Martin Benson was born on August 10, 1918 in London, England. He was an actor and writer, known for Goldfinger (1964), The Omen (1976) and The King and I (1956). He was married to Joy. He died on February 28, 2010 in Markyate, Hertfordshire, England.
In his later years painted portraits of noted Shakespearean actors, including Olivier, Gielgud and Guiness, staging a 1993 exhibition at the Shakespeare Globe Centre.
2
Served as a gunner with the British Army in North Africa during World war II, rising to the rank of captain. He organised entertainment for his fellow soldiers and built a theatre from scratch in Alexandria, Egypt, assisted by future "Dad's Army" star Arthur Lowe.
3
Due to his dark, somewhat sardonic looks, he was often cast as a continental villain.
4
Initially aimed for a career as a pharmacist.
5
British stage and film actor who has played noted supporting roles in films both in England and the U.S. He is best known in the U.S. for his non-singing role as the Kralahome, in the 1956 film version of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "The King and I". He is sometimes confused with South Coast Artistic Director Martin Benson, who has directed Horton Foote's "The Carpetbagger's Children".
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
Spin a Dark Web
1956
Rico Francesi
Doctor at Sea
1955
Head Waiter (uncredited)
Passage Home
1955
Gutierres
Lovers, Happy Lovers!
1954
Art (uncredited)
The Young Cyrus
1954
TV Movie
Astyages, King of the Medes
West of Zanzibar
1954
Lawyer Dhofar
You Know What Sailors Are
1954
Agrarian Officer (uncredited)
Escape by Night
1953
Guillio
Black 13
1953
Bruno
Desert Adventure
1953
TV Movie
Steve
Always a Bride
1953
Hotel Desk Clerk (uncredited)
Recoil
1953
Farnborough
Wheel of Fate
1953
Riscoe
Top of the Form
1953
Cliquot
The Gambler and the Lady
1952
Tony - Pat's Dance Partner
The Plate on the Wall
1952
TV Movie
A policeman
Chevron Theatre
1952
TV Series
The Man with the Gun
1952
TV Movie
Rico
Ivanhoe
1952
Minor Role (uncredited)
Wide Boy
1952
Rocco
The Frightened Man
1952
Alec Stone
Judgment Deferred
1952
Pierre Desportes
Mystery Junction
1951
Steve Harding
Hotel Sahara
1951
Minor Role (uncredited)
The Passing Show
1951
TV Series
The Dark Light
1951
Luigi
Night Without Stars
1951
White Cap
Assassin for Hire
1951
Catesby
The Mysterious Count
1951
TV Movie
Gaston
Jack Sterling: White Hunter
1951
Short
Lucky Nick Cain
1951
Frankie Sperazza
The Adventures of P.C. 49: Investigating the Case of the Guardian Angel
1949
Skinny Ellis
Under Capricorn
1949
Man Carrying Shrunken Head (uncredited)
Trapped by the Terror
1949
Prison Governor
But Not in Vain
1948
Mark Meyer
The Blind Goddess
1948
Count Stephan Mikla
The Unthinking Lobster
1948
TV Short
Folgoree Division type
Othello
1946
Short
Minor Role (uncredited)
Suspected Person
1942
Minor Role (uncredited)
Casualty
2005
TV Series
Rudy Goldspink
Angela's Ashes
1999
Christian Brother
Last of the Summer Wine
1998
TV Series
The Vicar
The Camomile Lawn
1992
TV Mini-Series
Pauli
The Bill
1989
TV Series
Craven
Mystery!: Campion
1989
TV Series
Isaac Melchizadek
Wyatt's Watchdogs
1988
TV Series
Judge Goodman
Il giovane Toscanini
1988
Comparsa (uncredited)
The Clairvoyant
1986
TV Series
Browser
Arch of Triumph
1984
TV Movie
Goldberg
The Hello Goodbye Man
1984
TV Series
Mr. Renwick
Schoolgirl Chums
1982
TV Movie
Count Slansky
Tales of the Unexpected
1981
TV Series
Vasco
Sphinx
1981
Muhammed
The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy
1981
TV Series
Vogon Captain
The Sea Wolves
1980
Mr. Montero
BBC2 Playhouse
1980
TV Series
Schrayer
The Human Factor
1979
Boris
Meetings with Remarkable Men
1979
Dr. Ivanov
Telford's Change
1979
TV Series
Jacques Dupont
Return of the Saint
1978
TV Series
The Many Wives of Patrick
1978
TV Series
Sheikh Abdul
The Professionals
1978
TV Series
Villa
The Onedin Line
1977
TV Series
Ranocci
Jesus of Nazareth
1977
TV Mini-Series
Pharisee
Al-risâlah
1976
Kisra
The Message
1976
Abu-Jahal
The Omen
1976
Father Spiletto
Thriller
1976
TV Series
Spiros Lemke
