Simon Fisher-Becker | |
|---|---|
 Fisher-Becker in 2013 | |
| Born | (1961-11-25)25 November 1961 London, England |
| Died | 9 March 2025(2025-03-09) (aged 63) London, England |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Website | fisherbecker |
Simon Fisher-Becker (25 November 1961 – 9 March 2025) was a British stage, television and film actor, specialising in comedy and character parts. His notable roles include theFat Friar inHarry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, and Dorium Maldovar inseries 5 and6 ofDoctor Who.
Simon Fisher-Becker was born 25 November 1961 in London.[1] Raised inRuislip, in theLondon Borough of Hillingdon,[2] he was mostly interested in music as a child[1] and learned to play the clarinet and saxophone.[2]
His first acting role was as a griffin in a primary school production ofAlice in Wonderland.[3] He discovered he liked acting better after being cast as Mr. Bumble in a school production ofOliver Twist,[1] and studied drama in hissixth form atNorthwood School.[2]
Fisher-Becker worked in the civil service, and for a period of time worked for theHouse of Lords, theupper house of theParliament of the United Kingdom.[2] After leaving government service,[a] he took a drama course and began to pursue an acting career.[1] While seeking roles, he managed a theatre and worked as ahuman resourcesindependent contractor.[2] In 1975, he joined the Hillingdon Music Centre, later Hillingdon Music Service, which provided Saturday classes for music students at local public schools, and became an assistant warden in 1981.[2] He also co-founded the Hillindon Symphony Orchestra and the Second Chance Concert Band, for which he acted as conductor.[2]
In January 1988, he joined theTheatre in Education project. His group, the GCSE Syllabus Players, went on a six-week national teaching tour in public schools.[2]
Fond of comedy and music, Fisher-Becker became a versatilecharacter actor, and found work in film, television, and the stage, mostly in small roles.[1] Initially, his work consisted of narration andvoice-over.[2] He later said he was "given parts because I could make people laugh."[2] He appeared in a stage production ofEdith Sitwell'sFaçade – An Entertainment;Tubby the Tuba, a narrative children's play with orchestral accompaniment; and asPeter III in a comedy play at theEdinburgh Festival Fringe.[2] He had a minor role as a mini-cab driver in a 2006 episode ofAfterlife, a supernatural drama.[1]
In 2000, he was cast as theFat Friar, a friendly ghost, in the filmHarry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.[1] He waschauffeured on the set, and sworn to secrecy about the filming.[3] His character was featured in aVanity Fair photo shoot.[4] "I consider myself very lucky to have worked onHarry Potter. It was a brilliant experience," he said, although it was disappointing that most of what he filmed ended up cut from the picture.[3]
Fisher-Becker was attacked by three youths at apetrol station in March 2009. His spine was permanently damaged, and he was forced to use a walking stick for the rest of his life.[3] Recovering from his injuries took time, and forced him to stop working inpantomime.[1][3] In December 2009, he auditioned for the role of Dorium Maldovar onDoctor Who.[1] He was excited to audition, as he had grown up watching the programme.[3][5]
Fisher-Becker was to appear in one scene in the episode "The Pandorica Opens".[1] The character Dorium Maldovar proved to be a fan favorite, and he returned to appear in the episodes "A Good Man Goes to War" and "The Wedding of River Song".[1]
The popularity of the role led Fisher-Becker to travel all over the world to attendDoctor Who fan conventions.[3] During this time, he became good friends withDoctor Who alumniKaty Manning andJohn Levene.[3]
Doctor Who transformed his career.[3] He still received minor roles, such as an appearance the ensemble in the "Master of the House" number in the filmLes Misérables,[6] but began to get larger roles. He appeared in a 2012 episode of the comedy television programmeGetting On in 2012, and in a 2014 episode of the comedy seriesPuppy Love.[6] His biggest part, however, was as Dante Harper in 16 episodes of the superhero/crime dramaWaterside.[6]
In 2015, Fisher-Becker went on tour in Britain with a one-man show,My Dalek Has a Puncture, in which he talked about his life as a jobbing actor and his experiences onDoctor Who.[3]
In addition to acting, Fisher-Becker was an author, playwright, and public speaker.[6] He was also a well-knownraconteur.[6]
Simon met Anthony Dugdale, a musician, in 1992. The two married in 2006.[7]
Simon Fisher-Becker died in London on 9 March 2025 at the age of 63.[8] He is survived by his husband.[6]
