Trevor Baxter

Trevor Baxter
Born(1932-11-18)18 November 1932
Lewisham, London, England
Died16 July 2017(2017-07-16) (aged 84)
Occupation(s)Actor, playwright

Trevor Baxter (18 November 1932 – 16 July 2017) was a British actor and playwright. He was educated at Dulwich College and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.

Early years

A postal worker's son,[1] Baxter was born in Lewisham, London, England, and was educated at Dulwich College and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.[2]

Career

His credits include: Adam Adamant Lives!, Z-Cars, Maelstrom, Thriller, The New Avengers, Jack the Ripper, (1988) The Barchester Chronicles (1982) An Englishman Abroad (1983) and Doctors.[3] He is known for his appearance in the Doctor Who serial The Talons of Weng-Chiang (1977) as Professor George Litefoot and in 1978 in Rumpole of the Bailey.[4] He reprised his role of Professor Litefoot in an episode of the audio series, Doctor Who: The Companion Chronicles: The Mahogany Murderers. The following year he was Professor Litefoot again for a continuing series of Jago & Litefoot.

Trevor Baxter worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) and in the West End, toured Shakespeare in South America with Sir Ralph Richardson, and also appeared in the US in David Mamet's A Life in the Theatre at Shakespeare Santa Cruz in 1986. He appeared in many films including Nutcracker (1983), Parting Shots (1999), Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004) and Van Wilder: The Rise of Taj (2006).[5]

He also wrote a number of plays [6] including Lies, The Undertaking, and Office Games. His play Ripping Them Off was given its first performance at the Warehouse Theatre Croydon on 5 October 1990, directed by Ted Craig and designed by Michael Pavelka. The cast consisted of: Ian Target (Graham), Angus Mackay (Revd. Parkinson), Caroline Blakiston (Grace), Annette Badland (Hilda), Frank Ellis (Julian), Ewart James Walters (Max), Anthony Woodruff (Pauken), Ian Burford (Inspector Sands), Richard Clifford (Jeff) and C.P. Grogan (Susanna).

In 2003, he adapted Oscar Wilde's novella The Picture of Dorian Gray for the stage, followed in March 2005 by a touring version of Wilde's short story, Lord Arthur Savile's Crime, revived in January 2010 at the Theatre Royal Windsor, starring Lee Mead in the title role.

Baxter continued to record Doctor Who audio dramas for Big Finish Productions as Professor Litefoot, having completed thirteen series.

On 17 July 2017, it was announced that Trevor Baxter had died the previous day. The cause of death was not made public.[7]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1950 The Cruise of the Toytown Belle TV film
1961 Seven Keys Police Constable Uncredited
1962 Struck Off First Doctor TV film
1966 A Man for All Seasons First Man Uncredited
1978 A Most Public Affair Witness TV film
1979 The Life Of Henry The Fifth Archbishop of Canterbury TV film
1982 Nutcracker Charlie Barker
1983 An Englishman Abroad Pyjama Shop Manager TV film[8]
1986 The Great White Mountain Prior TV film
Ping Pong Priest in Church
1995 Cold Comfort Farm Sneller TV film
1997 The Hunchback Chief Lawyer TV film
1998 Parting Shots Maitre d'
2004 Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow Dr. Jennings
2006 Van Wilder: The Rise of Taj Sir Wilfred Own

