Alan Bennion obit

Well-known Castle actor Alan Bennion dies aged 88

 

He was not on the list.

A NORTHWICH actor who went from appearing in local chapel concerts to becoming well known for his work in live theatre and television has died.

Alan John Bennion died on Friday at the age of 88.

He grew up in Castle with his parents Edna and Jack Bennion and a close-knit family of uncles, aunts and cousins living nearby.

Edna’s father John Littlemore was the head of the family, a patriarchal figure and a staunch Methodist Sunday School Superintendent of the local chapel.

He encouraged the family to follow his example, and as a result Alan spent his early years in church activities such as youth clubs and Scouts. When he was 11 he won first prize for a Swiss roll in the baking class.

A feature of church life was the annual concert and pantomime in which Alan and Edna were enthusiastic participants.

One memorable evening a large portion of the ceiling fell down mid performance - no-one was hurt but it signalled the end for the old Chapel Street building. It merged with the nearby Zion Street Chapel, the basis of the present Castle Methodist Church was formed.

The disaster did not deter Alan. A scholarship boy at Sir John Dean’s Grammar School, he chose a career in the civil service.

During National Service in the RAF the theatre bug struck again and he appeared in several productions.

The civil service was history as the bright lights of London beckoned.

He acquired a highly-coveted Equity card and an agent gradually built up his reputation.

To quote programme notes he ‘made his West End debut in Mother’s Boy at the Globe Theatre’, claiming to have played almost every theatre in Great Britain, and forays to Zimbabwe, Vienna and a tour of the United States with the National Theatre.

He achieved recognition on TV appearing in three series of Dr Who as a most spectacular chief ice warrior, hidden under a mass of very uncomfortable make-up.

Other roles were in Z Cars, Coronation Street, Sherlock Holmes and many other programmes.

His cousin Jean Foster said: “Alan enjoyed the variety but his first love was live theatre, often in majestic Shakespearian roles.

“Alan was proud of his mid Cheshire roots and of his family background. He was well liked and loved by many.

“Retiring to Brighton, he remained independent and self-sufficient to the end, maintaining his connections with theatre people and family.

“He will be sadly missed, particularly by those who followed his career with interest and rejoiced in the many successes in his chosen way of life.”

 

Actor

Next of Kin (1995)

Next of Kin

8.1

TV Series

Mr. Beaumont

1997

1 episode

 

David Tennant in Holding the Baby (1997)

Holding the Baby

6.0

TV Series

Doctor Marsh

1997

1 episode

 

B & B (1992)

B & B

7.0

Councillor

1992

 

Spatz (1990)

Spatz

6.7

TV Series

Philip

1992

1 episode

 

Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less (1990)

Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less

6.9

TV Movie

Ritz Doorman

1990

 

Tim Bentinck, Brett Fancy, and Lise Ann McLaughlin in Square Deal (1988)

Square Deal

TV Series

Colonel Drake

1989

1 episode

 

The Moneymen (1987)

The Moneymen

7.8

TV Movie

Sir John

1987

 

Richard O'Sullivan in Me and My Girl (1984)

Me and My Girl

6.4

TV Series

Doctor

1987

1 episode

 

God's Outlaw (1986)

God's Outlaw

6.8

Archdeacon Bell

1986

 

Jeremy Brett in The Return of Sherlock Holmes (1986)

The Return of Sherlock Holmes

8.7

TV Series

Bates

1986

1 episode

 

Ronnie Corbett in Sorry! (1981)

Sorry!

