Martin Benson (actor)

Martin Benson
Born	Martin Benjamin Benson 10 August 1918(1918-08-10) London, England, UK
Died	28 February 2010(2010-02-28) (aged 91) Markyate, Hertfordshire, England, UK
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1942–2005
Spouse	Joan Oliver (?–?) divorsed Joy Swinson-Benson(?–2010) (his death)

Martin Benjamin Benson (10 August 1918 – 28 February 2010)^[1] was an English character actor, who appeared in films, theatre and television. He appeared in both British and Hollywood productions.

Career

He is remembered for his role as the Kralaholme in the original London production of The King and I, a role he recreated in the Oscar winning film version.

Appearing in films for over six decades, Benson played mostly supporting characters or villains. His films include The Blind Goddess (1948), Wheel of Fate (1953), Interpol (1957), The Strange World of Planet X (1958), Once More, with Feeling! (1959), Exodus (1960), Five Golden Hours (1961), A Shot in the Dark (1964), Pope Joan (1972), The Sea Wolves (1980) and Angela's Ashes (1999).

He also had an uncredited role in MGM's hit historical film, Ivanhoe, and in 1963 he acted in another historic film, as Ramos in Cleopatra (which also starred Elizabeth Taylor). Benson played both serious roles, such as Ali in Killers of Kilimanjaro (1959) and comic roles, such as Maurice in A Shot in the Dark.

In 1964, he appeared as Mr. Solo, the gangster who refused to take part in the title villain's plan and is later shot by his henchman Oddjob in the James Bond film, Goldfinger

Television

He appeared in many roles on television. In 1957 he made a guest appearance on The Jack Benny Show. In the same year he played the recurring character the Duke de Medici in the children's adventure series Sword of Freedom. In 1981 he appeared in the television production of The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy, albeit unrecognisable under the heavy make-up and costume of Prostetnic Vogon Jeltz, leader of the Vogon fleet sent to destroy Earth. His last appearance was in the TV series, Casualty in 2005.

Personal life and death

He was a son of a Russian grocer and his Polish wife who had left Russia at the revolution.^[2] He married, first Joan Oliver, with whom he had three daughters and a son and then Joy Swinson, with whom he had two daughters and a son; there was a son by another relationship.

Benson died in his sleep on 28 February 2010, from natural causes, aged 91 at his home in Markyate, Hertfordshire. He is survived by his wife, Joy Swinson-Benson, his three daughters, his son, his two stepdaughters and one stepson.

Selected filmography

But Not in Vain (1948) Under Capricorn (1949) Trapped by the Terror (1949) I'll Get You for This (1951) Assassin for Hire (1951) Hotel Sahara (1951) Mystery Junction (1951) Wide Boy (1952) Black 13 (1953) Escape by Night (1953) You Know What Sailors Are (1954) West of Zanzibar (1954) Passage Home (1955) 23 Paces to Baker Street (1956) The King and I (1956) Istanbul (1957) Doctor at Large (1957) Interpol (1957) The Flesh Is Weak (1957) Man from Tangier (1957) Windom's Way (1957) The Strange World of Planet X (1958) Sea of Sand (1958) The Two-Headed Spy (1958)

Make Mine a Million (1959) Killers of Kilimanjaro (1959) Once More, with Feeling! (1960) Oscar Wilde (1960) Sands of the Desert (1960) Exodus (1960) Five Golden Hours (1961) The Fur Collar (1962) Satan Never Sleeps (1962) Village of Daughters (1962) Captain Clegg (1962) Cleopatra (1963) A Shot in the Dark (1964) Behold a Pale Horse (1964) Goldfinger (1964) The Secret of My Success (1965) Pope Joan (1972) Tiffany Jones (1973) The Omen (1976) Mohammad, Messenger of God (1976) Meetings with Remarkable Men (1979) The Human Factor (1979) The Sea Wolves (1980) Sphinx (1981)

References

1. ^ Martin Benson obituary
2. ^ Martin Benson

External links

• Martin Benson at the Internet Movie Database
• Obituary in The Times
• Martin Benson - Daily Telegraph obituary

Persondata
Name	Benson, Martin
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	10 August 1918
Place of birth	London, England, UK
Date of death	28 February 2010
Place of death	Buckinghamshire, England, UK