Derek Francis


Derek Francis was an English comedy and character actor.

Biography

Francis was a regular in the Carry On film players, appearing in six of the films in the 1960s and 1970s. He appeared in The Tomb of Ligeia, the last film in Roger Corman's Edgar Allan Poe series. He also took roles in several BBC adaptations of Charles Dickens novels. His last role was in the 1984 version of A Christmas Carol.
Other roles included parts in television series of the period such as Rising Damp, Bless Me, Father, Thriller, The Professionals, The Sweeney, Sherlock Holmes, The New Avengers, Danger Man, Jason King, Up Pompeii!, Wild, Wild Women, Coronation Street, and Z-Cars. He also appeared as the Emperor Nero, a comic turn in the early Doctor Who story entitled The Romans opposite William Hartnell. Possibly his most prominent role was as Father Bernard, the Master of Novices in Oh Brother!.
Among his stage roles was the title character in Cymbeline for the Old Vic in 1957.
Francis died of a heart attack in Wimbledon, London, at the age of 60.

Selected filmography

  • The Criminal as The Priest
  • No Love for Johnnie as Frank
  • Two Living, One Dead as Broms
  • Never Back Losers '''' as R.R. Harris
  • The Inspector – Detective Inspector
  • Captain Clegg as Squire Anthony Cobtree
  • Backfire! as Arthur Tilsley
  • Master Spy as Police Inspector
  • Bitter Harvest as Mr. Jones
  • The Hi-Jackers as Jack Carter
  • Farewell Performance as Superintendent Raven
  • Smokescreen as Dexter's Doctor
  • This Is My Street as Fingus
  • The Verdict as Superintendent Brett
  • Ring of Spies as Chief Supt. Croft
  • Master Spy as Police Inspector
  • The Comedy Man as Merryweather
  • The Tomb of Ligeia as Lord Trevanion
  • Doctor Who as Emperor Nero
  • The Little Ones as Paddy
  • Rasputin, the Mad Monk as Innkeeper
  • Press for Time as Ernest Corcoran
  • The Forsyte Saga as Elderson
  • Jules Verne's Rocket to the Moon as Puddleby
  • Carry On Doctor as Sir Edmund Burke
  • What's Good for the Goose as Harrington
  • Carry On Camping as a Farmer
  • Crossplot as Sir Charles Moberley
  • Carry On Loving as The Bishop
  • Scrooge as Charity Gentleman
  • Man of Violence as Sam Bryant
  • Say Hello to Yesterday as Park Keeper
  • The Statue as Sanders
  • Carry On Henry as The Farmer
  • Carry On Matron as Arthur
  • Carry On Abroad as Brother Martin
  • To the Devil a Daughter as Bishop
  • Dickens of London as Stage Manager
  • Jabberwocky as Bishop
  • The Wicked Lady as Lord Kingsclere
  • Pope John Paul II as Bishop Lec
  • A Christmas Carol as Pemberton