Vale: Lewis Fiander

Veteran actor Lewis Fiander, best known for Pride and Prejudice and Bangkok Hilton, has died, aged 78.

He died yesterday following a recent stroke.

Born in Melbourne, Fiander enjoyed a long career in the UK, appearing in TV shows from 1962 including ITV Play of the Week, The VIPS, The Hidden Truth and Redcap.

In 1967 he landed the role of Mr. Darcy in BBC’s Pride and Prejudice before subsequent roles in Fraud Squad, Mystery and Imagination, Smith, Napoleon and Love, Notorious Woman, Victorian Scandals, The Sweeney, Supernatural, Crown Court, Ladykillers, Young Sherlock, and Poor Little Rich Girls.

In 1979 he appeared in Doctor Who‘s episode “Nightmare of Eden” and after discussion with his friend Tom Baker chose to give the character a hybrid accent as would befit an alien in the future.

UK film credits included I Start Counting, Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde, Phibes Rises Again, The Abdication, Who Can Kill a Child?, Not Now Comrade, Sweeney 2, The Doctor and the Devils and Georgia.

In the 1980s he returned to Australia appearing in Tanamera: Lion of Singapore, Inside Running, bangkok Hilton, The Feds, Blight, The Genie from Down Under and the Australian-filmed Mission: Impossible.

There were also numerous stage roles, in both the UK and Australia, plus voice work for The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello.