Geoffrey Dyson Palmer
(4 June 1927 – 5 November 2020) was an English actor. His roles in British television
sitcom
A sitcom (short for situation comedy or situational comedy) is a genre of comedy produced for radio and television, that centers on a recurring cast of character (arts), characters as they navigate humorous situations within a consistent settin ...
s include Jimmy Anderson in ''
The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin
''The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin'' is a British sitcom starring Leonard Rossiter in the title role. Three series were produced from 1976 to 1979, based on a series of novels written by David Nobbs. Nobbs adapted the screenplay for the fi ...
'' (1976–79), Ben Parkinson in ''
Butterflies
Butterflies are winged insects from the lepidopteran superfamily Papilionoidea, characterized by large, often brightly coloured wings that often fold together when at rest, and a conspicuous, fluttering flight. The oldest butterfly fossi ...
'' (1978–1983) and Lionel Hardcastle in ''
As Time Goes By'' (1992–2005).
His film appearances include ''
A Fish Called Wanda
''A Fish Called Wanda'' is a 1988 heist comedy film directed by Charles Crichton and written by Crichton and John Cleese. It stars Cleese, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Kline, and Michael Palin. The film follows a gang of diamond thieves who double- ...
'' (1988), ''
The Madness of King George'' (1994), ''
Mrs Brown'' (1997), ''
Tomorrow Never Dies
''Tomorrow Never Dies'' is a 1997 spy film, the eighteenth in the ''James Bond'' series produced by Eon Productions and the second to star Pierce Brosnan as fictional MI6 agent James Bond. Directed by Roger Spottiswoode from a screenplay ...
'' (1997) and ''
Paddington
Paddington is an area in the City of Westminster, in central London, England. A medieval parish then a metropolitan borough of the County of London, it was integrated with Westminster and Greater London in 1965. Paddington station, designed b ...
'' (2014). He also made guest appearances in television series such as ''
The Avengers'', ''
Doctor Who
''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series, created by Sydney Newman, C. E. Webber and Donald Wilson (writer and producer), Donald Wilson, depicts the adventures of an extraterre ...
'', ''
Fawlty Towers
''Fawlty Towers'' is a British television sitcom written by John Cleese and Connie Booth, originally broadcast on BBC Two in 1975 and 1979. Two series of six episodes each were made. The series is set in Fawlty Towers, a dysfunctional fictional ...
'' and ''
Bergerac''.
Early life and education
Geoffrey Dyson Palmer was born on 4 June 1927 in
North Finchley,
Middlesex
Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a Historic counties of England, former county in South East England, now mainly within Greater London. Its boundaries largely followed three rivers: the River Thames, Thames in the south, the River Lea, Le ...
.
He was the son of Frederick Charles Palmer, who was a
chartered surveyor
Chartered Surveyor is the description (protected by law in many countries) of Professional ''Members'' and ''Fellows'' of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) entitled to use the designation (and a number of variations such as " Char ...
, and Norah Gwendolen (née Robins). He attended
Highgate School
Highgate School, formally Sir Roger Cholmeley's School at Highgate, is a co-educational, fee-charging, private day school, founded in 1565 in Highgate, London, England. It educates over 1,400 pupils in three sections – Highgate Pre-Preparato ...
from September 1939 to December 1945. He served as a corporal instructor in small arms and field training in the
Royal Marines
The Royal Marines provide the United Kingdom's amphibious warfare, amphibious special operations capable commando force, one of the :Fighting Arms of the Royal Navy, five fighting arms of the Royal Navy, a Company (military unit), company str ...
during his
national service
National service is a system of compulsory or voluntary government service, usually military service. Conscription is mandatory national service. The term ''national service'' comes from the United Kingdom's National Service (Armed Forces) Act ...
from 1946 to 1948, following which he briefly worked as an unpaid trainee assistant stage manager.
Career
Palmer's early television appearances included multiple roles in episodes of ''
The Army Game
''The Army Game'' is a British television sitcom that aired on ITV from 19 June 1957 to 20 June 1961. It was the first ITV sitcom and was made by Granada, and created by Sid Colin. It follows the exploits of Hut 29, a dysfunctional group of ...
