He was educated at Rugby School and then spent time with his uncle, Jack Norton, working as a lumberjack in Canada. Jack, the brother of Horsfall’s mother, was a legendary character having been a First World War pilot, a colleague of TE Lawrence in Palenstine and director of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. On returning from Canada Horsfall enrolled and trained as an actor at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art in London. In 1952 he was awarded the Webber Cup during his final year of attendance in recognition of his blossoming dramatic abilities.
Following graduation Horsfall went into local theatre with his first job at Dundee Repertory Theatre between 1952 and 1954. He appeared in a variety of productions ranging from classics to pantomime. In 1953 he played the Ghost opposite Richard Burton as Hamlet in a production of the Shakespeare play staged at The Old Vic. He was also a member of the Nottingham Playhouse rep company which boasted Graham Crowden, Joan Plowright and Denis Quilley as peers. During September 1955 he could be seen in The Ermine presented at the Playhouse, Nottingham. In October 1955 he appeared in the comedic play Mirandolina at the Playhouse followed by The Dark is Light Enough during December 1955. Other stage highlights of his early career include The Hidden King for the 1957 Edinburgh International Festival and Bell, Book and Candle at Glasgow’s Citizen Theatre during 1958.
His screen career got off to a flying start with appearances in four films in small roles during 1957. He was Private Livingstone in the Hammer Films war movie The Steel Bayonet, had an uncredited role as a life boatman in The Admiral Crichton, a radar operator in High Flight and the uncredited role of Lieutenant Kent in The One That Got Away. He also broke into television with two small roles starting with an episode of Armchair Theatre, “The Last Flight” (27th January 1957), as an interviewer, and ending the year with a BBC single drama, The Critical Point (5th December 1957). However, his main form of employment continued to be in theatre with credits such as Love and Daughter at the Lyric, Hammersmith during June and July 1957 and The Hidden King at the Assembly Hall, Edinburgh during August and September 1957. He rounded off his theatre work playing the ogre in a Festive season production of The Marvellous Story of Puss in Boots presented by London’s Children Theatre at the Royal, Stratford during December 1957 and January 1958.
February 1958 saw Horsfall appear in Phedre at the Fitzroy Square, London. The production then toured during March taking in Birmingham, Leicester and Scarborough. This was followed with a small guest role as Rompus in ‘Poor Rufus!’ (8th February 1958), an episode of the BBC series The Riddle of the Red Wolf. He then appeared as the character Valentine in an instalment of the ITV Play of the Week – ‘You Can Never Tell’ (16th July 1958). Next were two single dramas for the BBC; The Shadow of Doubt (10th August 1958) as Frank Barrett and Victory (19th October 1958) as Captain Blackwood. To complete his year of television roles Horsfall appeared in the seasonal special, Cinderella (26th December 1958), as Signor Benvenuto.
His second appearance in an ITV Play of the Week production came with the role of Sir Purback Temple in the episode ‘The Killing of the King’ (27th January 1959) followed by portraying Sir Andrew Aguecheek in the BBC educational series For School’s production of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night (18th March 1959). He was also seen as Philip Irwin in the BBC Sunday Night Theatre episode “The Driving Force” (7th June 1959). Horsfall's first lead role came with playing the detective Albert Campion in a BBC six part adaptation of Dancers in the Morning (10th August – 14th September 1959). The series, also featuring Denis Quilley and Michael Gough in the cast, would prove popular enough to merit a sequel. Stage commitments included Double Yolk, a compilation of two plays written by Hugh and Margaret Williams, presented at the Royal, Brighton during December 1959 and January 1960. Horsfall appeared in the second play, A Stranger in the Tea, playing the role of Squadron Leader Bailey.
Horsfall had a small role in the British film The Angry Silence (1960), but his main area of screen credits remained on the television. He followed his lead role as Campion with the title role of Captain Moonlight: Man of Mystery, a forgotten BBC children’s comedy thriller series transmitted between March and April 1960. He made a detour into comedy with Don’t Do It Dempsey, a BBC comedy programme, cropping up in the episode ‘Mother’s Help’ (25th April 1960). He then returned to the role of Albert Campion in a further BBC adaptation of Margery Allingham’s aristocratic detective with Death of a Ghost (27th June – 1st August 1960). Horsfall completed the year with the role of Rex in the Kenneth More starring film Man in the Moon (1960) and appearing as Professor Hawkins in the first two episodes of the ABC family science fiction series Pathfinders to Mars.
