Don Henderson
Known For
Acting
Born
1932-11-10 in Leytonstone, London, England, UK
Died
1997-06-22
Biography
Born Donald Francis Henderson in Leystonstone, 1931, Don Henderson was an English actor of stage, television and screen. He was best known for playing both "tough guy" roles and authority figures, and is remembered for his portrayal of detective George Bulman between 1976 and 1987 in a trilogy of popular Granada Television police drama series; The XYY Man, Strangers, and Bulman. Following the end of Bulman, Henderson starred as the priest Frank Kane in the BBC drama series The Paradise Club, penned by Bulman creator Murray Smith. Henderson starred in several cult and sci fi serials and films, most notably in the first Star Wars movie in which he played General Tagge, and Doctor Who and Red Dwarf. Prior to acting, Henderson was a dental technician in the army and a detective sergeant in the Essex constabulary, but he resigned when he found he had sympathy for the criminals he was obliged to arrest. He was married twice, firstly to Hilary who died in 1977, and then to the actress Shirley Stelfox, whom he met filming The XYY Man. The pair set up home in Stratford-Upon-Avon and appeared together professionally many times until his death from throat cancer in 1997.
Most Known For
Doctor Who
as Gavrok
Casualty
as Jerry Hunter
Minder
as Billy Lynch
Star Wars
as General Taggi
Play for Today
Theatre 625
Red Dwarf
as Rogue Simulant
BBC Play of the Month
as Mercier
Screen Two
as The Flogger
Dempsey and Makepeace
as Don
Van der Valk
as Ullman
Thriller
as Boz Bostyne
Cracker
as Hennessy Senior
The New Statesman
as Brigadier Miljanic
The Protectors
as Walters
Angels
Poldark
as Tom Carne
2Point4 Children
as Frank
Brazil
as First 'Black Maria' Guard
Dick Turpin
as Bracewell