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{{Short description|English actor (1921–2021)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox person
|name = Geoffrey Chater
|birth_name = Geoffrey Michael Chater Robinson
|birth_date = {{birth date|1921|3|23|df=yes}}
|birth_place = [[Chipping Barnet|Barnet]], [[Hertfordshire]], England
|death_date = {{death date and age|2021|10|16|1921|3|23|df=yes}}
|death_place = [[Iden, East Sussex]], England
|occupation = Actor
|yearsactive = 1950–2005
|spouse =
|children =
}}

'''Geoffrey Michael Chater Robinson'''<ref>{{cite book|title=Dictionary of Pseudonyms: 13,000 Assumed Names and Their Origins|author=Room, Adrian|publisher=McFarland & Co|year=2010|isbn=9780786443734|pages=103}}</ref> (23 March 1921 – 16 October 2021) was an English film, television and stage actor. He appeared in the [[crime drama]] series ''[[Callan (TV series)|Callan]]'', ''[[Foyle's War]]'' and ''[[Midsomer Murders]]''.

==Early life==
Geoffrey Michael Chater Robinson was born in [[Chipping Barnet|Barnet]], [[Hertfordshire]] on 23 March 1921 and lived in [[Iden, East Sussex]] and [[London]]. His father, Lawrence Chater Robinson, was a composer of music for dance bands and his mother Peggy was an actress. It was seeing her perform at London St Martin's Theatre when he was 11 that made him want to follow her onto the stage.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|title=Geoffrey Chater obituary|newspaper=[[The Times]] |language=en|url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/geoffrey-chater-obituary-qjhk0lssg|access-date=2021-11-25|issn=0140-0460}}</ref>

Chater was educated at [[Marlborough College]]. Following the outbreak of the [[Second World War]], he joined the [[Royal Fusiliers]] in 1940. He served as a captain in India and Burma, where he wrote and performed in revues for the troops during time off.<ref name=":0" /> He served in the [[British Army]] until 1946.

==Career==
Following his military service, he focused on his career in the entertainment industry.<ref name=":0" /> He became an assistant stage manager at the [[Theatre Royal, Windsor]], where in 1947, made his first professional appearance in ''[[A Midsummer Night's Dream]]''. His West End debut was in 1952, as "Constable" in ''Master Crook''.<ref>{{cite book|author=Wearing, J. P.|author-link=J. P. Wearing|title=The London Stage 1950-1959: A Calendar of Productions, Performers, and Personnel|publisher=[[Rowman & Littlefield]]|year=2014|edition=2nd|page=138 |isbn=978-0-81089308-5}}</ref> Later on he appeared in [[Howard Brenton]]'s play ''[[Magnificence (play)|Magnificence]]''.<ref>{{cite book|author=Roberts, Phillip|title=The Royal Court Theatre (Routledge Revivals): 1965-1972|publisher=[[Routledge]]|year=2015}}</ref> He also had a minor role in the British TV serial ''[[Brideshead Revisited (TV series)|Brideshead Revisited]]'', in which he played the role of a British Consul.<ref>{{cite book|author=Vermilye, Jerry|title=The Complete Films of Laurence Olivier|year=1992|publisher=[[Kensington Books|Citadel Book Press]]|page=263|isbn=0-8065-1302-0}}</ref> He made his film debut in 1958 with ''[[The Strange World of Planet X (film)|The Strange World of Planet X]]''. In ''[[Gandhi (film)|Gandhi]]'' (1982), he played the chairman of the inquiry into the [[Amritsar massacre]]. He also appeared in the film classics ''[[If....]]'' (1968) and ''[[Barry Lyndon]]'' (1975) in supporting roles.