'' (
Granada Television
ITV Granada, formerly known as Granada Television, is the ITV (TV network), ITV franchisee for the North West of England and Isle of Man. From 1956 to 1968 it broadcast to both the north west and Yorkshire on weekdays only, as ABC Weekend TV, ...
), two episodes of ''
The Baron'' and as a property agent in ''
Cathy Come Home
"Cathy Come Home" is a 1966 BBC television play about homelessness. It was written by Jeremy Sandford, produced by Tony Garnett and directed by Ken Loach. A 1998 ''Radio Times'' readers' poll voted it the "best single television drama" and a 200 ...
'' (1966). After a major break in
John Osborne
John James Osborne (12 December 1929 – 24 December 1994) was an English playwright, screenwriter, actor, and entrepreneur, who is regarded as one of the most influential figures in post-war theatre. Born in London, he briefly worked as a jo ...
's ''West of Suez'' at the
Royal Court
A royal court, often called simply a court when the royal context is clear, is an extended royal household in a monarchy, including all those who regularly attend on a monarch, or another central figure. Hence, the word ''court'' may also be app ...
with
Ralph Richardson, he acted in major productions at the Royal Court and for the
National Theatre Company and was directed by
Laurence Olivier
Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier ( ; 22 May 1907 – 11 July 1989) was an English actor and director. He and his contemporaries Ralph Richardson and John Gielgud made up a trio of male actors who dominated the British stage of the m ...
in
J. B. Priestley's ''
Eden End''. Palmer found the play so dull, however, that he was deterred from a stage career.
Two BBC sitcom roles brought him attention in the 1970s: the hapless brother-in-law of Reggie Perrin in ''
The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin
''The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin'' is a British sitcom starring Leonard Rossiter in the title role. Three series were produced from 1976 to 1979, based on a series of novels written by David Nobbs. Nobbs adapted the screenplay for the fi ...
'' (1976–79), and the phlegmatic dentist Ben Parkinson in ''
Butterflies
Butterflies are winged insects from the lepidopteran superfamily Papilionoidea, characterized by large, often brightly coloured wings that often fold together when at rest, and a conspicuous, fluttering flight. The oldest butterfly fossi ...
'' (1978–1983).
[
In 1978, Palmer appeared as ]organized crime
Organized crime is a category of transnational organized crime, transnational, national, or local group of centralized enterprises run to engage in illegal activity, most commonly for profit. While organized crime is generally thought of as a f ...
lord Simon Sinclair in London Weekend Television
London Weekend Television (LWT; now part of the non-franchised ITV London region) was the ITV (TV network), ITV network franchise holder for Greater London and the Home Counties at weekends, broadcasting from Fridays at 5.15 pm (7:00&nbs ...
's hard-hitting police drama '' The Professionals'', the episode entitled "Where the Jungle Ends".
Palmer played Doctor Price in the ''Fawlty Towers
''Fawlty Towers'' is a British television sitcom written by John Cleese and Connie Booth, originally broadcast on BBC Two in 1975 and 1979. Two series of six episodes each were made. The series is set in Fawlty Towers, a dysfunctional fictional ...
'' episode " The Kipper and the Corpse" (1979), determined to have breakfast amidst the confusion caused by the death of a guest and Fawlty's inept way of handling the emergency.[ In 1986, Palmer appeared as Donald Fairchild in the first series of an ITV sitcom, '' Executive Stress'', alongside ]Penelope Keith
Dame Penelope Anne Constance Keith (''née'' Hatfield; born 2 April 1940) is an English actress and presenter, active in film, radio, stage and television and primarily known for her roles in the British sitcoms '' The Good Life'' and '' To the ...
. He later left, and was replaced by Peter Bowles
Peter John Bowles (16 October 1936 – 17 March 2022) was an English screen and stage actor. He gained prominence for television dramas such as '' Callan: A Magnum for Schneider'' and '' I, Claudius''. He is best remembered for his roles in sit ...
