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Bernard Hepton, the Bradford born stage and screen actor died in July 2018 aged 92. For people of a certain age – and that of course means my age – he seemed ubiquitous on British television in the 1970s, lending his perpetually worried features to a series of memorable characters in prestigious BBC dramas.

He will be best remembered by television viewers as the perfectly correct Kommandant with a humane streak in “Colditz”, as Archbishop Cranmer in the series “The Six Wives of Henry VIII” starring Keith Michell, Toby Esterhase in the John le Carré adaptations of “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” and “Smiley’s People” with Alec Guinness, and as the café owner and Belgian Resistance operative Albert Foiret in 43 episodes of “Secret Army” (1977-79).

He continued working until the mid 90’s and outlived both his wives. There were no children.

He was immensely talented, and it is somewhat ironic that two of his comparatively rare starring roles came in sitcoms when he revealed a nice sense of comic timing. In one episode of the fondly remembered comedy “The Squirrels” (1974-77), he fawns over the man he believes to be his new managing director and is extremely rude to a second man who he thinks is looking for a job.

His film work was limited, but his appearance as Thorpey, Kinnear’s rather wimpish messanger in the original “Get Carter” (1971) provided a lighter moment in an otherwise rather bleak, albeit gripping movie. Few watching his character’s intolerance to physical pain would have guessed that he had acquired a reputation as a first rate fight arranger at The Old Vic in the 1950’s. Versatility was truly his by-word.