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Brian Glover

Brian Glover brought a rare combination of physical authority, comic instinct and unmistakable Yorkshire character to the screen. Born in Sheffield on 2 April 1934, he took an unconventional route into acting, passing through teaching and professional wrestling before finding his place as one of British film and television’s most dependable character players. While studying at the University of Sheffield, Glover supplemented his grant by wrestling under the name Leon Arras the Man From Paris. He continued performing in the ring while teaching English and French, developing a wrestling style that made room for comedy as well as confrontation. That background proved useful when Barry Hines, a fellow teacher, suggested him to director Ken Loach for Kes. Glover’s first acting role was Mr Sugden, the overbearing sports teacher whose confidence and competitiveness turn a school football match into his own private cup final. Although he had no formal acting training, Glover understood how to use his stocky presence, distinctive voice and experience of playing to a crowd. He was frequently cast as tough men, criminals and blunt authority figures, but his performances often carried a streak of humour. His recurring role as Cyril Heslop in Porridge made particularly good use of that balance, while his television work also included Campion, Doctor Who, Play for Today and a memorably hostile appearance as Mr Rottweiler in Bottom. His film roles ranged across very different kinds of production, including An American Werewolf in London, The First Great Train Robbery, Jabberwocky, Brannigan, Alien 3, Leon the Pig Farmer and 1942: A Love Story. Theatre gave him similarly varied territory. He worked at the Royal Court, with the Royal Shakespeare Company and at the Royal National Theatre, playing roles including Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Charles the wrestler in As You Like It and God in The Mysteries. Glover was also a screenwriter and playwright, writing more than twenty plays and short films. Across wrestling, stage and screen, his work retained the directness, timing and sturdy presence that made him immediately recognisable.