.[
Palmer later starred opposite ]Judi Dench
Dame Judith Olivia Dench (born 9 December 1934) is an English actress. Widely considered one of Britain's greatest actors, she is noted for her versatility, having appeared in films and television, as well as for her numerous roles on the stage ...
for over a decade in another BBC sitcom, '' As Time Goes By'' (1992–2005). In 1997, he also appeared with Dench in the James Bond
The ''James Bond'' franchise focuses on James Bond (literary character), the titular character, a fictional Secret Intelligence Service, British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels ...
film ''Tomorrow Never Dies
''Tomorrow Never Dies'' is a 1997 spy film, the eighteenth in the ''James Bond'' series produced by Eon Productions and the second to star Pierce Brosnan as fictional MI6 agent James Bond. Directed by Roger Spottiswoode from a screenplay ...
'', in which he portrayed Admiral Roebuck to Dench's M, and '' Mrs Brown'', playing Sir Henry Ponsonby to Dench's Queen Victoria
Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in January 1901. Her reign of 63 year ...
.
Palmer's voice-over skills led to frequent work in commercials. Campaigns he was involved with include the 'Slam in the Lamb' ads for the Meat & Livestock Commission and the Audi
Audi AG () is a German automotive manufacturer of luxury vehicles headquartered in Ingolstadt, Bavaria, Germany. A subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group, Audi produces vehicles in nine production facilities worldwide.
The origins of the compa ...
commercials in which he was heard using the phrase " Vorsprung durch Technik". As a narrator, he worked on the BBC series' '' Grumpy Old Men'' and ''Grumpy Old Holidays'', as well as narrating the audiobook
An audiobook (or a talking book) is a recording of a book or other work being read out loud. A reading of the complete text is described as "unabridged", while readings of shorter versions are abridgements.
Spoken audio has been available in sch ...
version of Dickens' ''A Christmas Carol
''A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas'', commonly known as ''A Christmas Carol'', is a novella by Charles Dickens, first published in London by Chapman & Hall in 1843 and illustrated by John Leech. It recounts the ...
'', released in 2005 as a podcast
A podcast is a Radio program, program made available in digital format for download over the Internet. Typically, a podcast is an Episode, episodic series of digital audio Computer file, files that users can download to a personal device or str ...
by Penguin Books
Penguin Books Limited is a Germany, German-owned English publishing, publishing house. It was co-founded in 1935 by Allen Lane with his brothers Richard and John, as a line of the publishers the Bodley Head, only becoming a separate company the ...
. He narrated the documentary series '' Little England'', and he continued to appear in productions written by ''Reggie Perrin'' creator David Nobbs, the last of these being the radio comedy '' The Maltby Collection'' broadcast from 2007.
In the 2006 DVD series ''The Compleat Angler'', Palmer partnered Rae Borras in a series of episodes based on Izaak Walton
Izaak Walton (baptised 21 September 1593 – 15 December 1683) was an English writer. Best known as the author of ''The Compleat Angler'' (1653), he also wrote a number of short biographies including one of his friend John Donne. They have been ...
's 1653 ''The Compleat Angler
''The Compleat Angler'' (the spelling is sometimes modernised to ''The Complete Angler'', though this spelling also occurs in first editions) is a book by Izaak Walton, first published in 1653 by John and Richard Marriot, Richard Marriot in Lon ...
''. In 2007, he recorded ''The Diary of a Nobody
''The Diary of a Nobody'' is an 1892 English comic novel written by the brothers George and Weedon Grossmith, with illustrations by the latter. It originated as an intermittent serial in '' Punch'' magazine in 1888–89 and first appeared in ...
'' by George Grossmith
George Grossmith (9 December 1847 – 1 March 1912) was an English comedian, writer, composer, actor, and singer. His performing career spanned more than four decades. As a writer and composer, he created 18 comic operas, nearly 100 musical ...
and Weedon Grossmith as an online audiobook. In December 2007, Palmer appeared in the role of the Captain in "Voyage of the Damned
''Voyage of the Damned'' is a 1976 drama (film and television), drama film directed by Stuart Rosenberg, with an Ensemble cast, all-star cast featuring Faye Dunaway, Oskar Werner, Lee Grant, Max von Sydow, James Mason, Lynne Frederick and Malco ...
