Michael Culver
British actor (1938–2024)
Michael Culver
Culver in 2011
Born Michael John Edward Culver
(1938-06-16 ) 16 June 1938Died 27 February 2024(2024-02-27) (aged 85) Occupation Actor Years active 1956–2024 Spouses
Lucinda Curtis
(
m. 1962;
div. 1986)
Michael John Edward Culver (16 June 1938 – 27 February 2024) was a British actor.[ 1] [ 2] He played Captain Needa in The Empire Strikes Back .[ 3] [ 4]
Personal life
Michael John Edward Culver was born on 16 June 1938 in Hampstead , London, England, UK. He was the son of actor Roland Culver and casting director Daphne Rye .[ 5] He was educated at Gresham's School and trained at London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.[ 6] His birth name was Michael John Edward Culver.
Culver was twice married. In 1962, he married actress Lucinda Curtis and divorced in 1986. He married sculptor Amanda Ward in 2004.[ 6] With Lucinda Curtis he had 3 children.
Culver died on 27 February 2024, at the age of 85.[ 6] [ 3]
Actor
Culver's aunt, father, mother and brother all had theatrical careers. Culver gained experience at the Old Vic , Dundee Rep (performing in 35 plays in 2 years) and London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art .[ 6]
Culver appeared in several television series in recurring roles, as Squire Armstrong in The Adventures of Black Beauty (1972–74), Major Erwin Brandt in the BBC drama Secret Army (1977–78), crooked banker Ralph Saroyan in the second series of The House of Eliott (1992) and the strict Prior Robert ('Brother Prior') in Cadfael (1994–98).[ 6]
His guest roles included an episode of The Sweeney as Dave Leeford (episode Money, Money, Money; 1978), The Professionals (1982) as Lawson, Minder as DS Chisholm's temporary replacement DS Soames (episode Poetic Justice, Innit? ; 1982), Miss Marple "The Moving Finger" (1985) as Edward Symmington and as Sir Reginald Musgrave , in the episode "The Musgrave Ritual " (1986) in the Granada Television series The Return of Sherlock Holmes .
Culver appeared in two uncredited roles in James Bond films. In From Russia With Love (1963), he played a man in a punt [ 7] which was followed as the co-pilot of Avro Vulcan , (Callsign Ramjet MBX-79), in Thunderball (1965).[ 4] Other film roles are Captain Needa in The Empire Strikes Back (1980)[ 6] [ 4] and also a major part in A Passage to India (1984)[ 4] as a bigoted police inspector. In 2008, he appeared in a guest role in Sidetracked , the first episode of Wallander . Culver was in the first ever episode of New Tricks in 2003 as a corrupt dinosaur detective.[ 8]
Culver performed in three of Tricycle Theatre ’s Tribunal Plays: Nuremberg (A distillation of the 1945–46 Nuremberg trials – of leading Nazi war criminals); Half the Picture (From transcripts from the Scott Inquiry into Arms-to-Iraq – the first play to be performed in the Palace of Westminster.) and The Colour of Justice (The dramatisation of the evidence given during Sir William Macpherson’s inquiry into the murder of Stephen Lawrence , his family's search for justice and endemic racism in the police force). They were directed by Nicolas Kent. The Colour of Justice and Half the Picture and were broadcast by the BBC Television.[ 6]
Theatre
Directed by Michael Benthall
London and West End
Judith by Jean Giraudoux , adapted by Christopher Fry , Her Majesty's Theatre, Haymarket and Theatre Royal, Brighton , 1962. Directed by Harold Clurman.
The Master Builder by Henrik Ibsen , Translated by Michael Meyer, The New Arts Theatre Club, 1962. Directed by Terence Kilburn. Michael Culver played Ragnar Brovik. The cast included: Keith Pyott , Andrew Cruickshank , Viola Keats and Mary Miller .
Alexander in A Severed Head , Criterion Theatre , 1963, by Iris Murdoch and J. B. Priestley , Directed by Val May .
Gore-Booth and Sir Nicholas Lyell in Half the Picture , adapted by Richard Norton-Taylor With additional material by John McGrath ; Tricycle Theatre, 1994. Directed by Nicolas Kent . This was the first play to be performed in the Palace of Westminster.
