Tom Chadbon(1946-2026)
- Actor
Rada-trained English character actor Thomas Richard Chadbon was the son of banker Thomas William Chadbon and his wife Josie Yvonne (née Cook). Tom made his theatrical debut at the Phoenix Theatre in Leicester in 1967. Blessed with a strong, resonant voice, he went on to act in many classical plays, notably at the Bristol Old Vic, the National Theatre and at London’s West End. He cited as his personal favourite role that of the jealous king Leontes, a key character in Shakespeare’s A Winter’s Tale.
A familiar face on British television, Chadbon became perhaps best-known to audiences as the trench coat-wearing, temperamental Inspector Thomas Duggan in the classic Doctor Who (1963) serial City of Death. Several years later, he returned in the smaller role of Merdeen, leader of the guard in an underground realm, who aided the sixth Doctor in defeating an evil robot in The Trial of a Time Lord. As a voice actor, Chadbon also featured in several Big Finish audio plays alongside Tom Baker (the fourth Doctor) and {Paul McGann (the eighth Doctor).
In his own right, Chadbon headlined as part of an ensemble cast in BBC1's legal drama Crown Prosecutor (1995) (as Lenny Monk). Other recurring supporting roles on TV included the sitcom The Liver Birds (1969) (as veterinarian Derek Paynton), Wire in the Blood (2002) (Assistant Chief Constable John Brandon) and the medical dramas Where the Heart Is (1997) (Dr. Kenworthy) and Casualty (1986) (Henry Williams). Among his numerous guest spots were appearances in Softly Softly: Task Force (1969), Rumpole of the Bailey (1978), Blake's 7 (1978), The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes (1994), Silent Witness (1996), A Touch of Frost (1992), Heartbeat (1992), The Bill (1984) and Poirot (1989). Chadbon was often cast in authoritarian roles, whether as police or military, aristocrats, physicians or Q.C.'s. He was last spotted as the High Septon Maynard in the epic series Game of Thrones (2011).
Chadbon’s first marriage (1966-70) was to Deborah Elspeth Leathers, daughter of Frederick Alan Leathers, the 2nd Viscount Leathers (1908-1996). His second wife (from 1977, until his passing in July 2026) was the designer Jane Hennessy.
A familiar face on British television, Chadbon became perhaps best-known to audiences as the trench coat-wearing, temperamental Inspector Thomas Duggan in the classic Doctor Who (1963) serial City of Death. Several years later, he returned in the smaller role of Merdeen, leader of the guard in an underground realm, who aided the sixth Doctor in defeating an evil robot in The Trial of a Time Lord. As a voice actor, Chadbon also featured in several Big Finish audio plays alongside Tom Baker (the fourth Doctor) and {Paul McGann (the eighth Doctor).
In his own right, Chadbon headlined as part of an ensemble cast in BBC1's legal drama Crown Prosecutor (1995) (as Lenny Monk). Other recurring supporting roles on TV included the sitcom The Liver Birds (1969) (as veterinarian Derek Paynton), Wire in the Blood (2002) (Assistant Chief Constable John Brandon) and the medical dramas Where the Heart Is (1997) (Dr. Kenworthy) and Casualty (1986) (Henry Williams). Among his numerous guest spots were appearances in Softly Softly: Task Force (1969), Rumpole of the Bailey (1978), Blake's 7 (1978), The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes (1994), Silent Witness (1996), A Touch of Frost (1992), Heartbeat (1992), The Bill (1984) and Poirot (1989). Chadbon was often cast in authoritarian roles, whether as police or military, aristocrats, physicians or Q.C.'s. He was last spotted as the High Septon Maynard in the epic series Game of Thrones (2011).
Chadbon’s first marriage (1966-70) was to Deborah Elspeth Leathers, daughter of Frederick Alan Leathers, the 2nd Viscount Leathers (1908-1996). His second wife (from 1977, until his passing in July 2026) was the designer Jane Hennessy.
