Don Henderson
Biography
Born Donald Francis Henderson in Leystonstone, 1931, Don Henderson was an English actor of stage, television and screen. He was best known for playing both "tough guy" roles and authority figures, and is remembered for his portrayal of detective George Bulman between 1976 and 1987 in a trilogy of popular Granada Television police drama series; The XYY Man, Strangers, and Bulman. Following the end of Bulman, Henderson starred as the priest Frank Kane in the BBC drama series The Paradise Club, penned by Bulman creator Murray Smith. Henderson starred in several cult and sci fi serials and films, most notably in the first Star Wars movie in which he played General Tagge, and Doctor Who and Red Dwarf. Prior to acting, Henderson was a dental technician in the army and a detective sergeant in the Essex constabulary, but he resigned when he found he had sympathy for the criminals he was obliged to arrest. He was married twice, firstly to Hilary who died in 1977, and then to the actress Shirley Stelfox, whom he met filming The XYY Man. The pair set up home in Stratford-Upon-Avon and appeared together professionally many times until his death from throat cancer in 1997.
Known For
Filmography
Doctor Who
as Gavrok · 1963
Casualty
as Jerry Hunter · 1986
Play for Today
· 1970
Minder
as Billy Lynch · 1979
BBC Play of the Month
as Mercier · 1965
Screen Two
as The Flogger · 1985
Star Wars
as General Taggi · 1977
Red Dwarf
as Rogue Simulant · 1988
Theatre 625
· 1964
TFI Friday
· 1996
Van der Valk
as Ullman · 1972
Angels
· 1975
Cracker
as Hennessy Senior · 1993
Dempsey and Makepeace
as Don · 1985
The Protectors
as Walters · 1972
Thriller
as Boz Bostyne · 1973
New Scotland Yard
as Harry Watson · 1972
New Scotland Yard
as Joe Warner · 1972
Strangers
as DS George Bulman · 1978
Strangers
as DCI George Bulman · 1978
The Detectives
as Brother Ryan · 1993
Dick Turpin
as Bracewell · 1979
Poldark
as Tom Carne · 1975
Dramarama
as The Great Callisto · 1983
2Point4 Children
as Frank · 1991
The New Statesman
as Brigadier Miljanic · 1987
The Paradise Club
as Frank Kane · 1989
Brazil
as First 'Black Maria' Guard · 1985
Making Out
· 1989
Warship
as Master-at-Arms Frank Heron · 1973
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
as Commander · 1988
Ripping Yarns
as Sgt. Major · 1976
No Escape
as Killian · 1994
The XYY Man
as DS George Bulman · 1976
Bulman
as George Bulman · 1985
Liberation
as Lord Curzon · 1994
The Enigma Files
as Prince · 1980
Bottle Boys
as Les Burton · 1984
The Prince and the Pauper
as Burly Ruffian · 1977
Scorpion Tales
as Easterman · 1978
The Island
as Rollo · 1980
Voyage of the Damned
as Engineering Officer · 1976
Dandelion Dead
· 1994
Jo Brand Through the Cakehole
· 1994
Annika
as Mr Daniels · 1984
Merlin of the Crystal Cave
as Galapas · 1991
Against the Crowd
as Parnell · 1975
The Baby of Mâcon
as The Father Confessor · 1993
The Wind in the Willows
as The Sentry · 1996
Dead Head
as DI Malcolm · 1986
Brannigan
as Geef · 1975
The Secret World of Polly Flint
as Old Mazy · 1987
The BFG
as Bloodbottler / Fleshlumpeater / Sergeant (voice) · 1990
The Big Sleep
as Lou · 1978
The Trial
as The Flogger · 1993
Carry On Columbus
as The Bosun · 1992
The Boy Who Won the Pools
as Mr. Baverstock · 1983
The Finishing Line
· 1977
Preaching to the Perverted
as Commander Cope · 1997
Danielle Steel's Zoya
as Feodor · 1997
Murder Elite
as Sgt Jessop · 1985
As You Like It
as The Dukes · 1992
The War That Never Ends
as Socrates · 1991
Maigret
as Barge Captain · 1988
White Angel
as Inspector Taylor · 1994
The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends: The Tale of Mr. Tod
as Tommy Brock (voice) · 1998
Pat and Margaret
as Billy · 1994
The Littlest Horse Thieves
· 1976
Doctor Who: Delta and the Bannermen
as Gavrok · 1987
The Master of Ballantrae
as Hicks (uncredited) · 1984
Billy the Kid and the Green Baize Vampire
as The Wednesday Man · 1985
The Doctors: 30 Years of Time Travel and Beyond
· 1995
The Ghoul
as The Ghoul · 1975
Footsteps
as Policeman · 1974
Jumping The Queue
as Huw Jones · 1989
A Killer in Every Corner
as Boz Bostyne · 1974
Across the Andes by Frog
as Sgt. Major · 1977
Atlantis
as Eddie · 1983
A Crack in the Ice
as The Peasant · 1985
My Friend Walter
as Bertie Borrowbill · 1992
Gotcha / Campion's Interview
as Sellors · 1977
Squaring the Circle
as Kuron · 1984
The Secret World of Polly Flint
as Old Mazy · 1987
Danton's Death
as Mercier · 1978
Callan
as George · 1974
The Fool
as Bob · 1990
One Day at a Time
as Jack · 1977
Black and Blue
as Daddy Brett-Smith · 1992
The Kamikaze Ground Staff Reunion Dinner
as Tokkotai · 1981
Blanc de Chine
as Malcolm · 1988
Take the Stage
as Self · 1981
Tomorrow Calling
as Mervyn Kihn · 1993
How's Business
as Mr. Bailey · 1991
Tank Malling
as Percy · 1989
Regan
as Strip Club Heavy · 1974
Miss Queencake
· 1991