Arnold Yarrow

Arnold Yarrow
Born(1920-04-17)17 April 1920
London, England
Died9 December 2024(2024-12-09) (aged 104)
Herne Bay, Kent, England
Occupations
  • Actor
  • screenwriter
  • novelist
Years active1955–1994 • 2012[1]
Known for
Height1.60 m (5 ft 3 in)

Arnold Yarrow (17 April 1920 – 9 December 2024) was a British actor, screenwriter and novelist best known for his brief role as bricklayer Benny Bloom in television soap opera EastEnders. Like the character, he was Jewish.[2]

Life and career

Yarrow is known to Doctor Who fans for his portrayal as diminutive Exxilon leader Bellal in the 1974 serial Death to the Daleks.[3]

His other television appearances include roles in Crane, Ghost Squad, Coronation Street, Dr. Finlay's Casebook, The Onedin Line and London's Burning, as well as a part in the 1993 film Son of the Pink Panther.

Yarrow's scriptwriting work includes episodes of Crown Court, Warship, Softly, Softly: Task Force and EastEnders.[4] As well as this, Yarrow wrote numerous books such as TV tie–ins like Softly Softly Casebook and Softly Softly Murder Casebook as well as his own novels Death is a Z and The Grease–Paint Monkey.[5]

Yarrow lived in Herne Bay, Kent. He turned 100 in April 2020, and died in Herne Bay on 9 December 2024, aged 104.[6][7]

Filmography

As story editor

Year Title Notes
1976 Second Verdict 6 episodes

As script editor

Year Title Notes
1968–1969 Softly Softly 37 episodes
1969–1971 Softly Softly: Task Force 42 episodes
1971 Barlow at Large 3 episodes

As writer

Year Title Notes
1960 Suspense Season 1 Episode 1: "The Tip Off"
1962 Forræderiet TV film
1970–1976 Softly Softly: Task Force 20 episodes
1973–1974 Barlow at Large 3 episodes
1974 Crown Court 3 episodes
1976 Warship Season 3 Episode 10: "The Buccaneer"
Second Verdict Season 1 Episode 3: "The French Bluebeard"
1992–1994 EastEnders 10 episodes

As actor

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1974 Mahler Grandfather
1993 Son of the Pink Panther Uncle Idris
Genghis Cohn Synagogue Warden

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1956 Without Vision Emrys TV film
Nom–de–Plume Sentry Season 1 Episode 17: "The Free Air"
Over to William Mr. Carroway Season 1 Episode 8: "William's Lucky Day"
1957 Television World Theatre Le Fer Season 1 Episode 1: "The Life of Henry V"
ITV Television Playhouse Shayk of the Labourers Season 2 Episode 47: "Desert Patrol"
1958 Macbeth First Witch 2 episodes
Doomsday for Dyson Scientist TV film
Dial 999 Sammy Wilson Uncredited; Season 1 Episode 12: "The Big Fish"
1959 The Vise Blake Season 6 Episode 21: "Dilemma for Harry"
Glencannon Truck Driver Season 1 Episode 13: "Crocodile Tears"
ITV Play of the Week M. Greville Season 4 Episode 36: "The Age of Juliet"
1960 ITV Television Playhouse Luigi Bonasera Season 5 Episode 22: "The English Captain"
Hotel Imperial Little man Season 2 Episode 8: "The Leopardess in 424"
Man from Interpol Mayli Season 1 Episode 10: "The Doll Maker"
The Roving Reasons Unknown Season 1 Episode 10: "The Gibbering Gibraltarian"
The Haunted House Misargyrides Season 1 Episode 1: "Part 1"
Barnaby Rudge Tailor Season 1 Episode 10
Armchair Theatre Bates Season 4 Episode 15: "Rain"
1961 Manager Season 4 Episode 30: "The Hero"
Colonel Trumper's Private War Unknown Season 1 Episode 1: "Operation Lubenski"
1962 The Andromeda Breakthrough President of Azaran 3 episodes
ITV Play of the Week Bilton Season 8 Episode 8: "Major Barbara"
1963 Luigi Season 8 Episode 19: "Darkness at Noon"
Ghost Squad Dr. Malik Season 2 Episode 5: "Death of a Sportsman"
BBC Sunday–Night Play Nikifor Season 4 Episode 20: "The Fall of Mendel Krick"
Crane Louis Barreto Season 1 Episode 4: "My Deadly Friend"
Festival Doctor of Philosophy Season 1 Episode 9: "The Fire Raisers"
Boyd Q.C. Unknown Season 6 Episode 13: "Fishy Story"
Story Box Tram Conductor Episode: "Emil and the Detectives"
1964 Balin Episode: "Books – The Hobbit"
1965 Front Page Story Claude Dupuis Season 1 Episode 14: "Background Only: Not for Publication"
Coronation Street Surveyor Season 1 Episode 493
For Whom the Bell Tolls Miguel Season 1 Episode 4: "The Bridge"
1966 The Man in the Mirror Waldo 6 episodes
1967 Vacant Lot Unknown Season 1 Episode 7: "Criminal Negligence"
Theatre 625 Stevo Season 5 Episode 6: "The Single Passion"
1968 Dr. Finlay's Casebook The Pope Season 6 Episode 22: " 'Is there anybody there ?' Said the traveller"
Life with Cooper Various Roles Season 2 Episode 6: "The Second Holiday"
The Revenue Men Louie Fisher Season 1 Episode 4: "I'd Rather Be in Philadelphia"
1969 Armchair Theatre Enrico Season 9 Episode 3: "What's a mother for ?"
1974 Doctor Who Bellal 3 episodes; serial: Death to the Daleks
1980 The Onedin Line Mishin Season 8 Episode 2: "Revenge"
Wainwrights' Law Inspector Season 1 Episode 6: "The Party of the First Part"
A Little Silver Trumpet Mr. Hynes Season 1 Episode 3
1982 The Chinese Detective Old man Season 2 Episode 5: "Bounty Hunter"
1983 Jemima Shore Investigates Dr. Otto Hahn Season 1 Episode 5: "Dr. Ziegler's Casebook"
1984 Cold Warrior Graarud Season 1 Episode 5: "The Immigrants"
1987 One by One Dr. Breen Season 3 Episode 5: "The Monkey in Between"
1988–1989 EastEnders Mr. Bloom 16 episodes
1989 Benny Season 1 Episode 413
1993 London's Burning Shopkeeper Season 6 Episode 5
2010 The Sarah Jane Adventures Bellal Uncredited; archive footage; Series 4 Episode 6: "Death of the Doctor: Part Two"
2012 Beneath the City of the Exxilons Himself Short documentary

References

  1. ^ "Arnold Yarrow". IMDb. Retrieved 26 October 2022. (Filmography)
  2. ^ "Television: Not Offensive". The Jewish Chronicle. 30 September 1960. p. 30.
  3. ^ "BBC – Doctor Who Classic Episode Guide – Death to the Daleks – Details". bbc.co.uk.
  4. ^ "Arnold Yarrow". BFI. Archived from the original on 22 September 2020.
  5. ^ DrWhoCastCrewGuide. x.com
  6. ^ "Doctor Who News – Arnold Yarrow 1920-2024". Doctor Who News. 9 December 2024. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  7. ^ Hadoke, Toby (27 December 2024). "Arnold Yarrow obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 December 2024.