IMDB

Actor

1951-11-09 · Wanstead, London, England, UK · Male

10 series in the catalog

Jonathan Edmund Fulford Turner (9 November 1951 – 16 June 2020), better known by his stage name John Benfield, was a British character actor.

Early life and education

Benfield was born in Wanstead, Essex, the son of margarine sales representative Fred Turner and his wife Joan, née White. He was educated at Loughton school, then the town's further education college; after four years as an ambulance driver in London, he studied history at the University of Nottingham, during which time he discovered a passion for acting with the drama society. After training at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art from 1976 to 1978, with there already an actor called "John Turner", he assumed the stage name "John Benfield", the surname coming from his mother's side.

Career

Benfield appeared in 75 television episodes or films starting in 1981 with small parts in BBC drama adaptations, such as The Winter's Tale and The Day of the Triffids.

Personal life

Benfield lived in Oxfordshire with his wife, Lilian, née Lees. They had one son.

He died of sarcoma in June 2020 at the age of 68.

Film

Breakout (1984) as Minder

Whoops Apocalypse (1986) as Secret Service Agent

Buster (1988) as Jimmy

Hidden Agenda (1990) as Maxwell

In the Name of the Father (1993) as Chief Prison Officer Barker

Beautiful Thing (1996) as Rodney Barr

101 Dalmatians (1996) as Doorman

Owd Bob (1998) as Blake

Cousin Bette (1998) as Dr. Bianchon

You're Dead (1999) as Badger

24 Hours in London (2000) as Insp. Duggan

Lover's Prayer (2001) as Nirmansky

Endgame (2001) as Dunston

Den tredje vågen (2003) as Stevens

Evilenko (2004)

Flood (2007) as Frank

Cassandra's Dream (2007) as Brian Blaine

Speed Racer (2008) as Cruncher Block

The Best Offer (2013) as Barman

Cold Skin (2017) as Captain Axel

Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle (2018) as Wolf Elder (voice)

The Coldest Game (2019) as Dr. Peter (final film role)

TV

Eurocops (1988–1990) as DC George Jackson

Treasure Island (1990, TV movie) as Black Dog

Prime Suspect (1991–1995) as Detective Superintendent (later Detective Chief Superintendent) Michael Kernan

Maigret (1993) as Henri Lautier

Sharpe's Revenge (1997) as General Calvet

Hippies (1999)

The Worst Week of My Life (2004) as Ron Steel

Other

Doctor Who: Circular Time (Audio Drama)