Moray Watson, the dependable character actor who spent 60 years in the business working with major stars

• Moray Watson’s 2016 autobiography was titled Looking Back and Dropping Names. As one of Britain’s most recognisable and dependable character actors, often in supporting roles as colonels, aristocrats or judges, he was able to litter the book with dozens of the biggest names on stage and screen. After his introduction to television audiences as assistant control engineer Peter Marsh in the landmark sci-fi serial The Quatermass Experiment (1953), Watson switched to soap opera, spending a year (1962-3) in the women’s magazine serial Compact as art editor Richard Lowe, then returning for the last month of its run in 1965.