", the Christmas special episode of the BBC science-fiction series ''Doctor Who
''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series, created by Sydney Newman, C. E. Webber and Donald Wilson (writer and producer), Donald Wilson, depicts the adventures of an extraterre ...
''; Palmer previously appeared in the classic era of the show in the Third Doctor
The Third Doctor is an incarnation of The Doctor (Doctor Who), the Doctor, the protagonist of the British Science fiction on television, science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. He was portrayed by actor Jon Pertwee. Within the series' ...
serials '' Doctor Who and the Silurians'' (1970) (as Masters) and '' The Mutants'' (1972) (as the Administrator). In March 2009, he joined in a sketch with the two double acts Armstrong and Miller
Armstrong and Miller are an English comedy double act consisting of the actor-comedians Alexander Armstrong and Ben Miller. They have performed in two eponymous television sketch shows, the satirical ''Timeghost'' podcast, and many individu ...
and Mitchell and Webb
Mitchell and Webb are a British comedy double act composed of David Mitchell and Robert Webb. They are best known for starring in the Channel 4 sitcom '' Peep Show'' and their radio and TV sketch shows '' That Mitchell and Webb Sound'' and '' ...
for Comic Relief
Comic Relief is a British charity, founded in 1986 by the comedy scriptwriter Richard Curtis and comedian Sir Lenny Henry in response to the 1983–1985 famine in Ethiopia. The concept of Comic Relief was to get British comedians to make t ...
. In 2011, he played the reactionary father-in-law of the eponymous clergyman of '' Rev.'' in its Christmas episode.
Personal life and death
Palmer married Sally Green in 1963. They had a daughter, Harriet, and a son, Charles
Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English language, English and French language, French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic, Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''* ...
, a television director. Palmer was a longtime resident of Lee Common in the Chiltern Hills
The Chiltern Hills or the Chilterns are a chalk escarpment in southern England, located to the north-west of London, covering across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire; they stretch from Goring-on-Thames in the south- ...
, Buckinghamshire, and enjoyed fly fishing
Fly fishing is an angling technique that uses an ultra-lightweight lure called an artificial fly, which typically mimics small invertebrates such as flying and aquatic insects to attract and catch fish. Because the mass of the fly lure is in ...
in his spare time.[ At the time of his death, he resided in ]Berkhamsted
Berkhamsted ( ) is a historic market town in Hertfordshire, England, in the River Bulbourne, Bulbourne valley, north-west of London. The town is a Civil parishes in England, civil parish with a town council within the borough of Dacorum which ...
, Hertfordshire.[
Palmer died peacefully at his home on 5 November 2020, aged 93.]
Awards and recognition
In the New Year's Honours List published 31 December 2004 he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...
(OBE) for services to drama. A drawing of Palmer by Stuart Pearson Wright is in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery National Portrait Gallery may refer to:
* National Portrait Gallery (Australia), in Canberra
* National Portrait Gallery (Sweden), in Mariefred
*National Portrait Gallery (United States), in Washington, D.C.
*National Portrait Gallery, London
...
, London.
Appearances
Stage
*'' Sabrina Fair'' by Samuel Taylor at the Theatre Royal, Nottingham
The Theatre Royal in Nottingham, England, is a theatre venue in the heart of Nottingham City Centre and is owned by Nottingham City Council as part of a complex that also includes the city's Royal Concert Hall. The Theatre Royal attracts maj ...
(1955)
*'' Eden End'' by J. B. Priestley at the Royal National Theatre
The National Theatre (NT), officially the Royal National Theatre and sometimes referred to in international contexts as the National Theatre of Great Britain, is a performing arts venue and associated theatre company located in London, England, ...
