Actor. He was a prolific Rotund, gently-voiced English actor, who was best known for playing the character roles of benevolent, occasionally pompous, authority figures, including character roles of undergraduates, vicars, kings, doctors, historical figures, priests, businessmen, advertising executives, uncles, detectives, sheriffs, dinner speakers, clerks of the court, sergeants, Germans, publishers, majors, barons, masters, sales managers, men with beards, M.P.'s, inspectors, senior officers, princes, sextons, grand dukes, opera house managers, auctioneers, shoe shop assistants, coroners, policemen, fathers, soundmen, registrar, pub landlords, second directors, messengers, monks, bishops, magistrates, archbishops, prison officers, married men, second broker, play actors, emperors, old men, professors, chiefs, judges, Father Christmas, man in the moon, surgeons, and men of distinction with titles such as Sir and lord, in comedy films usually in historical films, biographical films, dramatic films, and crime films, but some were uncredited. He will be best remembered for playing the role of 'Mike' in the film drama, "A Touch Of Love" (1969). The film which was directed by Waris Hussein, which was written for the screen by Margaret Drabble, and which also starred Sandy Dennis, Ian McKellen, Michael Coles, John Standing, Peggy Thorpe-Bates, Kenneth Benda, Deborah Stanford, Eleanor Bron, Margaret Tyzack, Maurice Denham, and Rachel Kempson, tells the story of a young London, England, woman, who is studying for her doctorate in the British Museum, and spends her nights trying to avoid the sexual admiration of men in her life. He will also be best remembered for playing the role of 'Harry Sandeman' in the episode entitled, "Let's Marry Liz," of the television series drama, "Seven Faces Of Woman," which originally aired on June 16, 1974, and which also starred Sarah Badel, Michael Culver, Zulema Dene, Colin Farrell, and Sheila Gish. He was born as John Roger Hammond in Stockport, England, to a chartered accountant and his wife on March 21, 1936. His father owned and managed a family business, R.P. Lawson & Sons, dyers, and bleachers in the cotton mill industry. He was educated locally and attended the Stockport Grammar School in Stockport, England, for two years, and the prestigious Bryanston School in Dorset, England, where he first appeared in school plays. He then attended Emanuel College in Cambridge, England, where he read English, and also studied archaeology and anthropology and also appeared in their drama programme, and finished his education at the distinguished Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (or RADA), in London, England. He made his actual film debut playing the role of 'Undergraduate pushing the car' in the comedy film, "Bachelor Of Hearts" (1958). The film which was directed by Wolf Rilla, which was produced by Vivian Cox, which was written for the screen by Leslie Bricusse, and Frederic Raphael, and which also starred Hardy Krüger, Sylvia Sims, Ronald Lewis, Eric Barker, Miles Malleson, Newton Blick, Jeremy Burnham, Peter Myers, Philip Gilbert, Charles Kay, John Richardson, Gillian Vaughan, Sandra Francis, Barbara Steele, Catherine Feller, Monica Stevenson, Pamela Barreux, Beatrice Varley, Hugh Morton, Everley Gregg, Ronnie Stevens, David Buck, Oliver Johnston, Geremy Phillips, and Frank Williams, tells the story of a German scholar named Wolf Hauser who arrives for a year at Cambridge. Apart from his studies, he tries to muck in with the very English non-academic goings-on while romancing pretty Girton girl Ann. During this time he also made the transition to appearing professionally on the stage after he joined the Arts Theatre Company. He acted on the BBC Radio Children's Hour and at the Library Theatre in Manchester, England, before appearing in classical drama at the Marlowe Society, and he made his actual stage debut in 1963. He