Robert Russell (24 May 1936 – 12 May 2008) was an English stage and screen actor. He is best known to horror film fans for his portrayal of John Stearne in the film Witchfinder General (1968).
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Life and career
Russell was born in Kent, England. Between the ages of 11 and 20, he and his family with South Africa, where he worked in a gold mine. He returned to England and trained at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art. He then appeared onstage with Laurence Olivier and actors such as Sir Michael Gambon, as a member of the National Theatre touring company.
He made numerous appearances on UK television, often playing tough characters and villains due to his imposing stature, including The Avengers, Public Eye, The Sweeney, Space: 1999, Blake's 7 and Doctor Who, playing a guard in the serial entitled The Power of the Daleks and a Highland Games Champion, The Caber, in Terror of the Zygons. Some of his other film appearances included Othello (1965), The Whisperers (1967), Bedazzled (1967) with Peter Cook and Dudley Moore, Inspector Clouseau (1968), The Breaking of Bumbo (1970), Man in the Wilderness (1971) with Richard Harris, Sitting Target (1972), Ivanhoe (1982), Oliver Twist (1982), and the TV film of The Sign of Four (1983).
He lived for the last 14 years of his life in Maidenhead, Berkshire and died there of a heart attack at his home aged 71.
Partial filmography
1961 The Sinister Man as Uniformed Sergeant
1964 Shadow of Fear as Ransome
1965 Othello as Senators-Soldiers-Cypriots
1967 The Whisperers as Andy
1967 Robbery as Detective
1967 Bedazzled as Anger
1968 Inspector Clouseau as Stockton
1968 Witchfinder General as John Stearne
1969 The Spy Killer as Police Sergeant
1970 Eyewitness as Headquarters Policeman
1970 The Breaking of Bumbo as Sergeant Clegg
1971 Man in the Wilderness as Smith
1972 Sitting Target as Prison Warder One
1980 Silver Dream Racer as Garage Mechanic
1982 Ivanhoe as Leader
1982 Oliver Twist as 2nd Constable
1983 The Sign of Four as Williams
1985 Black Arrow as Appleyard
2003 Hitler: The Rise of Evil as Franz Von Papen