John Franklyn-Robbins (14 December 1924 – 21 March 2009) was an English character and voice actor.
Career
A prolific Shakespearean actor, he trained at RADA and proceeded to work at the Manchester Library Theatre and the Bristol Old Vic early in his career. He played a diverse number of roles, ranging from Ariel in The Tempest to Macduff in Macbeth. His prestigious stage career included stints in both the West End and Broadway.
He also worked for both the BBC and ITV in their early formative years and went on to appear in such classic television series as The Avengers, The Baron, Z-Cars, Special Branch, Callan, I, Claudius, Doctor Who and Star Trek: The Next Generation. He was one of only ten actors to appear in both of the latter two series. Films include Asylum (1972), Overlord (1975), Mrs. Dalloway (1997) and The Golden Compass (2007).He played the role of Giuseppe Garibaldi in Series 1, episode 10 of The Onedin Line (1972).
Robbins provided the voice of the Dream Maker in the hit children's animated fantasy television series The Dreamstone.
Death
He died aged 84 on 21 March 2009.
Film
The Pumpkin Eater (1964) - Parson
Running Scared (1972) - Dean
Dracula A.D. 1972 (1972) - Minister (uncredited)
Asylum (1972) - Stebbins (segment: "The Weird Tailor")
Take Me High (1973) - Alderman
Swallows and Amazons (1974) - Young Billy
Overlord (1975) - Dad
The Brute (1977) - Solicitor
Memoirs of a Survivor (1981) - Prof. White
From a Far Country (1981) - Curate
The Plague Dogs (1982) - Williamson (voice)
The Jigsaw Man (1983) - English doctor
Lionheart (1987) - The Abbot
Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde (1995) - Prof. Manning
The Adventures of Toad (1996) - Additional Voices (voice)
Emma (1996) - Mr Cole
Mrs Dalloway (1997) - Lionel, Clarissa's Father
Lolita (1997) - (uncredited)
Santa's First Christmas (1999) - Santa Claus (voice)
The Discovery of Heaven (2001) - Onno's father
Don't Tempt Me (2001)
Bright Young Things (2003) - Judge
Vanity Fair (2004) - Mr. Sedley
Sergeant Pepper (2004) - Gregor von Gordenthal
The Golden Compass (2007) - Librarian (final film role)
Television
The Quarry (1964 BBC West TV - written and directed by John Boorman) as Arthur King
Jude the Obscure (1971) as Phillotson
Budgie, as Marcus Lake (1971) episode Could Do Better
The Onedin Line, as Giuseppe Garibaldi (1971-1978)
The Shadow of the Tower (1972) - Sir William Stanley
Doctor Who serial, Genesis of the Daleks (1975) - Time Lord
I, Claudius (1976) - Atticus
The Merchant of Venice (1980) - Antonio
The Woman in Black (1989) - Reverend Greet
Seize the Fire (1989) - Prometheus
The Dreamstone (1990) - The Dream Maker (voice)
Star Trek: The Next Generation episode, Preemptive Strike (1994) - Macias
The Inspector Alleyn Mysteries, episode Scales of Justice (1994) - Octavius Danberry Phinn
A Christmas Carol (1999) - Mister Crump (Undertaker)
Terry Pratchett's Hogfather (2006) - Dean
Obituary in The Times[link removed]