(1974)
*'' Kafka's Dick'' by Alan Bennett
Alan Bennett (born 9 May 1934) is an English actor, author, playwright and screenwriter. He has received numerous awards and honours including four BAFTA Awards, four Laurence Olivier Awards, and two Tony Awards. In 2005 he received the Socie ...
at the Royal Court Theatre
The Royal Court Theatre, at different times known as the Court Theatre, the New Chelsea Theatre, and the Belgravia Theatre, is a West End theatre#London's non-commercial theatres, non-commercial theatre in Sloane Square, London, England, opene ...
(1986)
*''West of Suez'' by John Osbourne[
]
Radio
* '' At Home with the Snails'' (2001–2002)
* ''Les Misérables
''Les Misérables'' (, ) is a 19th-century French literature, French Epic (genre), epic historical fiction, historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published on 31 March 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. '' ...
'' as Inspector Javert (2002)
* '' The Man Who Was Thursday'' (2005)
* '' High Table, Lower Orders'' (2005–2006)
* '' The Maltby Collection'' (2007–2009)
* '' A Murder of Quality'' (2009)
* '' The Screwtape Letters'' as C. S. Lewis
Clive Staples Lewis (29 November 1898 – 22 November 1963) was a British writer, literary scholar and Anglican lay theologian. He held academic positions in English literature at both Magdalen College, Oxford (1925–1954), and Magdalen ...
(2009)
* '' North by Northamptonshire'' (2011–2012)
* '' Two Pipe Problems: The Case of the Missing Meerschaum'' as Mortimer Tregennis (2011)
Television
*''The Army Game
''The Army Game'' is a British television sitcom that aired on ITV from 19 June 1957 to 20 June 1961. It was the first ITV sitcom and was made by Granada, and created by Sid Colin. It follows the exploits of Hut 29, a dysfunctional group of ...
''[ (1958–1960) as Various Characters
*'' The Strange World of Gurney Slade'' (1960) as Television Studio Floor Manager in Episode 1
*’’ Interpol Calling (1960) in Episode "Desert Hijack"
*'' The Avengers'':
** " Propellant 23"] (1962) as Paul Manning
** " Man with Two Shadows" (1963) as Dr. Terence
** "A Surfeit of H2O" (1965) as Martin Smythe
* '' The Human Jungle''
*'' The Saint'':
**"The Rough Diamonds" (1963) as Pete Ferguson
*''Gideon's Way
''Gideon's Way'' is a British television crime series that was made by ITC Entertainment and broadcast by ITV in 1964–1966, following the 1958 film, '' Gideon's Day''. The film and series are based on novels by John Creasey (writing as 'J. ...
'' (TV Series)
**"The Alibi Man" (1965) as Jeff Grant
*''Out of the Unknown
''Out of the Unknown'' is a British television science fiction and horror anthology drama series, produced by the BBC and broadcast on BBC2 in four series between 1965 and 1971.
Most episodes of the first three series were dramatisations of s ...
''
** "No Place Like Earth" (1965) as Chief Officer
*'' The Baron'':[
**"Masquerade" (1966) as Anstruther
**"The Killing" (1966) as Anstruther
*'']The Wednesday Play
''The Wednesday Play'' is an anthology series of United Kingdom, British television plays which ran on BBC One, BBC1 for six seasons from October 1964 to May 1970. The plays were usually original works written for television, although dramatic ...
'':
**''Cathy Come Home
"Cathy Come Home" is a 1966 BBC television play about homelessness. It was written by Jeremy Sandford, produced by Tony Garnett and directed by Ken Loach. A 1998 ''Radio Times'' readers' poll voted it the "best single television drama" and a 200 ...
''[ (1966) as Property Agent
*'' Mrs Thursday'' (1966) as Henry Baxter
* '' Best of Enemies'' (1968) as Johnson
*'']Doctor Who
''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series, created by Sydney Newman, C. E. Webber and Donald Wilson (writer and producer), Donald Wilson, depicts the adventures of an extraterre ...
''
**" Doctor Who and the Silurians" (1970) as Masters
**" The Mutants" (1972) as Administrator
**"Voyage of the Damned
''Voyage of the Damned'' is a 1976 drama (film and television), drama film directed by Stuart Rosenberg, with an Ensemble cast, all-star cast featuring Faye Dunaway, Oskar Werner, Lee Grant, Max von Sydow, James Mason, Lynne Frederick and Malco ...