appeared in several stage productions of such plays as, 'Vulturne (Mirabeau)" in "Poor Bitos" (November 13, 1964, to September 26, 1964), as 'Goff' in "The Schoolmistress" (March 16, 1964, to June 20, 1964), "The Pirates Of Penzance" (1965-1966), as 'Mr Noakes,' 'The Chaplain,' 'The P.M.O.' and 'Various Masters & Instructors,' in "Poor Horace" (May 7, 1970, to ), as 'Toozenbach' in "Three Sisters" (January 25, 1973, to February 17, 1973), as 'Tate' in "Donkeys' Years," (April 5, 1976, to February 18, 1978), as 'Shamraev,' in "The Seagull" (1984-1985), as 'Shavraev' in "The Seagull" (April 26, 1985, to June 29, 1985), as 'Donado' in "'Tis Pity She's A Whore" (February 26, 1988, to August 4, 1988), as 'T/O Sir George Baker' in "The Madeness Of George III" (November 21, 1991, to 1992), and as 'Mr Charles Dumby' in "Lady Windermere's Fan" (February 22, 2002, to June 8, 2002). During his time on the stage he worked with the likes or appeared at the New Arts Theatre (now Arts Theatre), in London, England, the Duke of York's Theatre in London, England, the Savoy Theatre in London, England, the Theatre Royal Brighton, England, the Theatre Royal in Bath, England, the Lyric Theatre (Shaftesbury Ave), in London, England, the Greenwich Theatre in London, England, the Company Theatre in London, England, the Globe (Shaftesbury Ave), in London, England, (now Gielgud Theatre, in London, England), the Richmond Theatre in Richmond, England, the Theatre Royal in Bath, England, the Lyric Theatre (Hammersmith), in London, England, the Oxford Playhouse in Oxford, England, the Olivier Theatre in London, England, the National Theatre in London, England, the Lyttelton Theatre in London, England, the Theatre Royal in Haymarket, London, England, the Oxford Playhouse Company, Michael Codron, Peter Banks, and Sol Leder. Besides, playing the role of 'Undergraduate pushing the car' in the comedy film, "Bachelor Of Hearts" (1958), and playing the role of 'Mike' in the film drama, "A Touch Of Love" (1969), his many other film credits include, "Game For Three Losers" (1965), "Lock Up Your Daughters!" (1969), "Private Road" (1971), "The Pied Piper" (1972), "Sutherland's Law" (1972), "Adult Fun" (1972), "The Trouble With 2B" (1972), "Because Of The Cats" (1973), "The Way Of The World" (1975), "Royal Flash" (1975), "Queen Kong" (1976), "The Hunchback Of Notre Dame" (1976), "The Good Soldier" (1981), "An Englishman Abroad" (1983), "Amy" (1984), "The World Walk" (1984), "Morons From Outer Space" (1985), "Foreign Body" (1986), "Miss Marple: Nemesis" (1987), "Little Dorrit" (1987), "Madame Sousatzka" (1988), "The Fool" (1990), "Dear Rosie" (1991), "Living with Technology: A Foundation Course - Patterns in the Dust" (1991), "Edward II" (1991), "A Dangerous Man" (1992), "Orlando" (1992), "As You Like It" (1992), "The Poetry Hall Of Fame" (1993), "Haunts Of The Olde Country" (1993), "Doomsday Gun" (1994), "Good King Wenceslas" (1994), "The Madness Of King George" (1994), "Richard III" (1995), "The Secret Agent" (1996), "Sixth Happiness" (1997), "THe Clandestine Marriage" (1998), "Monk Dawson" (1998), "The Tichborne Claimant" (1998), "A Christmas Carol" (1999), "The Strange Case Of Delfina Potocka: The Mystery Of Chopin" (1999), "Up The Villa" (2000), "Shrink" (2000), "Bedazzled" (2000), "Redemption Road" (2001), "Possession" (2002), "The Other Boleyn Girl" (2003), "Vacuums" (2003), "Around The World In 80 Days" (2004), "Nature Unleashed: Avalanche" (2004), "A Good Woman" (2004), "Princes In The Tower" (2005), "Keeping Mum" (2005), "A Harlot's Progress" (2006), "Van Wilder" The Rise Of Taj" (2006), "Tom's Christmas Tree" (2006), and "Quest For A Heart" (2007). Besides, playing the role of 'Harry Sandeman' in the episode entitled, "Let's Marry Liz," of the television series drama, "Seven Faces Of Woman," which originally aired on June 16, 1974, and which also starred Sarah Badel, Michael Culver, Zulema