A Little Bit of Wisdom
1974
TV Series
Sharkie
Tiffany Jones
1973
Petcek
The Adventurer
1973
TV Series
Nicky Asteri
The Protectors
1973
TV Series
President
Pope Joan
1972
Lothair
The Champions
1969
TV Series
Garcian
Mogul
1968
TV Series
Major General Hassef
Battle Beneath the Earth
1967
Gen. Chan Lu
The Magnificent Two
1967
President Diaz
Theatre 625
1967
TV Series
The Saint
1963-1967
TV Series
Inspector Yolu / Sanchez / Maj. Louis Quintana
The Man Who Never Was
1966
TV Series
Court Martial
1966
TV Series
Padre Verga
A Man Could Get Killed
1966
Politanu
The Wednesday Play
1966
TV Series
Rudi
BBC Play of the Month
1965
TV Series
Rezso Kantner
The Secret of My Success
1965
Rex Mansard
No Hiding Place
1961-1965
TV Series
Tomas Bexiga / Bernard Huntley
Secret Agent
1965
TV Series
General Ventura
Goldfinger
1964
Solo
Behold a Pale Horse
1964
Priest
A Shot in the Dark
1964
Maurice
The Secret Door
1964
Edmundo Vara
Mozambique
1964
Da Silva
Cleopatra
1963
Ramos
Suspense
1963
TV Series
John Haythorn, a Barrister
Ghost Squad
1963
TV Series
Zervas
ITV Television Playhouse
1960-1963
TV Series
Harry Salvi / Colonel Alvarez
The Fur Collar
1962
Martin Benson
The Verdict Is Yours
1962
TV Series
Prosecuting Counsel
Richard the Lionheart
1962
TV Series
Jeweller / Forked Beard
Silent Evidence
1962
TV Series
Shufru-Ka
I tre nemici
1962
Prof. Otto Kreutz
Night Creatures
1962
Mr. Rash (innkeeper)
Village of Daughters
1962
1st Pickpocket
Satan Never Sleeps
1962
Kuznietsky
The Silent Invasion
1962
Borge
A Matter of WHO
1961
Rahman
One Step Beyond
1961
TV Series
Klaus Karnak / Dr. Evans - Minister
The Charlie Drake Show
1960-1961
TV Series
Fagin
Five Golden Hours
1961
Enrico
Gorgo
1961
Dorkin
Whack-O!
1960
TV Series
Admiral Sir Archibald Ballard
Exodus
1960
Mordekai
The 3 Worlds of Gulliver
1960
Flimnap
The Gentle Trap
1960
Ricky Barnes
Danger Man
1960
TV Series
Fawzi
Our House
1960
TV Series
Sands of the Desert
1960
Selim
On Trial
1960
TV Series
Edward Carson
An Arabian Night
1960
TV Movie
Wazir Al-Muin
Oscar Wilde
1960
George Alexander
The Four Just Men
1960
TV Series
Captain Renald
Once More, with Feeling!
1960
Luigi Bardini
The Army Game
1960
TV Series
Captain Strickley
Interpol Calling
1960
TV Series
Ahmed
Killers of Kilimanjaro
1959
Ali
The Third Man
1959
TV Series
Karsos
The Invisible Man
1959
TV Series
Col. Omar
Make Mine a Million
1959
Chairman
Dial 999
1959
TV Series
Wayman
The Two-Headed Spy
1958
Gen. Wagner
Desert Patrol
1958
German Half-track Officer (uncredited)
Sword of Freedom
1957-1958
TV Series
Duke de Medici / De Medici / Duke De Medici
The New Adventures of Charlie Chan
1958
TV Series
Roberto Ricci / Ahmed
The Cosmic Monster
1958
Smith
The Verdict Is Yours
1958
TV Series
Counsel for the plaintiff
The Vise
1954-1958
TV Series
Chou / Carlos
White Hunter
1958
TV Series
Piet Ritter
Windom's Way
1957
Samcar, Rebel Commander (uncredited)
Thunder Over Tangier
1957
Voss
O.S.S.
1957
TV Series
Tullio
The New Adventures of Martin Kane
1957
TV Series
Sailor of Fortune
1956-1957
TV Series
Police Chief / El Saiyid
The Flesh Is Weak
1957
Angelo Giani
Overseas Press Club - Exclusive!
1957
TV Series
Dimitrios
The Adventures of Sir Lancelot
1957
TV Series
Hassim
Pickup Alley
1957
Captain Varolli
Doctor at Large
1957
Maharajah of Rhanda
The Jack Benny Program
1957
TV Series
Man Using Telescope
Aggie
1957
TV Series
Sheikh Feisal
Assignment Foreign Legion
1957
TV Series
Novac / Legionnaire Crazy Horse / Kassar
Istanbul
1957
Mr. Darius
Rheingold Theatre
1953-1956
TV Series
Party Chief / Howard Geiger / First Frenchman / ...
The King and I
1956
Kralahome
Colonel March of Scotland Yard
1956
TV Series
Dupont
23 Paces to Baker Street
1956
Pillings
Writer
Title
Year
Status
Character
One Step Beyond
1961
TV Series story supervisor - 14 episodes
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
Parrot Fashion
2007
Video documentary short
Vogan Captain
Reputations
2002
TV Series documentary
Himself
The Omen Legacy
2001
TV Movie documentary
Himself
The Making of 'The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy'