Richard Franklin
Encyclopedia
Richard Franklin is a British
actor.
He has had various roles in different television programmes including Crossroads (January - June 1969, as Joe Townsend) and Emmerdale Farm
(1988–89, as Dennis Rigg). However, his most significant role was that of Captain Mike Yates
, a member of UNIT
, in the BBC
science fiction
television series Doctor Who
from 1971 to 1974. Franklin has stood for Parliament on several occasions and works today primarily as a theatre director.
He has also guest-starred in a number of Big Finish Productions
audio plays including Professor Bernice Summerfield: Dragons' Wrath
, Sapphire and Steel: The Surest Poison
and I, Davros: Innocence
.
His other acting television appearances include: Blake's 7
, Dixon of Dock Green
, The Saint
, The Millicent Martin Show, Little Women, The Pathfinders, Catherine Cookson's The Gambling Man (1995) and more recently Heartbeat (1997, as a Doctor). In terms of his political work, this has led to appearances on Campaign Calendar (Yorkshire TV) and an election speech at the Liberal Democrat Conference (broadcast by Sky TV
in 1993).
His theatre acting work includes Peter Dews' production of As You Like It, Same Time Next Year (Prince of Wales Theatre), Macbeth (RSC), Rocky Horror Show (as the Narrator), The Spider's Web (UK Tour for Ian Dickens
), Romeo and Juliet (UK Tour with Sean Maguire
), The Importance of Being Earnest (English Speaking Theatre, Frankfurt) and many pantomimes. On radio he played Harrison Howell in the BBC Radio 2 production of Kiss Me Kate
(1996).
Richard has in recent years produced an annual production as part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. He has also been an artistic and associate director of a number of theatres.
He has maintained his contact with Doctor Who
and appears regularly at conventions and contributing to video projects for Reeltime Pictures in their spin-off interview and documentary productions. He recreated Captain Mike Yates for the Twentieth Anniversary special The Five Doctors
(1983) and also the Thirtieth Anniversary 3-D Special for Children In Need Dimensions In Time
(1993), both in scenes with Jon Pertwee
.
Franklin also wrote a novel featuring his Who character, Mike Yates, The Killing Stone, but it has been released only as an audio book, read by the author.
Franklin returned to his role as Mike Yates in 2009 and 2010 in two 5-part series of BBC audio plays - with the overarching titles of "Hornets' Nest" and "Demon Quest" - alongside the fourth Doctor Tom Baker
.
In 2009 Franklin starred in various music clips from the band Noah and the Whale.
He also played 'The Narrator' in the tour version of The Rocky Horror Show
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
actor.
He has had various roles in different television programmes including Crossroads (January - June 1969, as Joe Townsend) and Emmerdale Farm
Emmerdale
Emmerdale, is a long-running British soap opera set in Emmerdale , a fictional village in the Yorkshire Dales. Created by Kevin Laffan, Emmerdale was first broadcast on 16 October 1972...
(1988–89, as Dennis Rigg). However, his most significant role was that of Captain Mike Yates
Captain Mike Yates
Captain Mike Yates is a fictional character in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, played by Richard Franklin. He was adjutant of the British contingent of UNIT , an international organisation that defends the Earth...
, a member of UNIT
United Nations Intelligence Taskforce
UNIT is a fictional military organisation from the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures...
, in the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
television series Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
from 1971 to 1974. Franklin has stood for Parliament on several occasions and works today primarily as a theatre director.
He has also guest-starred in a number of Big Finish Productions
Big Finish Productions
Big Finish Productions is a British company that produces books and audio plays based, primarily, on cult British science fiction properties...
audio plays including Professor Bernice Summerfield: Dragons' Wrath
Dragons' Wrath
Dragons' Wrath is a novel by Justin Richards from the Virgin New Adventures starring the fictional archaeologist Bernice Summerfield. The New Adventures were based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
, Sapphire and Steel: The Surest Poison
The Surest Poison
The Surest Poison is a Big Finish Productions audio drama based on the popular British science fiction television series Sapphire & Steel.-Plot:...
and I, Davros: Innocence
I, Davros: Innocence
I, Davros: Innocence is a Big Finish Productions audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It stars Terry Molloy reprising his role as Davros, the twisted creator of the Dalek race. "Innocence" is the first in a four-part mini-series exploring...
.
His other acting television appearances include: Blake's 7
Blake's 7
Blake's 7 is a British science fiction television series produced by the BBC for its BBC1 channel. The series was created by Terry Nation, a prolific television writer and creator of the Daleks for the television series Doctor Who. Four series of Blake's 7 were produced and broadcast between 1978...
, Dixon of Dock Green
Dixon of Dock Green
Dixon of Dock Green was a popular BBC television series that ran from 1955 to 1976, and later a radio series. Despite being a drama series, it was initially produced by the BBC's light entertainment department.-Overview:...
, The Saint
The Saint (TV series)
The Saint was an ITC mystery spy thriller television series that aired in the UK on ITV between 1962 and 1969. It centred on the Leslie Charteris literary character, Simon Templar, a Robin Hood-like adventurer with a penchant for disguise. The character may be nicknamed The Saint because the...