Dene, Colin Farrell, and Sheila Gish, his many other television credits include, "The Villains," "The Edgar Wallace Theatre," "The Man In Room 17," "The Flying Swan," "No Hiding Place," "The Liars," "You Can't Win," "The Corridor People" (1966), "Mr. Rose," "ITV Play Of The Week," "Send Foster," "The Avengers," "The Caesars," "Resurraction," "Armchair Theatre," "The Inside Man," "Rogues Gallery," "The First Lady," "Softly Softly," "The Wednesday Play," "The First Churchills," "Take Three Girls," "Wicked Women," "Big Brother," "Diamond Crack Diamond," "Fraud Squad," "The Expert," "Catweazle," "Casanova," "Softly Softly: Task Force," "ITV Sunday Night Theatre," "Holly," "The Edwardians," "The Onedin Line," "Six Days Of Justice," "Sutherland's Law," "Two Women," "Sporting Scenes," "John Halifax, Gentleman," "Fall Of Eagles," "Jennie: Lady Randolph Churchill," "Churchill's People," "The Way Of The World," "Village Hall," "The Poisoning Of Charles Bravo," "Making Faces," "Zigger Zagger," "Shades Of Greene," "Prometheus: The Life Of Balzac," "When The Boat Comes In," "The Glittering Prizes," "BBC Play Of The Month," "Hadleigh," "Orde Wingate," "The Sweeney," "The Duchess Of Duke Street," "Edward & Mrs. Simpson," "BBC2 Play Of The Week," 'Don't Forget To Write!" "Emmerdale Farm," (He played the role of 'Harold Eckersley' in six episodes of the soap opera television series in 1980), "Play For Today," "Maybury," "BBC2 Playhouse," "Airline," "Doctor Who," "The Boy Who Won The Pools," "Jury," "An Englishman Abroad," "Amy," "Danger: Marmalade At Work," "Minder," "The Brief," "Mitch," "The Tripods," "Hallelujah!" "Oxbridge Blues," "Big Deal," "The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes," "Boon," "Dramarama," "Farrington Of The F.O." "Home To Roost," "London Embassy," "Casualty," "Bad Boyes, "Executive Stress," "Storyboard," "Snakes And Ladders," "Crossbow," "One Foot In The Grave," "Mystery!: Campion," "Uncle Jack And Operation Green," "'Allo 'Allo!" "Performance," "Josie," "Uncle Jack And The Loch Noch Monster," "Ashenden," "Uncle Jack And The Dark Side Of The Moon," "Lovejoy," "Teenage Health Freak," "Lady Chatterley," "Uncle Jack And Cleopatra's Mummy," "Screen Two," "Ghostbusters Of East Finchley," "Ruth Rendell Mysteries," "The Prince And The Pauper," "Kavanagh QC," "David," "Solomon," "Drop The Dead Donkey," "Jesus," "Arabian Nights," "The Sins," "Victoria & Albert," "The Way We Live Now," "The Brief," "Rome," "The Gil Mayo Mysteries," "City Of Vice," and "Coming Of Age." He also lent his voice to some audiobooks on tape including, "Anyone for Tennyson? The Master Poets Collection" (1977), and "Labour of Love" (2000). He also played the role of 'Dr. Losberne' in "A Focus On The Family," radio production of Charles Dickens's "Oliver Twist." His last film role was playing 'Dr. Blandine Bentham' in the biographical historical film drama, "The King's Speech" (2010). The film which was directed by Tom Hooper, which was written for the screen by David Seidler, and which also starred Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter, Derek Jacobi, Robert Portal, Richard Dixon, Paul Trussell, Adrian Scarborough, Andrew Havill, Charles Armstrong, and Jennifer Ehle, tells the story of the story of King George VI, and his impromptu ascension to the throne of the British Empire in 1936, and the speech therapist who helped the unsure monarch overcome his stammer. He retired from acting shortly thereafter. He passed away in Ealing, England, on November 8, 2012, at the age of 76. Following his death, a memorial service in his honor was held at the famous St. Paul's Church in Covent Garden, England, and following the memorial service he was cremated privately, and his ashes were given to his family members. He was married to the actress Helen Weir from 1968 until they were divorced in 1975. The couple had three children together including, a son named Daniel Hammond.