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Ralph Bates

Ralph Bates

Actor · Died March 27, 1991, aged 51 · Bristol, England

​From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.   Ralph Bates (12 February 1940 – 27 March 1991) was an English film and television actor, known for his role in the British sitcom Dear John and for being one of Hammer Horror's best-known actors from the latter period of the company. Bates was born in Bristol, England, of French ancestry (He was the great, great nephew of French scientist Louis Pasteur) and educated at Trinity College Dublin. He read French there, before winning a scholarship to Yale Drama School. The course completed, Bates returned to Ireland to make his stage debut in Shaw's You Never Can Tell at The Gate Theatre, Dublin, in 1963. A career in repertory theatre soon followed and the young actor gained experience in productions ranging from Hedda Gabler, to raucous comedies. Later, Bates carved a niche in the world of horror films and played important roles or the lead in several Hammer Horror productions, such as Taste the Blood of Dracula, The Horror of Frankenstein, Lust for a Vampire, and Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde, in which he played a deranged doctor who mistakenly transforms himself into a beautiful siren. He portrayed Caligula in the series The Caesars and alongside Cyd Hayman in a passionate French tale of murder and mystery - Crime of Passion series. After playing Thomas Culpeper in an episode of The Six Wives of Henry VIII (1970), he went on to star in the BBC drama series, Moonbase 3 (1973) and the long-running Poldark, in which he played villainous George Warleggan. The series ran for 29 episodes, starting in 1975. He also played Communist Paul Vercors in the final season of the drama series Secret Army. Because of his French ancestry and dark looks, he was often chosen to play a Frenchman on television. Bates also appeared in the television movie Minder on the Orient Express, again as a Frenchman. It looked, for some time, as if he might remain typecast in sinister roles, but he was offered a part in a farcical comedy by the writer John Sullivan, which saw Bates as the loveable but loveless central character among a singles group, with each of its members looking for that perfect but ever elusive partner. Dear John (1986–87), in which he realistically played the part of a divorcee returning to single life, lasted for two series, and around the same time he appeared in the ITV Yorkshire Television sitcom Farrington of the F.O. (1986) with Angela Thorne and Joan Sims. Bates became ill and was diagnosed with cancer. He died in London at age 51 from pancreatic cancer. He was divorced from the actress Joanna Van Gyseghem, and survived by his second wife, the actress Virginia Wetherell (married 1973-1991). The couple had one daughter actress Daisy Bates (b. 1974), and a son William Bates (b. 1977), an actor & musician. Description above from the Wikipedia article  Ralph Bates, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
February 12, 1940
Died
March 27, 1991 (aged 51)
From
Bristol, England
Works as
Actor
Titles
16 on MovieCove · 47 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 39 days to Oct 28Down 28% in 30 days

What are Ralph Bates' films like?

Across their 8 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Self.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
21%
Self
20%
Bonds
19%
Society
13%
Survival
12%
Power
11%
Ideas
4%
Romantic love2 titles, browse their movies with this themeObsession2 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds2 titles, browse their movies with this themeViolence2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 7 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 1 · Stylized 4 · Heightened 2

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 1 · Charged 4 · Intense 2

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 4 · Shifting 3 · Whiplash 0

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 4 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 0

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 1 · Even-paced 6 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

A split, not a type: Casual 3 · Engaged 4 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 6 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

6 analyzed roles

Usually the Shapeshifter: 2 of 6 analyzed roles.

Shapeshifter
2 of 6
Herald
1 of 6
Shadow
1 of 6
Threshold guardian
1 of 6
Hero
1 of 6

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
6
Dread
5
Melancholic
4
Romantic
1
Warm
1
Other
3

How their films linger

Fun3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Bittersweet3
  • Tragic3
  • Ambiguous2

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Ralph Bates' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 10 of their 16 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on The Roku Channel (6).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Ralph Bates' titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

47 credits, 16 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • Santa's Christmas Crash (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Actor

  • Frankenstein Reborn (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as Victor's Father (photo) (uncredited)

  • Dracula in the Movies(1992)

    as (archive footage)

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Dracula: A Cinematic Scrapbook (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    as Lord Courtley (archive footage)

