Robert Russell (actor)

Robert Russell (24 May 1936 – 12 May 2008) was an English actor known for a memorable supporting role as John Stearne alongside Vincent Price in the classic British horror film Witchfinder General (1968).

He was born in Kent, England. His family emigrated to South Africa for 9 years when he was aged 11. He worked in a gold mine after leaving school. He returned to England and trained as an actor at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art. He then appeared onstage with Laurence Olivier and actors such as Sir Michael Gambon, as a member of the National Theatre touring company.

He made numerous appearances on UK television, often playing tough characters and villains due to his imposing stature, including The Avengers, The Sweeney, Space: 1999, Blake's 7 and Doctor Who, playing a guard in the serial entitled The Power of the Daleks and a Highland Games Champion, The Caber, in Terror of the Zygons. Some of his other film appearances included Othello (1965), The Whisperers (1967), Bedazzled (1967) with Peter Cook and Dudley Moore, Inspector Clouseau (1968), The Breaking of Bumbo (1970), Man in the Wilderness (1971) with Richard Harris, Sitting Target (1972), Double Exposure (1977), Queen of the Blues (1979) starring Mary Millington, Ivanhoe (1982), Oliver Twist (1982), and the TV film of The Sign of Four (1983).

He lived for the last 14 years of his life in Maidenhead, Berkshire and died there of a heart attack at his home aged 71.[1]