Timothy Bateson
Timothy Dingwall Bateson was an English actor.
Life and career
Born in London, the son of solicitor Dingwall Latham Bateson and the great-nephew of rugby player Harold Dingwall Bateson, he was educated at Lockers Park School in Hertfordshire, Uppingham School in Rutland and Wadham College, Oxford. At Oxford, he read history, rowed cox for the Wadham College Boat Club during Eights Week and performed in the Oxford University Dramatic Society.
Bateson's stage credits included the first British production of Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot in 1955 at the Arts Theatre in London in a production directed by Peter Hall. In 1957 he starred in the BBC adventure serial The Adventures of Peter Simple.
He appeared in many film, television and radio productions including The Avengers, The Cadfael Chronicles, Doctor Who and Labyrinth.
He also provided the voices for several characters in the children's TV series TUGS. Most notably, he provided the voice of O.J., the oldest member of the Star Fleet.
Since 1994, he did the voice of Measley from the audiotape version of The Animals of Farthing Wood.
Bateson was featured in many productions of Focus on the Family Radio Theater. Among his appearances on the program were in A Christmas Carol, where he doubled as narrator and as the Ghost of Christmas Present; Dietrich Bonhoeffer: The Cost Of Freedom, portraying Dr. Karl Bonhoeffer; Ben-Hur, portraying Balthasar; Father Gilbert Mysteries: The Silver Cord, portraying Mr. Lehman; and Silas Marner, portraying Mr. Macey.
He voiced the house-elf Kreacher in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, his last work.
Family and death
In 1953, Bateson married actress Sheila Shand Gibbs, with whom he had three children, Elizabeth, Andrew and Caroline. He and his wife were committed Christians. He died in London aged 83, on 15 September 2009.
Selected filmography
Nicholas Nickleby – Lord VerisophtVice Versa – CokerThe Guinea Pig – TraceyThe History of Mr. Polly – Apprentice White Corridors – Dr. CookNever Look Back as Court Official Sunday Night Theatre – ValCarrington V.C. – 1st Soldier in NAAFI Richard III – OstlerThe Black Arrow – Lord ShorebyTread Softly Stranger – FletcherMother Courage and Her Children – 'Swiss Cheese'Yesterday's Enemy – Simpson The Mouse That Roared – RogerDevil's Bait – Dentist Bleak House – William GuppyOur Man in Havana – Rudy The Shakedown – Estate AgentThe Big Day – ClerkThere Was a Crooked Man – Flash DanBarnaby Rudge – Simon TappertitSeven Keys – Bank Teller The Unstoppable Man – RockyWhat a Carve Up! – Porter – On the Fiddle – Stretcher Bearer The Day the Earth Caught Fire – Printer in Printroom The Golden Rabbit – Henry TuckerRing-a-Ding Rhythm – Coffee shop ownerCrooks Anonymous – PartrigeThe Girl on the Boat – PurserJigsaw – Porter Doctor in Distress – Mr. HollySeventy Deadly Pills – GoldstoneFather Came Too! – WallyNightmare – BarmanThe Evil of Frankenstein – Hypnotized Man The Knack...and How to Get It – Junkyard OwnerThe Wrong Box – ClerkThirty-Minute Theatre – Big TedAfter the Fox – Michael O'Reilly Danger Route – HalliwellTorture Garden – Fairground BarkerThe Anniversary – Mr. BirdZ-Cars – Andrew RogersTwisted Nerve – Mr. GroomThe Italian Job – Dentist1917 – Corporal FalkDoctor at Large – Mr. CliffordKindly Leave the Kerb Please Sir! – DuttonThe Rivals of Sherlock Holmes – GoujonBarlow at Large – SmeedDavid Copperfield – Mr. DickAutobiography of a Princess – BlackmailerThe Good Life – Arthur BaileyJoseph Andrews – Master of HoundsThe Duchess of Duke Street – Mr. BreamDoctor Who: The Ribos Operation – BinroLast of the Summer Wine – Amos HamesGoing Straight – OakseyAll Creatures Great and Small – Mr. BeckwithAs You Like It – Sir Oliver MartextPinocchio – SchoolmasterA Hitch in Time – Headmaster The Famous Five – Professor HaylingDiary of a Nobody – CummingsRings on Their Fingers – Meter ReaderTanglewoods' Secret – Mr. TandyTreasures of the Snow – PortierGrange Hill – Mr. ThomsonLoophole – 3rd InterviewerChintz – Shop AssistantTerry and June – MervynQ.E.D. – AlfieThe Hunchback of Notre Dame – CommerceHigh Road to China – Alec WedgeworthDon't Wait Up – Mr. BurtonA Christmas Carol – Mr. FezziwigMinder – RailwaymanEver Decreasing Circles – LaurenceDramarama – KeeperLabyrinth – The Worm / The Four Guards / Goblin Foreign Body – Agent at Harley StreetEast of Ipswich – Mr. MacklinHi-de-Hi! – CharlieChelmsford 123 – Latin TutorA Handful of Dust – MacDougalTUGS – O.J. / Eddie / Little Ditcher / Lord Stinker / Garbage Corporation Master / Big Mickey Never Come Back – PooleZorro – Padre BenitesShakespeare: The Animated Tales – Antigonus 2point4 Children – Mr PoddThe Animals of Farthing Wood – Measley True Blue – PorterFor My Baby – Max LiebmanMerlin – Father AbbotLes Misérables – BankerMidsomer Murders – Mr. JocelyneThe Criminal – ThomasThe Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc – English JudgeThe Clandestine Marriage – GaolerBarbara – Mr. DugdaleThe 10th Kingdom – Tooth FairyThe Discovery of Heaven – Mr. KellerAll or Nothing – HaroldFakers – Old GezzerLadies in Lavender – Mr. HallettOliver Twist – ParsonMrs. Palfrey at the Claremont – SummersMy Hero – LeoTerry Pratchett's Hogfather – The LecturerHarry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix – Kreacher