Maurice Roeves has died aged 83.
The ‘Doctor Who’ and ‘EastEnders’ star’s wife Vanessa Roeves has confirmed her significant other has passed away, and she told the BBC that Maurice – who also appeared in BBC drama ‘The Nest’ earlier this year – had been ill for some time.
Maurice was known for playing villains throughout his acting career, but Vanessa said he was a "softie" in real life, and admitted his family used to regularly jokingly ask him whether his characters would make it to the end of the TV series or films he starred in.
The late actor portrayed gunrunner Stotz in ‘Doctor Who’ serial ‘The Caves of Androzani’, which featured Peter Davison’s final regular appearance as the Fifth Doctor, and Colin Baker’s debut as the Sixth Doctor.
Maurice also guest starred in an episode of ‘Cheers’, appeared opposite Sir David Jason in ‘A Touch of Frost’, played a Roman captain in a ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’ episode, and he appeared alongside Robbie Coltrane and Emma Thompson in 1987 six-part drama ‘Tutti Frutti’.
What’s more, he dabbled in Soapland, playing EastEnders’ Geoff Morton, the alcoholic father of Kate Morton – who was portrayed by Jill Halfpenny – in September 2003.
The character clashed with Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) and refused to see his daughter marry the Walford hardman. Geoff later took his own life off-screen in March 2004.
As well as his TV roles, Maurice was well known on the big screen, starring in the likes of ‘The Last of the Mohicans’, ‘Judge Dredd’, ‘The Eagle Has Landed’, and ‘Ulysses’.