Ralph Bates

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This article is about the actor. For the writer, see Ralph Bates (writer).

Ralph Bates (February 12, 1940 - March 27, 1991) was a British film and television actor, best known for his role in the British sitcom, Dear John (1986).

Bates was born in Bristol, England, of French ancestry. (He was a distant relative of Louis Pasteur.) Having played important roles or the lead in several Hammer horror productions, such as Taste the Blood of Dracula, The Horror of Frankenstein (1970), Lust for a Vampire, and Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde, he made himself noticed on television 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. He also played Communist Paul Vercors in the final season of the drama series Secret Army. Because of his French blood and dark looks, he was often chosen to play a Frenchman on television.

He was twice married:

The actress Joanna Van Gyseghem (marriage dissolved)
The actress Virginia Wetherell (1973-1991). One daughter Daisy Bates and one son William Bates both became actors.

After starring in two series of Dear John, in which he played a divorcee returning to single life, Bates became ill with cancer. He died in London at age 51 from pancreatic cancer, survived by his widow, Virginia, and his children.