Terence Bayler
Terence Bayler (24 January 1930 – 2 August 2016) was a New Zealand film, television, and stage actor.[1] His most memorable roles were in Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979) and Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001).
Terence Bayler | |
|---|---|
| Born | 24 January 1930 Whanganui, New Zealand |
| Died | 2 August 2016 (aged 86) London, England |
| Education | Royal Academy of Dramatic Art |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1952–2010 |
Biography
Bayler was born in Whanganui, the son of Amy (née Allomes) and Harold Bayler, a stagehand.[2] His first film appearance was a starring role in New Zealand film Broken Barrier (1952). Bayler then spent the majority of his six-decade-long acting career in England, although he also appeared in 1981 New Zealand feature Pictures and BBC mini-series The Other Side of Paradise (1992), filmed partly in Raratonga.
Broken Barrier was the only locally made feature shot in New Zealand during the 1950s. Bayler starred as a young journalist who falls in love with a Māori woman.[3] The film won healthy audiences in his home territory. It was directed by Roger Mirams and John O'Shea – O'Shea went on to direct the only New Zealand feature films made in the 60s, drama Runaway and musical Don't Let it Get You.
Bayler was given stitches above an eye after he was injured in a sword fight with actor Jon Finch (playing Macbeth) during the shooting of Roman Polanski's 1971 adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth.
Bayler's associations with Monty Python date from 1975, when he appeared in Eric Idle's BBC TV series Rutland Weekend Television. This led to his appearance as Leggy Mountbatten, manager of fictional Beatles-parody band The Rutles, in American-made TV movie All You Need Is Cash (1978). Idle also cast him in his play Pass the Butler.
He had a small role as Mr. Gregory in Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979), and he appeared in two more of Python member Terry Gilliam's films, Time Bandits (1981) and Brazil (1985).
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 | Broken Barrier | Tom Sullivan | |
| 1955 | The Whiteoak Chronicles: The Building of Jalna | Robert Vaughan | TV film |
| 1956 | Alice's Adventures in Wonderland | TV film | |
| The Battle of the River Plate | Stoker - HMS Achilles | Uncredited | |
| 1961 | Royal Foundation | Court Orderly | TV film |
| 1963 | The Hi-Jackers | Constable | |
| 1970 | Vile Bodies | The Major | TV film |
| 1971 | Macbeth | Macduff | |
| 1974 | Doctor Watson and the Darkwater Hall Mystery | Carlos | TV film |
| 1976 | The Snow Queen | Robber Captain | TV film |
| The Hunchback of Notre Dame | Cardinal | TV film | |
| 1978 | The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash | Leggy Mountbatten | TV film |
| The Light Princess | Lord Chamberlain | TV film | |
| 1979 | Monty Python's Life of Brian | Gregory | |
| 1981 | Time Bandits | Lucien | |
| Pictures | John Rochfort | ||
| 1984 | This Office Life | Penny | TV film |
| 1985 | Brazil | T.V. Commercial Presenter | |
| 1987 | Crystalstone | Policeman | |
| 1993 | The Remains of the Day | Trimmer | |
| 2001 | Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone | The Bloody Barron | |
| 2008 | Chemical Wedding | Professor Brent |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | Spy-Catcher | Episode: "The Gentle Gestapo Man" | |
| BBC Sunday Night Theatre | George Rawlings | Episode: "The Pohutukawa Tree" | |
| 1960 | Probation Officer | First Policeman | 1 episode |
| 1960-1962 | ITV Television Playhouse | Sergeant Gregory | 2 episodes |
| 1961 | You Can't Win | Archie | Episode: "Professional Status" |
| Hamlet | Player King | 2 episodes | |