With such an array of credits on television a role on Z Cars was inevitable and Horsfall appeared in the episode ‘The Bad Lad’ (20th March 1963) in the role of Murdoch. April and May saw Horsfall appear in the touring theatre production The Masters at West End before guest starring in an episode of the Granada drama Maupassant in the episode ‘War’ (11th July 1963). A period of theatre followed and his only screen credit for 1964 was as Sergeant ‘Schoolie’ Prideaux in the star studded British war film Guns at Batasi.
The television guest roles continued; he graced the Roger Moore starring series The Saint in the episode ‘The Death Game’ (21st May 1967), guest starred as Norman Millett in the Mrs Thursday story ‘The Old School Tie Up’ (6th March 1967) and completed his second role in The Avengers as Fox in the episode ‘The Fear Merchants’. Ten years after his first appearance Horsfall had another role in an episode of Armchair Theatre, playing a police inspector in the episode ‘Any Number Can Play’ (25th March 1967). ‘Criss-Cross’ (2nd October 1967) was an episode of the BBC drama series Dr Finlay’s Casebook. Horsfall appears in the role of Adam Hadley. A week later he was billed as a timekeeper in ‘The Timekeepers’ (9th October 1967) an episode of the drama anthology series Thirty Minute Theatre. He also undertook the role of Gentleman John Cassidy in the Softly Softly episode ‘The Bombay Doctor’ (27th December 1967) ending his on screen roles for the year.
Horsfall began his association with the series Doctor Who by appearing as Gulliver in the Patrick Troughton era adventure ‘The Mind Robber’ from episode two (21st September 1968) onwards. The story finds The Doctor and his companions trapped in the Land of Fiction where they meet fictional characters such as Gulliver. Horsfall’s guest roles for the year took in his third appearance in The Avengers, playing Captain Smythe, in ‘They Keep Killing Steed’, the role of Peter in the Mogul episode ‘Give Me The Simple Life’ (1st March 1968) and an appearance in the drama anthology series Detective instalment ‘The Beast Must Die’ (21st June 1968).
Made in 1970, but never transmitted, ‘Sex and Violence’ was the final Doomwatch episode made. It was unshown due to the fact that it featured real newsreel footage of an execution. The episode has never been shown on television, but it is available on the Doomwatch DVD boxset released in 2016.
Horsfall was the recurring character The Black Knight in the BBC version of Ivanhoe (4th January – 8th March 1970) which also co-starred Anthony Bate who would go on to appear in the Beasts instalment ‘During Barty’s Party’. He then played the Cuban revolutionary Fidel Castro in the Thirty Minute Theatre episode ‘Revolutions: Fidel Castro’ (25th April 1970). The Stage commented “Bernard Horsfall gave a good superficial impression of Fidel; physically bulky, a face like a busted mattress, the spectacles and the big cigar. But he did not inspire as Tom Conti did as Che Guevera inspired.[1]”
Film work included Mr Horatio Kibbles (1971), a strange children’s fantasy film, which featured a little girl, Mary Bunting, who gains an invisible friend in the form of a six foot rabbit in a top hat. Her parents, including Horsfall as her father, can’t see Mr Kibbles even though Mary insists he is real. Horsfall’s other cinema appearance for the year was in the science fiction drama Quest for Love (1971) based on a story by John Wyndham. Tom Bell starred as a scientist who finds himself in an alternate reality where he falls in love with a girl played by Joan Collins. Horsfall can be seen as the character Telford. Television employment for the year took in an appearance as the Jackanory storyteller for 'The Sea Islanders' (13th – 17th September 1971), ATV drama anthology Suspicion as Klaus in the episode “Off Season”[2] (30th November 1971) and The Persuaders episode “The Morning After” (11th December 1971) as Christianson.
Long running ATV anthology series Love Story saw Horsfall feature in the episode ‘Never Too Late’ (22nd February 1972) followed by playing Detective Inspector Severin in ‘Cecile’ (8th August 1972), an episode of anthology programme Crimes of Passion. Some Kind of Hero (1972) was a short supporting feature to a main film presentation. Garrick Hagon played a young American soldier who has deserted and comes to the UK for sanctuary. Horsfall appears as George Crane in a film crammed with British character actors including Harry Towb, David Lodge and Anthony Sharpe.
