Latest news with #Fisher-Becker
Boston Globe
11-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Simon Fisher-Becker, actor in ‘Harry Potter' and ‘Doctor Who,' dies at 63
'I was a jobbing actor for many years, but Maldovar changed everything,' Mr. Fisher-Becker told The Lancashire Telegraph in 2014. 'People were suddenly asking about my availability instead of me asking them about auditions.' Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Simon Fisher-Becker was born Nov. 25, 1961, in London, and grew up in the area. He was interested in music as a child but discovered acting after being cast as Mr. Bumble in his school's production of 'Oliver Twist,' he has said in interviews. Advertisement "I found I enjoyed the process,'' he said, "and that some things were quite natural for me to do." But Mr. Fisher-Becker didn't seriously consider acting professionally until years later, after he was laid off from a government job and decided to take a drama course. He worked as a theater manager and a human resources manager while pursuing acting, he said in a 2023 interview. In March 2009, Mr. Fisher-Becker was attacked at a gas station, which sidelined him from his work in musical stage comedy but freed him up to audition that December for Dorium Maldovar in BBC's 'Doctor Who,' he said in an interview with The Lancashire Telegraph. He grew up watching 'Doctor Who,' which began airing on the BBC in 1963, with his family. 'I never ever imagined that one day I'd be in 'Doctor Who,'' he told The Telegraph. Initially, Mr. Fisher-Becker was cast to appear only in one scene in an episode. But Dorium Maldovar was an immediate fan favorite, and he returned to appear in two more episodes. Advertisement Mr. Fisher-Becker appeared in dozens of television shows and films throughout his career, mostly in small roles. His credits also include 'Afterlife,' a British supernatural drama; 'Getting On,' a British comedy based on a geriatric ward in a government hospital; 'Puppy Love,' a British comedy about dog training; and in the ensemble of the 2012 film 'Les Misérables' for the number 'Master of the House.' A list of survivors was not immediately available. Reflecting on the unpredictable nature of acting and landing roles, Mr. Fisher-Becker said in an interview: 'You are always an audition away from something changing your life.' This article originally appeared in
New York Times
11-03-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Simon Fisher-Becker, Actor in ‘Harry Potter' and ‘Doctor Who,' Dies at 63
Simon Fisher-Becker, a British character actor best known for his small but memorable roles in the 'Harry Potter' and the 'Doctor Who' franchises, died on Sunday. He was 63. His death was announced on social media by his husband, Anthony Dugdale. No cause was given. Mr. Fisher-Becker was a versatile character actor whose career spanned film, theater and television, with a particular focus on comedy and drama. In the 2001 film 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone,' Mr. Fisher-Becker played the Fat Friar, the cheerful, resident ghost of the Hufflepuff House who welcomed students to Hogwarts. But it was the part of Dorium Maldovar, the large blue-skinned alien in the beloved BBC science-fiction show 'Doctor Who,' that transformed his career, Mr. Fisher-Becker said in interviews. 'I was a jobbing actor for many years, but Maldovar changed everything,' Mr. Fisher-Becker told The Lancashire Telegraph in 2014. 'People were suddenly asking about my availability instead of me asking them about auditions.' Simon Fisher-Becker was born on Nov. 25, 1961, in London, and grew up in the area. He was interested in music as a child but discovered acting after being cast as Mr. Bumble in his school's production of 'Oliver Twist,' he has said in interviews. 'I found I enjoyed the process,'' he said, 'and that some things were quite natural for me to do.' But Mr. Fisher-Becker didn't seriously consider acting professionally until years later, after he was laid off from a government job and decided to take a drama course. He worked as a theater manager and a human resources manager while pursuing acting, he said in a 2023 interview. In March 2009, Mr. Fisher-Becker was attacked at a gas station, which sidelined him from his work in musical stage comedy but freed him up to audition that December for Dorium Maldovar in BBC's 'Doctor Who,' he said in an interview with The Lancashire Telegraph. He grew up watching 'Doctor Who,' which began airing on the BBC in 1963, with his family. 'I never ever imagined that one day I'd be in 'Doctor Who,'' he told The Telegraph. Initially, Mr. Fisher-Becker was cast to appear only in one scene in an episode. But Dorium Maldovar was an immediate fan favorite, and he returned to appear in two more episodes. Mr. Fisher-Becker appeared in dozens of television shows and films throughout his career, mostly in small roles. His credits also include 'Afterlife,' a British supernatural drama; 'Getting On,' a British comedy based on a geriatric ward in a government hospital; 'Puppy Love,' a British comedy about dog training; and in the ensemble of the 2012 'Les Misérables' film for the number 'Master of the House.' A list of survivors was not immediately available. Reflecting on the unpredictable nature of acting and landing roles, Mr. Fisher-Beck said in an interview: 'You are always an audition away from something changing your life.'