" (2007)[ as Captain Hardaker
*'' Colditz – Gone Away Part 1''] (1972) as Doc
*'' Whodunnit?'' (1975) as Suspect
*''The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin
''The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin'' is a British sitcom starring Leonard Rossiter in the title role. Three series were produced from 1976 to 1979, based on a series of novels written by David Nobbs. Nobbs adapted the screenplay for the fi ...
'' (1976–1979) as Jimmy Anderson
*''Butterflies
Butterflies are winged insects from the lepidopteran superfamily Papilionoidea, characterized by large, often brightly coloured wings that often fold together when at rest, and a conspicuous, fluttering flight. The oldest butterfly fossi ...
'' (1978–1983) as Ben Parkinson
*'' The Sweeney'' (1978) as Commander Watson in "Feet of Clay"
*'' The Professionals'' (1978) as Sinclair in "Where the Jungle Ends"
*''Fawlty Towers
''Fawlty Towers'' is a British television sitcom written by John Cleese and Connie Booth, originally broadcast on BBC Two in 1975 and 1979. Two series of six episodes each were made. The series is set in Fawlty Towers, a dysfunctional fictional ...
'' - " The Kipper and the Corpse"[ (1979) as Dr. Price
*'']The Goodies
The Goodies were a trio of British comedians: Tim Brooke-Taylor (17 July 1940 – 12 April 2020), Graeme Garden (b. 18 February 1943) and Bill Oddie (b. 7 July 1941). The trio created, wrote for and performed in their The Goodies (TV series), ...
'' (1980) as School Headmaster
*'' The Last Song'' (1981) as Leo Bannister
*'' Whoops Apocalypse'' (1982) as Foreign Secretary
*''Death of an Expert Witness'' (1983) as Dr. Edwin Lorrimer
*'' The Professionals'' (1983) as Avery in "The Ojuka Situation"
*'' Fairly Secret Army'' (1984–1986) as Major Harry Kitchener Wellington Truscott
*'' Executive Stress'' (1986 first series only) as Donald Fairchild No. 1
*''Season's Greetings
The Christmas season or the festive season, also known as the holiday season or the holidays, is an annual period generally spanning from November or December to early January. Incorporating Christmas Day and New Year's Day, the various celebrat ...
'' (1986) as Bernard
*'' Hot Metal'' (1986) as Harold Stringer
*'' Christabel'' (1988) as Mr. Burton
*''Blackadder Goes Forth
''Blackadder Goes Forth'' is the fourth series of the BBC sitcom ''Blackadder'', written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, which aired from 28 September to 2 November 1989 on BBC One, BBC1. The series placed the recurring characters of Captain B ...
''
**"Goodbyeee
"Goodbyeee", or "Plan F: Goodbyeee", is the sixth and final episode of '' Blackadder Goes Forth'', the fourth and final series of British historical sitcom ''Blackadder
''Blackadder'' is a series of four Period piece, period British sitco ...
" (1989) as Field Marshal Douglas Haig
*''Inspector Morse
Endeavour Morse, GM, is the namesake character of the series of "Morse" detective novels by British author Colin Dexter, a Detective Chief Inspector in the Thames Valley Police in Oxford, England.
On television he was portrayed by John ...
''
** "The Infernal Serpent" (1990) as Matthew Copley-Barnes
*'' Bergerac''
** "Roots of Evil" (1990) as Nigel Carter
*'' As Time Goes By'' (1992–2005) as Lionel Hardcastle
*'' Mr. Men and Little Miss'' as the Narrator and Santa Claus (in "The Christmas Letter")
*''The Legacy of Reginald Perrin
''The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin'' is a British sitcom starring Leonard Rossiter in the title role. Three series were produced from 1976 to 1979, based on a series of novels written by David Nobbs. Nobbs adapted the screenplay for the fi ...
