Arnold Yarrow (born 17 April 1920) is a British retired actor, screenwriter and novelist who is best known for his brief role as Jewish bricklayer Benny Bloom in television soap opera EastEnders. Like the character, he is Jewish.[2]
Arnold Yarrow | |
|---|---|
| Born | 17 April 1920 London, England |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, screenwriter, novelist |
| Years active | 1955–1994; 2012[1] |
| Known for | |
In addition, he is known to Doctor Who fans for his portrayal as diminutive Exxilon leader Bellal in the 1974 serial Death to the Daleks.[3] Following the death of Earl Cameron in July 2020, Yarrow became the oldest living actor to have appeared in Doctor Who. He had previously become the fourth (credited) performer associated with the franchise to become a centenarian after Zohra Sehgal, Olaf Pooley and Cameron, as well as the sixth including non–credited actors Lewis Alexander and Peggy Batchelor.[4]
Other TV appearances include roles in Crane, Ghost Squad, Coronation Street, Dr. Finlay's Casebook, The Onedin Line and London's Burning as well as a part in the 1993 film Son of the Pink Panther.
Yarrow's scriptwriting work includes episodes of Crown Court, Warship, Softly, Softly: Task Force and EastEnders.[5] As well as this, Yarrow has written numerous books such as TV tie–ins like Softly Softly Casebook and Softly Softly Murder Casebook as well as his own novels Death is a Z and The Grease–Paint Monkey.[6]
Yarrow turned 100 in April 2020. He lives in Herne Bay, Kent.
Filmography
editSource:[7]
As story editor
edit| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Second Verdict | 6 episodes |
As script editor
edit| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1968–1969 | Softly Softly | 37 episodes |
| 1969–1971 | Softly Softly: Task Force | 42 episodes |
| 1971 | Barlow at Large | 3 episodes |
As writer
edit| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | Suspense | Season 1 Episode 1: "The Tip Off" |
| 1962 | Forræderiet | TV film |
| 1970–1976 | Softly Softly: Task Force | 20 episodes |
| 1973–1974 | Barlow at Large | 3 episodes |
| 1974 | Crown Court | 3 episodes |
| 1976 | Warship | Season 3 Episode 10: "The Buccaneer" |
| Second Verdict | Season 1 Episode 3: "The French Bluebeard" | |
| 1992–1994 | EastEnders | 10 episodes |
As actor
editCinema
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Mahler | Grandfather | |
| 1993 | Son of the Pink Panther | Uncle Idris | |
| Genghis Cohn | Synagogue Warden |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | Without Vision | Emrys | TV film |
| Nom–de–Plume | Sentry | Season 1 Episode 17: "The Free Air" | |
| Over to William | Mr. Carroway | Season 1 Episode 8: "William's Lucky Day" | |
| 1957 | Television World Theatre | Le Fer | Season 1 Episode 1: "The Life of Henry V" |
| ITV Television Playhouse | Shayk of the Labourers | Season 2 Episode 47: "Desert Patrol" | |
| 1958 | Macbeth | First Witch | 2 episodes |
| Doomsday for Dyson | Scientist | TV film | |
| Dial 999 | Sammy Wilson | Uncredited; Season 1 Episode 12: "The Big Fish" | |
| 1959 | The Vise | Blake | Season 6 Episode 21: "Dilemma for Harry" |
| Glencannon | Truck Driver | Season 1 Episode 13: "Crocodile Tears" | |
| ITV Play of the Week | M. Greville | Season 4 Episode 36: "The Age of Juliet" | |
| 1960 | ITV Television Playhouse | Luigi Bonasera | Season 5 Episode 22: "The English Captain" |
| Hotel Imperial | Little man | Season 2 Episode 8: "The Leopardess in 424" | |