Chater's career saw him take on roles from Shakespeare to ''[[Midsomer Murders]]''. While he appeared in films and television roles, he avoided longer contracts so he could have time to devote to his first love of performing in the theatre.<ref name=":0" />

In 2017, Chater began giving poetry readings and he continued to read the lesson at his local church until [[COVID-19 lockdowns#United Kingdom|lockdown]] was imposed as a response to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] on 23 March 2020, his 99th birthday.<ref>{{cite web|author=Foster, Heidi|url=http://www.ryenews.org.uk/living/ship-shore-iden|title=Ship to Shore in Iden|agency=RYE News|date=9 April 2017|access-date=1 May 2019}}</ref>

==Death==
Chater [[Centenarian|turned 100]] on 23 March 2021 and died on 16 October 2021 in [[Iden, East Sussex]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Geoffrey Chater, polished and charming character actor acclaimed as Polonius opposite Jonathan Pryce's Hamlet – obituary|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2021/10/19/geoffrey-chater-polished-charming-character-actor-acclaimed/|work=The Telegraph|date=19 October 2021}} {{subscription required}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2021/oct/25/geoffrey-chater-obituary|title = Geoffrey Chater obituary|website = [[TheGuardian.com]]|date = 25 October 2021}}</ref>

==Filmography==
===Film===
* ''[[The Strange World of Planet X (film)|The Strange World of Planet X]]'' (1958) - Gerard Wilson
* ''[[Battle of the V-1]]'' (1958) - Minister of Defence
* ''[[Wonderful Things!]]'' (1958) - Solicitor
* ''[[The Day the Earth Caught Fire]]'' (1961) - Pat Holroyd
* ''[[Two Letter Alibi]]'' (1962) - Inspector Warren
* ''[[If....]]'' (1968) - Chaplain: Staff
* ''[[One of Those Things (film)|One of Those Things]]'' (1971) - Falck
* ''[[10 Rillington Place]]'' (1971) - Old Bailey: [[Christmas Humphreys]]
* ''[[Endless Night (1972 film)|Endless Night]]'' (1972) - Coroner
* ''[[The Best Pair of Legs in the Business]]'' (1973) - Reverend Thorn
* ''[[O Lucky Man!]]'' (1973) - Bishop / Vicar
* ''[[Barry Lyndon]]'' (1975) - Doctor Broughton
* ''[[Gandhi (film)|Gandhi]]'' (1982) - Government Advocate
* ''[[Bethune: The Making of a Hero]]'' (1990) - Doctor Archibald

