Gareth Thomas (actor)
{{Short description|Welsh actor (1945–2016)}}
{{EngvarB|date=November 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2017}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Gareth Thomas
| image = Gareth Thomas (Blake's 7).jpg
| caption = Gareth Thomas at the Blake's 7 DVD launch, 2005
| birth_name = Gareth Daniel Noake Thomas
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=y|1945|02|12}}
| birth_place = Brentford, England
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|2016|04|13|1945|02|12}}
| death_place = Surrey, England
| known_for = Blake's 7
| alma_mater = Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
| occupation = Actor
| yearsactive = 1965–2013
}}
Gareth Daniel Noake Thomas (12 February 1945 – 13 April 2016) was a Welsh actor.{{cite web | url= https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2016/apr/14/blakes-7s-gareth-thomas-dies-at-71 | title= Blake's 7's Gareth Thomas dies at 71 | work=The Guardian | first=Jamie | last=Grierson | date=14 April 2016 | access-date=30 December 2021}} He rose to national prominence playing the role of Roj Blake in the BBC science fiction television series Blake's 7 (1978–1981).
Early life
Thomas was born on 12 February 1945 in Brentford, England,{{Cite web|url=https://www.freebmd.org.uk/|title=FreeBMD Home Page|website=www.freebmd.org.uk}} and grew up in Aberystwyth, Wales.{{cite news |title=Gareth Thomas, actor – obituary |work=The Daily Telegraph |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2016/04/14/gareth-thomas-actor---obituary/ |access-date=14 April 2016}}{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-36041534 |title=Gareth Thomas, Blake's 7 actor, dies aged 71 |access-date=15 April 2016 |date=14 April 2016 |work=BBC News}} He was the younger of two sons of Kenneth Thomas, a barrister who had been a junior at the Nuremberg trials, and his wife, Olga (née Noake). Thomas attended the King's School, Canterbury. He then trained at RADA and later became an Associate Member. He was a member of the National Youth Theatre, appearing with them in the 1967 production of Zigger Zagger.
Career
Thomas made many television appearances, including The Avengers, Coronation Street, Z-Cars, Special Branch, Sutherland's Law, Public Eye, Who Pays the Ferryman?, Bergerac, By the Sword Divided, The Citadel, Knights of God, Boon, London's Burning, Casualty, Taggart, Heartbeat, Sherlock Holmes, How Green Was My Valley, Torchwood, Children of the Stones, Star Maidens, and Midsomer Murders''.
Thomas appeared on stage in many productions, including RSC productions of Twelfth Night, Othello and Anna Christie; English Shakespeare Company productions of Henry IV, Part 1 and Part 2 and Henry V; and King Lear, Educating Rita, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, The Crucible, Equus and Déjà Vu. In 2000, Thomas was the first subject of MJTV's interview/drama CD series The Actor Speaks. In one of the interviews he spoke about his character Roj Blake, leader of the crew of the Liberator in Blake's 7. From 1999 to 2005, he took part in 12 out of 14 CD episodes of MJTV's original audio comedy sci-fi drama series Soldiers of Love, in which he played camp Welsh TV host Hywel Hammond and villain of the piece Aaron Arkenstein. In 2010, Thomas gave an acclaimed performance as Ephraim Cabot in Desire Under the Elms at the New Vic Theatre.
In 2001, he appeared in Storm Warning, an audio drama by Big Finish Productions, based on Doctor Who. He also played the part of Kalendorf in the Big Finish Productions Dalek Empire series. In 2006 he appeared as a guest star in the Doctor Who spin-off series Torchwood, in the episode "Ghost Machine". Thomas returned to the role of Roj Blake in 2012, in Big Finish Productions' Blake's 7: The Liberator Chronicles, a series of dramatic readings which take place during Series One before the death of Olag Gan. Thomas starred as Blake in Counterfeit by Peter Anghelides and False Positive by Eddie Robson. In 2013 he appeared as Brother Cadfael in Middle Ground Theatre Company's adaption of The Virgin in the Ice by Ellis Peters. He was twice nominated for a BAFTA, for his performances in Stocker's Copper (BBC Play for Today, 1972) and Morgan's Boy (1984).
Morgan's Boy was his favourite television role, but Blake's 7 won bigger audiences.
