Geoffrey Palmer (actor) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Geoffrey Palmer OBE
Palmer in 2008
Born	Geoffrey Dyson Palmer (1927-06-04)4 June 1927 London, England
Died	5 November 2020(2020-11-05) (aged 93) Lee Common, Buckinghamshire, England
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1958–2020
Spouse(s)	Sally Green ​ (m. 1963)​
Children	2, including Charles Palmer

Geoffrey Dyson Palmer (born June 4, 1927 – died November 5, 2020) was a famous English actor. He was known for his roles in many British TV shows called sitcoms. Some of his most popular characters were Jimmy Anderson in The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin (1976–1979), Ben Parkinson in Butterflies (1978–1983), and Lionel Hardcastle in As Time Goes By (1992–2005). He also appeared in movies like A Fish Called Wanda (1988) and Tomorrow Never Dies (1997).

Geoffrey Palmer's Early Life and School Days

Geoffrey Dyson Palmer was born in London, England, on June 4, 1927. His father, Frederick Charles Palmer, worked as a chartered surveyor, which is like a property expert. His mother was Norah Gwendolen Robins.

Geoffrey went to Highgate School from 1939 to 1945. After school, he served in the Royal Marines from 1946 to 1948. He was a corporal instructor, teaching about small weapons and field training. After his military service, he worked briefly as an assistant stage manager.

Geoffrey Palmer's Acting Career

Geoffrey Palmer started his acting career on television. He appeared in shows like The Army Game and The Baron. He also had a role in Cathy Come Home in 1966.

A big moment for him was acting in a play called West of Suez. He worked with famous actors like Ralph Richardson. He also performed for the Royal National Theatre and was directed by Laurence Olivier. However, he found one play, Eden End, so boring that he decided stage acting wasn't for him.

Becoming a Sitcom Star

In the 1970s, Geoffrey became well-known for his roles in BBC sitcoms. He played Jimmy Anderson, the unlucky brother-in-law, in The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin (1976–1979). He also played Ben Parkinson, a calm dentist, in Butterflies (1978–1983).

He also had a memorable guest role in the comedy show Fawlty Towers. In the episode "The Kipper and the Corpse" (1979), he played Doctor Price. He tried to eat breakfast while chaos happened around him!

Later, Geoffrey Palmer starred with Judi Dench in another popular BBC sitcom, As Time Goes By. They played Lionel Hardcastle and Jean Pargiter for over ten years (1992–2005).

Film Roles and Voice Work

Geoffrey Palmer also appeared in several films. He worked with Judi Dench again in the James Bond movie Tomorrow Never Dies (1997). He played Admiral Roebuck in that film. They also appeared together in Mrs Brown (1997).

Besides acting, Geoffrey was known for his voice. He did many voice-overs for commercials, including the famous "Vorsprung durch Technik" ads for Audi cars. He also narrated the BBC series Grumpy Old Men. He even narrated an audiobook version of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol.

Later Career Highlights

In 2007, Geoffrey Palmer appeared in the Christmas special episode of Doctor Who, called "Voyage of the Damned". He played the Captain. He had actually been in Doctor Who before, in earlier episodes from 1970 and 1972.

In 2009, he joined a comedy sketch for Comic Relief, a charity event. He also appeared in the TV show Rev. in 2011. His final film role was in To Olivia, released in 2021 after his death.

Geoffrey Palmer's Family Life and Passing

Geoffrey Palmer married Sally Green in 1963. They had two children: a daughter named Harriet and a son named Charles. Charles later became a television director. Geoffrey lived in Lee Common in Buckinghamshire and enjoyed fly fishing in his free time.

Geoffrey Palmer passed away at his home on November 5, 2020, at the age of 93. He had been ill for a short time.

Awards and Special Recognition

On December 31, 2004, Geoffrey Palmer was given a special award. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his great contributions to drama. A drawing of him by artist Stuart Pearson Wright is kept in the National Portrait Gallery in London.

Geoffrey Palmer's Appearances

Stage Performances

• Sabrina Fair by Samuel Taylor (1955)
• Eden End by J. B. Priestley (1974)
• Kafka's Dick by Alan Bennett (1986)
• West of Suez by John Osborne

Radio Shows

• At Home with the Snails (2001–2002)
• Les Misérables as Inspector Javert (2002)
• The Man Who Was Thursday (2005)
• High Table, Lower Orders (2005–2006)
• The Maltby Collection (2007–2009)
• A Murder of Quality (2009)
• The Screwtape Letters as C.S. Lewis (2009)
• North by Northamptonshire (2011–2012)
• Two Pipe Problems: The Case of the Missing Meerschaum as Mortimer Tregennis (2011)

Television Roles

Film Roles

Spoken Word Recordings

See also

In Spanish: Geoffrey Palmer para niños