Ragnar Brovik in The Master Builder by Henrik Ibsen , Translated by Michael Meyer, The New Arts Theatre Club, 1962. Directed by Terence Kilburn.
Albert Speer in Nuremberg Transcripts edited by: Richard Norton-Taylor ; Tricycle Theatre, 1996. Directed by Nicolas Kent.
Sir William Macpherson in The Colour of Justice , edited by Richard Norton-Taylor , transferred to the Lyttelton Theatre and toured the UK, 1999. Directed by Nicolas Kent, assisted by Surian Fletcher-Jones, it won Best Touring Production in Theatrical Management Association Awards.
Fashion by Doug Lucie; Haymarket Theatre, Leicester , transferred from to the Tricycle Theatre 1989–1990.
Touring productions
Other
Ellis Petersen in A Share in the Sun by Terence Kelly and Campbell Singer , New Theatre, Oxford and Cambridge Theatre , 1966. Directed by Harold French .
Peter Quilpe in The Cocktail Party by T. S. Eliot , Theatre Royal, Windsor , 1966. Directed by Neville Jason.
Charles in Howards End adapted by Lance Sieveking in collaboration with Richard Cottrell from the novel by E. M. Forster ; toured 1967. Directed by Dacre Punt.
Mike Danbury in Anything For Baby by Talbot Rothwell and William Meyer; Wimbledon Theatre , 1969. Directed by Patrick Cargill
The Earl of Harpenden in While the Sun Shines by Terence Rattigan ; Hampstead Theatre Club, 1972. Directed by Alec McCowen
Young Macduff in Macbeth by William Shakespeare Haymarket Theatre , Leicester , 1978. Directed by John Tydeman .
Lord Goring in An Ideal Husband by Oscar Wilde , at the Theatre Royal , Windsor, Berkshire , 1979 (the 1295th Production). Directed by Joan Riley
Roald Amundsen in Terra Nova by Ted Tally ; Watford Palace Theatre , 1982. Directed by Michael Attenborough
Hugo in The Little Heroine by Nell Dunn ; Nuffield Theatre, University of Southampton , 1988. Directed by Ian Watt-Smith.
Time and the Conways by J. B. Priestley , Royal Exchange, Manchester
Two Plays for Gaza , 2009 (Seven Jewish Children by Caryl Churchill and The Trainer by David Wilson & Anne Aylor at the Hackney Empire
Radio and voice work
The Burning Glass by Jo Anderson and Directed Andy Jordan.
"Breizh has a problem. The World Cup looms and all eyes are on FRANCE. Down on the estate, something stirs."
Others in the cast: Philip Madoc and Frances Jeater. BBC Radio 4 Saturday Play 30 May 1998 repeated 20 March 1990
Michael Culver voiced Rachmaninoff . Other contributions from Vladimir Ashkenazy (speaker and piano), Jonathan Kydd (Yermakov voice over), Boris Berezovskii (piano), Shura Cherkassky (piano), Mikhail Falkov (tenor), Alexander Fedin (tenor), Joan Rodgers (soprano). With Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Philharmonia Chorus .
Cast included Anton Lesser (Xavier March), Graham Padden (Krause), Robert Portal (Jost), Peter Ellis (Max Jarger), Thomas Copeland (Pili), Andrew Sachs , Amanda Walker, Patrick Godfrey, Michael Byrne , Ian Gelder, Angeline Ball, William Scott Masson, Stratford Johns , Eleanor Bron , Dan Fineman, Alice Arnold and Trevor Nichols, with Ned Sherrin , Jonathan Coleman and Alan Dedicoat. Goldhawk Radio production. Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 9 June 1997
Flight of the Swan by Jean MacVean. BBC Radio 4, 7 August 1982
Cast included: Rosalind Shanks and David Neal .
The play deals with human love and how it is so often impossible for one person to really know another.
