Ian Gelder obit

Ian Gelder Dies: ‘Game of Thrones’ Actor Was 74

 

He was not on the list.

Game of Thrones actor Ian Gelder has died at the age of 74. His husband, Interview With the Vampire Season 2 star Ben Daniels, revealed his passing in a heartbreaking post on Instagram on Tuesday, May 7. The couple was together for more than 30 years.

Gelder played Kevan Lannister in 12 episodes of Game of Thrones, among many other TV and film roles, many of which were U.K. productions. Daniels had stopped “all work” to be Gelder’s primary caretaker as he underwent treatment for bile duct cancer, with which he was diagnosed in December 2023.

“It is with huge huge sadness and a heavy heart broken into a million pieces that I’m leaving this post to announce the passing of my darling husband and life partner Ian Gelder,” Daniels wrote on Instagram. “Ian was diagnosed with bile duct cancer in December and yesterday he passed at 13.07. I’d stopped all work to be his carer but neither of us had any idea that it would all be so fast.”

“He was my absolute rock and we’d been partners for more than 30 years,” Daniels continued. “If we weren’t together we spoke to each other everyday. He was the kindest, most generous spirited and loving human being. He was a wonderful wonderful actor and everyone who worked with him was touched by his heart and light. I honestly don’t know what I’ll do without him by my side. He coped with his dreadful illness with such bravery, with no self pity. Ever. He was remarkable and will be so missed.”

The photo Daniels shared was a sweet selfie of the husbands smiling in front of a Christmas tree. Daniels finished his tribute by saying, “This pic was taken at Christmas time after I’d got him out of hospital and even though he’d gone through the worst three weeks there you can still see his joy and love shining through. Rest well my sweet Chianni. Xxxx.”

Gelder’s most recent TV appearance aired in 2024 — an episode of BritBox‘s Father Brown in which he played Gabriel Hawksworth. According to IMDb, Gelder was part of a documentary currently in production titled Benoit, described as “a documentary exploring the fall of Maximilian Francis Benoit. From high-profile public figure to disgraced, presumed dead crime lord.” Other recent TV credits include Fifteen-Love, Doctor Who, His Dark Materials, and more.

Daniels will next be seen as the vampire Santiago in Interview With the Vampire Season 2, premiering Sunday, May 12 at 9/8c on AMC. He’ll also be seen in Prime Video‘s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 later this year.

 

Filmography

Films

Year     Title            Role            Notes

1978    The Three Kisses            Lieutenant Arthur Raffleton            TV movie

1987    Little Dorrit            Reverend Samuel Barnacle          

1990    The Fool     Henry Gibbs  

1991    King Ralph   Riding Instructor         

1997    The Emissary: A Biblical Epic            King Agrippa           

The Informant            British C.O.   

1998    Angels at My Bedside            Older Angel   Short film

Jinnah   The English Police Officer 

2001            Hawkins            Tregawn          TV movie

2006    The Commander: Blacklight            John Carr     TV movie

2009    Pope Joan     Aio      

2015            Shakespeare's Globe: Titus Andronicus            Marcus Andronicus            Filmed stage version of Shakespeare's play from 2014

2019    Dark Ditties Presents: The Witching Hour    Selwyn Parsons            TV movie

2020    Surge            Alan    

The Invisible Collection            Berkovic          Short film

2021    Dark Ditties Presents: Dad      Terry Vaughan            TV movie

The Interlopers            Georg  

Television

Year     Title            Role            Notes

1972    ITV Sunday Night Theatre            Unnamed role  1 episode: "Three Months Gone"

New Scotland Yard            Andrew Perks            1 episode: "A Case of Prejudice"

1973    Murder Must Advertise            Hector Puncheon            Mini-series, 1 episode: "Episode #1.3"

The Donati Conspiracy            Dave Dent     3 episodes

1974    The Wide World of Mystery            Unnamed role  1 episode: "The Next Victim"

Edward the King     Affie / Prince Alfred            Mini-series, 5 episodes

1975–1976            Play for Today            Andrew Patterson / Steve Riches            2 episodes

1976    Thriller            Small            1 episode: "The Next Victim"

1978            Spearhead            Lieutenant Preece            1 episode: "Loyalties"

1979    The Professionals            King            1 episode: "The Purging of CI5"

1980            Rumpole of the Bailey            Nick Rumpole            1 episode: "Rumpole's Return"

1984    I Thought You'd Gone    Tony            7 episodes

1988            London's Burning            Negotiator        1 episode: "Episode #1.5"

1989            Blackeyes       Rupert            Mini-series, 1 episode: "Episode #1.3"

1991    Van der Valk            Basten            1 episode: "Dangerous Games"

1991–1998            The Bill            Hulse / Maurice Cowans / Mike Naylor / Kenneth Grant            4 episodes

1992    Ruth Rendell Mysteries            Peter Renton 1 episode: "An Unwanted Woman: Part Two"

1993    Poirot            Victor Astwell 1 episode: "The Underdog"

1993–2019            Casualty          Jeremy / Guy Chambers / Arthur Swain / Stan Villiers            4 episodes

1994            Chandler & Co            Rev. Ewan Price            1 episode: "Those Who Trespass Against Us"

Screen Two            Visitor            1 episode: "Skallagrigg"

The Day Today            Chanticlier Guardsley            Mini-series, 1 episode: "Stretchcast"

1995    Bugs            Vermeer           1 episode: "Hot Metal"

Fist of Fun                    4 episodes

Absolutely Fabulous            David            1 episode: "Sex"

1997            Kavanagh QC  Dr. Clarke  1 episode: "Blood Money"

Brass Eye            Dr. Jonathan Kwattes            1 episode: "Animals"

1998            McCallum        David Johnson            1 episode: "Harvest"

2004    My Dad's the Prime Minister            Elf            1 episode: "Powerless"

2006    Holby City      Paul Galvin   1 episode: "It's Been a Long Day"

2007    Fallen Angel   Canon Hinds   Mini-series, 1 episode

2009            Torchwood: Children of Earth            Mr Dekker 5 episodes

Robin Hood            Archbishop Walter            1 episode: "The King Is Dead, Long Live the King"

2010    Silent Witness            Dr Stanley Jacobs            1 episode: "Shadows: Part 1"

2011            Psychoville      Butler            1 episode: "Hancock"

2011–2016            Game of Thrones            Kevan Lannister            12 episodes

2012            Endeavour       Stan Tremlett            1 episode: "Pilot"

2013    Mr Selfridge            Waring            2 episodes

2016            EastEnders      Dr. Adam Gorman            2 episodes

Ripper Street            Joseph Chamberlain            1 episode: "The Strangers' Home"

2017    Queers            Jackie            Mini-series, 1 episode: "I Miss the War"

Riviera  Druot the Solicitor            1 episode: "Faussaires / Counterfeiters"

Snatch            Norman Gordon            9 episodes

2018    Lore            Aleister Crowley            1 episode: "Jack Parsons: The Devil and the Divine"

2018–2020            Doctor Who            Remnants (voice role) / Zellin (2020)            2 episodes

2019    His Dark Materials            Charles            1 episode: "Lyra's Jordan"

2024    Father Brown  Gabriel Hawksworth            1 episode: "The Father The Son"