| BBC Sunday-Night Play | Jeremy Hopkirk | Episode: "The Big Noise" | |
| ITV Play of the Week | Checker | Episode: "Countdown at Woomera" | |
| 1963 | Moonstrike | Bernard | 2 episodes |
| Compact | Raven | 2 episodes | |
| Maigret | Marcel | Episode: "The Judge's House" | |
| 1964 | ITV Play of the Week | Private Fletcher | Episode: "Jacko at War" |
| 1966 | Mystery and Imagination | Nemeth | Episode: "Carmilla" |
| Doctor Who | Yendom | Episode: "The Return" | |
| 1969 | Major Barrington | Episode: "The War Games" | |
| The Very Merry Widow and How | Waiter | Episode: "How About It?" | |
| The Troubleshooters | David Neville | Episode: "Let's All Drop Out Together" | |
| W. Somerset Maugham | Jean-Pierre | Episode: "The Three Fat Women of Antibes" | |
| 1970 | Ivanhoe | Chief Marshal | 2 episodes |
| As Good Cooks Go | P.C. Wilson | Episode: "Frying Squad" | |
| Play for Today | Stephen Calman | Episode: "The Lie" | |
| 1971 | The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes | The Duke | Episode: "The Ripening Rubies" |
| Play for Today | Duty Clerk | Episode: "Traitor" | |
| 1972 | Stage 2 | Director of the Madhouse | Episode: "Peer Gynt" |
| 1973 | The Regiment | General Sir Herbert Kitchener | Episode: "Ambush" |
| Justice | James Lywood | Episode: "Covenant for Quiet Enjoyment" | |
| A Picture of Katherine Mansfield | Jonathan Trout | 1 episode | |
| 1974 | The Brothers | Anthony Bromley | Episode: "The Hammond Account" |
| Special Branch | Security Man | Episode: "Double Exposure" | |
| 1975 | The Venturers | Trevor Darcey | Episode: "The Leak" |
| Upstairs, Downstairs | Darrow Morton | Episode: "Joke Over" | |
| 1976 | Centre Play | Major Woods | Episode: "Commonwealth Season: New Zealand - Old Man March Is Dead" |
| 1978 | Law & Order | Michael Messick QC | Miniseries |
| A Soft Touch | RSPCA Inspector | Episode: "The Toad Work" | |
| BBC2 Play of the Week | Surgeon | Episode: "The Vanishing Army" | |
| Baron | Episode: "Renoir, My Father" | ||
| 1980 | Play for Today | Surgeon | Episode: "The Vanishing Army" |
| The Squad | Commander Fenton | 2 episodes | |
| 1984 | Horizon | LCC Chairman | Episode: "The Intelligence Man" |
| Murder Not Proven? | Craigie Aitchison KC | Episode: "A Big Romping Boy" | |
| 1985 | Summer Season | Kania | Episode: "A Still Small Shout" |
| 1986 | Artists and Models | Leading Actor | Episode: "The Passing Show" |
| All at No 20 | Mr. Warren | 2 episodes | |
| 1987 | Ffizz | Giles | Episode: "Pulling Together" |
| Pulaski | Priest | Episode: "And the Killer of Rose Amelia Bonner" | |
| 1988 | Me and My Girl | Harry | Episode: "The Story of Foxy-Features and Melon-Head" |
| 1989 | London's Burning | Mr. Osbourne | 1 episode |
| 1990 | Omnibus | Pissarro | Episode: "Van Gogh" |
| She-Wolf of London | Sir Robert | Episode: "Can't Keep a Dead Man Down" | |
| 1991 | Ashenden | Military Chief | Miniseries |
| 1992 | The Other Side of Paradise | Colonel Fawcett | Miniseries |
| The Bill | Mr. Axell | Episode: "Finders Keepers" | |
| 1993 | Eye of the Storm | Matthew Montliskeard | 1 episode |
| Lipstick on Your Collar | General | Miniseries | |
| 1995 | Dangerfield | Howard | Episode: "The Call Girl" |
| Strange but True? | Reconstruction Cast | Episode: "UFOs" | |
| 1997 | Bodyguards | Government Minister | Episode: "A Choice of Evils" |
| 2004 | The Courtroom | Wilson Arbutnot | Episode: "Nudist Beach" |
| 2005 | Life Begins | Jack Russell | Episode: "Break for Love" |
References
- Hadoke, Toby (22 September 2016). "Terence Bayler obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
- "Terence Bayler Biography (1930-)". www.filmreference.com.
- Screen, NZ On. "Terence Bayler | NZ On Screen". www.nzonscreen.com.