===Television===
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* ''[[Sherlock Holmes (1951 TV series)|Sherlock Holmes]]'' (1951) - Unknown
* ''[[Jan at the Blue Fox]]'' (1952) - Mr. Trevor
* ''[[The Birdcage Room]]'' (1954, TV film) - Mr. Blackfoot
* ''[[ITV Television Playhouse]]'' (1955) - Dusty
* ''[[ITV Play of the Week]]'' (1955-1963) - Various roles
* ''[[My Friend Charles]]'' (1956) - Doctor George Kimber
* ''[[Motive for Murder]]'' (1957) - Harry Manners
* ''[[Armchair Theatre]]'' (1958-1971) - Various roles
* ''[[The Third Man (TV series)|The Third Man]]'' (1959) - Lord Farset
* ''[[Scotland Yard (TV series)|Scotland Yard]]'' (1960) - Detective Superintendent Lawrie
* ''[[Saturday Playhouse]]'' (1960) - Raymond
* ''[[On Trial (TV series)|On Trial]]'' (1960) - A.J. Newton
* ''[[Walk a Crooked Mile (TV series)|Walk a Crooked Mile]]'' (1961) - Arnold Hedges
* ''[[Storyboard (TV series)|Storyboard]]'' (1961) - Duroc
* ''[[Family Solicitor]]'' (1961) - Mr. Tyler
* ''[[Echo Four Two]]'' (1961) - Acting Superintendent Dean
* ''[[Probation Officer (TV series)|Probation Officer]]'' (1961) - Sir Giles Enton
* ''[[Drama 61-67]]'' (1962-1963) - Various roles
* ''[[No Hiding Place]]'' (1962-1965) - Various roles
* ''[[Crying Down the Lane]]'' (1962) - Superintendent Lambe
* ''[[Z Cars]]'' (1963) - Robson
* ''[[The Plane Makers]]'' (1963) - Simon Stride
* ''[[Ghost Squad (TV series)|Ghost Squad]]'' (1963-1964) - Various roles
* ''[[BBC Sunday-Night Play]]'' (1963) - The Captain
* ''[[The Human Jungle (TV series)|The Human Jungle]]'' (1963) - Householder
* ''[[The Scales of Justice]]'' (1963) - Mr. Soames
* ''[[Detective (TV series)|Detective]]'' (1964) - Tony Garnish
* ''[[Espionage (TV series)|Espionage]]'' ('Snow on Mount Kama', episode) (1964) - Colonel Gregory
* ''[[Festival (British TV series)|Festival]]'' (1964) - Kindred
* ''[[Story Parade]]'' (1964) - Prosecutor
* ''[[The Indian Tales of Rudyard Kipling]]'' (1964) - Major Vansuythen
* ''[[Victoria Regina (TV series)|Victoria Regina]]'' (1964) - Doctor Clark
* ''[[Theatre 625]]'' (1965-1967) - Various roles
* ''[[Front Page Story (TV series)|Front Page Story]]'' (1965) - Bosley Morton
* ''[[Emergency-Ward 10]]'' (1965) - Commander Boyle RN
* ''[[The Troubleshooters (British TV series)|The Troubleshooters]]'' (1966-1967) - Charles du Cros
* ''[[Vendetta (British TV series)|Vendetta]]'' (1966) - Don Gino
* ''[[Adam Adamant Lives!]]'' (1967) - Commissioner Hobson
* ''[[The Wednesday Play]]'' (1967) - Richard Browning
* ''[[Softly, Softly (TV series)|Softly, Softly]]'' (1967) - Framley
* ''[[Sexton Blake (TV series)|Sexton Blake]]'' (1967) - William Passer
* ''[[The Avengers (TV series)|The Avengers]]'' (1967-1968) - Jarvis/Seaton
* ''[[City '68]]'' (1967-1968) - Wainwright
* ''[[ITV Playhouse]]'' (1967-1980) - Various roles
* ''[[The Champions]]'' (1968) - Forster
* ''[[The Saint (TV series)|The Saint]]'' (1968) - Carl Howard
* ''[[The Expert (TV series)|The Expert]]'' (1968-1969) - Tom Caldicott
* ''[[The Power Game]]'' (1969) - Arthur Stilton
* ''[[ITV Sunday Night Theatre]]'' (1969) - Toby Pears
* ''[[Department S (TV series)|Department S]]'' (1969) - Peck
* ''[[Rogues' Gallery (TV series)|Rogues' Gallery]]'' (1969) - Sir Richard Manningham
* ''[[W. Somerset Maugham (TV series)|W. Somerset Maugham]]'' (1969) - Mr. Grey
* ''[[The Main Chance]]'' (1969-1975) - Roger Chapman
* ''[[Big Brother (1970 TV series)|Big Brother]]'' (1970) - Sir Michael Clarke
* ''[[Callan (TV series)|Callan]]'' (1970-1972) - Bishop
* ''[[Steptoe and Son]]'' (1970) - Peregrine
* ''[[Biography (TV series)|Biography]]'' (1970) - Hoppner
* ''[[Fraud Squad (TV series)|Fraud Squad]]'' (1970) - Brigadier Wildblood
* ''[[Doomwatch]]'' (1971) - Mullery
* ''[[Paul Temple (TV series)|Paul Temple]]'' (1971) - Sir Harold Malyon
* ''[[Justice (1971 TV series)|Justice]]'' (1971) - Lord Rush
* ''[[Jason King (TV series)|Jason King]]'' (1971) - Mr. Horner
* ''[[Dad's Army]]'' (1972) - Colonel Pierce
* ''[[The Dick Emery Show]]'' (1972-1975) - Various roles
* ''[[Ooh La La! (TV series)|Ooh La La!]]'' (1973) - Landernau
* ''[[Orson Welles' Great Mysteries]]'' (1973) - Donald Cosgrove
* ''[[Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em]]'' (1973) - Bank manager
* ''[[Thriller (British TV series)|Thriller]]'' (1973-1975) - Various roles
* ''[[Special Branch (TV series)|Special Branch]]'' (1974) - Sir Gerald Pastor
* ''[[Fall of Eagles]]'' (1974) - Charles
* ''[[General Hospital (British TV series)|General Hospital]]'' (1974) - Mr. Hillier
* ''[[Shoulder to Shoulder]]'' (1974) - Holloway Prison Governor
* ''[[Father Brown (1974 TV series)|Father Brown]]'' (1974) - Leonard Smythe
* ''[[Moll Flanders (1975 TV series)|Moll Flanders]]'' (1975) - George Mace
* ''[[Thriller (British TV series)|Thriller]]'' (1975) Episode: "The Next Voice You See" - Sir Peter Hastings
* ''[[Jackanory Playhouse]]'' (1975) - Chancellor
* ''[[Village Hall (TV series)|Village Hall]]'' (1975) - Leonard Beamish
* ''[[The Poisoning of Charles Bravo]]'' (1975) - Mr. Gorst
* ''[[Hogg's Back]]'' (1975) - Inspector
* ''[[Crown Court (TV series)|Crown Court]]'' (1976) - Professor Stuart Adams
* ''[[Hadleigh (TV series)|Hadleigh]]'' (1976) - David Ringham
* ''[[The Howerd Confessions]]'' (1976) - Mr. Parsley
* ''[[Within These Walls]]'' (1976) - Judge Lionel Hunt
* ''[[Romance (1977 TV series)|Romance]]'' (1977) - Sir Charles Verdayne
* ''[[Devenish (TV series)|Devenish]]'' (1977) - Admiral Sir Percival Wallow
* ''[[The Upchat Line]]'' (1977) - Mr. Peabody
* ''[[The Cedar Tree]]'' (1978) - Walter Henderson
* ''[[Strangers (1978 TV series)|Strangers]]'' (1979) - Barker
* ''[[Rings on Their Fingers]]'' (1979) - Mr. Lowther
* ''[[Penmarric (TV series)|Penmarric]]'' (1979) - Doctor Ormott
* ''[[Prince Regent (TV series)|Prince Regent]]'' (1979) - Henry Addington
* ''[[Play for Today]]'' (1979-1981) - Various roles
* ''[[Premiere (TV series)|Premiere]]'' (1980) - Superintendent
* ''[[Agony (TV series)|Agony]]'' (1981) - Mr. Lucas
* ''[[Bognor (TV series)|Bognor]]'' (1981) - Sir Erris Beg
* ''[[The Good Soldier (1981 film)|The Good Soldier]]'' (1981) - Bagshawe
* ''[[Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years]]'' (1981) - Lord Hailsham
* ''[[Brideshead Revisited (TV serial)|Brideshead Revisited]]'' (1981) - Consul
* ''[[Othello (1981 film)|Othello]]'' (1981) - Brabantio
* ''[[Troilus & Cressida (film)|Troilus & Cressida]]'' (1981) - Nestor
* ''[[Shelley (TV series)|Shelley]]'' (1982) - Mr. Fairbass
* ''[[The Agatha Christie Hour]]'' (1982) - Canon Parfitt
* ''[[Harry's Game]]'' (1982) - Colonel George Frost
* ''[[The Further Adventures of Lucky Jim]]'' (1982) - Magistrate
* ''[[Tales of the Unexpected (TV series)|Tales of the Unexpected]]'' (1982) - James Hamilton
* ''[[Nanny (TV series)|Nanny]]'' (1983) - Major Fancombe
* ''[[The Cleopatras]]'' (1983) - Perigenes
* ''[[A Married Man]]'' (1983) - Sir Peter Craxton
* ''[[The Aerodrome (film)|The Aerodrome]]'' (1983) - Dr. Faulkner
* ''[[Shackleton (1983 TV series)|Shackleton]]'' (1983) - Sir Clements Markham
* ''[[Foxy Lady (TV series)|Foxy Lady]]'' (1984) - Mr. Molyneux
* ''[[Strangers and Brothers (TV series)|Strangers and Brothers]]'' (1984) - Thomas Bevill
* ''[[Blott on the Landscape (TV series)|Blott on the Landscape]]'' (1985) - Minister
* ''[[Mapp and Lucia (1985 TV series)|Mapp and Lucia]]'' (1985-1986) - Mr. Algernon Wyse
* ''[[Screen Two]]'' (1985-1987) - Various roles
* ''[[Indiscreet (1988 film)|Indiscreet]]'' (1988) - Finley
* ''[[A Taste for Death (James novel)|A Taste for Death]]'' (1988) - Frank Musgrave
* ''[[The Dog It Was That Died]]'' (1989) - Wren
* ''[[Anything More Would Be Greedy]]'' (1989) - Sir William Crome
* ''[[Chelworth (TV series)|Chelworth]]'' (1989) - Rafe Holingsworth
* ''[[Norbert Smith, a Life]]'' (1989) - Cyril Freebody
* ''[[Saracen (TV series)|Saracen]]'' (1989) - Alan Ross
* ''[[The New Statesman (1987 TV series)|The New Statesman]]'' (1990) - Justice Saunders
* ''[[Harry Enfield's Television Programme]]'' (1990) - Mr. Dickinson
* ''[[Spymaker: The Secret Life of Ian Fleming]]'' 1990) - Lawyer
* ''[[Bergerac (TV series)|Bergerac]]'' (1990) - Sir Matthew Osterson
* ''[[Brass (TV series)|Brass]]'' (1990) - Air Vice Marshal Plunkett-Downe
* ''[[One Foot in the Grave]]'' (1990) - Reverend Croker
* ''[[Rumpole of the Bailey]]'' (1991) - Gregory Fabian
* ''[[Harry Enfield and Chums]]'' (1994) - Headmaster
* ''[[The House of Eliott]]'' (1994) - Wilkinson
* ''[[The Rector's Wife]]'' (1994) - The Bishop
* ''[[Pie in the Sky (TV series)|Pie in the Sky]]'' (1994) - Doctor Lonsdale
* ''[[The Detectives (1993 TV series)|The Detectives]]'' (1995) - Sutton Frobisher
* ''[[The Thin Blue Line (British TV series)|The Thin Blue Line]]'' (1995) - Carol Singer
* ''[[The Bill (TV series)|The Bill]]'' (1998) - Edward Robbins
* ''[[In the Red (TV series)|In the Red]]'' (1998) - Mr Justice Frimlington
* ''[[Heartbeat (British TV series)|Heartbeat]]'' (1999) Hal Clifford
* ''Heartbeat'' (2003) - Sir Henry Bing
* ''[[Foyle's War]]'' (2003) - Professor Phillips
* ''[[Midsomer Murders]]'' (2005) - Brother Robert
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
*{{IMDb name|0154021}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chater, Geoffrey}}
[[Category:1921 births]]
[[Category:2021 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century English male actors]]
[[Category:21st-century English male actors]]
[[Category:Actors from the London Borough of Barnet]]
[[Category:British Army personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:English male film actors]]
[[Category:English male stage actors]]
[[Category:English male television actors]]
[[Category:English men centenarians]]
[[Category:Male actors from Hertfordshire]]
[[Category:People educated at Marlborough College]]
[[Category:People from Chipping Barnet]]

Geoffrey Chater - Revision history

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