'' (1996) as Jimmy Anderson
*'' Alice through the Looking Glass'' (1998) as White King
*'' The Savages'' (2001) as Donald
*'' The 1940s House'' (2001) as Narrator
*''Stig of the Dump
''Stig of the Dump'' is a children's novel by Clive King which was first published in the United Kingdom in 1963. It is regarded as a modern children's classic and is often read in schools. It was illustrated by Edward Ardizzone and has been ...
'' (2002) as Robert
*'' Absolute Power'' (2003) as Lord Harcourt
*'' Grumpy Old Men''[ (2003–2004, 2006) as Narrator
*'' He Knew He Was Right'' (2004) as Sir Marmaduke Rowley
*''Grumpy Old Holidays'' (2006) as Narrator
*'' Ashes to Ashes'':
** " Episode 8" (2008); as ]Lord Scarman
Leslie George Scarman, Baron Scarman, (29 July 1911 – 8 December 2004) was an English judge and barrister who served as a Law Lord until his retirement in 1986. He was described as an "outstanding judicial figure, entrusted with the most hi ...
*'' The Long Walk to Finchley'' (2008); as John Crowder
Sir John Frederick Ellenborough Crowder (10 November 1891 – 9 July 1961) was a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom. He was the member of parliament (MP) for Finchley from the 1935 general election until the 1959 general elec ...
*''Agatha Christie's Poirot
''Agatha Christie's Poirot'', or simply ''Poirot'' (), is a British mystery drama television programme that aired on ITV from 8 January 1989 to 13 November 2020. The ITV show is based on many of Agatha Christie's famous crime fiction series, wh ...
'':
** "The Clocks
''The Clocks'' is a work of detective fiction by British writer Agatha Christie, first published in the UK by the Collins Crime Club on 7 November 1963 and in the US by Dodd, Mead and Company the following year. It features the Belgian detecti ...
" (2011) as Vice Admiral Hamling
*'' Grandpa in My Pocket''
** "Captain Dumbletwit's Toughest Mission Yet!" (2010) as Grandad Gillbert
*'' Rev''
** "Christmas Special" Series 2, episode 7 (2011) as Martin
*'' Henry IV, Part II'' (2012); as Lord Chief Justice
The Lord or Lady Chief Justice of England and Wales is the head of the judiciary of England and Wales and the president of the courts of England and Wales.
Until 2005 the lord chief justice was the second-most senior judge of the English a ...
*''Royal Variety Performance
The ''Royal Variety Performance'' is a televised variety show held annually in the United Kingdom to raise money for the Royal Variety Charity (of which King Charles III is life-patron). It is attended by senior members of the British royal ...
'' (2014); as the Announcer (voice only)
Film
*'' A Prize of Arms'' (1962) as Cpl. Myers
*'' Incident at Midnight'' (1963) as Dr. Tanfield
*'' Ring of Spies'' (1964) as Police Officer (uncredited)
*'' Cast a Giant Shadow'' (1966) as David (uncredited)
*''O Lucky Man!
''O Lucky Man!'' is a 1973 British comedy-drama fantasy film directed by Lindsay Anderson and starring Malcolm McDowell as Mick Travis, whom McDowell had first played as a disaffected public schoolboy in his first film performance in Anderso ...
'' (1973) as Examinator Doctor / Basil Keyes
*''The Battle of Billy's Pond'' (1976) as First Policeman
*'' The Outsider'' (1979) as Colonel Wyndham
*''Mr. Kershaw's Dream System'' (1982) as Psychiatrist
*'' The Honorary Consul'' (1983) as Belfrage: British Ambassador
*'' A Zed & Two Noughts'' (1985) as Fallast
*''Clockwise
Two-dimensional rotation can occur in two possible directions or senses of rotation. Clockwise motion (abbreviated CW) proceeds in the same direction as a clock's hands relative to the observer: from the top to the right, then down and then to ...
'' (1986) as Headmaster
*''A Fish Called Wanda
''A Fish Called Wanda'' is a 1988 heist comedy film directed by Charles Crichton and written by Crichton and John Cleese. It stars Cleese, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Kline, and Michael Palin. The film follows a gang of diamond thieves who double- ...
