Roy Marsden

1941-06-25 · Stepney, London, England, UK

Roy Marsden (born Roy Anthony Mould, 25 June 1941 in Stepney, London, England) – English actor, trained at RADA, best known for his 16-year portrayal of Commander Adam Dalgliesh in the ITV adaptations of P. D. James's detective novels (1983–1998, 48 episodes). His most notable film roles include Alpha in Toomorrow (1970), a Gestapo officer in The Eagle Has Landed (1976), Barry in The Squeeze (1977), and Oberon in Dungeons & Dragons: Wrath of the Dragon God (2005). On television he is also best known for Neil Burnside in The Sandbaggers (1978–1980, 20 episodes), Mr. Chips in Goodbye Mr. Chips (1984), John Stockton in The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes (1993), Captain Good in King Solomon's Mines (2004), Mr. Stoker in Doctor Who (2007), and Commander Haydock in Partners in Crime (2015). He has also appeared in Only Fools and Horses (1989), Foyle's War (2006), The Palace (2008), and The Green Green Grass (2005). He has since devoted his full attention to stage work, including directing and starring in his own production of A Christmas Carol.