Vernon Dobtcheff
Known for: Acting
Vernon Alexandre Dobtcheff (born 14 August 1934) is a French-British character actor, who has appeared in over 300 film, television, and stage productions in a career spanning six decades. Dobtcheff was born in Nîmes, France, to a British mother (Vernon) and a father of Bulgarian descent (Dobtcheff). He attended Ascham Preparatory School in Eastbourne, Sussex, England, in the 1940s, where he won the Acting Cup. One of his many television roles was as the Chief Scientist in the Doctor Who story The War Games in 1969. In his 2006 memoir Red Carpets and Other Banana Skins, British actor Rupert Everett describes an encounter with Dobtcheff on the boat train to Paris, and reveals his extraordinary reputation as the "patron saint" of the acting profession, stating that Dobtcheff "was legendary not so much for his acting as for his magical ability to catch every first night in the country". Widely travelled and prone to pop up in the most unlikely of locales, if unable to attend an opening night, Dobtcheff will still endeavour to send the cast a card wishing the production good luck. Description above from the Wikipedia article Vernon Dobtcheff, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Filmography
Series
Doctor Who
Scientist
1963
Series
Agatha Christie's Poirot
Simeon Lee
1989
Series
The Witcher
Older Elf
2019
Series
Crown Court
John Maitland-Wilson
1972
Series
The Avengers
Spencer
1961
Series
The Avengers
Stenson
1961
Series
Play for Today
1970
Series
Highlander: The Series
Carlo Luchesi
1992
Series
Highlander: The Series
Hamad
1992
Series
BBC Play of the Month
Monsieur Maingot
1965
Series
The Saint
Vogel
1962
Series
Sherlock Holmes
Mendelstam
1984
Series
Thirty-Minute Theatre
Carpenter
1965
Series
Relic Hunter
Anthony Cureton
1999
Series
The Name of the Game
Dedushko
1968
Series
Churchill's People
De Reynes
1974
Series
Playhouse
Eugene
1974
Series
The Sweeney
Harry Kretchmar
1975
Series
Theatre 625
Priest
1964
Series
Theatre 625
Emmanuel Goldstein
1964
Series
The Troubleshooters
Peebles
1965
Series
The Borgias
Cardinal Versucci
2011
Series
Blake's 7
The Chairman
1978
Series
The Little Murders of Agatha Christie
Anatole Deschanel
2009
Series
Dixon of Dock Green
Counsel for Defence
1955
Series
Rumpole of the Bailey
Edward Gandolphini
1975
Series
The Durrells
Mr. Kralefsky
2016
Film
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Butler
1989
Series
Sharpe
Don Felipe
1993
Series
The Champions
Manager
1968
Series
The Protectors
Joe Flynn
1972
Series
The Gold
Matteo Constantino
2023
Series
Police Commissioner Moulin
Astman
1976
Series
As Time Goes By
Dr. Stoker
1992
Series
New Scotland Yard
Jacob Harmann
1972
Series
The Odyssey
Aegyptius
1997
Series
Crossbow
1987
Series
Dramarama
Mr. Rolyat
1983
Series
Van der Valk
Sebastian Jonge
1972
Series
Father Ted
Old Nazi
1995
Series
Largo Winch
Maurice de Beliveau
2001
Series
Largo Winch
2001
Series
Out of the Unknown
N.G. Waldron
1965
Series
War and Remembrance
Henri Bulle
1988
