Gary Waldhorn

Early life

Waldhorn was born in London on 3 July 1943 to Liselotte ( Popper) and Siegfried Waldhorn. His parents were Austrian Jews. He studied acting at the Yale School of Drama (graduated 1967) where he notably performed in new works written by playwright Lillian Hellman in 1966. While at Yale he met fellow student Christie Dickason, daughter of Indiana University academic David Howard Dickason, who became his wife and an active theatre director and choreographer in London and later a published playwright and novelist. He is known for his work in West End theatre productions and for his collaborations with the Royal Shakespeare Company. In 1972 he toured Australia and New Zealand in Harry M. Miller's production of Sleuth playing opposite Richard Todd.

Career

Apart from appearing in The Vicar of Dibley, Waldhorn also made many television appearances from the 1970s including Softly, Softly, The Sweeney, Space: 1999, The New Avengers, Brideshead Revisited, The Professionals, Minder, Robin of Sherwood, Rumpole of the Bailey, The Bill, Heartbeat, Gallowglass and Lovejoy. He also played Lionel Bainbridge in the first three series of Brush Strokes before the character was written out, and Richard Beamish in the first series of All at No 20.

He also starred as Ralph Apsoland in the 1993 miniseries Gallowglass. His other notable television credits include several recurring roles: Caulaincourt in the mini-series Napoleon and Love, Teddy Lupus in Enemy at the Door, John Fearnley in Moving, Gordon Lochhead in Campaign, Cllr. Alec Radcliffe in The Chief, Sergeant Bob Pulver in Lovejoy, and Cmdre. Forrest in Longitude.

Personal life and death

Waldhorn was a patron of Malawi Dream, a British registered charity working to help the people of Malawi in Africa.

He married Christie Dickason on 2 April 1967; the marriage produced one child.

Waldhorn died on 10 January 2022, aged 78.

Tributes

In 2025, Waldhorn appeared on a British postage stamp issued as part of a special set by Royal Mail, which commemorated the series The Vicar of Dibley.

Selected filmography

Television

Films

• Zeppelin (1971) – Harlich
• Hanover Street (1979) – 2nd German Clerk
• Dirty Money (1979) – Ministry Man
• Sir Henry at Rawlinson End (1980) – Max
• Escape to Victory (1981) – Hauptmann Rainer Mueller
• The Chain (1984) – Tornado

Radio

• "The Carrara Cherub", BBC Radio 4, Saturday Night Theatre, 21 August 1982 – Ray Damon (Private Detective)
• An Actor's Life For Me, BBC Radio 2, 20 January 1989–9 February 1993, 19 episodes – Desmond Shaw
• Elastic Planet, BBC Radio 4, 17 March 1995, 1 episode – Ensemble Actor
• Tomorrow, Today!, BBC Radio 4, 28 January–3 March 2008, 3 episodes – Sir Angus McNairn

References

References

1. (13 January 2022). "Actor Gary Waldhorn, who starred in Vicar of Dibley, has died".
2. (16 January 2022). "Obituary: Gary Waldhorn, Shakespearean actor who gained fame with role in 'The Vicar of Dibley'".
3. Shennan, Rhona. (12 January 2022). "'We will miss him terribly': Vicar of Dibley star Gary Waldhorn dies age 78". The Scotsman.
4. (16 April 1994). "Shylock, unacceptable face of Shakespeare?". The Independent.
5. Schafer, Elizabeth. (19 May 2000). "Ms-Directing Shakespeare: Women Direct Shakespeare". Palgrave Macmillan.
6. Lillian Hellman. (1986). "Conversations with Lillian Hellman". [[University Press of Mississippi]].
7. Merritt Lawlis and Willis P. Porter. (22 October 1974). "Memorial Resolution On The Death Of David Howard Dickason". Indiana University Bloomington Faculty Council Circular.
8. Todd, Richard. (1989). "In Camera: An Autobiography Continued". Hutchinson.
9. (22 March 2004). "The Big Interview: Gary Waldhorn". OfficialLondonTheatre.com.
10. "Gary Waldhorn".
11. Morris, Lauren. (11 January 2022). "Gary Waldhorn – The Vicar of Dibley star – dies, aged 78".
12. "Gary Waldhorn List of Movies and TV Shows".
13. Stolworthy, Jacob. (12 January 2022). "Gary Waldhorn death: Vicar of Dibley actor who played councillor David Horton dies, aged 78". The Independent.
14. "Our patron". Malawi Dream.
15. (14 January 2022). "Obituary - Gary Waldhorn". The Daily Telegraph.
16. (11 January 2022). "Vicar of Dibley actor Gary Waldhorn dies". BBC News.
17. (11 January 2022). "Vicar of Dibley actor Gary Waldhorn dies aged 78". The Guardian.
18. https://shop.royalmail.com/special-stamp-issues/the-vicar-of-dibley/the-vicar-of-dibley-stamp-set
19. Mattei, Jean-Pierre. (1998). "Napoléon & le cinéma: un siècle d'images". Editions Alain Piazzola.
20. "Gary Waldhorn". British Film Institute.
21. (1994). "A for Andromeda to Zoo Time: Television Holdings of the National Film and Television Archive, 1936–1979". Bloomsbury Academic.
22. ""Hanover Street" (1979)".
23. "Dirty Money (1988)".
24. "Sir Henry at Rawlinson End (1980)".
25. "The Chain (1984)".
26. (21 August 1982). "Saturday-Night Theatre: The Carrara Cherub".