Maurice Colbourne

Maurice Colbourne

Born: September 24, 1939
Died: August 4, 1989
in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, UK
Maurice Colbourne (24 September 1939 – 4 August 1989) was a British stage and television actor who specialised in playing villains and hard men until 1985, when he took the key role of Tom Howard in the BBC Television serial, Howards' Way. Colbourne was born Roger Middleton but took his stage name after reading about the death of actor Maurice Colbourne who shared the same birthday as he did. Colbourne's biggest success in the 1970s was as the lead in the crime drama series Gangsters. In the 80s he starred in Johnny Jarvis and the acclaimed adaptation of John Wyndham's classic sci-fi novel, The Day of the Triffids. Staying with sci-fi, he had a recurring guest role in Doctor Who as the mercenary Lytton, playing opposite the fifth and sixth doctors (Peter Davison and Colin Baker) in adventures featuring the timelords deadliest foes; the Daleks and the Cybermen. But it was the leading role in Howards' Way that he will perhaps best be remembered for. He played Tom Howard until 1989, when he died suddenly aged 49 from a heart attack. The show ended a year later.

Movies for Maurice Colbourne...

Title: Howards' Way
Character: Tom Howard
Released: September 1, 1985
Type: TV
The BBC's answer to Dynasty, Howards' Way was launched in 1985 with an enormous 1 million pound budget. The main characters in the show were 'best boat designer in the world' Tom Howard, his boutique running wife Jan Howard, 'I'll have a drink' Jack Rolfe and a nasty man called Ken Masters. It starred Maurice Colbourne.
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Hitler's SS : Portrait In Evil
Title: Hitler's SS : Portrait In Evil
Character: SS Officer
Released: February 17, 1985
Type: Movie
The two-part TV movie Hitler's SS: Portrait in Evil crystallizes that evil by concentrating on two Berlin brothers. In 1931, Helmut Hoffman a brilliant student and self-styled opportunist, joins Hitler's SS. At the same time, his younger brother Karl, a top athlete and idealist, becomes a chauffeur for the "S.A.".
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Doctor Who: Attack of the Cybermen
Title: Doctor Who: Attack of the Cybermen
Character: Lytton
Released: January 12, 1985
Type: Movie
An alien distress call draws the Doctor and Peri to Earth, 1985, where they uncover a Cyberman plot to change the course of history.
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Doctor Who: Resurrection of the Daleks
Title: Doctor Who: Resurrection of the Daleks
Character: Lytton
Released: February 15, 1984
Type: Movie
Captured in a time corridor, the Doctor and his companions are forced to land on 20th century Earth, diverted by the Doctor's oldest enemy - the Daleks. It is here the true purpose of the time corridor becomes apparent: after ninety years of imprisonment, Davros, the ruthless creator of the Daleks, is to be liberated to assist in the resurrection of his army. Not even the Daleks foresee the poisonous threat of their creator. Indeed, who would suspect Davros of wanting to destroy his own Daleks - and why? Only the Doctor knows the truth. Will he descend to Davros' level of evil to stop him?
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Title: Johnny Jarvis
Character: Jake
Released: November 10, 1983
Type: TV
Johnny Jarvis and Alan Lipton are two teenagers in their final year of secondary school at a comprehensive in Hackney in 1977. Energetic, anxious and occasionally naïve, the unlikely pair are on the brink of entering the adult world of the late '70s and early '80s when prospects are slim.
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Rating Notman
Title: Rating Notman
Released: April 28, 1982
Type: Movie
A BAFTA award nominated drama about a British POW's collaboration with the Nazis during WWII.
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Venom
Title: Venom
Character: Sampson
Released: November 28, 1981
Type: Movie
International terrorists attempt to kidnap a wealthy couple's child. Their plan comes unstuck when a deadly Black Mamba, sent by mistake instead of a harmless snake, escapes and the terrorists and several hostages are trapped in the boy's London home.
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Title: The Day of the Triffids
Character: Jack Coker
Released: September 10, 1981
Type: TV
The Day of the Triffids is a British television series which was first aired by the BBC in 1981. An adaptation by Douglas Livingstone of the 1951 novel by John Wyndham, the six half-hour episodes were produced by David Maloney and directed by Ken Hannam, with original music by Christopher Gunning.
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Dead Man's Kit
Title: Dead Man's Kit
Character: Lt. Cmdr. Kobahl
Released: September 30, 1980
Type: Movie
After shore-leave in Lisbon for the crew of HMS Diana, Master-at-Arms 'Toby' Toberman makes an official complaint to the ship's Captain about the behaviour of an officer he saw in a casino. Following the ship's 'Sod's Opera' party, Toby is reported missing from the deck - presumed lost overboard. Was it an accident or suicide - or was he given the proverbial push?
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Hawk the Slayer
Title: Hawk the Slayer
Character: Axe Man 1
Released: August 27, 1980
Type: Movie
