Raffles The Amateur Cracksman Anthony Valentine

ANTHONY VALENTINE

Anthony Valentine was born on August 17, 1939, at Blackburn in Lancashire, England. His parents, William and Mary (nee Walsh) moved to London when he was four and he had what he describes as an 'intermittent' education between theatrical work, studying at the Valerie Glynne School and Acton County Grammar School. His first professional appearance was at the age of ten, in a film entitled No Way Back. At eleven, he was working regularly for BBC Television; one of his earliest roles was that of Harry Wharton in that most famous of children's serials Billy Bunter. The same year he sang at Sadler's Wells in a season of Italian Opera. He also appeared in such programmes as Vice Versa, Children Of The New Forest, and Whirligig. At thirteen came his first major film role and at sixteen he made his first appearance in the West End of London.

Throughout his teenage years he continued to work extensively in Radio, Television, Film and Theatre around the country. Since then he has starred in many television series. He played A.J. Raffles in the Yorkshire TV series Raffles, Major Mohn in Colditz, Toby Meres in Callan, and starred with Margaret Lockwood in Justice. He did three series of The Knock as George Webster, Body and Soul for Carlton, The Commander for Lynda La Plante and for Columbia Tri-Star in Los Angeles The Fifth Corner. Other series include Codename, Waking The Dead, Judge John Deed, Minder, Sherlock Holmes, Hannay, Riders, After The War, Robin Of Sherwood The House of Elliot, Lovejoy and An Age Of Kings. Anthony played Sir Laurence Olivier's son Erhart in Olivier's first television drama, Henrik Ibsen's John Gabriel Borkman.

Other television includes Dangerous Corner, Ivor Novello's The Dancing Years and New Tricks. His films include Jefferson in Paris, Masada, Escape to Athena, To The Devil A Daughter, Performance, Agatha Christie's Murder is Easy, The Terrorist, The Dirty Dozen, Fatal Mission, American Cuisine, The Monster Club, The Damned, and Two Men Went to War. He has appeared in many television programs, most recently in Coronation Street, The Commander, Heartbeat, Poirot and numerous other television programs.

His first West End theatre work includes Hans Andersen at the Palladium, Sleuth, No Sex Please, We're British, Half A Sixpence, Two Stars For Comfort, The Platinum Cat and The Shifting Heart. At the Royal Court Theatre he appeared in the London premieres of Arnold Wesker's Chicken Soup With Barley in which he played Ronnie, and Anne Jellicoe's The Sport Of My Mad Mother. Anthony was last in the West End at Wyndham's Theatre in Art and at The Lyric Hammersmith in The White Devil. He also wrote and directed The Waiting Game at The Mill at Sonning and appeared there in Separate Tables. He also directed Michael Frayne's Alphabetical Order for the Mill. His latest television roles are in an episode of Agatha Christie's Poirot and a further episode of The Commander in which he reprised his role of Commissioner Edward Sumpter. He has also appeared as Jimmy Vincent in ITV's The Last Detective, Nuremburg and directed The Heiress at The Mill at Sonning (March, 2008), and Neil Simon' Plaza Suite, also at The Mill at Sonning (August/September, 2008). More information about this production may be found at the links below.

Anthony is married to the actress Susan Skipper whom he met whilst filming the 1976 version of The Dancing Years and who subsequently appeared in 'The First Step', the first episode of Raffles to be filmed after the pilot episode of the series. They were married in July, 1982.

Anthony died peacefully in his sleep on the morning of Wednesday, 2nd December, 2015 after a two year battle with Parkinson's Disease. Mr Webster, his agent, described him as "brilliant" and "talented".

"In 2012 he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. In spite of this diagnosis his sense of humour never failed him and he continued to live a full and happy life," he added.

Valentine's wife, the actress Susan Skipper, said: "Tony was my best friend and it was a privilege to know, love and care for him."