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Ed Bishop

Ed Bishop

Actor · Died June 8, 2005, aged 72 · Brooklyn - New York - USA

George Victor Bishop (11 June 1932 – 8 June 2005), known professionally as Ed Bishop or sometimes Edward Bishop, was an American actor. He was known for playing Commander Ed Straker in UFO, Captain Blue in Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons and for voicing Philip Marlowe in a series of BBC Radio adaptations of the Marlowe novels by Raymond Chandler. Bishop made his film acting debut as an ambulance driver in Stanley Kubrick's 1962 movie Lolita. He played an American astronaut going to the Moon in the film The Mouse on the Moon (1963) and also appeared in The Bedford Incident (1965) and Battle Beneath the Earth (1967). He had small speaking roles in the James Bond films You Only Live Twice (1967) and Diamonds Are Forever (1971), but was not included in the film credits for either. He appeared in a second Kubrick film, 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), in which he played the Captain of the Aries 1B Moon shuttle. The role initially featured dialogue but this was later cut from his scenes. Bishop appeared in various film and television projects created by producer Gerry Anderson. He provided narration, in addition to the voice of Captain Blue, for Anderson's Supermarionation puppet series, Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons (1967), and appeared in Anderson's science-fiction film Doppelgänger (1969). Perhaps his most prominent screen role was that of Commander Ed Straker in Anderson's science-fiction series UFO (1970–71). Bishop's dark hair was initially dyed blond for the role, though he eventually wore a blond wig instead. In later years, he appeared in films such as Twilight's Last Gleaming, Saturn 3, Silver Dream Racer, and The Lords of Discipline. He provided vocal work for the 1974 animated TV series of Star Trek, and appeared as Lieutenant Colonel Harrity in the final episode of the British World War II prisoner-of-war drama Colditz. In the 1980s, he made several appearances on The Kenny Everett Television Show, Whoops Apocalypse (he also appeared in the subsequent film), and had a role in the children's television series Chocky's Children. He continued to act on film, TV and radio, usually in British and European productions, and was a frequent guest at science fiction conventions. He and fellow Anderson actor Shane Rimmer (a Canadian actor who often worked in the UK) joked about how frequently their professional paths crossed and termed themselves "Rent-a-yank". They appeared together as NASA operatives in the opening of You Only Live Twice and as United States Navy sailors in The Bedford Incident, as well as the 1983 film of the Harold Robbins novel The Lonely Lady. In 1989, Bishop was reunited with Rimmer and another Anderson actor, Matt Zimmerman, in the BBC Radio 4 adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's A Study in Scarlet. He and Rimmer also toured together in theatre shows, including Death of a Salesman in the 1990s, and they both appeared in the BBC drama-documentary Hiroshima (2005), one of Bishop's last TV projects.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
June 11, 1932
Died
June 8, 2005 (aged 72)
From
Brooklyn - New York - USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
42 on MovieCove · 113 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 38 days to Oct 27Down 37% in 30 days

What are Ed Bishop's films like?

Across their 19 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Survival and Self.

Genres

Drama4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 52nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Action3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 40th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Adventure2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 42nd percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Documentary2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 84th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Sci-Fi2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 7th percentile
: browse their Sci-Fi movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Survival
36%
Self
15%
Power
14%
Morality
12%
Bonds
9%
Ideas
7%
Society
6%
Survival8 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds3 titles, browse their movies with this themePower3 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition3 titles, browse their movies with this themeDuty4 titles, browse their movies with this themeViolence2 titles, browse their movies with this themeIsolation2 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 18 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 8 · Serious 3 · Dark 7

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 7 · Stylized 9 · Heightened 2

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 3 · Charged 7 · Intense 8

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

Steady 8 · Shifting 8 · Whiplash 2

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 13 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 3

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

Slow burn 8 · Even-paced 8 · Relentless 2

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

Casual 8 · Engaged 9 · Full focus 1

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 9 · Affecting 4 · Heavy 5

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

Resolved 16 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

6 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 5 of 6 analyzed roles.

