Alan Wheatley

Alan Wheatley was a radio announcer who turned to stage and screen acting in the 1930's. He featured in many British films and television productions during the black and white era.

Wheatley left his job as an industrial psychologist to start an acting career. He made his film debut in the 1936 movie Conquest of the Air. During the Second World War, he worked for BBC Radio, both as an actor and as an announcer.

He is probably best known for his role as the Sheriff of Nottingham in the TV series The Adventures of Robin Hood in the 1950s, where he played the malevolent adversary to Richard Greene's Robin Hood. 

He had roles in Danger Man and The Avengers; and was the first person killed by a Dalek in an episode of Doctor Who, when he played Thal leader Temmosus in 1964. He was also an early Sherlock Holmes in a 1951 BBC TV series.

His film credits include: Caesar and Cleopatra (1945), The Rake's Progress (1945), Brighton Rock (1947), Calling Paul Temple (1948), Spaceways (1953), Simon and Laura (1955), A Jolly Bad Fellow (1964), and Tomorrow at Ten (1964) amongst others. He also appeared in Inn for Trouble (1960), a big screen spin-off from the popular TV comedy series The Larkins.

On stage he played Clifford Bax's The House of Borgia in 1935, as well as taking the lead in This Way to the Tomb - performed in London and Paris. He also played the tormented soul, Harry, in The Family Reunion.

Alan Wheatley also collaborated with the BBC English by Radio in a series of programmes for teaching English. He acted as "grandfather" in the series Ann and her Grandfather together with Brenda Cleather who acted as his granddaughter. 

Heplayed the Abbe in the BBC radio series The Count of Monte Cristo with the young Andrew Sachs playing Dante.

He died in Westminster in 1991 of a heart attack, at the age of 84.