, The Millicent Martin Show, Little Women, The Pathfinders, Catherine Cookson's The Gambling Man (1995) and more recently Heartbeat (1997, as a Doctor). In terms of his political work, this has led to appearances on Campaign Calendar (Yorkshire TV) and an election speech at the Liberal Democrat Conference (broadcast by Sky TV
British Sky Broadcasting
British Sky Broadcasting Group plc is a satellite broadcasting, broadband and telephony services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom, with operations in the United Kingdom and the Ireland....
in 1993).
His theatre acting work includes Peter Dews' production of As You Like It, Same Time Next Year (Prince of Wales Theatre), Macbeth (RSC), Rocky Horror Show (as the Narrator), The Spider's Web (UK Tour for Ian Dickens
Ian Dickens
Ian Dickens is a former actor and is currently a theatrical producer and director, the founder of Ian Dickens Productions....
), Romeo and Juliet (UK Tour with Sean Maguire
Sean Maguire
Sean Maguire is an English actor and singer, who rose to fame in 1988 when at the age of eleven he took on the role of "Tegs" Ratcliffe on the BBC children's drama Grange Hill, in which he remained until 1992...
), The Importance of Being Earnest (English Speaking Theatre, Frankfurt) and many pantomimes. On radio he played Harrison Howell in the BBC Radio 2 production of Kiss Me Kate
Kiss Me, Kate
Kiss Me, Kate is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter. It is structured as a play within a play, where the interior play is a musical version of William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew. The original production starred Alfred Drake, Patricia Morison, Lisa Kirk and Harold Lang.Kiss...
(1996).
Richard has in recent years produced an annual production as part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. He has also been an artistic and associate director of a number of theatres.
He has maintained his contact with Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
and appears regularly at conventions and contributing to video projects for Reeltime Pictures in their spin-off interview and documentary productions. He recreated Captain Mike Yates for the Twentieth Anniversary special The Five Doctors
The Five Doctors
The Five Doctors is a special feature-length episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, produced in celebration of the programme's twentieth anniversary. It had its world premiere in the United States, on the Chicago PBS station WTTW and various other PBS member stations...
(1983) and also the Thirtieth Anniversary 3-D Special for Children In Need Dimensions In Time
Dimensions in Time
Dimensions in Time is a charity special crossover between the British science fiction television series Doctor Who and the soap opera EastEnders that ran in two parts on 26 and 27 November 1993. It was filmed on the EastEnders Albert Square set, and features several of the stars of that programme...
(1993), both in scenes with Jon Pertwee
Jon Pertwee
John Devon Roland Pertwee , was an English actor. Pertwee is best known for his role in the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who, in which he played the third incarnation of the Doctor from 1970 to 1974, and as the title character in the series Worzel Gummidge...
.
Franklin also wrote a novel featuring his Who character, Mike Yates, The Killing Stone, but it has been released only as an audio book, read by the author.
Franklin returned to his role as Mike Yates in 2009 and 2010 in two 5-part series of BBC audio plays - with the overarching titles of "Hornets' Nest" and "Demon Quest" - alongside the fourth Doctor Tom Baker
Tom Baker
Thomas Stewart "Tom" Baker is a British actor. He is best known for playing the fourth incarnation of the Doctor in the science fiction television series Doctor Who, a role he played from 1974 to 1981.-Early life:...
.
In 2009 Franklin starred in various music clips from the band Noah and the Whale.
He also played 'The Narrator' in the tour version of The Rocky Horror Show
The Rocky Horror Show
The Rocky Horror Show is a long-running British horror comedy stage musical, which opened in London on 19 June 1973. It was written by Richard O'Brien, produced and directed by Jim Sharman. It came eighth in a BBC Radio 2 listener poll of the "Nation's Number One Essential Musicals"...
.
Political activities
Political activities include:- Candidate in the United Kingdom general election, 1992United Kingdom general election, 1992The United Kingdom general election of 1992 was held on 9 April 1992, and was the fourth consecutive victory for the Conservative Party. This election result was one of the biggest surprises in 20th Century politics, as polling leading up to the day of the election showed Labour under leader Neil...
in Sheffield Brightside for the Liberal Democrats 5,273 votes - Candidate in the United Kingdom general election, 1997United Kingdom general election, 1997The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
in Hackney South and Shoreditch for the Referendum PartyReferendum PartyThe Referendum Party was a Euro-sceptic, single issue party in the United Kingdom formed by Sir James Goldsmith to fight the 1997 General Election. The party called for a referendum on aspects of the UK's relationship with the European Union.-Policy:...
613 votes - Candidate in the United Kingdom general election, 2001United Kingdom general election, 2001The United Kingdom general election, 2001 was held on Thursday 7 June 2001 to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. It was dubbed "the quiet landslide" by the media, as the Labour Party was re-elected with another landslide result and only suffered a net loss of 6 seats...
in HoveHove (UK Parliament constituency)Hove is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...
for the United Kingdom Independence PartyUnited Kingdom Independence PartyThe United Kingdom Independence Party is a eurosceptic and right-wing populist political party in the United Kingdom. Whilst its primary goal is the UK's withdrawal from the European Union, the party has expanded beyond its single-issue image to develop a more comprehensive party platform.UKIP...
358 votes - Founded the Silent Majority Party
- Candidate in the United Kingdom general election, 2005United Kingdom general election, 2005The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
in HoveHove (UK Parliament constituency)Hove is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...
for the Silent Majority Party 78 votes