Wilderness of Mirrors Unabridged 1989 reading of the novel by Ted Allbeury
The Shadow of Mir by Nick Fisher and directed by John Dryden. First broadcast BBC Radio 4 on 8 May 1998 as the Friday Play[ 9]
Filmography
Film
Television
1961–1970
Year
Title
Role
Notes
1961
You Can't Win
Det. Con. Haywick
Episode: To Await Collection
1962
Maigret
Episode: The White Hat
Studio 4
The Victorian Chaise Longue
Silent Evidence
Reporter
Episode: Driven to the Brink
1963
Picardy Affair
Moonstrike
Fl. Lt Glynn
Episode: Home by Four
The Plane Makers
Wally
Episode: A Good Night's Work
Suspense
Robin Gregson
Episode: The Patch Card
1965
R3
Lt. Lewis
Episode: The Critical Moment
1966
The Spies
Muir
Episode: Go Ahead, I Only Live Here
Play of the Month
Holborn
Episode: The Devil's Eggshell
1967
The Revenue Men
Foster
Episode: Man in a Wheelbarrow
Summer Playhouse
James
Episode: The Man who Understood Women
Man in a Suitcase
Danny
Episode: The Bridge
1968
ITV Playhouse
Mr. Harrison
Episode: Rogue's Gallery: The Curious Adventures of Miss Jane Rawley
The Gamblers
Jeremy Compton
Episode: The Wrecker
The Avengers
Price
Episode; Get-A-Way!
1969
The First Churchills
Charles Churchill
6 episodes, TV Mini-series
1970
ITV Playhouse
Man
Episode: The Creeper
Tales of Unease
Johnson
Episode: Calculated Nightmare
Drama Playhouse
Jerry
Episode: "The Befrienders – Drink a Toast to Dear Old Dad"
1971–1980
Year
Title
Role
Notes
1971
Elizabeth R
John Tregannon
TV mini-series[ 10]
Doomwatch
Minister's PPS
Episode: No Room for Error
Persuasion
Captain Harville
3 episodes, TV mini-series
The Ten Commandments
Richard
Episode; Husband and Friend
The Guardians
Paul
Episode: I Want You to Understand Me
1972
The Persuaders!
Kurt
Episode: Nuisance Value
The Befrienders
Jerry
11 episodes
No Exit
Symons
Episode: Queen's Messenger
Villains
Glazebrook/Peter Glazebrook
3 episodes
Shirley's World
Lt Commander
Episode: The Islanders
Public Eye
Dr. Pembroke
Episode: Many a Slip
ITV Saturday Night Theatre
Tony Richards
Episode: Ted
1972–74
The Adventures of Black Beauty [ 6]
Squire Armstrong (recurring role)
31 episodes
1973
Special Branch
Health Inspector
Episode: Polonaise
New Scotland Yard
George Reed
Episode: Diamonds Are Forever
1974
Seven Faces of Woman
Robert Spens
Episode: Lets Marry Liz
1975
Härte 10 [de ]
Axel
3 episodes, TV mini-series
Whodunnit?
Victor Simmons
Episode: Evidence of Death
Thriller
Simon Burns
Episode: Nurse Will Make It Better
Within These Walls
Robin Vestey
Episode: Let the People See
Churchill's People
Earl Spencer
Episode: Mutiny
Sutherland's Law
John Melrose
Episode: A Lady of Considerable Talent
The Main Chance
Roger Lockhart
Episode: We're the Bosses Now
Softly, Softly: Task Force
Paul Ashworth
Episode: Blind Alley
Space: 1999
Pete Irving
Episode: The Guardian of Piri [ 4]
1976
Couples
Dennis Jenkins
3 episodes
The Duchess of Duke Street
Major Farjeon
3 episodes
Dame of Sark
Colonel Graham
TV movie
1976–77
Warship
Lt. Mannering/Commander. Cleveland
2 episodes
1977
ITV Playhouse
Carstairs
Episode: Short Back and Sides
Philby, Burgess and Maclean
Donald Maclean
TV movie
The New Avengers
Walters
Episode: Hostage
Van der Valk
James
Episode: Dead on Arrival
1978
Armchair Thriller
Dr. Walcott Brown
4 episodes: The Limbo Connection Parts 1, 2, 4 and 6
The Sweeney
Dave Leeford
Episode: Money, Money, Money
Crown Court
Dennis Broadley
