RIP Bernard Archard (1916-2008)

[Pip Madeley]

According to a post on the RT Forum, Bernard Archard, well known to Doctor Who fans as Bragen in "The Power of the Daleks" and the possessed Professor Scarman in "Pyramids Of Mars", has passed away. Sad news, I'm currently halfway through the Dalek story at the moment and was admiring his performance. A great actor.

[Larry]

another of those actors who you';d of thought had died years ago - his performance in Pyramids is for me when of the very best seen in the old and new series.

R I P

[SiHart]

Well he did well didn't he? He looked really old in Pyramids!

Si xx

[Paul Clement]

Like Larry, I'd assumed that he'd died years ago. He gave an excellent performance in Pyramids of Mars, one of my favourite stories of all time.

[Andrew Curnow]

I was sure he was already long-since dead. Good grief! 92, what an age!

He seemed to be, as well as in Who, one of those faces that would pop up in lots of different shows - never the lead as such, just always working I suppose. He was in the Dad's Army film I believe as Mainwaring's superior officer.

[Si Hunt]

He lived a full life, and seemed very gracious and honourable on the "Pyramids" DVD. At least he lived to learn that we all appreciated his efforts!

RIP Professor Scarman!

Si.

[Antony Cox]

Aww - what sad news!

But he had a long life and was a great actor. He looked so cosy on the Pyramids DVD with his wooly jumper on!

RIP Bernard.

[Stephen Morgan]

He gave us a never to be forgotten performance in Pyramids, but he gave his all in whatever he did.

RIP Bernard Archard.

[Dirk Gently]

Pyramids is in my all time top 10 not least for his performance.

R.I.P Bernard.

[Stuart Wallis]

I can't think of anything that I've seen him in in which he didn't give a sterling performance. Commenting on what Mr. Hart said, he was about sixty when he made Pyramids and the Dad's Army film, his experience as an actor definately showed.

[Dave Tudor]

How sad - his distinctive features always stood out in whatever he appeared in, and he was excellent in both 'Power Of The Daleks' and, especially, 'Pyramids Of Mars'. What with having his eyes glued open and explosives detonated on his back (very brave for a sixty-year-old!), he truly suffered for his art in that one - what a professional!

Rest in peace, Bernard.

[Captain Tancredi]

Oddly enough, I've just been watching 'Horror of Frankenstein', without ever really knowing that he was in it, as a gouty tortoise-loving professor. One of the great British tradition of jobbing actors who took the work that was offered but nevertheless brought a certain style and polish to whatever they did- and 92 is a phenomenal age, particularly (as on the Pyramids DVD) he seems to have been in a fairly good state of health into his last years.

[Simon R]

O.G has linked to the Independent's obituary...

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/ob...er-821630.html

He had a civil parnership just two years ago.

[Si Hunt]

How sad. Who knew he was Annie Sugden's husband in Emmerdale?

Si.

[Simon R]

He's in the Plane Crash episode isn't he? In the car when the plane comes down...we have it on tape somewhere!

[Si Hunt]

We have that whole weeks episodes. We should dig it out and have a week mourning him. Black Archard Week.

Si.

[Pip Madeley]

I never knew he was gay. Not that it matters of course.

[Captain Tancredi]

The sexuality of 92-year-olds isn't really something I like to dwell on...if nothing else, though, it's good that he did the civil partnership thing aged 90 when a lot of people might well have thought "what's the point- I'm going to die soon and it won't make any difference". Although I suppose it would have smoothed over transferring his estate to his significant other.

[Antony Cox]

From now on, every time I watch Pyramids and hear him say the immortal line: "I'm free, free at last!" I'm going to think of him as John Inman...