Richard Franklin

Last updated 25 December 2023

Richard Franklin (1936-2023)
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Richard Franklin

Born: Wednesday 15th January 1936
Died: Monday 25th December 2023 (age: 87)

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Richard Franklin was a British actor, best known for his long running role of Captain Mike Yates during the Pertwee era.

He reprised the role along side Tom Baker in a series of Audio stories for BBC Audio.

He has had various roles in different television programmes including Crossroads (January - June 1969, as Joe Townsend) and Emmerdale Farm (1988-89, as Dennis Rigg). Franklin has stood for Parliament on several occasions and works today primarily as a theatre director.

He also guest-starred in a number of Big Finish Productions audio plays including Professor Bernice Summerfield: Dragons' WrathSapphire and Steel: The Surest Poisonand I, Davros: Innocence.

His other acting television appearances include: Blake's 7Dixon of Dock GreenThe SaintThe Millicent Martin ShowLittle WomenThe PathfindersCatherine Cookson's The Gambling Man(1995) and more recently Heartbeat (1997, as a Doctor). In terms of his political work, this has led to appearances on Campaign Calendar (Yorkshire TV) and an election speech at the Liberal Democrat Conference (broadcast by Sky TV in 1993).

His theatre acting work includes Peter Dews' production of As You Like ItSame Time Next Year (Prince of Wales Theatre), Macbeth (RSC), Rocky Horror Show (as the Narrator), The Spider's Web (UK Tour for Ian Dickens), Romeo and Juliet (UK Tour with Sean Maguire), The Importance of Being Earnest (English Speaking Theatre, Frankfurt) and many pantomimes. On radio he played Harrison Howell in the BBC Radio 2 production of Kiss Me Kate (1996).

Richard has in recent years produced an annual production as part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. He has also been an artistic and associate director of a number of theatres.

He has maintained his contact with Doctor Who and appears regularly at conventions and contributing to video projects for Reeltime Pictures in their spin-off interview and documentary productions. 

Franklin also wrote a novel featuring his Who character, Mike Yates, The Killing Stone, but it has been released only as an audio book, read by the author.

In 2009 Franklin starred in various music clips from the band Noah and the Whale.

He also played 'The Narrator' in the tour version of The Rocky Horror Show.