Charles Pemberton

Birthday: 1939-09-19
Deathday: 2007-05-13
Birthplace: Leyland, Lancashire, U.K.
Gender: Male
Owned By: Unowned

Character actor Charles Pemberton had a long career in television but found theatrical fame with his one man entertainment, WS Gilbert - A Disagreeable Man? which he toured throughout the UK and Europe.

The two hour show, from a script by Brian Jones, traced the life of the 19th century popular composer and martinet.

Pemberton was born on September 19, 1939 in Leyland, Lancashire. He trained for the stage at the Rose Bruford Drama School and graduated with distinction in 1963. He joined the Bristol Old Vic Theatre Company where he remained for two years before appearing in repertory at the Library Theatre, Manchester, Harrogate and Derby.

He made his television debut in 1964 as a detective sergeant in the soap Crossroads and went on to play a succession of policemen, military types and officials in countless dramas and sitcoms such as Callan, The Professionals, Minder, Juliet Bravo and Dangerous Davies: The Last Detective. He was in two storylines of Doctor Who, The Tomb of the Cybermen and The War Games and he played Johnny Mann in Coronation Street (1973).

He also had cameos in the award-winning drama The Naked Civil Servant (1975), John Le Carre's A Perfect Spy (1987), Great Expectations (1989) (as Mr Philbean 1989), Victoria Wood's Pat & Margaret (1994) and Foyle's War (2004).

On the West End stage he appeared with Ingrid Bergman in Sir John Gielgud's revival of The Constant Wife (Albery Theatre 1973) and he played Ormonroyd in Priestley's When We Are Married (Whitehall Theatre).

He also starred in several commercials including the award-winning series of John Smith's Yorkshire Bitter adverts. He later recorded his one man show on CD.

Pemberton was an accomplished magician and held the Inner Magic Circle Silver Star. He was vice president of the Catholic Stage Guild and a much revered member of the CAA. He had recently been elected to the Savage Club where he had performed his own man show to much acclaim.

A genial and kind man with a self effacing sense of humour he was a familiar figure in London's theatreland with his bewhiskered looks and jaunty smile. He will be much missed by his many colleagues in the profession.

Friend Barbara Angell said, "We were friends through thick and thin - we were sometimes rich together but mostly poor, at least financially. We shared a lot of laughs.

Pemberton had been suffering from cancer and died on May 13, 2007. He was survived by his mother.

Credits

Year Title Character
2004-09-18 King of Fridges 2nd Stereo Customer
2002-09-08 The Four Feathers Impressario
1994-09-11 Pat and Margaret Porter
1991-10-04 A Murder of Quality Sgt. Ted Mundy
1989-11-03 Sir Norbert Smith, a Life Policeman
1987-01-02 Playing Away Constable
1986-03-09 The Russian Soldier Plainclothes Policeman
1985-01-20 Unfair Exchanges Pub Man
1983-03-15 Wayne and Albert Barman
1981-01-04 Dangerous Davies: The Last Detective Det. Const. Evans
1981-01-01 Stainless Steel and the Star Spies Dad
1979-08-12 Porridge Miller
1979-03-28 On Giant's Shoulders Employment clerk
1977-12-26 The Black Panther
1977-11-06 Black Joy White Official
1976-04-30 Adventures of a Taxi Driver Sergeant Jeeves
1976-04-30 The Chauffeur Chauffeur
1975-12-31 England, Summer, Sunday Sergeant
1975-12-17 The Naked Civil Servant Court PC
1975-03-21 Brannigan Arthur (uncredited)
1969-06-21 Doctor Who: The War Games Alien Technician
1967-09-23 Doctor Who: The Tomb of the Cybermen Cyberman