Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
As Time Goes By star Geoffrey dies at 93
GEOFFREY Palmer’s characters were usually uptight, pompous or down in the mouth but they always had audiences in stitches.
The actor, who has died aged 93, was famous for his pained, hangdog expression and once explained: “I’m not grumpy, I just look this way.”
Palmer is perhaps best known for his role opposite Dame Judi Dench in As Time Goes By, a hit sitcom about two former lovers who get back together which ran from 1992 to 2005.
Dame Judi said: “He got me into trouble. Oh my goodness, how we laughed. I was always so frightened but there was no need. Geoffrey Palmer was a master of comedy.”
Palmer was born in London in 1927 and attended Highgate School , training as an accountant like his father before turning to acting.
After starting in local theatre, his first TV role came in 1958 with the ITV sitcom The Army Game.
There f ollowed parts i n The Avengers, The Saint, Gideon’s Way and The Baron. He also appeared as a property agent in Ken Loach’s hardhitting BBC play Cathy Come Home.
In Carla Lane’s Butterf er f lies, he starred opposite Wendy Craig as a dentist unable to cope ope with his two sons, played yed by Andrew Hall and Nichicholas Lyndhurst, or his wife’s midlife crisis. He e also had a leading role ole as Penelope Keith’s husband usband in Executive Stress.
Palmer will be fondly
remembered as one of the best guest stars in F Fawlty Towers. He played h hotel guest Dr Price, who wa was so insistent on finishing his sausages that he cha chased hapless Spanish waiter Manuel M around the dining room. ro
Palm Palmer also had me memorable roles in Blackadder
Goes Forth and in The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin. More recently, he was in the Paddington film and Bond movie Tomorrow Never Dies, again starring with Dame Judi.
Palmer’s agent said in a statement yesterday he had died “peacefully at home”. He leaves wife Sally Green, whom he married in 1963, daughter Harriet and son Charles.
Palmer also appeared in Doctor
Who as three separate characters. Co-star Katy Manning tweeted: “So sad to hear that the wonderful, doleful-looking Geoffrey Palmer has gone on his awfully big adventure.
“Marvellous actor, a pure joy to work with and very funny man. He has left us with great memories and a huge legacy of terrific work.”
League of Gentleman star Reece Shearsmith paid tribute to Palmer,
tweeting: “RIP Geoffrey Palmer. An immaculate singular actor, always brilliant in everything.”
Actress Frances Barber wrote: “I filmed ZOO with Geoffrey Palmer in the 80s. I will never forget his famously hangdog, lugubrious face ever y morning saying ‘I’ve no idea what’s going on’... he was just lovely. RIP.”