Hero
5 of 6
Mentor
1 of 6

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
13
Thrilling
7
Dread
6
Melancholic
5
Absurd
3
Other
17

How their films linger

Haunting7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy8
  • Bittersweet4
  • Tragic3
  • Ambiguous4

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 Ed Bishop's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 19 of their 42 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (12).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Ed Bishop's 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

113 credits, 42 with a MovieCove page; 3 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Target: Captain Black! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    as Captain Blue (voice)

  • Spectrum is 20: The Death and Life of New Captain Scarlet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    as Captain Blue (archive audio) / Himself (archive footage)

  • This Is Supermarionation (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Captain Blue (voice)

  • Hiroshima(2005)

    as Stimson

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Waking the Dead(2000)

    Show 2 episodes · as Tyler

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all shows

  • 500! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as Padre Jones

  • Captain Scarlet and the Return of the Mysterons (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Captain Blue (voice)

  • The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Spring Break Adventure (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Sentry

  • The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax(1999)

    as Carstairs

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Broken Glass (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Stanton Case

  • The Demon Headmaster (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 4 episodes · as TV Supremo

  • White Christmas(1995)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Funny Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Card Player

  • Calliope (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Lewis Belvedere

  • Highlander(1992)

    Show 1 episode · as Edward Banner

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all shows

  • Nudism: The Inside Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Narrator (voice)

  • Performance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Show 1 episode · as Stanton Case

  • 2Point4 Children (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Show 1 episode · as Chet

  • Born to Ride(1991)

    as Dr. Tate

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Out of Time(1989)

    as Grant

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • The Candy Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as Geoffrey

  • Testimony (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    as American Commentator

  • Judgment in Berlin(1988)

    as Dyson Wilde

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Three Wishes for Jamie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Proddy

  • Turnaround (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Gerald

  • The Two Mrs. Grenvilles (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Show 2 episodes · as Strasser

  • Worlds Beyond (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Show 1 episode · as Mr Hitchcock

  • Whoops Apocalypse(1987)

    as Wink Persiman (TV interviewer)

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • The Fifth Missile (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Adm. Stewart Cullinane

  • Restless Natives(1985)

    as Reporter

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Going for the Gold: The Bill Johnson Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Actor

  • Wynne and Penkovsky (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    as Alexander

  • Chocky's Children (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    as Dr. Deacon

  • Chocky's Children (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 6 episodes · as Dr. Deacon

  • Threads(1984)

    as US President (voice) (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • The Master of Ballantrae(1984)

    as Pinkerton

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • The Lonely Lady(1983)

    as Dr. Baker

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • Just Good Friends (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Show 1 episode · as Vernon

  • The Mad Death (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Show 1 episode · as Tom Siegler

  • Philip Marlowe, Private Eye (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Show 1 episode · as District Attorney

  • Nutcracker(1982)

    as Sam Dozier

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • Whoops Apocalypse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 6 episodes · as Jay Garrick

  • The Kenny Everett Television Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 3 episodes · as Various

  • American Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 1 episode · as General Tom Farrell

  • London Is Drowning (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    as American reporter

  • Take a Letter, Mr Jones (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Show 1 episode · as Joe Bradley

  • Amin: The Rise and Fall(1981)

    as Narrator (voice) (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Revenge of the Mysterons from Mars (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    as Captain Blue (voice)

  • Stainless Steel and the Star Spies(1981)

    as Stainless Steel (voice)

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Oppenheimer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Show 1 episode · as General Tom Farrell

  • Silver Dream Racer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    as Al Peterson

  • S.O.S. Titanic(1979)

    as Henry Harris

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Saturn 3(1980)

    as Harding (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Breakaway (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Show 6 episodes · as Scott Douglas

  • Captain Scarlet vs. The Mysterons (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    as Captain Blue (voice)

  • Invasion: UFO (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    as Cmdr. Ed Straker

  • Kelly Monteith (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Children of the Gods (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    as Brother Bethlehem

  • Butch Minds the Baby (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    as Damon Runyon (voice)

  • Brass Target(1978)

    as Col. Stewart

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Dylan(1978)

    as Prof. Goonmeyer

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Wilde Alliance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Show 1 episode · as Wingman

  • The Professionals (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Show 1 episode · as Braddock · as Dr. Ernest Harbinger

  • 1990 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Madame Claude(1977)

    as Smith

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Twilight's Last Gleaming(1977)

    as Maj. Fox

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • The Day After Tomorrow(1975)

    as TV Announcer

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Death in Deep Water (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    as Gang Boss (voice)

  • Two's Company(1975)

    Show 1 episode · as Jack

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all shows

  • Quiller (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Show 1 episode · as Frank Ilroy

