TopWeak at the TopWeak at the Top is a situation comedy originally broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2005 and 2006. It revolves around a businessman anti-hero, John Weak , whose main attributes are summed up in the words "randy, sexist, and drunk"...
- Sir Marcus. - Rigor MortisRigor Mortis (radio)Rigor Mortis is a BBC Radio 4 black comedy set in the pathology department at an NHS hospital. It centers around the working lives of the pathologists and attendant staff who work in the department.-Themes:...
- Professor Donaldson - Ed Reardon's WeekEd Reardon's WeekEd Reardon's Week is a sitcom on BBC Radio 4 recorded semi-naturalistically in the style of a radio drama. It concerns the story of a curmudgeonly 50-something writer described in the show's publicity material as an "author, pipesmoker, consummate fare-dodger and master of the abusive email"...
- Stan - Potting OnPotting OnPotting On is a radio situation comedy broadcast on BBC Radio 4. It stars poet and author Pam Ayres and veteran actor Geoffrey Whitehead as an aging couple running a garden centre with the help of various oddball employees. The supporting cast includes Trevor Bannister, Alex Tregear, and Karl...
- Gordon Grant, radio husband of comedienne & poetess Pam AyresPam AyresPam Ayres MBE is an English poet, songwriter and presenter of radio and television programmes. Her 1975 appearance on the television talent show Opportunity Knocks led to a variety of appearances on TV and radio shows, a one woman touring stage show and performing before the Queen.-Early life:Pam...
. - Bleak ExpectationsBleak ExpectationsBleak Expectations is a Radio 4 comedy series, whose first series premiered in August 2007. It is a pastiche of the works of Charles Dickens – such as Bleak House and Great Expectations, from which it derives its name – and costume dramas set in the same period, and parodies several of their plot...
- the Hardthrasher, Sternbeater, Whackwallop and Grimpunch families - CadfaelCadfaelBrother Cadfael is the fictional main character in a series of historical murder mysteries written between 1977 and 1994 by the linguist-scholar Edith Pargeter under the name "Ellis Peters". The character of Cadfael himself is a Welsh Benedictine monk living at Shrewsbury Abbey, in western England,...
- Prior Robert - The Genuine Particle - Shale
- Hair in the Gate - Brian Melvyn