Film
Murder on the Orient Express
Concierge
1974
Series
The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes
Molbech
1971
Film
The Spy Who Loved Me
Max Kalba
1977
Series
Highlander: The Raven
Count Van Der Meer
1998
Series
Ace of Wands
Sandor Zandar
1970
Film
Undisputed III: Redemption
Rezo
2010
Film
The Name of the Rose
Hugh of Newcastle
1986
Series
Fall of Eagles
Count Stookau
1974
Series
Espionage
Captain of Police
1963
Series
Emerald City
High Born Man
2017
Festival
Philosopher
1963
Film
Before Sunset
Bookstore Manager
2004
Film
The Day of the Jackal
Interrogator
1973
Series
Marco Polo
Pietro De Abano
1982
Series
Father Brown
Simon Vesty
1974
Series
Mystery and Imagination
Dr Lutz
1966
Series
The Romanoffs
M. Audran
2018
Series
Merlin
1st Physician
1998
Series
Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em
Henry
1973
Series
Holocaust
Karp
1978
Series
Dickens of London
Legal Gentleman
1976
Film
Fiddler on the Roof
Russian Official
1971
Series
Masada
Chief Priest
1981
Film
The Great Beauty
Arturo
2013
Film
The Man with the Iron Heart
Emile Hacha
2017
Series
The Return of Sherlock Holmes
Mendelstam
1986
Film
Darling
Art Critic at Ralph Riggs Exposure (uncredited)
1965
Film
The Taming of the Shrew
Pedant
1967
Series
The Scales of Justice
Mr. Strang
1962
Series
Private Schulz
Sturmer
1981
Series
If Tomorrow Comes
Boris Melnikov
1986
Series
The Further Adventures of the Musketeers
Msgr. de Gondy
1967
Series
Fortunes of War
Prince Hadjimoscos
1987
Codename
Herman Voss
1970
Series
Ike
Gen. Charles DeGaulle
1979
Series
A.D.
Flavius Sabinus
1985
Series
Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story
Jules Glaenzer
1989
Series
The Edwardians
Benjamin Disraeli
1972
Series
The Three Musketeers
Commissary
1966
Series
The Strauss Dynasty
Hirsch
1991
Series
1990
1977
Series
The Count of Monte Cristo
Prison Inspector
1964
The World of Wooster
Music Store Assistant
1965
Series
The Protectors
Cherni
1964
Series
Tender Is the Night
Luis Campion
1985
Film
Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 Hours 11 Minutes
Member of the French Team
1965
Series
Judith Krantz's Till We Meet Again
Felix Penroux
1989
Series
Mussolini: The Untold Story
Sebastiani
1985
Film
The Canterbury Tales
The Franklin
1972
Film
The Body
Monsignor
2001
Goldene Zeiten - Bittere Zeiten
M. Bernard
1981
The Mask of Janus
Colonel Valenkov
1965
Series
Peter and Paul
High Priest of Herod
1981
Film
Jude
Curator
1996
Film
Anne of the Thousand Days
Mendoza
1969
Series
Surviving Disaster
2006
Series
Michael Strogoff
Blount
1975
Film
Empire of the Wolves
Kudseyi
2005
Film
M. Butterfly
Agent Etancelin
1993
Film
Anna Karenina
Pestov
1997
Series
Apparitions
2008
Film
Hamlet
Reynaldo
1990
Series
L'Homme de Suez
Konya, Turkish Colonel, spy in the service of the English
1984
Series
Mazarin
Pimentel
1978
Film
Gwendoline
Shirko
1984
Film
The Hunchback
Father Michel
1997
Film
Caravaggio
Art Lover
1986
Film
The Scarlet and the Black
Count Langenthal
1983
Film
The Order
Oscar
2001
Series
