Simon Oates
Encyclopedia
Simon Oates was an English
actor best known for his roles on television
.
Born in Canning Town
, east London, and subsequently moving to Finchley
in his teens, Oates trained as a heating engineer for his father's firm, before becoming an actor. He was in the Intelligence Corps during his Army National Service
.Working in theatrical rep during the 1950s he was leading man at York Theatre Royal
for some years, before getting a big break in television in the science fiction
series Doomwatch
as Dr. John Ridge, for which he is perhaps best known. (Co-stars included John Paul
as Dr. Spencer Quist and Robert Powell
as Toby Wren). He appeared regularly as Anthony Kelly in the 1960s espionage
series The Mask of Janus
and its spin-off series The Spies
.
His many guest appearances included: The Avengers
, Man in a Suitcase
, Department S
, Jason King
, The New Avengers
, The Professionals
, Bergerac
, and The 10 Percenters
.
Oates also appeared as John Steed
in the 1971 stage adaptation of The Avengers
with Sue Lloyd
and Kate O'Mara
. He also appeared in the West End in the Francis Durbridge
thriller, "Suddenly at Home". He worked extensively in theatre in Great Britain, the West End and indeed, the world throughout his career, both as an actor and a director, and lived in Canada for some time where he had a touring theatre company.
His son, Justin Brett, also an actor, said that his father was offered the role of James Bond
in Diamonds Are Forever
, but that Sean Connery
changed his mind and returned to the role. Other sources suggest that Oates was in the running before Roger Moore
was confirmed as 007 for Live and Let Die
.
In tandem with his straight acting career, Simon also appeared many times as a stand-up comic and compere, working with such stars as Tom Jones
, Sandie Shaw
, and The Who
. He also appeared at the London Palladium
with Dorothy Squires
. He directed Woman in a Dressing Gown
, starring Brenda Bruce
at The Vaudeville Theatre. He also directed many musicals and straight plays on the touring circuit.
Simon died on Wednesday 20 May 2009 following protracted illness, and is survived by his wife, Jaki, and three children.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
actor best known for his roles on television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
.
Born in Canning Town
Canning Town
Canning Town is an area of east London, England. It is part of the London Borough of Newham and is situated in the area of the former London docks on the north side of the River Thames. It is the location of Rathbone Market...
, east London, and subsequently moving to Finchley
Finchley
Finchley is a district in Barnet in north London, England. Finchley is on high ground, about north of Charing Cross. It formed an ancient parish in the county of Middlesex, becoming a municipal borough in 1933, and has formed part of Greater London since 1965...
in his teens, Oates trained as a heating engineer for his father's firm, before becoming an actor. He was in the Intelligence Corps during his Army National Service
National service
National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
.Working in theatrical rep during the 1950s he was leading man at York Theatre Royal
York Theatre Royal
The York Theatre Royal is a theatre in St. Leonard's Place, York, England, which dates back to 1744. The theatre currently seats 847 people. This reduced capacity takes into account removal of the mixing position seats and the stage side boxes which are normally not sold...
for some years, before getting a big break in television in the 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...
series Doomwatch
Doomwatch
Doomwatch is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC, which ran on BBC One between 1970 and 1972. The series was set in the then present-day, and dealt with a scientific government agency led by Doctor Spencer Quist , responsible for investigating and combating various...
as Dr. John Ridge, for which he is perhaps best known. (Co-stars included John Paul
John Paul (actor)
John Paul was a British actor.He is best known for his television roles, particularly as Dr Spencer Quist in Doomwatch and Marcus Agrippa in I, Claudius , both for BBC Television....
as Dr. Spencer Quist and Robert Powell
Robert Powell
Robert Powell is an English television and film actor, probably most famous for his title role in Jesus of Nazareth and as the fictional secret agent Richard Hannay...
as Toby Wren). He appeared regularly as Anthony Kelly in the 1960s espionage
Espionage
Espionage or spying involves an individual obtaining information that is considered secret or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information. Espionage is inherently clandestine, lest the legitimate holder of the information change plans or take other countermeasures once it...
series The Mask of Janus
The Mask of Janus
The Mask of Janus is a British television series produced by the BBC in 1965.The series was set in the fictional European country of Amalia and dealt with the political interests of the British, American and Communist espionage communities within. Eschewing the action formula of its ITV...
and its spin-off series The Spies
The Spies (TV series)
The Spies is a British television series produced by the BBC in 1966.A spin-off or rebranding of the previous 1965 series The Mask of Janus, The Spies was a more conventional espionage thriller series than its predecessor, being more explicitly concerned with the actual operations of British secret...
.
His many guest appearances included: The Avengers
The Avengers (TV series)
The Avengers is a spy-fi British television series set in the 1960s Britain. The Avengers initially focused on Dr. David Keel and his assistant John Steed . Hendry left after the first series and Steed became the main character, partnered with a succession of assistants...
, Man in a Suitcase
Man in a Suitcase
Man in a Suitcase is a 1967 television series produced by Lew Grade's ITC Entertainment.-Origins and overview:Man in a Suitcase was effectively a replacement for Danger Man, whose production had been curtailed when its star Patrick McGoohan had decided to create his own series, The Prisoner...
, Department S
Department S
Department S is a United Kingdom spy-fi adventure series produced by ITC Entertainment. The series consists of 28 episodes which originally aired in 1969–1970. It starred Peter Wyngarde as author Jason King , Joel Fabiani as Stewart Sullivan, and Rosemary Nicols as computer expert Annabelle Hurst...
, Jason King
Jason King (TV series)
Jason King was a British television series produced from 1971 to 1972. Each episode was one hour in duration , and the series had a run of one season of 26 episodes. As well as its native UK, the series was also screened in countries as far afield as Australia, Norway, Argentina and Peru...
, The New Avengers
The New Avengers (TV series)
The New Avengers is a British secret agent fantasy adventure television series produced during 1976 and 1977. It is a sequel to the 1960s series, The Avengers which was created by Sydney Newman, and the new version was developed by original series producers Brian Clemens and Albert Fennell.The...
, The Professionals
The Professionals (TV series)
The Professionals was a British crime-action television drama series produced by Avengers Mk1 Productions and London Weekend Television that aired on the ITV network from 1977 to 1983. In all, 57 episodes were produced, filmed between 1977 and 1981. It starred Martin Shaw, Lewis Collins and Gordon...
, Bergerac
Bergerac (TV series)
Bergerac was a British television show set on Jersey. Produced by the BBC in association with the Seven Network, and screened on BBC1, it starred John Nettles as the title character Detective Sergeant Jim Bergerac, a detective in "Le Bureau des Étrangers" Bergerac was a British television show...
, and The 10 Percenters
The 10 Percenters
The Ten Percenters was a British television comedy series, broadcast on ITV, which began as a pilot in 1993 , and was followed by two series which were shown in 1994 and 1996...
.
Oates also appeared as John Steed
John Steed
John Steed is a fictional character and the central protagonist on the popular British series The Avengers and The New Avengers, played by Patrick Macnee and Ralph Fiennes in the movie....
in the 1971 stage adaptation of The Avengers
The Avengers (TV series)
The Avengers is a spy-fi British television series set in the 1960s Britain. The Avengers initially focused on Dr. David Keel and his assistant John Steed . Hendry left after the first series and Steed became the main character, partnered with a succession of assistants...
with Sue Lloyd
Sue Lloyd
Sue Lloyd was an English model turned actress with numerous film and television credits.-Biography:...
and Kate O'Mara
Kate O'Mara
Kate O'Mara is an English film, stage and television actress. She is perhaps most widely known for her role as Caress Morell, the scheming sister of Alexis Colby in the 1980s American primetime soap opera Dynasty, though is also known for playing other villains such as The Rani in Doctor Who and...
. He also appeared in the West End in the Francis Durbridge
Francis Durbridge
Francis Henry Durbridge was an English playwright and author. He was educated at Bradford Grammar School in Yorkshire where he was encouraged to write by his English teacher. He continued to do so whilst studying English at Birmingham University...
thriller, "Suddenly at Home". He worked extensively in theatre in Great Britain, the West End and indeed, the world throughout his career, both as an actor and a director, and lived in Canada for some time where he had a touring theatre company.
His son, Justin Brett, also an actor, said that his father was offered the role of James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
in Diamonds Are Forever
Diamonds Are Forever (film)
Diamonds Are Forever is the seventh spy film in the Eon Productions James Bond series, and the sixth and final Eon Productions film to star Sean Connery as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. The film is based on Ian Fleming's 1956 novel of the same name, and is the second of four James Bond films...
, but that Sean Connery
Sean Connery
Sir Thomas Sean Connery , better known as Sean Connery, is a Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy Award, two BAFTA Awards and three Golden Globes Sir Thomas Sean Connery (born 25 August 1930), better known as Sean Connery, is a Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy...
changed his mind and returned to the role. Other sources suggest that Oates was in the running before Roger Moore
Roger Moore
Sir Roger George Moore KBE , is an English actor, perhaps best known for portraying British secret agent James Bond in seven films from 1973 to 1985. He also portrayed Simon Templar in the long-running British television series The Saint.-Early life:Moore was born in Stockwell, London...
was confirmed as 007 for Live and Let Die
Live and Let Die (film)
Live and Let Die is the eighth spy film in the James Bond series, and the first to star Roger Moore as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. The film was produced by Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman...
.
In tandem with his straight acting career, Simon also appeared many times as a stand-up comic and compere, working with such stars as Tom Jones
Tom Jones (singer)
Sir Thomas John Woodward, OBE , known by his stage name Tom Jones, is a Welsh singer.Since the mid 1960s, Jones has sung many styles of popular music – pop, rock, R&B, show tunes, country, dance, techno, soul and gospel – and sold over 100 million records...
, Sandie Shaw
Sandie Shaw
Sandie Shaw is an English pop singer, who was one of the most successful British female singers of the 1960s. In 1967 she was the first UK act to win the Eurovision Song Contest...
, and The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
. He also appeared at the London Palladium
London Palladium
The London Palladium is a 2,286 seat West End theatre located off Oxford Street in the City of Westminster. From the roster of stars who have played there and many televised performances, it is arguably the most famous theatre in London and the United Kingdom, especially for musical variety...
with Dorothy Squires
Dorothy Squires
Dorothy Squires was a Welsh vocalist. Among her recordings were versions of "A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening", "I'm in the Mood for Love", "Anytime", "If You Love Me " and "And So to Sleep Again".-Biography:...
. He directed Woman in a Dressing Gown
Woman in a Dressing Gown
Woman in a Dressing Gown is a 1957 British film directed by J. Lee Thompson. Yvonne Mitchell won the Silver Bear for Best Actress at the 7th Berlin International Film Festival....
, starring Brenda Bruce
Brenda Bruce
Brenda Bruce was a British actress. She had a long and successful career in the theatre, radio, film, and television.-Early life:Brenda Bruce was born in Manchester...
at The Vaudeville Theatre. He also directed many musicals and straight plays on the touring circuit.
Simon died on Wednesday 20 May 2009 following protracted illness, and is survived by his wife, Jaki, and three children.