Los Angeles Times
10-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Simon Fisher-Becker, British actor known for ‘Doctor Who' and ‘Harry Potter,' dies at 63
British actor Simon Fisher-Becker, who was best known for his appearances on TV series 'Doctor Who' and the first 'Harry Potter' movie, has died. Kathleen Barry, who represented Fisher-Becker, announced the death of her client and longtime 'close personal friend' Sunday on Facebook. The actor's husband also confirmed the news on Facebook in a brief post. Barry did not share additional details about the actor's death (including a cause) but remembered him as 'always kind, gracious and interested in everyone.' He was 63. 'He helped me out enormously in so many ways,' Barry wrote. 'My condolences go out to his husband Tony, his brother, nieces and nephews and his legion of fans.' Fisher-Becker was born in London on Nov. 25, 1961, and enjoyed a varied acting career that began in the late 1980s and spanned TV series, movies, commercials and plays. His resumé included dozens of TV acting credits, most notably for BBC series 'Puppy Love' and 'Doctor Who.' In the hit sci-fi series, Fisher-Becker shared the screen with Eleventh Doctor Matt Smith as Dorium Maldovar, the blue-skinned owner of an intergalactic trading post known as the Maldovarium. Though his tenure as Dorium on 'Doctor Who' lasted only three epsiodes, Fisher-Becker reprised the role for other projects inspired by the long-running BBC juggernaut. Prior to joining the 'Doctor Who' cast, Fisher-Becker was a longtime fan of the series, Barry said. 'I shall never forget the phone call I made to him when he was offered the part,' she added in her statement. His television credits also included appearances in series 'Waterside,' '3some,' 'Getting On,' 'Afterlife,' '99-1' and 'Hale and Pace.' Fisher-Becker also appeared in TV movies 'An Ungentlemanly Act,' the 2012 film adaptation of 'Les Misérables' and 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone,' the first installment in the film franchise. In the latter, he appeared as the Fat Friar, one of the specters who haunt the halls of Hogwarts. On stage, Fisher-Becker appeared in productions of 'The Busybody,' 'The Emperor of the Moon,' 'A Midsummer Night's Dream,' 'Macbeth' and a one-man show of 'Hamlet: Tragedy of a Fat Man.' He also penned a semi-autobiographical trilogy and published vlogs to his YouTube page. In his final vlog, posted Oct. 31, Fisher-Becker recalled major personal and world events that occurred on previous Halloweens — including moving into a bungalow with his husband. Fisher-Becker also used his final vlog to advocate for fat acceptance. He railed against 'nonsense' reports linking the use of sick time in the workforce to overweight employees. He cited his non-acting career during which he says he only took 'eight days sick leave over 40 years.' After slamming the assumptions employers may have about larger people, Fisher-Becker ended his video with a call to action. 'All I have to say is give fat people a chance.'