Hawk the Slayer, after seeing both his father and bride die at the hands of his malevolent brother, Voltan, sets out for revenge and the chance to live up to his title. Tooling himself up with the "mind-sword" and recruiting a motley band of warriors: a giant, a dwarf, a one-armed man with a machine-crossbow and an elf with the fastest bow in the land; Hawk leads the battle against Voltan to free the land from the forces of evil and avenge his loved ones.
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Title: Shoestring
Released: September 30, 1979
Type: TV
Shoestring was a BBC television show set in Bristol. It featured a private detective with his own show on Radio West, the local radio station. The programme ran between 30 September 1979 and 21 December 1980, in two series with 21 one hour-long episodes. Star Trevor Eve decided not to return to the role after two series, as he wanted to diversify into theatre roles, so the same production team changed the format to be based in Jersey and created Bergerac, also about a detective returning to work after a bad period in his life.
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Bloodline
Title: Bloodline
Character: Jon Swinton
Released: June 29, 1979
Type: Movie
When her father is murdered, a cosmetics heiress becomes the next target of an unknown killer amid the international jet set.
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Title: Return of the Saint
Character: Jed Blacket
Released: September 10, 1978
Type: TV
Follow the swashbuckling exploits of Simon Templar, a modern-day Robin Hood of sorts.
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The Duellists
Title: The Duellists
Character: Feraud's Second
Released: August 31, 1977
Type: Movie
In 1800, as Napoleon Bonaparte rises to power in France, a rivalry erupts between Armand and Gabriel, two lieutenants in the French Army, over a perceived insult. For over a decade, they engage in a series of duels amidst larger conflicts, including the failed French invasion of Russia in 1812, and shifts in the political and social systems of Europe.
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Title: Gangsters
Released: September 9, 1976
Type: TV
A pioneering show starring Maurice Colbourne as Birmingham gangster John Kline. The show was noted for its gritty true-life quality, and often graphic violence.
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The Littlest Horse Thieves
Title: The Littlest Horse Thieves
Character: Luke Armstrong
Released: May 26, 1976
Type: Movie
When the owner of a Yorkshire coal-mine decides to mechanize to increase profits, the mine's pit ponies are scheduled to be destroyed. So, three children plan to steal them to keep them safe. But when they're caught, it's up to the mine owners and the miners themselves to decide what's right.
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Gangsters
Title: Gangsters
Character: John Kline
Released: January 9, 1975
Type: Movie
Birmingham is a melting pot of races and every community has a stake in the city's underworld. When former SAS officer John Kline is released from prison after serving a sentence for murder, he becomes the unwilling catalyst in a gang war. Movie screened as part of Play of Today.
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Title: Van der Valk
Character: Nick Scholtz
Released: September 13, 1972
Type: TV
Van der Valk is a British television series that was produced by Thames Television for the ITV network. It starred Barry Foster in the title role as Dutch detective Commissaris "Piet" van der Valk. Based on the characters and atmosphere of the novels of Nicolas Freeling, the first series was shown in 1972.
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Times For
Title: Times For
Character: man
Released: October 11, 1970
Type: Movie
A sexually frustrated man complies with the emotional and erotic wishes of four women, but afterwards he is left even lonelier than before.
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Cry of the Banshee
Title: Cry of the Banshee
Character: Villager
Released: July 22, 1970
Type: Movie
In seventeenth century England Lord Whitman wages unending war on what he sees as the ever-present scourge of witchcraft, and many local villagers have suffered at his hands. But one victim uses her occult powers to curse his family, enlisting unknowing help from one of the household.
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Title: Doctor Who
Character: Lytton
Released: November 23, 1963
Type: TV
The adventures of The Doctor, a time-traveling humanoid alien known as a Time Lord. He explores the universe in his TARDIS, a sentient time-traveling spaceship. Its exterior appears as a blue British police box, which was a common sight in Britain in 1963 when the series first aired. Along with a succession of companions, The Doctor faces a variety of foes while working to save civilizations, help ordinary people, and right many wrongs.
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Title: Doctor Who
Character: Commander Lytton
Released: November 23, 1963
Type: TV
The adventures of The Doctor, a time-traveling humanoid alien known as a Time Lord. He explores the universe in his TARDIS, a sentient time-traveling spaceship. Its exterior appears as a blue British police box, which was a common sight in Britain in 1963 when the series first aired. Along with a succession of companions, The Doctor faces a variety of foes while working to save civilizations, help ordinary people, and right many wrongs.