JOHN BENFIELD

(9 November 1951 - 16 June 2020)

The British actor John Benfield, who has died from cancer at the age of 68, was exceptional at playing heavy character roles on both sides of the law. Born Jonathan Turner in Wanstead, East London, he worked as an ambulance driver before studying acting at Webber Douglas. He did some stage work but was mainly on television. His TV debut was as the Gaoler in The Winter’s Tale in 1981. From there he did It Ain’t Half Hot Mum, The Day of the Triffids, Minder, The Sign of Four, The Beggar’s Opera (another Gaoler), P.D. James’ The Black Tower, and many others including more Shakespeare and, most notably, Lynda La Plante’s Prime Suspect with Helen Mirren. Benfield’s first film was Breakout (1984), then came Whoops Apocalypse, Buster, Ken Loach’s Hidden Agenda, Jim Sheridan’s In the Name of the Father with Daniel Day-Lewis, Hattie Macdonald’s Beautiful Thing, Disney’s 101 Dalmatians, Cousin Bette with Jessica Lange, You’re Dead with John Hurt, 24 Hours in London with Gary Olsen, Lover’s Prayer with Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gray with Cate Blanchett, the Wachowskis’ Speed Racer, Woody Allen’s Cassandra’s Dream, Giuseppe Tornatore’s Deception and The Coldest Game (2019) with Bill Pullman. John Benfield was married to Lilian Lees and they have a son, Freddie.

MICHAEL DARVELL