Episode: Through the Bottom of a Glass Darkly Part 1
Secret Army
Major Erwin Brandt (recurring role)
22 episodes
1979
Call My Bluff
2 episodes
1980
Heartland
Tony Erskine
Episode: Working Arrangements
Breakaway
Ernest Clifford
5 episodes: The Local Affair Parts 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6
Dick Turpin
Colonel De Courcey
Episode: Blood Money
Turtle's Progress
Joseph 'Joey' Chalk
Series 2 Episode 1
Shoestring
Stephen Brook
Episode: Room with a View
Hammer House of Horror
Mark
Charlie Boy
Rain on the Roof
Malcolm
TV movie
1981–1990
1991–2000
Year
Title
Role
Notes
1991
The New Zorro
Aragan
Episode: The Whistling Bandit
Shrinks
Sir Hugo Dyer
1 episode
For the Greater Good
Sir Christopher St Place
2 episodes
The Darling Buds of May
Sir George Bluff-Gore
3 episodes
1992
The House of Eliott
Ralph Saroyan
7 episodes
[ 10]
Screen One
Mr Gervaise
Episode: Losing Track
Lovejoy
Arnold Featherstone
Episode: Members Only
The Piglet Files
Hugo Wittersham
Episode: Guerrillas in the Mist
1993
Emmerdale
Philip Wallace
[ 6]
Growing Pains
Episode: "Back in Your Own Backyard"
Inspector Morse
Maugham Willowbank
Episode: The Day of the Devil
1994–98
Cadfael
Prior Robert
13 episodes
[ 6]
1996
Half the Picture
Sir Nicholas Lyell/Gore Booth
TV movie
Neverwhere
Portico
Episode: Knightsbridge
1997
Victoria and Albert (Network First
Disraeli
TV mini-series, Episode: A Queen Alone
Touching Evil
Pathologist
2 episodes
WOW
1999
The Colour of Justice
Sir William McPherson
TV movie
The Queen’s Nose
D. Gallows
Episode: "Harmony’s Return"
2001–2013
Documentary
Year
Title
Role
Notes
1975
One Million Hours
Drama documentary
1981
More British than the British
Narrator
1987
Surcouf: Diving to Disaster
Narrator
Drama documentary
1988
Affairs of the Hart
Narrator
1990
Oceans of Wealth
Narrator
1991
The Transmission of Roger Bacon
Roger Bacon
Drama documentary
Tradecraft
Narrator
2015
Incontrovertible
Narrator
Documentary
References
^ "Michael Culver" . BFI . Archived from the original on 21 July 2012.
^ TG24, Sky (15 March 2024). "Michael Culver, morto attore di Star Wars de L'impero colpisce ancora" . tg24.sky.it (in Italian). Retrieved 16 March 2024 . {{cite web }}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link )
^ a b Ortiz, Aimee; Mayorquín, Orlando (14 March 2024). "Michael Culver, 'Star Wars' Actor and Victim of Darth Vader, Dies at 85" . The New York Times . Archived from the original on 15 March 2024. Retrieved 16 March 2024 .
^ a b c d e f g h i James Hibbs (13 March 2024). "Michael Culver, Star Wars, screen and stage star, dies aged 85" . radiotimes.com . Radio Times. Retrieved 16 March 2024 .
^ "Michael Culver Biography (1938-)" . filmreference.com . Retrieved 4 January 2017 .
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Coveney, Michael (12 March 2024). "Michael Culver obituary" . The Guardian. Retrieved 12 March 2024 .
^ "From Russia with Love (1963) Michael Culver: Man in a Punt" . imdb.com . IMDb, Inc. Retrieved 9 March 2020 .
^ "Michael Culver" . imdb.com . IMDb, Inc. Retrieved 9 March 2020 .
^ "The Shadow of Mir" . BBC . BBC. Retrieved 8 August 2023 .
^ a b c d e f g h i "Michael Culver Movies and Shows" . tv.apple.com . Apple TV.
^ Melissa Hardie (1995). 100 Years in Newlyn: Diary of a Gallery . Hypatia Publications. p. 1982. ISBN 9781872229225 . Retrieved 24 December 2015 .
External links