Trevor Baxter
{{Short description|British actor and playwright (1932–2017)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{More citations needed|date=July 2017}}
{{Infobox person
|name = Trevor Baxter
|image = Trevor Baxter.tif
|caption =
|birth_date = {{birth date|1932|11|18|df=y}}
|birth_place = Lewisham, London, England
|death_date = {{death date and age|2017|7|16|1932|11|18|df=y}}
|occupation = Actor, playwright
}}
Trevor Baxter (18 November 1932 – 16 July 2017) was a British actor and playwright. He is possibly best remembered for playing Professor George Litefoot in the Doctor Who story The Talons of Weng-Chiang, and the subsequent audio spinoff Jago & Litefoot.
Early years
A postal worker's son,{{cite news|last1=Hadoke|first1=Toby|title=Obituary - Trevor Baxter, actor known for cult role in Doctor Who|url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/15437820.Obituary___Trevor_Baxter__actor_known_for_cult_role_in_Doctor_Who/|accessdate=23 October 2017|work=The Herald|date=July 28, 2017|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20171023233508/http://www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/15437820.Obituary___Trevor_Baxter__actor_known_for_cult_role_in_Doctor_Who/|archivedate=23 October 2017}} Baxter was born in Lewisham, London, England, and was educated at Dulwich College and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.{{cite journal|last1=Lentz|first1=Harris III|title=Trevor Baxter, 84|journal=Classic Images|date=September 2017|issue=507|page=49}}
Career
Baxter's 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.{{Cite web|url=https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2ba044536c|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327184410/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2ba044536c|url-status=dead|archive-date=27 March 2019|title=Trevor Baxter|website=BFI}} He appeared in the Doctor Who serial The Talons of Weng-Chiang (1977) as Professor George Litefoot and in 1978 in Rumpole of the Bailey.{{Cite web|url=https://www.aveleyman.com/ActorCredit.aspx?ActorID=1147|title=Trevor Baxter|website=www.aveleyman.com}} 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.
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).{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmovie.com/artist/trevor-baxter-p294768|title=Trevor Baxter | Movies and Filmography|website=AllMovie}}
Baxter also wrote a number of plays {{cite web|url=http://www.doollee.com/PlaywrightsB/baxter-trevor.html |title=Trevor Baxter- Playwright Dramatist |website=Doollee.com |date=2003-04-23 |accessdate=2017-07-17}} 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, Baxter 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 Baxter had died the previous day. The cause of death was not made public.{{Cite web|url=https://www.doctorwhonews.net/2017/07/trevor-baxter-170717190008.html|title=Doctor Who News - Trevor Baxter 1932-2017|website=www.doctorwhonews.net}}
Filmography
=Film=
| class="wikitable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Notes |
|---|
| 1950
| The Cruise of the Toytown Belle | | TV film |
| 1961
| Police Constable | Uncredited |
| 1962
| Struck Off | First Doctor | TV film |
| 1966
| First Man | Uncredited |
| 1978
| A Most Public Affair | Witness | TV film |
| 1979
| Archbishop of Canterbury | TV film |
| 1982
| Charlie Barker | |
| 1983
| Pyjama Shop Manager | TV film{{cite web |title=An Englishman Abroad (1983) |url=https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b712307b0 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310011951/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b712307b0 |url-status=dead |archive-date=10 March 2016 |website=BFI |access-date=14 August 2023}} |
| rowspan="2"|1986
| The Great White Mountain | Prior | TV film |
| Ping Pong
| Priest in Church | |
| 1995
| Sneller | TV film |
| 1997
| Chief Lawyer | TV film |
| 1998
| Maitre d' | |
| 2004
| Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow | Dr. Jennings | |
| 2006
| Sir Wilfred Own | |
=Television=
| class="wikitable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Notes |
|---|
| 1956
| | Episode: "The Rajah's Rope" |
| rowspan="4"|1961
| 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" |
| rowspan="2"|1962
| Mr. Wakley | Episode: "Six Men of Dorset" |
| Somerset Maugham Hour
| Verity | Episode: "The Back of Beyond" |
| rowspan="3"|1963
| 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
| Dr. Paul Evans | Episode: "The Seven O'Clock Crunch" |
| rowspan="4"|1966
| Priest | Episode: "The Witness" |
| Mystery and Imagination
| Undertaker | Episode: "The Body Snatcher" |
| Public Eye
| Howells | Episode: "There Are More Things in Heaven and Earth" |
| rowspan="2"|Adam Adamant Lives!
| Mr. Burke | Episode: "The Village of Evil" |
| rowspan="6"|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" |
| rowspan="2"|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" |
| rowspan="2"|1968
| Z-Cars | William Orchard | Episode: "Inside Information" |
| Mystery and Imagination
| Cannon Tabard | Episode: "Feet Foremost" |
| 1970
| Blythe-Hardwick | Episode: "The Reprieve" |
| rowspan="3"|1973
| The Edwardians | Schomberg McDonnell | Episode: "Daisy" |
| So It Goes
| Mr. Bunce | 2 episodes |
| BBC Play of the Month
| Roger Garrett | Episode: "The Common" |
| rowspan="2"|1974
| Zodiac | Neville | Episode: "The Cool Aquarian" |
| Centre Play
| Mayor | Episode: "Albert and the Mayor's Tree" |
| rowspan="5"|1975
| 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" |
| rowspan="3"|1976
| Lorna Doone | Baron de Whichehalse | Miniseries |
| The New Avengers
| Brown-Fitch | Episode: "The Eagle's Nest" |
| Dickens of London
| Reverend Townshend | Episode: "Magic" |
| rowspan="3"|1977
| Professor Litefoot | Episode: "The Talons of Weng-Chiang" |
| Rough Justice
| Mr. Burrowes | Miniseries |
| George and Mildred
| The Reverend Stopes | Episode: "Jumble Pie" |
| 1978
| Maurice Nooks | Episode: "Rumpole and the Heavy Brigade" |
| 1979
| Oxfam Man | Episode: "Finders Keepers?" |
| 1982
| Dr. Gwynne | 2 episodes |
| 1983
| Dr. Phillimore | 2 episodes |
| 1984
| Horizon | Professor Breene | Episode: "The Intelligence Man" |
| 1985
| Dr. Albrigtsen | Miniseries |
| 1988
| Lanyon | Miniseries |
| 1991
| Frank Giles | Miniseries |
| 1993
| | 1 episode |
| 1995
| Gordon Naylor | Miniseries |
| rowspan="2"|2006
| Doctors | Sam | Episode: "Three's a Crowd" |
| My Family
| Lionel | Episode: "The Art of Being Susan" |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|0062827}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Baxter, Trevor}}
Category:Actors from the London Borough of Lewisham
Category:Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
Category:British male Shakespearean actors
Category:British male television actors
Category:Male actors from London