| Bernard Spear | |
| Birth Date: | 11 September 1919 |
| Birth Place: | Croydon, Surrey, England |
| Death Place: | Sutton, London, England |
| Occupation: | Actor |
| Years Active: | 1956-2003 |
| Children: | 1 |
Bernard Spear (11 September 1919 - 9 May 2003) was an English actor.
Spear was born on 11 September 1919 in Croydon, Surrey, to a Polish-Jewish father and a Russian-Jewish mother. He was educated at Central Federation School in London, and worked as a clerk at a tobacco manufacturers before serving in the Royal Artillery in Gibraltar during World War II.[1]
Spear starred in the BAFTA TV Award-winning television play Bar Mitzvah Boy, and also portrayed the dual roles of Cervantes's manservant and Sancho Panza in the 1968 London stage version of Man of La Mancha.[2] [3] His film career includes roles in the films Drop Dead Darling (1966), Bedazzled (1967), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968), The Adventures of Barry McKenzie (1972), Secrets of a Door-to-Door Salesman (1972), Wombling Free (1977) and Yentl (1983).[4] His only regular role on television was as Morris Ransome in the soap opera Albion Market (1985–86).
Spear married dancer/writer Mary Newton (pka Logan) in 1949; the couple had one child, Julian, owner of Julian Spear PR (an independent music promotion company for radio and television), who is married to actress Carol Royle.[1] [5]
Bernard and Mary remained married until his death in 2003.[1]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | Quatermass and the Pit | News Vendor/Arthur | Miniseries |
| 1966 | Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. | Man with Carrier Bag | |
| Drop Dead Darling | French Inspector | ||
| 1967 | Bedazzled | Irving Moses | |
| 1968 | Chitty Chitty Bang Bang | Goran the Spy | |
| 1972 | The Adventures of Barry McKenzie | Cabbie | |
| Hide and Seek | Fruit Vendor | ||
| 1973 | Secrets of a Door-to-Door Salesman | Jake Tripper | |
| 1974 | Love Thy Neighbour | Alfredo | Episode: The Mediterranean |
| 1976 | Bar Mitzvah Boy | Victor Green | TV Movie |
| 1977 | Gulliver's Travels | Voice | |
| Wombling Free | Arnold Takahashi | ||
| 1983 | Yentl | Tailor | |
| 1985 | Not Quite Paradise | Mr. Schwartz | |
| 1994 | Lovejoy | Morrie Samuels | Episode: Fruit of the Desert |
| 2000 | The Man Who Cried | Man in Sweatshop | |