David Copperfield
Quinion
2000
Turning Year Tales
Bailiff
1979
Film
An American Haunting
Elder #1
2005
Film
A Dandy in Aspic
1968
Film
Priceless
Jacques
2006
Film
The Krays
Teacher
1990
Series
Martin Chuzzlewit
1964
Breaking Point
1966
Film
Hilary and Jackie
Professor Bentley
1998
Film
Nicholas and Alexandra
Dr. Lazovert
1971
Film
Evilenko
Bagdasarov
2004
Film
Killing Jesus
Isaiah
2015
Film
That Night of Varennes
Judge at the confiscation
1982
Film
Ike
Gen. Charles DeGaulle
1979
Killers
Clerk of the Assizes
1976
Series
Des Christoffel von Grimmelshausen abenteuerlicher Simplizissimus
Dr. Canard
1975
Series
À vous de jouer Milord
N° 2
1974
Film
Playing with Fire
A messenger
1975
Series
Cartesius
Astronomo Ciprus
1974
Series
La Légende des 3 clefs
The anthropologist Gilles Clément
2007
Film
Mary, Queen of Scots
Duc De Guise
1971
Series
Morenga
Lohmann
1985
Film
March or Die
Mean Corporal
1977
Film
Scent of a Woman
Don Carlo (uncredited)
1974
Film
The Assassination Bureau
Baron Muntzof
1969
Film
Enigma
Minister
1982
Film
Let Him Have It
Clerk of Court
1991
Film
Soft Beds, Hard Battles
Padre
1974
Film
Catherine the Great
Naryshkin
1996
Film
Condorman
Russian Agent
1981
Film
The Invisible Boy
Artiglio
2014
Series
The Greeks: Crucible of Civilization
Cleisthenes
2000
Film
Surviving Picasso
Diaghilev
1996
Film
The Hour of the Pig
Apothecary
1993
Nobody Is Norman Wisdom
Proshnik
1973
Film
Them
Brisbane
1970
Film
Darling Lili
Otto Kraus
1970
Film
Meridian
Priest
1990
Film
Mata Hari
Prosecutor
1985
Film
Jefferson in Paris
King's Translator
1995
Film
The Horsemen
Zam Hajji
1971
Film
The Ogre
Lawyer
1996
Film
The Beast in the Cellar
Newsmith
1971
Film
Zarafa
Le vieux sage (voice)
2012
Film
The Plot to Kill Hitler
Fellgiebel
1990
Film
Another Woman's Life
Dimitri Speranski
2012
Film
Paura: Lucio Fulci Remembered - Volume 1
Self
2008
Film
Baby Love
Man in Cinema
1969
Film
Little Girl in Blue Velvet
Lamberti
1978
Film
Operation: Daybreak
Pyotr
1975
Film
David Copperfield
Quinion
2001
Film
The Married Couple of the Year Two
le pasteur
1971
Film
Lovers Like Us
Coleman
1975
Film
Murderers Among Us: The Simon Wiesenthal Story
Doctor Webber
1989
Film
Doctor Who: The War Games in Colour
The Scientist (archive footage)
2024
Film
Maigret
Gannett
1988
Film
Cat and Mouse
Germain's accomplice
1975
Film
Jinnah
Lord Willingdon
1998
Film
Doctor Who: The War Games
Chief Scientist
1969
Film
Dreaming of Joseph Lees
Italian Doctor
1999
Film
The Marseille Contract
Lazar
1974
Film
The Haunting of Margam Castle
Enos
2020
Film
Brocéliande
Brennos
2003
Film
Vigo
Papa Lozinska
1998
Film
Le Prof
Patte Folle
2000
Film
Alec Guinness: A Class Act
self
2024
Film
An Englishman Abroad
Guildenstern
1983
Film
India Song
Georges Crawn
1975
Film
Nijinsky
Sergei Grigoriev
1980
Film
The Falklands Play
Nicanor Costa Méndez (Argentine Minister of External Relations)
2002
Film
Impossible Object
Private Investigator
1973
Film
Horsehead
George
2014
Film
Revelation
Curé at Rennes-le-Chateau
2001
Film
The Red Siren