  • Nurse Will Make It Better (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    as Carson

  • UFO: Radar contact... They're landing! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Actor

  • Pets (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Victor Stackman

  • Star Trek: The Animated Series(1973)

    Show 1 episode · as Asmodeus (voice) (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all shows

  • Orson Welles' Great Mysteries (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Show 1 episode · as The Millionaire

  • Warship (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Thriller(1973)

    Show 1 episode · as Carson · as Gang Boss (voice)

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

  • The Baron: Mystery Island (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Operations Officer

  • Colditz (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 1 episode · as Lt. Col. Harrity

  • The Adventurer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 1 episode · as Wayne

  • The Protectors(1972)

    Show 1 episode · as Colonel John Hunter

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all shows

  • UFO: Take Them Alive (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Commander Ed Straker

  • Ufo... Annientate Shado Uccidete Straker... Stop(1974)

    as Commander Ed Straker

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Diamonds Are Forever(1971)

    as Klaus Hergersheimer (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • UFO: Allarme rosso... Attacco alla Terra!(1973)

    as Commander Ed Straker

    Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • UFO: Destroy Luna Base! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    as Commander Ed Straker

  • UFO(1970)

    Show 26 episodes · as Ed Straker

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • Strange Report (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Show 1 episode · as Moran

  • Journey to the Far Side of the Sun(1969)

    as David Poulson

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • W. Somerset Maugham (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Show 1 episode · as Edward Barnard

  • The Desperados(1969)

    as Army Captain (voice)

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • Beach Head (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    as Commandant Tom Decker

  • ITV Saturday Night Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Show 1 episode · as David Beeston

  • 2001: A Space Odyssey(1968)

    as Aries-1B Lunar Shuttle Captain

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • The Portrait of a Lady (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Show 4 episodes · as Caspar Goodwood

  • Battle Beneath the Earth(1967)

    as Lt. Cmdr. Vance Cassidy (as Edward Bishop)

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 32 episodes · as Narrator / Captain Blue (voice)

  • Man in a Suitcase (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • You Only Live Twice(1967)

    as Hawaii CapCom (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • The Bedford Incident(1965)

    as Lieutenant Hacker U.S.N. - Communications

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Out of the Unknown (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Show 1 episode · as Commandant Tom Decker

  • Automania 2000 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    as Narrator

  • Sherlock Holmes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Theatre 625 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Show 1 episode · as Padfield

  • The Winston Affair(1964)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Paul Starr(1964)

    as Paul Starr (voice)

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Mouse on the Moon(1963)

    as American Astronaut (as Edward Bishop)

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Big City (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    as Narrator (as Edward Bishop)

  • The War Lover(1962)

    as Vogt

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • The Saint (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Show 3 episodes · as Cy Imberline · as George Felson · as Tony Allard

  • Lolita(1962)

    as Ambulance Attendant (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Armchair Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Show 1 episode · as Karl

  • Hallmark Hall of Fame (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Show 1 episode · as Pinkerton

Career shape

Star power in the 96th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 113 titles from 1951 to 2026; peak year 1979.

Biggest box office

Saturn 3 (1980)

$9M worldwide

Highest rated

Hiroshima (2005)

Midcredits 95th

Most popular right now

UFO (1970)

Film career

19512026

Peak 1979 · 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
Acting113 of 113: 113 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score54th

By decade

1950s2 · acting1960s24 · acting1970s31 · acting1980s36 · acting1990s14 · acting2000s3 · acting2010s1 · acting2020s2 · acting

Billing

usually 12th · top billed in 6% of 18 roles
6272

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; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Ed Bishop's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 52nd percentile, the median of all 35; across their 18 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 48th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

48thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 18

Approval · how many liked their films

39thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 18

Reach · how many have seen their films

34thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 18

Midcredits score across 42 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up10
  • 50th to 74th15
  • 25th to 49th7
  • Below 25th10

Shape of the crowd

18 of their 42 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved4
  • Universally Panned1
  • Cult Classic2
  • Crowd Pleaser18
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed16

Most divisive · actor

Dylan (1978)

89th percentile spread · 25% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

Midcredits 98th · 85% liked

Reviewers score the acting 59/100 in their films, across 10 reviewed titles; fans 69, detractors 42. 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.

Who does Ed Bishop work with?

People who share at least 2 of Ed Bishop's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Gerry Anderson shares the most, 4.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers