Stuart Adrian Organ (8 November 1951 – 15 February 2024) was a British actor, best known for his role as teacher Peter Robson on the television series Grange Hill.[1] He appeared as the character for 15 years, from 1988 to 2003, across 260 episodes.[2]

Stuart Organ
Born
Stuart Adrian Organ

(1951-11-08)8 November 1951
Bromley, Kent, England
Died15 February 2024(2024-02-15) (aged 72)
EducationCranbrook School, Kent
OccupationActor
Years active1976–2023
Spouse
Julia Kehore
(m. 2002)

Career

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Television and film

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Organ was best known for his portrayal of the character Mr. Robson in the children's television drama Grange Hill.[3] Organ portrayed the series' longest-serving teacher, arriving in 1988 as the new head of PE. In 1998 he finally landed the headmaster's job, but left the series in 2003 soon after production of Grange Hill transferred to Liverpool.[2]

Prior to Grange Hill, Organ appeared as Kevin Cross in the Mersey TV soap opera Brookside, and played Bazin in the Doctor Who story Dragonfire in 1987.[2] Thereafter, he appeared in a variety of roles on T.V., including Monk, a flasher who exposed himself to Anna and yet was defended by Miles in This Life; Richard Thornton, who stalked Acting D.I. Sam Nixon across a double episode special in The Bill;[2] and later as D.I. Dixon in 2000, Leighton Peters, a top civil servant who was responsible for the downfall of Anthony Calf's regular in a double episode of Holby City and as solicitor Steve Morris in series 13, episode 14 of London's Burning.

Theatre

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Latterly, he concentrated on work in the theatre, where his professional acting career had first started in 1976.[2] His roles included Guy Burgess in An Englishman Abroad (York Theatre Royal, 2003); Egeus in The Comedy of Errors (Sheffield Crucible, 2004); George in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Queens Theatre, Hornchurch, 2005);[4] Robert in Blue/Orange (Ipswich, 2006); and Serge in 'Art' (York Theatre Royal, 2006). He then returned to the Queens Theatre, to play Major Powell in their 2007 play "Corpse".[2]

Voicework

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His regular voice work included lip-synching and dubbing cartoons and video games, including Star Wars: The Old Republic. Organ was also a familiar voice to London Underground tube passengers, announcing stations, lines, late arrivals and telling users to "mind the gap".[5]

Personal life and death

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Stuart Adrian Organ was born in Bromley on 8 November 1951.[2] He was educated at Cranbrook School.[2] He married Julia Kehore in 2002.[2]

Organ died on 15 February 2024, at the age of 72.[2]

Selected filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
1983 Those Glory Glory Days 1961 Spurs team member Television film
By The World Divided Corp. Turner/Sgt. Turner 4 episodes
1984 All The World's A Stage
1984–1989 Brookside Kevin Cross
1985 Bulman Police sergeant Series 1 episode 13
1987 Doctor Who Bazin Dragonfire episodes 1&3
1988–2003 Grange Hill Mr Robson 265 episodes
1991 Robin Hood Friar Tuck Animated film; voice only
1994–1995 Shirayuki-hime no densetsu English version; voice only; 52 episodes
1995 The Princess and the Pirate: Sandokan the TV Movie Sandokan Voice only
1996 Casualty Ken Series 10 episode 18
This Life Monk Series 1 episode 10
Wycliffe Eddie Sowden Series 3 episode 1
Fork In The Road Short film
1999 The Waiting Time Major Perry Johnson Television film
Holby City Tom Prewitt Series 1 episode 3
2000 Alex and Alexis Voice only
2003 40 Registrar
2004 Bad Girls Duty Officer Smithson Series 6 episode 6
Mile High Major Crockland Series 2 episode 17
2004–2005 Down to Earth Len Parker 6 episodes
2005 Judge John Deed Jonathan Powell Series 4 and episode 4
Holby City Leighton Peters Series 7 episode 52
2006 Random Quest Bates Television series
Rat-Man Capt. Kirk 1 episode; voice only
2007 Maxwell Peter Laister Television film
2007–2008 Secret Diary of a Call Girl Hannah's Dad / Niall 3 episodes
2008 Hairy Scary Voice only
2010 Above Suspicion DCI Morgan Series 2 episode 1
2012 Crime Stories Doug Harper Series 1 episode 8
2013 Law & Order: UK Aaron Walker Series 7 episode 6
Lucan Judge
2016 Marina and Adrienne Skipper Short film
2020 Bridgerton Doctor Series 1 episode 4
2023 The Gnomes Great Adventure David Voice only

References

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  1. ^ "Grange Hill actor Stuart Organ, who played Peter Robson, dies at 72". The Guardian. 23 February 2024. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Stuart Organ, actor best known as Mr Robson, headmaster of Grange Hill – obituary". The Daily Telegraph. 26 February 2024. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  3. ^ McGown, Alistair D.; Docherty, Mark J.; Institute, British Film (30 April 2003). The hill and beyond: children's television drama : an encyclopedia. British Film Institute. pp. 18–. ISBN 9780851708799. Retrieved 30 May 2012.
  4. ^ Redman, Mary. "Reviews/Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?". The Stage. 6 October 2005. Retrieved 30 May 2012.
  5. ^ Goldbart, Max (23 February 2024). "Stuart Organ Dies: Longest-Serving Cast Member In Iconic BBC Kids Show 'Grange Hill' Was 72". Deadline. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
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