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1956 Tales from Soho Episode: "The Rajah's Rope"
1961 Harpers West One Compere 1 episode
Boyd Q.C. Mr. Austin QC Episode: "The Headmistress"
Doctor Faustus Scholar 1 episode
Drama 61-67 Second Lieutenant Roberts Episode: "The Face of the Enemy"
1962 BBC Sunday-Night Play Mr. Wakley Episode: "Six Men of Dorset"
Somerset Maugham Hour Verity Episode: "The Back of Beyond"
1963 Drama 61-67 Personnel Officer Episode: "Andersen"
Lorna Doone Visitor from London Episode: "The Secret"
Taxi! Doctor Episode: "The Accident"
1964 Story Parade Leo Marchant Episode: "The Flaw in the Crystal"
1965 The Wednesday Play Dr. Paul Evans Episode: "The Seven O'Clock Crunch"
1966 Thirteen Against Fate Priest Episode: "The Witness"
Mystery and Imagination Undertaker Episode: "The Body Snatcher"
Public Eye Howells Episode: "There Are More Things in Heaven and Earth"
Adam Adamant Lives! Mr. Burke Episode: "The Village of Evil"
1967 Beardsley Episode: "Black Echo"
The Seven Deadly Virtues Reverend Johnson Episode: "The Man with Two Heads"
Boy Meets Girl Vicar Episode: "The Raging Moon"
ITV Play of the Week Mr. Williams Episode: "The Small Rebellion of Jess Calvert"
Vicar Episode: "The Voysey Inheritance"
The White Rabbit M. Lecompte-Boynet Episode: "The Raising Up"
1968 Z-Cars William Orchard Episode: "Inside Information"
Mystery and Imagination Cannon Tabard Episode: "Feet Foremost"
1970 The Roads to Freedom Blythe-Hardwick Episode: "The Reprieve"
1973 The Edwardians Schomberg McDonnell Episode: "Daisy"
So It Goes Mr. Bunce 2 episodes
BBC Play of the Month Roger Garrett Episode: "The Common"
1974 Zodiac Neville Episode: "The Cool Aquarian"
Centre Play Mayor Episode: "Albert and the Mayor's Tree"
1975 BBC Play of the Month Colonial Secretary Episode: "The Apple Cart"
Thriller Winters Episode: "Where the Action Is"
Edward the Seventh Bishop of London Episode: "The Boy"
Spy Trap Gordon Beng Episode: "With Friends Like You"
Against the Crowd Mr. Stone Episode: "We Are All Guilty"
1976 Lorna Doone Baron de Whichehalse Miniseries
The New Avengers Brown-Fitch Episode: "The Eagle's Nest"
Dickens of London Reverend Townshend Episode: "Magic"
1977 Doctor Who Professor Litefoot Episode: "The Talons of Weng-Chiang"
Rough Justice Mr. Burrowes Miniseries
George and Mildred The Reverend Stopes Episode: "Jumble Pie"
1978 Rumpole of the Bailey Maurice Nooks Episode: "Rumpole and the Heavy Brigade"
1979 George and Mildred Oxfam Man Episode: "Finders Keepers?"
1982 The Barchester Chronicles Dr. Gwynne 2 episodes
1983 The Dark Side of the Sun Dr. Phillimore 2 episodes
1984 Horizon Professor Breene Episode: "The Intelligence Man"
1985 Maelstrom Dr. Albrigtsen Miniseries
1988 Jack the Ripper Lanyon Miniseries
1991 Selling Hitler Frank Giles Miniseries
1993 Paul Merton: The Series 1 episode
1995 The Politician's Wife Gordon Naylor Miniseries
2006 Doctors Sam Episode: "Three's a Crowd"
My Family Lionel Episode: "The Art of Being Susan"

References

  1. ^ Hadoke, Toby (28 July 2017). "Obituary - Trevor Baxter, actor known for cult role in Doctor Who". The Herald. Archived from the original on 23 October 2017. Retrieved 23 October 2017.
  2. ^ Lentz, Harris III (September 2017). "Trevor Baxter, 84". Classic Images (507): 49.
  3. ^ "Trevor Baxter". BFI. Archived from the original on 27 March 2019.
  4. ^ "Trevor Baxter". www.aveleyman.com.
  5. ^ "Trevor Baxter | Movies and Filmography". AllMovie.
  6. ^ "Trevor Baxter- Playwright Dramatist". Doollee.com. 23 April 2003. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  7. ^ "Doctor Who News - Trevor Baxter 1932-2017". www.doctorwhonews.net.
  8. ^ "An Englishman Abroad (1983)". BFI. Archived from the original on 10 March 2016. Retrieved 14 August 2023.