'' (1988) as Judge
*''Hawks
Hawks are bird of prey, birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. They are very widely distributed and are found on all continents, except Antarctica.
The subfamily Accipitrinae includes goshawks, sparrowhawks, sharp-shinned hawks, and othe ...
'' (1988) as SAAB Salesman
*'' The Madness of King George''[ (1994) as Warren
*'']Mrs. Brown
''Mrs Brown'' (also released in cinemas as ''Her Majesty, Mrs Brown'') is a 1997 British drama film starring Judi Dench, Billy Connolly, Geoffrey Palmer, Antony Sher, and Gerard Butler in his film debut. It was written by Jeremy Brock and ...
'' (1997) as Henry Ponsonby[
*'']Tomorrow Never Dies
''Tomorrow Never Dies'' is a 1997 spy film, the eighteenth in the ''James Bond'' series produced by Eon Productions and the second to star Pierce Brosnan as fictional MI6 agent James Bond. Directed by Roger Spottiswoode from a screenplay ...
''[ (1997) as Admiral Roebuck
*'' Stiff Upper Lips'' (1998) as His Butler's Voice
*'']Anna and the King
''Anna and the King'' is a 1999 American biographical period drama film directed by Andy Tennant. Steve Meerson and Peter Krikes loosely based their screenplay on the 1944 novel '' Anna and the King of Siam'', which gives a fictionalized a ...
'' (1999) as Lord John Bradley
*''Rat'' (2000) as The Doctor
*''Peter Pan
Peter Pan is a fictional character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie. A free-spirited and mischievous young boy who can fly and never grows up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood having adventures on the mythical ...
'' (2003) as Sir Edward Quiller Couch
*'' Piccadilly Jim'' (2004) as Bayliss
*'' The Pink Panther 2'' (2009) as Joubert
*'' W.E.''[ (2011) as ]Stanley Baldwin
Stanley Baldwin, 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley (3 August 186714 December 1947), was a British statesman and Conservative politician who was prominent in the political leadership of the United Kingdom between the world wars. He was prime ministe ...
*'' Lost Christmas'' (2011) as Dr. Clarence
*'' Run for Your Wife'' (2012) as Man on Bus
*'' Bert and Dickie'' (2012) as Charles Burnell
*''The Last Sparks of Sundown'' (2014) as Sir Buster Sparks (voice)
*''Paddington
Paddington is an area in the City of Westminster, in central London, England. A medieval parish then a metropolitan borough of the County of London, it was integrated with Westminster and Greater London in 1965. Paddington station, designed b ...
'' (2014) as The Boss Geographer
*'' To Olivia'' (2021) as Geoffrey Fisher (final film role)
Recordings (spoken word)
*'' Welcome to the Pleasuredome (Fruitness Mix)'' (1985)
*'' Esio Trot'' (1990)
*'' The BFG'' (1989)
*''A Christmas Carol
''A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas'', commonly known as ''A Christmas Carol'', is a novella by Charles Dickens, first published in London by Chapman & Hall in 1843 and illustrated by John Leech. It recounts the ...
'' (2005)
*''The Diary of a Nobody
''The Diary of a Nobody'' is an 1892 English comic novel written by the brothers George and Weedon Grossmith, with illustrations by the latter. It originated as an intermittent serial in '' Punch'' magazine in 1888–89 and first appeared in ...
'' (2007)
References
External links
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*
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Selected performances in Theatre Archive University of Bristol
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Palmer, Geoffrey
1927 births
2020 deaths
20th-century English male actors
21st-century English male actors
Actors from Berkhamsted
Actors from the London Borough of Barnet
Audiobook narrators
Deaths from blood cancer in England
English male film actors
English male radio actors
English male stage actors
English male television actors
English male voice actors
Male actors from Buckinghamshire
Male actors from Hertfordshire
Male actors from London
Military personnel from the London Borough of Barnet
Officers of the Order of the British Empire
People educated at Highgate School
Royal Marines ranks
20th-century Royal Marines personnel