| Man from Interpol | Mayli | Season 1 Episode 10: "The Doll Maker" | |
| The Roving Reasons | Unknown | Season 1 Episode 10: "The Gibbering Gibraltarian" | |
| The Haunted House | Misargyrides | Season 1 Episode 1: "Part 1" | |
| Barnaby Rudge | Tailor | Season 1 Episode 10 | |
| Armchair Theatre | Bates | Season 4 Episode 15: "Rain" | |
| 1961 | Manager | Season 4 Episode 30: "The Hero" | |
| Colonel Trumper's Private War | Unknown | Season 1 Episode 1: "Operation Lubenski" | |
| 1962 | The Andromeda Breakthrough | President of Azaran | 3 episodes |
| ITV Play of the Week | Bilton | Season 8 Episode 8: "Major Barbara" | |
| 1963 | Luigi | Season 8 Episode 19: "Darkness at Noon" | |
| Ghost Squad | Dr. Malik | Season 2 Episode 5: "Death of a Sportsman" | |
| BBC Sunday–Night Play | Nikifor | Season 4 Episode 20: "The Fall of Mendel Krick" | |
| Crane | Louis Barreto | Season 1 Episode 4: "My Deadly Friend" | |
| Festival | Doctor of Philosophy | Season 1 Episode 9: "The Fire Raisers" | |
| Boyd Q.C. | Unknown | Season 6 Episode 13: "Fishy Story" | |
| Story Box | Tram Conductor | Episode: "Emil and the Detectives" | |
| 1964 | Balin | Episode: "Books – The Hobbit" | |
| 1965 | Front Page Story | Claude Dupuis | Season 1 Episode 14: "Background Only: Not for Publication" |
| Coronation Street | Surveyor | Season 1 Episode 493 | |
| For Whom the Bell Tolls | Miguel | Season 1 Episode 4: "The Bridge" | |
| 1966 | The Man in the Mirror | Waldo | 6 episodes |
| 1967 | Vacant Lot | Unknown | Season 1 Episode 7: "Criminal Negligence" |
| Theatre 625 | Stevo | Season 5 Episode 6: "The Single Passion" | |
| 1968 | Dr. Finlay's Casebook | The Pope | Season 6 Episode 22: " 'Is there anybody there ?' Said the traveller" |
| Life with Cooper | Various Roles | Season 2 Episode 6: "The Second Holiday" | |
| The Revenue Men | Louie Fisher | Season 1 Episode 4: "I'd Rather Be in Philadelphia" | |
| 1969 | Armchair Theatre | Enrico | Season 9 Episode 3: "What's a mother for ?" |
| 1974 | Doctor Who | Bellal | 3 episodes; serial: Death to the Daleks |
| 1980 | The Onedin Line | Mishin | Season 8 Episode 2: "Revenge" |
| Wainwrights' Law | Inspector | Season 1 Episode 6: "The Party of the First Part" | |
| A Little Silver Trumpet | Mr. Hynes | Season 1 Episode 3 | |
| 1982 | The Chinese Detective | Old man | Season 2 Episode 5: "Bounty Hunter" |
| 1983 | Jemima Shore Investigates | Dr. Otto Hahn | Season 1 Episode 5: "Dr. Ziegler's Casebook" |
| 1984 | Cold Warrior | Graarud | Season 1 Episode 5: "The Immigrants" |
| 1987 | One by One | Dr. Breen | Season 3 Episode 5: "The Monkey in Between" |
| 1988–1989 | EastEnders | Mr. Bloom | 16 episodes |
| 1989 | Benny | Season 1 Episode 413 | |
| 1993 | London's Burning | Shopkeeper | Season 6 Episode 5 |
| 2010 | The Sarah Jane Adventures | Bellal | Uncredited; archive footage; Series 4 Episode 6: "Death of the Doctor: Part Two" |
| 2012 | Beneath the City of the Exxilons | Himself | Short documentary |
References
edit- ^ "Arnold Yarrow". IMDb. Retrieved 26 October 2022. (Filmography)
- ^ The Jewish Chronicle, 30 September 1960 (pg.30)
- ^ "BBC - Doctor Who Classic Episode Guide - Death to the Daleks - Details". www.bbc.co.uk.
- ^ "Doctor Who Guide: Birthdays". Doctor Who Guide.
- ^ "Arnold Yarrow". BFI. Archived from the original on 22 September 2020.
- ^ DrWhoCastCrewGuide
- ^ "Arnold Yarrow | Script and Continuity Department, Actor, Writer". IMDb. Retrieved 4 June 2024.