  • Frankenstein: A Cinematic Scrapbook (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    as Victor Frankenstein (archive footage)

  • King of the Wind(1989)

    as LeDuc

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Flying in the Branches (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as Ed

  • Letters to an Unknown Lover (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Bernard

  • Dear John (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Show 14 episodes · as John Lacey

  • Farrington of the F.O. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Show 1 episode · as James Mapley

  • Screen Two (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 1 episode · as Ed

  • The Odd Job Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Show 3 episodes · as Major Drew

  • The Agatha Christie Hour(1982)

    Show 1 episode · as Vincent Easton

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all shows

  • Mrs. Reinhardt (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    as Mr. Reinhardt

  • House on the Hill (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Show 1 episode · as Rupert Douglas

  • Second Chance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Show 6 episodes · as Chris Hurst

  • Minder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Show 1 episode · as François LeBlanc

  • Tales of the Unexpected(1979)

    Show 1 episode · as Paul Foster

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all shows

  • Kay (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Derek

  • Secret Army(1977)

    Show 4 episodes · as Paul Vercors

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • Dangerous Knowledge (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Show 6 episodes · as Sanders

  • Sharon's Baby(1975)

    as Gino Carlesi

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • Poldark(1975)

    Show 23 episodes · as George Warleggan

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Murder Motel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    as Michael Spencer

  • Persecution (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    as David Masters

  • Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Show 1 episode · as Mr. Reinhardt

  • Moonbase 3 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Show 6 episodes · as Dr Michel Lebrun

  • Thriller(1973)

    Show 1 episode · as Michael Spencer

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

  • Crown Court (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Protectors(1972)

    Show 1 episode · as David Lee

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all shows

  • Fear in the Night(1972)

    as Robert Heller

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Thank You Very Much (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    as Peter

  • Dr Jekyll & Sister Hyde(1971)

    as Dr. Jekyll

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • The Persuaders!(1971)

    Show 1 episode · as Michel

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • Jason King (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Ten Commandments (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Show 1 episode · as Louis Briquet

  • Lust for a Vampire(1971)

    as Giles Barton

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • The Horror of Frankenstein(1970)

    as Victor Frankenstein

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Taste the Blood of Dracula(1970)

    as Lord Courtley

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Wicked Women (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Show 1 episode · as Louis Staunton

  • Would You Look at Them Smashing All Those Lovely Windows (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    as Brian, Commandant Lallin, Paddy, O'Brennan

  • The Six Wives of Henry VIII(1970)

    Show 1 episode · as Thomas Culpepper

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • Happy Ever After (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Show 1 episode · as Ross

  • The Caesars (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Show 6 episodes · as Caligula

  • ITV Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 1 episode · as Brian

  • Boy Meets Girl (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 1 episode · as Mustafa

  • Broad And Narrow (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Show 6 episodes · Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 90th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 47 titles from 1965 to 1995; peak year 1970.

Highest rated

Poldark (1975)

Midcredits 88th

Film career

19651995

Peak 1970 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 2 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting47 of 47: 47 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score62nd

By decade

1960s5 · acting1970s26 · acting1980s10 · acting1990s6 · acting

Billing

usually 2nd · top billed in 33% of 6 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

How do Ralph Bates' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 44th percentile, the median of all 8; across their 7 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 41st percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

41stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Approval · how many liked their films

29thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Reach · how many have seen their films

74thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Midcredits score across 16 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up5
  • 50th to 74th6
  • 25th to 49th4
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

5 of their 16 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved4
  • Universally Panned1
  • Divisive1
  • Crowd Pleaser5
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed2

Most divisive · actor

Dracula in the Movies (1992)

91st percentile spread · 27% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Secret Army (1977)

Midcredits 97th · 93% liked

Reviewers score the acting 60/100 in their films, across 6 reviewed titles; fans 71, detractors 43. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Ralph Bates' work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 3 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Violence & Gore3 titlesmedian 56 · moderateMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity3 titlesmedian 47 · moderateMedian of all films: 32

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.

Who does Ralph Bates work with?

People who share at least 2 of Ralph Bates' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Jimmy Sangster shares the most, 3.

Directors

Actors

Cinematographers and editors