Derek Fowlds
| Derek Fowlds | |
|---|---|
 Fowlds in 1974 | |
| Born |
2 September 1937 Wandsworth, London, England |
| Occupation | Actor, presenter |
| Years active | 1962–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Wendy Tory (1963–1973) (divorced) (two children) Lesley Judd (1974–1978) (divorced) |
Derek Fowlds (born 2 September 1937) is an English actor, best known for playing Bernard Woolley in popular British television comedies Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister, and Oscar Blaketon in the long-running ITV police drama Heartbeat, a role he played for 18 years.
Early life
Fowlds was born in Wandsworth, London, the son of Ketha Muriel (née Treacher) and James Witney Fowlds,[1] a salesman. Fowlds was educated at Ashlyns School, a former Secondary Modern School in the historic town of Berkhamsted in Hertfordshire.[2]
Career
After amateur acting, Fowlds trained at RADA and made his debut on the West End stage in The Miracle Worker. He appeared in various film roles, including Tamahine (1963), East of Sudan (1964), Hotel Paradiso (1966), Frankenstein Created Woman (1967), The Smashing Bird I Used to Know (1969), Tower of Evil (1972) and Mistress Pamela (1974), prior to becoming familiar to British television viewers as 'Mr. Derek' in the children's series The Basil Brush Show, replacing Rodney Bewes as presenter. He played the role of Lord Randolph Churchill in the ATV series Edward the Seventh in 1975.
Perhaps his most famous role was that of Bernard Woolley in Yes Minister and its sequel Yes, Prime Minister alongside Paul Eddington and Nigel Hawthorne.
From 1983–85, Fowlds played the lead role in the sitcom Affairs of the Heart. He featured in a more sinister role in the 1990 political thriller Die Kinder. Fowlds then played Oscar Blaketon in the long running ITV police drama nostalgia series Heartbeat for its entire run. The character first appeared as the local police sergeant, then retired from the force and ran the post office before becoming a publican.
Personal life
Fowlds was previously married to Wendy Tory and Blue Peter presenter and dancer Lesley Judd. He is the father of two children including the actor Jeremy Fowlds. Reports that he was formerly married to the actress Adrienne Corri are false.[3]
Television roles
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1964 | Gideon's Way Episode 26: "The Nightlifers" | Tim Coles |
| 1967 | The Solarnauts Pilot: "Cloud of Death" | Tempo |
| 1969–1973 | The Basil Brush Show | Mr Derek |
| 1975 | Edward the Seventh | Lord Randolph Churchill |
| 1978 | Robin's Nest Series 2 Eps 2 "The Candidate" | Ricky Hart |
| 1980–1984 | Yes Minister | Bernard Woolley |
| 1982 | Minder | Meadhurst |
| 1983–1985 | Affairs of the Heart | Peter Bonamy |
| 1986–1988 | Yes, Prime Minister | Bernard Woolley |
| 1988 | The Settling of the Sun | Kurt Friedman/Michael Robson |
| 1990 | Die Kinder | Crombie |
| 1992–2010 | Heartbeat | Sgt. Oscar Blaketon |
| 1992–1994 | Firm Friends | John Gutteridge |
| 2001 | Lily Savage's Blankety Blank | Himself[4] |
References
- ↑ Derek Fowlds Biography (1937–)
- ↑ Who's Who on Television. Publisher: ITV Books Ltd./Michael Joseph Ltd. Published: 1985. Retrieved: 27 January 2013.
- ↑ "Adrienne Corri". The Times. London. 25 March 2016. Retrieved 25 March 2016. (subscription required)
- ↑ Lily Savage's Blankety Blank. 20 May 2001. ITV.
