IMDB

Actor

1925-10-23 · Clydach Vale, Rhondda, Wales

15 series in the catalog

Glyndwr Desmond Houston (23 October 1925 – 30 June 2019) was a Welsh actor, best known for his television work.

Early life

Houston was born in Clydach Vale, near Tonypandy, Wales. He was the younger brother of film actor Donald Houston. He served in the British Army during the Second World War, and was briefly a stand-up comedian performing for soldiers during the war. He made his first film appearance in The Blue Lamp in 1950. In 1951 he appeared at the Duchess Theatre in London's West End in the comedy play The Happy Family by Michael Clayton Hutton.

Career

In the 1970s Houston played Lord Peter Wimsey's valet Bunter opposite Ian Carmichael in television adaptations of several of Dorothy Sayers tales. His performance was praised in The New York Times. Later, he had a role as a literary agent in the 1980s ITV sitcom Keep It in the Family. He appeared in a number of films including The Great Game.

Other credits included 'Peter Ridgway' in 'Colonel March of Scotland Yard' Episode 'The Stolen Crime' (1956), My Good Woman (1973–1974), A Horseman Riding By (1978), Inspector Morse, It Ain't Half Hot Mum, Minder and Doomwatch, as well as the recurring character "Det Supt Jones" in Softly, Softly. He also appeared twice as different characters in Doctor Who — as "Professor Owen Watson" in The Hand of Fear (1976) and as "Colonel Ben Wolsey" in The Awakening (1984). He also played Brother Cadfael in a 1979 BBC Radio 4 adaptation of One Corpse Too Many. Houston had over two hundred television and film credits, dating back as early as 1950. Houston won a BAFTA Cymru special award in April 2008.

A highlight of Houston's career was his appearance at the concert to celebrate the opening of the National Assembly for Wales in 1999 along with other actors such as Ioan Gruffudd and Harry Secombe.

Personal life

Houston was married to the actress and model Shirley Lawrence and had two children. In May 2000 he unveiled a Mining Memorial in his native Rhondda at the Rhondda Heritage Park. He led the tributes to the thousands of miners who died and suffered during 150 years of mining in the South Wales coalfield. He released an autobiography titled Glyn Houston, A Black and White Actor in December 2009. Houston died at the age of 93 on 30 June 2019.