Arnold Yarrow (17 April 1920 – 9 December 2024) was a British actor, screenwriter and novelist best known for his brief role as bricklayer Benny Bloom in television soap opera EastEnders. Like the character, he was Jewish.[2]
Arnold Yarrow | |
|---|---|
| Born | 17 April 1920 London, England |
| Died | 9 December 2024 (aged 104) |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1955–1994 • 2012[1] |
| Known for | |
| Height | 1.60 m (5 ft 3 in) |
Life and career
editYarrow is also known to Doctor Who fans for his portrayal as diminutive Exxilon leader Bellal in the 1974 serial Death to the Daleks.[3] In 2020, Yarrow became the fifth (credited) performer associated with the franchise to become a centenarian after Zohra Sehgal, Olaf Pooley, Peggy Batchelor and Earl Cameron, as well as the seventh including non–credited actors Eileen Winterton and Lewis Alexander.[4]
His other television 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 wrote 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 lived in Herne Bay, Kent. He turned 100 in April 2020, and died in Herne Bay on 9 December 2024, aged 104. At the age of 104 years and 236 days, he is believed to be the longest-lived actor to have had a credited role in Doctor Who. With his passing, Laurie Webb[7] and Donald Pelmear are now the oldest living centenarians associated with the programme.
Filmography
editAs 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
editFilm
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)
- ^ "Television: Not Offensive". The Jewish Chronicle. 30 September 1960. p. 30.
- ^ "BBC – Doctor Who Classic Episode Guide – Death to the Daleks – Details". bbc.co.uk.
- ^ "Doctor Who Guide: Birthdays". Doctor Who Guide.
- ^ "Arnold Yarrow". BFI. Archived from the original on 22 September 2020.
- ^ DrWhoCastCrewGuide. x.com
- ^ "Doctor Who News – Arnold Yarrow 1920-2024". Doctor Who News. 9 December 2024. Retrieved 9 December 2024.