Guy Doleman Biography
Guy Doleman, a distinguished actor born in New Zealand on 22 November 1923, made a name for himself in Australia, Britain, and the United States throughout his career.
Doleman’s first foray into acting was in the film Always Another Dawn in 1948. In the following decade, he became one of the most active actors in Australia, appearing in the majority of films made during that time.
He also became a prominent figure on the radio, starring in the drama Hagen’s Circus, which led him to become a radio star in Australia. In 1952, Guy Doleman won the Actor’s Choice Award worth £300 for his performance in the radio drama The Coward.
After relocating to London in the early 1960s, Doleman starred in several popular TV series, such as The Avengers alongside Bond girl stars Honor Blackman and Diana Rigg, The Edgar Wallace Mystery Theatre, and the British film The System.
Doleman is perhaps best known for his portrayal of “Count Lippe” in the James Bond film Thunderball (1965) and “Colonel Ross” in the three film adaptations of Len Deighton’s Harry Palmer novels, starring Michael Caine, that were released between 1965 and 1967. He also played Number Two in the TV series The Prisoner (1967). Doleman’s appearance as Number Two in the first episode, “Arrival,” marked the beginning of a pair of Number Twos, the second being played by George Baker.
Later on, Doleman appeared in many minor films and major TV series, including The Six Million Dollar Man, The Colbys, and Murder She Wrote (1992), which turned out to be his last appearance in front of the cameras.
Guy Doleman died of lung cancer in Los Angeles on 30 January 1996, at the age of 72.
