Ralph Bates (12 February 1940 – 27 March 1991) was an English film and television actor. His credits included The Caesars (1968), Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970), The Horror of Frankenstein (1970), Lust for a Vampire (1971), Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde (1971), The Six Wives of Henry VIII (1970), Moonbase 3 (1973), Poldark (1975-1977), Secret Army (1979), Turtle's Progress (1980), Second Chance (1981), Minder on the Orient Express (1985), Dear John (1986-1987), Screen Two (1989), and King of the Wind (1990).
Early life Bates was born in Bristol, England. His parents were both psychiatrists; his mother was French and he was a great-great-grandson of French scientist Louis Pasteur. He held dual-nationality and was bilingual, and was educated at Trinity College Dublin. He read French there, before winning a scholarship to attend Yale Drama School.
Career In 1968, he made his screen debut portraying Caligula in the BBC television series The Caesars (1968).
Later, Bates carved a niche in the world of horror films and played important roles or the lead in several Hammer Horror productions, such as Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970), The Horror of Frankenstein (1970), Lust for a Vampire (1971), and Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde (1971), in which he played a doctor who mistakenly transforms himself into a beautiful siren.
He played Thomas Culpeper in an episode of The Six Wives of Henry VIII (1970), he starred in the series Moonbase 3 (1973), and Poldark (1975-1977), in which he played villainous George Warleggan for 29 episodes.
He also played communist Paul Vercors in the final season of the drama series Secret Army (1979). In 1981 he had played a lead role in Second Chance (1981). Because of his French ancestry and dark looks, he often was chosen to play a Frenchman on television, such as in an episode of ITV comedy drama Turtle's Progress (1980). Bates also appeared in the television movie Minder on the Orient Express (1985), again as a Frenchman.
It looked, for some time, as if he might remain typecast in sinister roles, but he was offered a part in comedy series Dear John (1986-1987), by the writer John Sullivan, which saw Bates cast in a more sympathetic role as the newly divorced member of a singles group. It ran for two series, and gave him chance to display a talent for comic roles.
His last roles were as Ed in the episode: "Flying in the Branches" in Screen Two (1989), and as LeDuc in the film King of the Wind (1990).
Personal life, illness and death In 1964 Bates married actress Joanna Van Gyseghem. The marriage ended in divorce. In 1973 he married actress Virginia Wetherell. The couple had a daughter Daisy (born 1974) and a son Will (born 1977).
Bates was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and died from the disease ten weeks later in London, at the age of 51.
Ralph Bates Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund The Ralph Bates Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund is a registered charity.
The charity mainly funds research at St George's University of London, where work is currently focused on the effectiveness of drugs or a combination of drugs on pancreatic cancer cells and also their effectiveness in inhibiting cell resistance to chemotherapy. The research has resulted in a high impact publication in the International Journal of Cancer, showing that a commonly used antibiotic, Doxycycline, is capable of inducing cell death in human pancreatic cancer cells.
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes 1970 Taste the Blood of Dracula Lord Courtley 1970 The Horror of Frankenstein Victor Frankenstein 1971 Lust for a Vampire Giles Barton Alternate titles: Love for a Vampire, To Love a Vampire 1971 Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde Dr. Henry Jekyll 1972 Fear in the Night Robert Heller 1974 Persecution David Masters Alternate titles: Sheba, The Terror of Sheba, The Graveyard 1975 I Don't Want to Be Born Gino Carlesi Alternate titles: The Devil Within Her, The Monster 1986 Letters to an Unknown Lover Bernard TV movie 1990 King of the Wind LeDuc
Television Year Title Role Notes1967Mrs Thursday Window dresser Episode: "Charity Begins at a Ball"Coronation Street Russ Parks 1 episode 1968 The Caesars Caligula 3 episodes 1970 The Six Wives of Henry VIII Thomas Culpepper Episode: "Catherine Howard"1971Jason King Alan Keeble Episode: "Variations on a Theme"Play for Today Peter Episode: "Thank You Very Much" 1972 The Persuaders! Michel Episode: "Nuisance Value"1973Moonbase 3 Dr. Michael Lebrun 6 episodesThe Protectors David Lee Episode: "Petard"1975Z-Cars Roy Hurst Episode: "Distance"Thriller Michael Spencer Episode: "Murder Hotel" 1975-1977 Poldark George Warleggan 23 episodes1976Dangerous Knowledge Sanders 6 episodesSoftly, Softly: Task Force Text Episode: "Text"1979Penmaric Laurence Castallack 3 episodesSecret Army Paul Vercors 4 episodes 1980 Turtle's Progress Peter Sablon 1 episode 1981 Second Chance Chris Hurst 6 episodes1982 Tales of the Uxexpected Paul Foster Episode: "Blue Marigold" The Agatha Christie Hour Vincent Easton Episode: "Magnolia Blossom" 1983 The Gentle Touch Wally Tate Episode: "Who's Afraid of Josie Tate" 1984 The Odd Job Man Major Drew 3 episodes 1985 Minder Francois LeBlanc Episode: "Minder on the Orient Express" 1986-1987 Dear John John Lacey Episode: "Text" 1987 Farrington of the F.O. James Mapley Episode: "We're Having a Heat Wave" 1989 Screen Two Ed Episode: "Flying in the Branches"
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