Tim Barlow
Born(1936-01-18)18 January 1936
Blackpool, Lancashire, England
Died20 January 2023 (aged 87)
OccupationActor
Years active1954–2023

Michael John Leigh Barlow (18 January 1936 – 20 January 2023) was an English actor who performed many small roles in a variety of films, television programmes, and plays, under the stage name Tim Barlow or Timothy Barlow.

Life and career

Barlow was born 18 January 1936.[1] His father, a solicitor, died when he was five years old. Barlow was raised by his mother. After graduating from school at the age of 18, he entered the British Army, and spent 15 years in the military.[1]

Barlow left the army in 1969 to pursue a career in acting, receiving advice from Trevor Nunn and Sir Laurence Olivier. He wrote and performed a one-man show in which he described how he came to the decision to go into the acting profession. He previously had much success with another one man show entitled "My Army" in which he described his life in the British army in the 1960s. This toured for many years.

One of his most notable roles was playing Mr. Morrow, a blind man allergic to his guide dog in The Tall Guy alongside Jeff Goldblum. He played Tyssan in the Doctor Who serial Destiny of the Daleks. He also appeared on stage with the Royal Shakespeare Company and as the BFG at the Polka Theatre in Wimbledon, and on screen as Mr Treacher in Hot Fuzz. In 2007 he played an Ancient Blind Oracle in the HBO series Rome.

Barlow lost his hearing in the 1950s when testing a high velocity Muzzle Rifle for the British Army, until 2008, when surgery to fit a cochlear implant allowed him to recover some of his hearing.[2] His experience of having the cochlear implant fitted was detailed in an episode of BBC Radio 4 programme It's My Story, called "Earfull - From Silence into Sound".[3]

In 2016 he performed in Him, an autobiographical work about memory, ageing and the art of theatre, created by theatre-maker Sheila Hill, with videographer Hugo Glendinning, and musician Sebastiano Dessanay.[4][5]

Director Simon McBurney announced Barlow's death on 21 January 2023, at the age of 87.[6] He died on 20 January 2023 peacefully at home surrounded by love, according to his family.[7]

TV and films

Year Title Role Notes
1975BranniganCustoms OfficerUncredited
1976The Eagle Has LandedGeorge Wilde (Publican)
1978Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe?Doyle
1979Doctor WhoTyssan4 episodes: Destiny of the Daleks
1979Grange HillMr. StilesTV series; 2 episodes
1983Privates on ParadeCommanding Officer
1984The Adventures of Sherlock HolmesRussian CountTV series; 1 episode
1989The Tall GuyMr. Morrow
1993AnchoressOld Pilgrim
1993Inside Victor Lewis-SmithMr. Lobley
1996Mary ReillyVicar
1997The UglyPolice Photographer
1998Les MisérablesLafitte
1998Cousin BetteDe Forzheim
1999A Kind of HushMax
1999Tube TalesElderly DrunkSegment: "Steal Away"
2000The Nine Lives of Tomas KatzMr. Browne
2001Kiss Kiss (Bang Bang)Doctor
2001The Emperor's New ClothesBargee
2004The Rocket PostHector McDougal
2004TeethErnieShort
2005Kingdom of HeavenOld GuardDirector's cut
2005Lie StillMan in Pub
2007RomeAncient Blind OracleTV series; 1 episode
2007Hot FuzzMr. Treacher
200810,000 BCThe Pyramid God
2008Lezione 21Simrock
2012Cockneys vs ZombiesSamurai Head Slice Zombie
2013The Christmas CandleOliver Barber
2014AutómataOrganizer
2012–2014DerekJackTV series; 14 episodes
2016SherlockWilderTV series; 1 episode
2017My Cousin RachelSeecombe
2018The AlienistMr KreizlerTV series; 1 episode

References

  1. 1 2 Barlow, Tim (26 October 2008). "Unheard Voices: Interviews With Deafened People: Tim Barlow" (PDF). Hearing Link (British Library ref. C1345/05). Interviewed by Pam Blackman. British Library. p. 1. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
  2. ↑ Destiny of the Daleks audio commentary
  3. ↑ BBC Radio 4. "Earfull - From Silence into Sound", BBC Radio 4 27 November 2008
  4. ↑ Billen, Andrew (5 September 2016). "'Laurence Olivier told me that I could become an actor — and that his hearing was going too'". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 7 March 2018.
  5. ↑ Gardner, Lyn (17 October 2016). "Plan your week's theatre: top tickets". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 March 2018.
  6. ↑ Simon McBurney [@SimonMcBurney] (21 January 2023). "'And now the great Tim Barlow has left us. '" (Tweet). Retrieved 21 January 2023 – via Twitter.
  7. ↑ Sand, Jonas (23 January 2023). "Roller på stribe: Tim Barlow er død". Ekstra Bladet (in Danish). Retrieved 25 January 2023.
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