Who was Peter Wyngarde? Jason King actor in Department S who has died aged 90
The actor has died at the age of 90... here's all you need to know about the man
ACTOR Peter Wyngarde has died at the age of 90 after a Hollywood career that dates back to 1946.
But, what else do we know about the late star? And what films was he in?
Who was Peter Wyngarde?
Peter Wyngrade was a mysterious figure - his date and place of birth, his birth name, and his parent's nationalities and occupations are all disputed. However, it's believed his original name was Cyril Goldbert and that he changed his name after arriving in the UK in the mid 1940s.
The actor best known for his role as sleuth Jason King in Department S and its spin-off.
Wyngarde famously signed his contract for Department S on a napkin in a restaurant and went on to make the character his own.
He also appeared in Flash Gordon as Klytus and played Timanov in Doctor Who: Planet Of Fire, as well as enjoying numerous stage roles.
He started his career in 1946 when he began to take on his first professional roles in theatre productions.
He had early success in a production of Noël Coward's Present Laughter which opened on 7 August 1947 at the Theatre Royal, Birmingham.
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What films did Peter Wyngarde appear in?
Peter has appeared in the following films:
- Alexander the Great (1956)
- The Siege of Sidney Street (1960)
- The Innocents (1961)
- Night of the Eagle (1962)
- Himmel, Scheich und Wolkenbruch (1979)
- Flash Gordon (1980)
- Tank Malling (1989)
What TV shows did Peter Wyngarde appear in?
Here's a brief selection of Wyngarde various TV appearances:
- BBC adaptation of A Tale of Two Cities (1957)
- The Adventures of Ben Gunn (1958)
- Rupert of Hentzau (1964)
- The Saint (1966-7)
- The Avengers (1966-7)
- The Prisoner: Checkmate (1967)
- Department S (1969–70)
- Jason King (1971-2)
- Doctor Who: Planet of Fire (1984)
When did Peter Wyngarde die?
Peter died on 15 January 2018, his agent and manager Thomas Bowington confirmed.
Bowington said: "He was one of the most unique, original and creative actors that I have ever seen.
"As a man, there were few things in life he didn't know.
"I sometimes nicknamed him the King because he simply knew everything."
Bowington added: "He was a mentor on everything you can think of, from sports cars to how to make a good cup of tea and how to do a tie and shirt.
"He died at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital (in London), and even then he was saying that you shouldn't button the upper button on a shirt.
"As a person he was the most exceptional person I met in my life and a great mentor and teacher."
His agent said the actor had roles and personal appearances coming up and that he died on Monday, having been unwell for a couple of months.