6.7

TV Series

Smollett

1986

1 episode

 

Patsy Rowlands in The Collectors (1986)

The Collectors

6.2

TV Series

Hilditch

1986

1 episode

 

Oliver Twist (1985)

Oliver Twist

7.3

TV Mini Series

Magistrate

1985

1 episode

 

Events in a Museum

TV Movie

Chief Electrician

1983

 

Wilfred and Eileen

8.7

TV Series

Sergeant

1981

1 episode

 

Juliet Bravo (1980)

Juliet Bravo

6.7

TV Series

PC Ted Williams

1981

1 episode

 

Pig in the Middle

5.1

TV Series

Waiter

1981

1 episode

 

Jill Gascoine in The Gentle Touch (1980)

The Gentle Touch

6.6

TV Series

Sir Robert Loder

1980

1 episode

 

Armchair Thriller (1978)

Armchair Thriller

7.4

TV Series

Praed

1980

4 episodes

 

Julia Foster, Patrick Newell, and John Stride in Wilde Alliance (1978)

Wilde Alliance

7.5

TV Series

Charlie

1978

1 episode

 

John Carlisle and John Woodvine in New Scotland Yard (1972)

New Scotland Yard

7.3

TV Series

Pathologist

1974

1 episode

 

Anthony Valentine, Margaret Lockwood, and John Stone in Justice (1971)

Justice

7.9

TV Series

Dr. Green

1974

1 episode

 

Paul McGann, Colin Baker, Tom Baker, Peter Davison, William Hartnell, Sylvester McCoy, Jon Pertwee, and Patrick Troughton in Doctor Who (1963)

Doctor Who

8.4

TV Series

Slaar

Izlyr

Azaxyr

1969–1974

13 episodes

 

Brian Blessed, Diana Dors, Sinéad Cusack, Don Henderson, Freddie Jones, Nyree Dawn Porter, Robert Powell, and Dennis Waterman in Thriller (1973)

Thriller

7.8

TV Series

Mr. Carter

1974

1 episode

 

Six Days of Justice (1972)

Six Days of Justice

7.6

TV Series

Mr. Hawkes

1973

1 episode

 

Orson Welles' Great Mysteries (1973)

Orson Welles' Great Mysteries

7.9

TV Series

Parson

1973

1 episode

 

The Death Wheelers (1973)

The Death Wheelers

5.7

Constable

1973

 

Norman Bowler, Stratford Johns, David Lloyd Meredith, and Frank Windsor in Softly Softly: Task Force (1969)

Softly Softly: Task Force

7.6

TV Series

Pearson

1972

1 episode

 

James Ellis and John Slater in Z Cars (1962)

Z Cars

7.0

TV Series

Harcourt

Tom Winchester

Constable ...

1968–1972

6 episodes

 

The Organization (1972)

The Organization

8.5

TV Series

Leslie Harbord

1972

1 episode

 

A Family at War (1970)

A Family at War

7.8

TV Series

Brent

1971

1 episode

 

Ian McKellen, Faith Brook, James Cairncross, Susan Fleetwood, and John Woodvine in Hamlet (1970)

Hamlet

7.5

TV Movie

Voltimand

1970

 

Big Brother

8.4

TV Mini Series

2nd Watcher

1970

1 episode

 

Ray Barrett, Geoffrey Keen, and Philip Latham in Mogul (1965)

Mogul

7.2

TV Series

Willington

1970

1 episode

 

Francis Matthews in Paul Temple (1969)

Paul Temple

7.4

TV Series

Hotel Manager

1970

1 episode

 

Peter Adamson, Jean Alexander, Johnny Briggs, Margot Bryant, and Doris Speed in Coronation Street (1960)

Coronation Street

5.6

TV Series

Bernard Fielding

1969

2 episodes

 

The Expert (1968)

The Expert

8.1

TV Series

Terry Warren

1969

1 episode

 

Carry on Up the Khyber (1968)

Carry on Up the Khyber

6.8

Burpha (uncredited)

1968

 

John Gregson in The Jazz Age (1968)

The Jazz Age

7.0

TV Series

Mr. Wilkinson

1968

1 episode

 

The First Lady

7.7

TV Series

Baker

1968

1 episode

 

Late Night Horror (1968)

Late Night Horror

7.2

TV Series

The Doctor

1968

1 episode

 

Meeting Point

TV Series

Joseph

1967

1 episode

 

Roger Foss and Laurence Payne in Sexton Blake (1967)

Sexton Blake

6.9

TV Series

The Scorpion

1967

3 episodes

 

Send Foster

TV Series

Police Constable

1967

1 episode