Vale: John Nettleton
Veteran UK actor, best known for Yes Minister and The New Statesman, has died.
- Published by David Knox
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Veteran UK actor John Nettleton, best known for Yes Minister and The New Statesman has died, aged 94.
He died on July 12th with his agent saying in a statement: “It is with great sadness that we announce the death of our beloved client and much-loved stage and screen actor John Nettleton at the age of 94. He is survived by his wife Deirdre, three children and five grandchildren.”
Nettleton (pictured left) played manipulative civil servant Sir Arnold Robinson on Yes Minister from 1980 – 1984. The character, originally the Cabinet Secretary, was mentor to Nigel Hawthorne’s Sir Humphrey Appleby.
Nettleton also played Conservative MP Sir Stephen Baxter in The New Statesman, opposite Rik Mayall from 1987 – 1989.
Other credits include Brideshead Revisited, Doctor Who, Rumpole of the Bailey, The Bill, Casualty, Foyle’s War and Kingdom, opposite Stephen Fry.
He also turned his hand to the world of theatre, featuring in numerous productions for the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Old Vic.
Source: Chortle
2 Responses
One of the great lines he delivered so believably as Sir Arnold after his character retired from the civil service was in response to Sir Humphrey enquiring how things were going in his new job at the campaign for freedom of information:
“Oh sorry, I can’t discuss that”
I hadn’t noticed John Nettleton in Foyle’s War or The Bill but have definitely seen the episodes he is in. Time to get out the DVDs and take a closer look. It would be nice to enjoy his work again today.
He was great as Sir Arnold