Geoffrey Palmer collecting his OBE
(Picture: PA)Actor Geoffrey Palmer has died aged 93, his agent has announced.
He was known for roles in sitcoms as Butterflies and As Time Goes By, in which he starred alongside Dame Judi Dench.
The star played Lionel Hardcastle alongside Dame Judi as Jean Mary Hardcastle in the BBC One romantic sitcom between 1992 and 2005
Palmer and Dame Judi also starred together in James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies, which was released in 1997. Palmer played Admiral Roebuck of the Royal Navy in the Bond film.
Geoffrey Palmer with his wife Sally in 1993
PAPalmer also starred in sitcom The Fall And Rise Of Reginald Perrin, as well as the 2014 Paddington film.
“We regret to sadly announce that the actor Geoffrey Palmer died peacefully at home yesterday aged 93,” his agent said in a statement.
The League of Gentleman star Reece Shearsmith was among the stars to pay tribute to Palmer.
The actor tweeted: “RIP Geoffrey Palmer.
“An immaculate singular actor, always brilliant in everything, but my favourite was always Ben Parkinson in ‘Butterflies’.
RIP Geoffrey Palmer. An immaculate singular actor, always brilliant in everything, but my favourite was always Ben Parkinson in "Butterflies".
— Reece Shearsmith (@ReeceShearsmith) November 6, 2020
Actor Frances Barber wrote: “I filmed ZOO in Rotterdam with Geoffrey Palmer in the 80’s. I will never forget his famously hang dog lugubrious face every morning saying ‘I’ve no idea what’s going on’... he was just lovely. RIP.”
Palmer was born in London and attended Highgate School.
He married Sally Green in 1963 - and the couple had a daughter, Harriet, and a son, Charles - the television director, who was married to actress Claire Skinner.
I filmed ZOO in Rotterdam with Geoffrey Palmer in the 80’s. I will never forget his famously hang dog lugubrious face every morning saying ‘I’ve no idea what’s going on’... he was just lovely. RIP. pic.twitter.com/RHP5rqR9Tk
— frances Barber (@francesbarber13) November 6, 2020
He was awarded an OBE in 2004 for services to drama.
Speaking in 2018, Dame Judi said the actor was the “naughtiest man I have ever worked with”
As she presented him with the Oldie Of The Year title during an awards ceremony for The Oldie magazine, she added: “I wish wish wish that this was the awards for ‘most promising newcomer’ or maybe even ‘the naughtiest man I ever had the pleasure to work with’, but it’s not.”
“I’m going to quote Bernard Shaw as he said about Ellen Terry ‘she never seemed old to me’. Well, nor you to me,” Dame Judi said.
