Jump to content

Damien Thomas

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Damien Thomas
Born(1942-04-11)11 April 1942
Died18 April 2025(2025-04-18) (aged 83)
Wiltshire, England
OccupationActor
Years active1968–2016
Known forShōgun
Jane Eyre

Damien Roy Charles Noel Court-Thomas (11 April 1942 – 18 April 2025), known by his stage name Damien Thomas,[1][2][3] was a British actor noted for his roles in British films and television, such as his role as Father Martin Alvito in the 1980 miniseries Shōgun and as Richard Mason in the 1983 BBC production of Jane Eyre.

Early life and education

[edit]

Thomas was born in 1942 in Ismailia, Egypt, the son of Squadron Leader Peter Court-Thomas and his wife Huguette (nee Bertrand) who had also been born in Egypt, but of French parents. His father was killed in action seven months after his birth and was awarded the DFC.

Thomas was educated at Wellington School and studied art at Dartington College of Arts, before training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA).[4]

Career

[edit]

His film credits include Journey into Darkness (1968), Julius Caesar (1970), Twins of Evil (1971), Henry VIII and His Six Wives (1972), Tiffany Jones (1973), The Message (1976), Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger (1977), Pirates (1986), Never Let Me Go (2010)[1] and Grave Tales (2011).

His television credits include: Jason King,[1]Van der Valk, Special Branch, Warship, Wilde Alliance, The Professionals, A.D., Noble House, Blake's 7, Beau Geste, Tenko, Widows, Dempsey and Makepeace, Wish Me Luck, House of Cards, Doctors, The Brittas Empire, Sherlock Holmes, and Agatha Christie's Poirot ("Murder on the Links").

Personal life and death

[edit]

Thomas was married three times, the first two marriages ending in divorce. He was married firstly to Jocelyne Sbath in 1968 and secondly to Françoise Alaoui-Drai in 1980 with whom he had a son, Dominic.

In 2012 he married his third wife, Julia Sargent. They had two daughters, Maud and Phoebe.

Thomas died after suffering from progressive supranuclear palsy on 18 April 2025, at the age of 83. He was survived by his third wife and by his three children.[5]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Maxford, Howard (17 December 2018). Hammer Complete: The Films, the Personnel, the Company. McFarland & Company. p. 796. ISBN 978-1-4766-7007-2.
  2. ^ "Damien Thomas". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 14 November 2017. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  3. ^ Hayward, Anthony (30 April 2025). "Damien Thomas obituary". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
  4. ^ Damien Thomas obituary, Anthony Hayward, published in the Guardian, 30 April 2025
  5. ^ Barnes, Mike (27 April 2025). "Damien Thomas, Actor in 'Twins of Evil' at Hammer Films, Dies at 83". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
[edit]