Vitali
2002
Film
Catacombs
Brother Timothy
1988
Film
30 Years to Life
Sandler
1998
Film
The Hostage of Europe
Hudson Lowe
1989
Film
Spanish Fly
Carl's Friend
1998
Film
The Sweet House of Horrors
The Exorcist
1989
Film
Pascali's Island
Pariente
1988
Film
Joseph Andrews
Fop Two
1977
Film
Frankenstein
Chancellor
1993
Film
The Joy of Singing
Le lecteur du bar
2008
Film
Romeo and Juliet
Apothecary
1978
Film
Troilus & Cressida
Agamemnon
1981
Film
Peter O'Toole: Along the Sky Road to Aqaba
Self
2022
Film
The World of George Orwell: 1984
Goldstein
1965
Film
Thank You, Doctor Rey
François
2003
Film
Much Ado About Nothing
Don John
1984
Film
Changing Climates, Changing Times
Lucas
2009
Film
Sharpe's Sword
Don Felipe
1995
Film
Seven Lucky Gods
Lawrence
2014
Film
Venice/Venice
Alexander
1992
Film
The Greeks: Crucible of Civilization
Cleisthenes
2000
The Life of Galileo
Philosopher
1964
Film
The Strange Case of Delfina Potocka
Art Gallery Lecturer
1999
Film
Night Patrol
James
1984
Film
Rumpole of the Bailey
Magnus Piecan
1975
Film
Falling Through
Father
2000
Film
Déjà Vu
Konstantine
1998
Film
Sweetheart
Thurson
1992
Film
L'hypothèse de la reine rouge
Sherlock Holmes
2018
Film
Question of Love
Peter
1978
Film
The Ice Princess
Chancellor
1996
Film
Nutcracker
Markovitch
1982
Film
St. Ives
Bonnefoy
1998
Film
An Echo of Theresa
Bannerheim
1973
Film
The Messiah
Samuel
1975
Film
Splendor
1989
Film
Natalia
Alfred Grabner
1989
Film
The Garden
Old Man at Sauna
1990
Film
Up the Front
Muller
1972
Film
L'Amour nu
John, le patron de Claire
1981
Film
Burning Casablanca
Corny
2021
Film
Le Beau Monde
Pablo
1981
Film
Le fils de Paul
Duval
1995
Film
The House that Mary Bought
1995
Film
San-Antonio ne pense qu'à ça
Un tueur russe
1981
Film
Vincent and Me
Dr Winkler
1990
Film
The Wonderland Experience
Vincent
1998
Film
Pontormo - Un amore eretico
Riccio
2004
Film
The First Circle
Riyumin
1992
Film
A Question Of Faith
Mikhail Mikhailovich
1979
The Secret Agent
Karl Yundt
1975
Film
Festival in Cannes
Millie's Escort
2001
Film
The Roads of Exile
Le peintre Ramsay
1978
The Devil's Lieutenant
Dr. Goldschmiedt
1984
Film
The Passage
Vieil homme
2011
Film
Accordez-moi
Joseph Von Stieglitz
2008
Film
Testimony
Gargolovsky
1988
Film
Mon Ami Washington
1984
Film
French Without Tears
Monsieur Maingot
1976
Film
Flight from Paradise
Merrill
1990
Film
Beach Head
N.G. Waldron
1969
Film
Mademoiselle O
Rouka
1994
Film
Van der Valk and the Scapegoat
Reinders
1975
Film
The Achurch Letters
Eugene
1977
Film
The Debussy Film
The Actor
1965
Temptation of Sainthood
Freud
1993
Film
Parlez-nous de l'Amour
Jeanne d'Arc au bûcher
Un Héraut / Un prêtre / Un clerc
1993
Film
Last In, First Out
Le réceptionniste
1978
The Violet Hour
M. Audran
2018
Film
Courts mais Gay : Tome 12
Anthony
2006
Film
Sredni Vashtar
Dr. Russell
1981
Film
Obiettivo indiscreto
Primo editore
1992
Film
Far from Dallas
1972
Berlin-Jerusalem
Editor
1989
Film
Godforsaken
The Surgeon
2010
Film
Le due croci
Bischof de Jong
1988
For the Time Being
Anthony
2006