Keith Barron

Keith Barron was a prolific English film and TV actor who appeared in over 150 films and TV shows over the course of his 50-plus years in show business. Born in the English town of Mexborough, Barron's desire to become an actor was spurred by childhood visits to the local music hall, where he was able to watch performers up close and personal. From that moment on in boyhood, Barron knew he wanted to act. He took a minor detour however, first by attending college and then with a stint in the Royal Air Force, before finally committing himself to the craft in his 20s in the 1950s. It was then that he began appearing in plays for the Sheffield Repertory Theatre, which allowed him to hone his craft in front of a live audience. By the early 1960s Barron had begun to nab TV roles, landing his first big break in 1962 when he appeared as Det. Sgt. Swift on "The Odd Man" (ITV, 1960-63). He continued appearing in a number of TV shows, most notably with recurring roles on "Jackonary" (BBC, 1965-96), "No Strings" (BBC, 1974), and "Prince Regent" (BBC, 1979). In 1983 he played Captain Striker on four episodes of the long-running British time travel series "Doctor Who" (BBC, 1963-), and found fame and success in the mid-1980s when he began appearing on the sitcom "Duty Free" (ITV, 1984-86). Barron also appeared in films throughout his career, including "God's Outlaw" (1986), "La passione" (1996), and "Police 2020" (1997). He continued working steadily throughout the 90s, 2000, and early 2010s, appearing in mostly television roles in the remaining years of his career. He was still working in his 80s also; having appeared in recurring roles on the British TV shows "Holby City" (BBC, 1999-) and "DCI Banks" (ITV, 2010-16). His 2016 role on "DCI Banks" would prove to be his last. Keith Barron died on November 15, 2017. He was 83.