Personal life
Thomas had two children with his first wife, Annie; this marriage ended in divorce. His second wife, Sheelagh Wells, was a make-up artist who had worked on Blakes 7; this marriage also ended in divorce.{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2016/apr/14/gareth-thomas-obituary |title=Gareth Thomas obituary: Blake's 7 star |author=Toby Hadoke | work=The Guardian |date=14 April 2016 |access-date=14 April 2016}} His third wife was Linda.{{cite news |url=http://www.denofgeek.com/tv/gareth-thomas/39917/gareth-thomas-blakes-7-actor-dies-aged-71 |title=Gareth Thomas, Blake's 7 actor, dies aged 71 |access-date=15 April 2016 |work=Den of Geek |date=14 April 2016 |first=Louisa |last=Mellor |archive-date=12 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190412124432/https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/gareth-thomas/39917/gareth-thomas-blakes-7-actor-dies-aged-71 |url-status=dead }}{{cite news |url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/lifestyle/tv/welsh-actor-blakes-7-star-11183841 |title=Welsh actor and Blake's 7 star Gareth Thomas has died at the age of 71 |access-date=15 April 2016 |date=14 April 2016 |work=Media Wales |first=Tyler |last=Mears}} After many years living in the Scottish Borders, he moved to Surrey in 2009.{{cn|date=January 2023}}
Death
Thomas died in Surrey on 13 April 2016 of heart failure, aged 71.{{cite web |url=http://www.digitalspy.com/tv/news/a790563/blakes-7-star-gareth-thomas-dies-at-age-71/ |title=Blake's 7 star Gareth Thomas dies at age 71 |publisher=Digital Spy |date=13 April 2016 |access-date=14 April 2016}} His Blake's 7 co-star Stephen Greif paid tribute, saying he was "very sad to hear of the death of my good friend Gareth Thomas. We were at RADA then Blake's 7 and onwards. He was a proud Welshman."
Filmography
=Film=
=Television=
| class="wikitable sortable"
! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
| 1965
| Benvolio | Made-for-TV-Movie |
| 1967
| Assassin | Episode: "Murdersville" (S 5:Ep 23) |
| rowspan="2" | 1969
| Doorman | Episode: "The Apprentices" (Ep 137) |
| Parkin's Patch
| Ron Radley | Recurring from 1969 to 1970 |
| rowspan="3" | 1971
| Mel Ryan | Episode: "Wed 2 Jun, 1971" |
| Z-Cars
| Tim Ward | Episode: "The Taker" (S 5:Ep 410) |
| Public Eye
| Briggs | Episode: "The Man Who Didn't Eat Sweets: (S 5:9) |
| rowspan="7" |1972
| Herbert Griffith | Episode: "Stocker's Copper" (S 2:Ep 12) |
| No Exit
| Matthew | Episode: "A Man's Fair Share Of Days" (S 1:Ep 3) |
| Drama Playhouse
| Alec Duthie | Episode: "Sutherland's Law: Man Overboard" (S 3:Ep 1) |
| Z-Cars
| Ken Knowles | Episode: "Public Relations" (S 7:Ep 83) |
| Public Eye
| Tom Lewis | Episode: "The Bankrupt" (S 6:Ep 1) |
| Man at the Top
| Dave Croxley | Episode: "You Will Never Understand Women" (S 2:Ep 1) |
| Harriet's Back in Town
| Chauffeur | {{cRecurring}} |
| 1973
| Alec Duthie | {{cMain}} |
| rowspan="2" | 1974
| Mr. Murdstone |
| Special Branch
| Steve Ryman | Episode: "Alien" (S 4:Ep 11) |
| rowspan="3" | 1975
| Play for Today | {{cGuest}} | Episode: "Breath" (S 5:Ep 10) |
| Edward the Seventh
| Lord Charles Beresford | Episodes: {{Plain list |
}} |
| How Green Was My Valley
| Rev. Mr. Gruffyd | Recurring from 1975 to 1976 |
| rowspan="2" | 1976
| Narrator | {{cRecurring}} |
| Star Maidens
| Shem | {{cRecurring}} |
| rowspan="2" | 1977
| Adam Brake | {{cRecurring}} |
| Who Pays the Ferryman?
| Tony Viglis | Miniseries |
| 1978–1981
| Roj Blake | {{cMain}} |
| 1980
| Constable | Episode: "Visitor from the Grave" (S 1:Ep 11) |
| 1981
| Julius | Miniseries directed by Robert Day.{{cite web|url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/420379/peter-and-paul|title=Peter and Paul|work=Turner Classic Movies|access-date=14 April 2016}} |
| 1982
| The Bell | James Tayper Pace | {{cRecurring}} |
| rowspan=3" | 1983
| Bergerac | Towers | Episode: "Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie" (S 2:Ep 3) |
| The Citadel
| Philip Denny | Miniseries directed by Peter Jefferies and Mike Vardy.{{cite web|url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/3217/the-citadel|title=The Citadel|work=Turner Classic Movies|access-date=14 April 2016}} |
| Shades of Darkness
| Owen Bosworth | Episode: "Bewitched" (S 1:Ep 7) |
| rowspan="4" | 1984
| Love and Marriage | Stephen | Episode: "Dearly Beloved" (S 1:Ep 2) |
| The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
| Joseph Harrison | Episode: "The Naval Treaty" (S 1:Ep 3) |
| Strangers and Brothers
| Arthur Mounteney | Episodes: {{Plain list |
}} |
| Morgan's Boy
| Morgan Thomas | {{cRecurring}} |
| rowspan="3"| 1985
| Major General Horton | {{cRecurring}} |
| Dramarama
| Long John Silver | Episode: Silver" (S 3:Ep 11) |
| Duel with An Teallach
| Charles Handley | Made-for-TV-Movie{{sfn|Lentz III|2014|p=320}} |
| 1987
| Owen Edwards | {{cRecurring}} |
| 1988
| Telfer | Episode: "The Colonel's Lady" (S 9:Ep 2) |
| rowspan="4" | 1989
| Boon | Bill Stone | Episode: "Walking off Air" (S 5:Ep 1) |
| London's Burning
| ACO William Bulstrode | Recurring from 1989 to 1994 |
| After the War
| Guy Falcon | Miniseries |
| Chelworth
| Peter Thornton | Miniseries |
| 1990
| Mr. Llewelyn | {{cRecurring}} |
| rowspan="2" | 1991
| Big Bill Caradog | |
| The Chestnut Soldier
| Idris Llewelyn | {{cRecurring}} |
| 1992
| Maigret | Gautier | Episode: "Maigret on Home Ground" (S 1:Ep 5) |
| rowspan="2" | 1994
| Medics | {{cGuest}} | Episode: "Going West" (S 4:Ep 10) |
| rowspan="2" | Crown Prosecutor
| rowspan="2" | Harry Thomsen | Episode: "Episode 3" (S 1:Ep 3) |
| rowspan="3" | 1995
| Episode: "Episode 4" (S 1:Ep 4) |
| Casualty
| Tom Arnold | Episode: "Bringing It All Back Home" (S 10:Ep 12) |
| Wales Playhouse
| Flann | Episode: "Archangel Night Out" S(#:Ep 5) |
| 1996
| Dan Mackay | Made-for-TV-Movie directed by Alan Macmillan.{{cite web|url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/484763/the-witchs-daughter|title=The Witch's Daughter|work=Turner Classic Movies|access-date=15 April 2016}} |
| rowspan="4" | 1998
| Blaze | Made-for-TV-Movie directed by David Winning. |
| The Creatives
| Policeman | Episode: "Pocy Pola" (S 1:Ep 3) |
| Animal Ark
| Mr. Matthews | Episode: "Calf in the Cottage" (S 2:Ep 5) |
| Heartbeat
| Nathaniel Clegghorn | Recurring from 1998 to 2004 |
| rowspan="2" | 2000
| Police Sergeant | Episode: "Space Cadets" (S 1:Ep 1–Pilot) |
| Randall and Hopkirk
| Dickie Bechard | Episode: (S 1:Ep 6) |
| rowspan="3" | 2001
| rowspan="2" | Baddiel's Syndrome | David's Dad | Episode: "Dream Home" (S 1:Ep 10) |
| Colin
| Episodes: {{Plain list |
}} |
| Doctors
| Les Simms | Episode: "Chip Off The Old Block" (S 4:Ep 18) |
| rowspan="2" | 2002
| Shipman | Rev Denis Thomas | Made-for-TV-Movie directed by Roger Bamford. |
| Casualty
| Jim Bailey | Episode: "Up To Your Neck In It" (S 17:Ep 11) |
| 2003–2010
| Raven | Voice of Wisdom Tree | |
| 2004
| Taggart | Lord Falkland | Episode: "Saints and Sinners" (S 20:Ep 4) |
| 2005
| Charles McCallister | Recurring from 2005 to 2008 |
| 2006
| Ed Morgan | Episode: "Ghost Machine" (S 1:Ep 3) |
| 2007
| Huw Mostyn | Episode: "Death and Dust" (S 10:Ep 5) |
| 2008
| Patrick Houston | Episode: "Moontaker" (S 3:Ep 13) |
| 2009
| Leo Hartmann | Episode: (S 1:Ep 5) |
| 2011
| Gareth Harper | Episode: "Shame" (S 14:Ep 3) |
Theatre
| class="wikitable"
|+ !Year !Title !Role !Notes |
| rowspan="5" |1968
|Messenger 1 | rowspan="6" |Royal Shakespeare Theatre |
| As You Like It
| |
| Doctor Faustus
|Scholar 2 / Vintner |
| Troilus and Cressida
|Margarelon / Prologue (alt) |
| rowspan="2" |Much Ado About Nothing
| |
| rowspan="2" |1968-9
| |
| King Lear
| |
| rowspan="2" |1969
| | rowspan="2" |Tour – Royal Shakespeare Company |
| Doctor Faustus
|Scholar 2 / Vintner |
| rowspan="3" |1979
|Orsino | rowspan="2" |Royal Shakespeare Theatre |
| Othello
|Montano |
| rowspan="2" |Anna Christie
| rowspan="2" |Mat Burke |
| 1979–80 |
| rowspan="6" |1980
|Cassio |
| Anna Christie
|Mat Burke |Gulbenkian Studio, Newcastle-upon-Tyne |
| rowspan="2" |Twelfth Night
| rowspan="2" |Orsino |
| Aldwych Theatre |
| Anna Christie
|Mat Burke |
| Othello
|Cassio |
| 1983
|Frank | rowspan="2" |Theatre Royal |
| 1985
|Beside the Sea |Arnold |
| 1985-6
| rowspan="2" |Benefactors | rowspan="2" |Colin |
| 1986 |
| rowspan="3" |1986-7
|Henry IV | |
| Henry V
|Lord Chief Justice/Fluellen | rowspan="2" |Tour – UK & Europe, The Old Vic and other locations |
| Henry IV, Parts I & II
|Owen Glendower/Lord Chief Justice |
| 1988
|Charles Stanton |
| 1989
|Inside Job |Alex |
| 1991-2
|Dij`vu | |
| 1998
|Deputy Governor Danforth |Festival Theatre, Marlowe Theatre and other locations |
| 2002
|Doctor Chebutykin |
| 2008
|Curly |
References
{{reflist}}
=Sources=
- {{cite book |last=Curti |first=Roberto |title=Italian Crime Filmography, 1968–1980 |publisher=McFarland & Company |isbn=978-0786469765 |year=2013 |page=101 }}
- {{cite book |last=Lentz III |first=Harris M. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LQKhAwAAQBAJ&q=Duel+with+An+Teallach+%281985%29&pg=PA320 |year=2014 |title=Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2013 |isbn=978-0786476657 |publisher=McFarland & Company |page=320 }}
External links
{{Portal|Biography|Great Britain|Wales|Film|Television|Theatre}}
- {{IMDb name|id=0858848|name = Gareth Thomas}}
- [https://www.gareththomas-actor.com Official Site]
- [http://www.hermit.org/Blakes7/whoswho/other_role/index.html Hermit.org: Biography and role listing]
- [https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-36041534 Obituary – BBC]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thomas, Gareth}}
Category:Actors from Aberystwyth
Category:Actors from the London Borough of Hounslow
Category:Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
Category:Male actors from Ceredigion
Category:People educated at The King's School, Canterbury
Category:People from Brentford
Category:Royal Shakespeare Company members
Category:Welsh male film actors
Category:Welsh male Shakespearean actors
Category:Welsh male soap opera actors