Michael John Leigh Barlow (18 January 1936 – 20 January 2023) was an English actor who performed many small roles in a variety of films, television programmes, and plays, under the stage name Tim Barlow or Timothy Barlow.
Life and career Barlow was born 18 January 1936. His father, a solicitor, died when he was five years old. Barlow was raised by his mother. After graduating from school at the age of 18, he entered the British Army, and spent 15 years there.
Barlow left the army in 1969 to pursue a career in acting, receiving advice from Trevor Nunn and Sir Laurence Olivier. He wrote and performed a one-man show in which he described how he came to the decision to go into the acting profession. He previously had much success with another one man show entitled "My Army" in which he described his life in the British army in the 1960s. This toured for many years.
One of his most notable roles was playing Mr. Morrow, a blind man allergic to his guide dog in The Tall Guy alongside Jeff Goldblum. He played Tyssan in the Doctor Who serial Destiny of the Daleks. He also appeared on stage with the Royal Shakespeare Company and as the BFG at the Polka Theatre in Wimbledon, and on screen as Mr Treacher in Hot Fuzz. In 2007 he played an Ancient Blind Oracle in the HBO series Rome.
Barlow lost his hearing in the 1950s when testing a high velocity Muzzle Rifle, most likely an L1A1 prototype known as the X-8 Self Loading Rifle (SLR), for the British Army, until 2008, when surgery to fit a cochlear implant allowed him to recover some of his hearing.Destiny of the Daleks audio commentary His experience of having the cochlear implant fitted was detailed in an episode of BBC Radio 4 programme It's My Story, called "Earfull - From Silence into Sound".BBC Radio 4. "Earfull - From Silence into Sound", BBC Radio 4 27 November 2008
In 2016 he performed in Him, an autobiographical work about memory, ageing and the art of theatre, created by theatre-maker Sheila Hill, with videographer Hugo Glendinning, and musician Sebastiano Dessanay.
He died on 20 January 2023, aged 87.
TV and films Year Title Role Notes1975 Brannigan Customs Officer Uncredited1976 The Eagle Has Landed George Wilde (Publican) 1978 Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe? Doyle 1979 Doctor Who Tyssan 4 episodes: Destiny of the Daleks Grange Hill Mr. Stiles TV series; 2 episodes1983 Privates on Parade Commanding Officer 1984 The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Biddle TV series; 1 episode1989 The Tall Guy Mr. Morrow 1993 Anchoress Old Pilgrim Inside Victor Lewis-Smith Mr. Lobley 1996 Mary Reilly Vicar 1997 The Ugly Police Photographer 1998 Les Misérables Lafitte Cousin Bette De Forzheim 1999 A Kind of Hush Max Tube Tales Elderly Drunk Segment: "Steal Away"2000 The Nine Lives of Tomas Katz Mr. Browne 2001 Kiss Kiss (Bang Bang) Doctor The Emperor's New Clothes Bargee 2004 The Rocket Post Hector McDougal Teeth Ernie Short2005 Kingdom of Heaven Old Guard Director's cut Lie Still Man in Pub Mike Bassett: Manager Sir Denzil 2007 Rome Ancient Blind Oracle TV series; 1 episode Hot Fuzz Mr. Treacher 2008 10,000 BC The Pyramid God Lezione 21 Simrock 2012 Cockneys vs Zombies Samurai Head Slice Zombie 2012–2014 Derek Jack TV series; 14 episodes2013 The Christmas Candle Oliver Barber 2014 Autómata Organizer 2016 Sherlock Wilder TV series; 1 episode2017 My Cousin Rachel Seecombe 2018 The Alienist Mr Kreizler TV series; 1 episode
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