CNN
10-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Actor Simon Fisher-Becker, known for ‘Harry Potter' and ‘Doctor Who,' dead at 63
Simon Fisher-Becker, a British character actor who had roles in notable projects like 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone' and 'Doctor Who,' has died. He was 63. Fisher-Becker's husband Tony Dugdale said in a post on Facebook that he died Sunday. Dugdale did not disclose any additional details about his cause of death. Kim Barry, Fisher-Becker's agent at Jaffrey Management, also confirmed Fisher-Becker's death to CNN in a statement. 'I lost not only a client Simon Fisher-Becker, but a close personal friend of 15 years standing,' the statement said. 'He helped me out enormously and was always kind, gracious and interested in everyone.' Fisher-Baker's first Hollywood credit came in the 1990s through a series of single-episode TV appearances on shows including 'Hale and Pace' and 'One Foot in the Grave.' Arguably one of his most high profile roles was in the first installment of the Harry Potter franchise, playing a ghost that haunts the halls of Howarts. Fisher-Becker also appeared in several episodes of the BBC's sci-fi TV series 'Doctor Who' as a recurring character named Dorium between 2010 and 2011. He also voiced the character Gen. Nylan in two episodes of the 2014 'Doctor Who Online Adventures' TV series. He regularly made appearances on convention circuits, during which he would meet and interact with fans of some of the popular franchises in which he'd appeared. Between 2013 and 2018, Fisher-Becker also appeared in three seasons of the TV series 'Waterside,' a UK-based sci-fi drama. Through the 2020s, Fisher-Becker played the voice of Arthur Morstan on the 'Sherlock Holmes' mini series and is credited as a voice actor on several podcast series including 2022's 'Abnormal Stories' and, his final credit, 'Jenny – The Doctor's Daughter' in 2024. Fisher-Becker spoke about being able to collaborate with other actors throughout his career, telling BTG Interviews in 2023 that 'most of the actors I've gotten to work with, especially the bigger names, have been utterly delightful and very kind.' 'I wouldn't be where I am today without the kindness of those people,' he added.
CNN
10-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Actor Simon Fisher-Becker, known for ‘Harry Potter' and ‘Doctor Who,' dead at 63
Simon Fisher-Becker, a British character actor who had roles in notable projects like 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone' and 'Doctor Who,' has died. He was 63. Fisher-Becker's husband Tony Dugdale said in a post on Facebook that he died Sunday. Dugdale did not disclose any additional details about his cause of death. Kim Barry, Fisher-Becker's agent at Jaffrey Management, also confirmed Fisher-Becker's death to CNN in a statement. 'I lost not only a client Simon Fisher-Becker, but a close personal friend of 15 years standing,' the statement said. 'He helped me out enormously and was always kind, gracious and interested in everyone.' Fisher-Baker's first Hollywood credit came in the 1990s through a series of single-episode TV appearances on shows including 'Hale and Pace' and 'One Foot in the Grave.' Arguably one of his most high profile roles was in the first installment of the Harry Potter franchise, playing a ghost that haunts the halls of Howarts. Fisher-Becker also appeared in several episodes of the BBC's sci-fi TV series 'Doctor Who' as a recurring character named Dorium between 2010 and 2011. He also voiced the character Gen. Nylan in two episodes of the 2014 'Doctor Who Online Adventures' TV series. He regularly made appearances on convention circuits, during which he would meet and interact with fans of some of the popular franchises in which he'd appeared. Between 2013 and 2018, Fisher-Becker also appeared in three seasons of the TV series 'Waterside,' a UK-based sci-fi drama. Through the 2020s, Fisher-Becker played the voice of Arthur Morstan on the 'Sherlock Holmes' mini series and is credited as a voice actor on several podcast series including 2022's 'Abnormal Stories' and, his final credit, 'Jenny – The Doctor's Daughter' in 2024. Fisher-Becker spoke about being able to collaborate with other actors throughout his career, telling BTG Interviews in 2023 that 'most of the actors I've gotten to work with, especially the bigger names, have been utterly delightful and very kind.' 'I wouldn't be where I am today without the kindness of those people,' he added.
