Desmond McNamara (29 April 1938 – 7 June 2022) was an English actor on the stage, radio, television and film.
Desmond McNamara | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 29, 1938 London, England |
| Died | June 7, 2022 (aged 84) London, England |
| Occupation | Actor |
McNamara was born on 29 April 1938 in Hackney, London, to Arthur and Winifred McNamara. He took on National Service in the RAF before becoming a printer. In 1961, he married Pam Bentley, and they had two sons.[1]
From 1966, he trained at RADA before joining Birmingham Repertory Company, then the Young Vic in 1970, then the Royal National Theatre,[1] followed by an extensive theatre career ranging from the lead in Oliver Goldsmith's The Good Natured Man at the Old Vic in 1971[2] to the part of Merlin in Camelot in 1996.[3]
Films included The Great Paper Chase (1986), Staggered (1994), Shakespeare in Love (1998) and Lucky Break (2001).[1]
Television appearances included Hazell, The Bill, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Fortunes of War, Roll Over Beethoven, and All at No 20.[1]
McNamara died in Homerton University Hospital, Hackney, London on 7 June 2022, aged 84 from pneumonia and influenza.[1] At the time of his death, he was also suffering from dementia.
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Adventures of a Taxi Driver | First Robber | |
| 1994 | Staggered | Traffic Policeman | |
| 1994 | A Pin for the Butterfly | Crazy Old Man | Credited as Des McNamara |
| 1998 | Shakespeare in Love | Crier | |
| 2001 | Lucky Break | Arthur | |
| 2006 | The Spotter | Mr. Jackson | Short film |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Nearest and Dearest | Waiter | Episode: "When Love Walks In" |
| 1970 | ITV Sunday Night Theatre | Guildenstern | Episode: "Hamlet" |
| 1975 | Carry on Laughing | Minstrel | 2 episodes |
| 1978 | BBC Play of the Month | Eric Swash | Episode: "Flint" |
| 1976–1978 | Crown Court | George Mitchell
Sgt. Beale |
4 episodes |
| 1978–1979 | Hazell | Cousin Tel | 15 episodes |
| 1979 | Charles Endell Esquire | Sleeper Attendant | Episode: "Glasgow Belongs to Me" |
| 1979 | Saint Joan | English soldier | Television film |
| 1980 | ITV Playhouse | Frank | Episode: "Visitors for Anderson" |
| 1981 | Play for Today | Donald Morgan | Episode: "The Sin Bin" |
| 1981 | Kinvig | Charley | Episode: "The Big Benders" |
| 1981 | Only Fools and Horses | Earl | Episode: "Christmas Crackers" |
| 1982 | The Gentle Touch | Micky Scott | Episode: "Vigill" |
| 1983 | Jury | John Bannister | 13 episodes |
| 1984 | The Kit Curran Radio Show | Mr. Bickley | Episode: "Election Fever" |
| 1984 | The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes | John Horner | Episode: "The Blue Carbuncle" |
| 1984 | Travelling Man | Jimmy Nolan | Episode: "Grasser" |
| 1985 | Dempsey and Makepeace | Charlie Wilson | Episode: "Blind Eye" |
| 1985 | C.A.T.S. Eyes | Binks | Episode: "Cross My Palm with Silver" |
| 1985 | Roll Over Beethoven | Lem | 13 episodes |
| 1985 | Tucker's Luck | Mr. Wilson | 2 episodes |
| 1986 | Running Scared | Mick Prescott | 6 episodes |
| 1986 | Starting Out | Mr. Barnes | 2 episodes |
| 1986 | Big Deal | Des Parsons | Episode: "Tuppence Coloured" |
| 1986 | The Great Paper Chase | Lovelace | Television film |
| 1987 | Bergerac | Reporter | Episode: "The Deadly Virus" |
| 1987 | A Dorothy L. Sayers Mystery | Padgett | 3 episodes |
| 1987 | Fortunes of War | Galpin | 3 episodes |
| 1987 | All at No 20 | Frankie | 2 episodes |
| 1987 | Vanity Fair | Capt. MacMurdo | Episode: "After the Battle" |
| 1988 | Hard Cases | Fast Eddie Finnegan | 2 episodes |
| 1988 | King and Castle | Tony Bates | Episode: "Dim Sums" |
| 1988 | Les Girls | Jimmy | Episode: "Old Fruit" |
| 1988 | South of the Border | Airport security guard | Episode: #1.2 |
| 1989 | Close to Home | Puppy owner | Episode: "The Contract" |
| 1988–1989 | Streets Apart | Cliff | 12 episodes |
| 1990 | The Chief | Terry Salter | Episode: #1.4 |
| 1990 | This Is David Harper | Colin Foley | Episode: "Partners in Crime?" |
| 1991 | Five Children and It | Mr. Peasmarsh | Episode: "Episode Two" |
| 1991 | Birds of a Feather | Desmond | Episode: "Favour of the Month" |
| 1982–1994 | Minder | Gossip
Les Reggie |
3 episodes |
| 1994 | Pie in the Sky | Mr Lowe | Episode: "Endangered Species" |
| 1995 | The Plant | Paul | Television film |
| 1995 | Wycliffe | Bill Marrack (as Des McNamara) | Episode: "Wild Oats" |
| 1997 | Animal Ark | Ernie Bell | Episode: "Goat in the Garden" |
| 1999 | Miami 7 | Caretaker (as Des McNamara) | Episode: "Take Off" |
| 1999 | Maisie Raine | Tom Baker | Episode: "European Forty Five" |
| 1998–2000 | Casualty | Bert
Tom Logan |
2 episodes |
| 2003 | The Last Detective | Block | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 2004 | Doctors and Nurses | Harry | Episode: "Seeing Stars" |
| 2004 | EastEnders | Bob | 3 episodes |
| 1988–2005 | The Bill | Various | 9 episodes |
| 2005 | Doctors | Reg Johnson | Episode: "The Hand That Feeds You" |