William Lucas 1925-2016

The actor William Lucas has died at the age of 91.

William Lucas played Range in the 1984 Doctor Who story Frontios. It was a role he took over shortly before the story was recorded following the murder of the original actor Peter Arne.

Lucas's best known role was playing Dr James Gordon in the TV series The Adventures of Black Beauty, which ran on ITV from 1972-1974. The series, continuing the adventures of the horse from the famous novel by Anna Sewell, regularly topped the TV charts with its iconic theme tune seared into the memories of children from the era.

Lucas began his career in 1948 as an assistant stage manager at Chesterfield civic theatre. Several years in repertory followed before his television breakthrough in 1955 playing the blackmailing car dealer Reg Dorking in the crime thriller Portrait of Alison. He reprised the role in the film version later the same year.

For the next forty years he was a regular on British television, appearing in over 100 different drama productions. He played John Friend in The infamous John Friend, Detective Inspector Mitchell in Flower of Evil and Days of Vengeance and Eddie Prior in The Prior Commitment. He had regular roles in Coronation Street as well as the ill fated El Dorado.

In 1990 he returned to his most famous role playing Dr Gordon in The New Adventures of Black Beauty.

He was still working into the new century with parts in episodes of Last of the Summer Wine, Doctors and The Bill.

William Lucas died on Friday 8th July. He is survived by his second wife Camilla and by Daniel and Thomas, the sons of his first marriage.