Horsfall returned to the world of Doctor Who to make an appearance as Taron opposite Jon Pertwee’s incarnation in the adventure ‘Planet of the Daleks’ (7th April – 12th May 1973). This was followed by a four episode block (3rd July – 11th July 1973) playing Inspector Kelsey in Harriet’s Back In Town, a daytime drama series produced by Thames Television. Next was the Southern Television’s children’s adventure series Freewheelers playing Cunliffe in the final block of episodes broadcast during September and November 1973.
His cinema output included the big budget action film Gold (1974) starring Roger Moore. Horsfall plays the character Dave Kowalski. Back on television Horsfall appeared in “The Ceremony of Innocence” (8th September 1974), an episode of the single drama strand ITV Sunday Night Drama, and Yorkshire Television’s South Riding as David Brownlow in the episode ‘The Powers That Be’ (16th September 1974). Horsfall then made a memorable appearance as Mr Gore in the disturbing first episode of the memorable children's series The Changes. ‘The Noise’ (6th January 1975) sees Mr Gore succumb to a strange sound and frenziedly smash every piece of technology in his house. Horsfall also reteamed with Roger Moore, and Gold director Peter Hunt, for another adventure film in the form of Shout at the Devil (1976) which also featured Lee Marvin. Horsfall was seen as Captain Joyce.
On television he appeared in the Granada Television drama anthology Red Letter Day as Nigel in the episode ‘The Five Pound Orange’ (18th January 1976), Crown Court episode ‘Beyond The Call of Duty: Part One’ (4th February 1976) as the witness Mr Baldwin, women’s prison drama Within These Walls as Mr Parrington in the episode ‘The Complaint’ (18th September 1976) and an episode of the detective quiz show Whodunnit as Mr Wendell in ‘Future Imperfect’ (5th July 1976).
Concurring with his appearance as Clive Boyd in the Beasts episode ‘The Dummy’ Horsfall made his final appearance in the world of Doctor Who, appearing as Chancellor Goth, in the Tom Baker era adventure ‘The Deadly Assassin’ (30th October – 20th November 1976). Post-Beasts television work included drama series This Year Next Year as Lars Gunnerson in episodes the episodes ‘Another Place’ (28th February 1977) and ‘Profit And Loss’ (7th March 1977). He also showed his comedy talents with the recurring role of Alan Viner in the second season of the ATV produced sitcom Big Boy Now, transmitted over February and March 1977. Horsfall was one of a raft of familiar faces in the film Brass Target (1978). Headlined by Sophia Loren, John Cassavetes and Robert Vaughan the rest of the cast includes Patrick McGoohan, Max von Sydow, Ed Bishop and Lee Montague. On the stage during 1978 Horsfall excelled in a production of Tom Stoppard’s comedy play Jumpers at the Playhouse, Leeds as the central character George Moore, a professor in moral philosophy who is attempting to write a paper on the existence of God. Gabrielle Drake played his wife Dorothy.
Between 1978 and 1980 Horsfall undertook the role of Doctor Philip Martel, a signature role for the actor, in the World War Two drama series Enemy at the Door. Engaged in regular employment he made no other screen appearances during this period. When Enemy at the Door finished production Horsfall was given guest roles in ongoing series including playing Melford Stevenson QC in ‘Lucky, Lucky Thirteen!’ (3rd August 1980) in the series Ladykillers, Detective Inspector Percival in the fourth episode of the HTV sitcom The Square Leopard (2nd September 1980) and the role of Rowse in ‘Back to Dear Old Blighty’ (17th February 1981) an episode of BBC period drama When the Boat Comes In.
Next was the role of Roger Burr in the ATV children’s drama series Echoes of Louisa (1st April – 6th May 1981). The six-part series was written by Gail Renard and centred on a young girl who discovers she has a Victorian era double. During the broadcast of this series Horsfall also appeared in the daytime legal drama Crown Court case ‘The Merry Window’ (21st April 1981). The following year Horsfall played another lawyer, Mr Russell, in The Minder episode ‘Poetic Justice, Innit’ (24th March 1982). He then returned to Crown Court, this time as the prosecuting counsel, in ‘Face Value’ which was transmitted in the first week of May 1982. The American TV movie Inside the Third Reich (9th May 1982) featured Rutger Hauer as Albert Speer, confidant of Adolph Hitler. Derek Jacobi appears as Hitler alongside Horsfall in the role of Fritz Todt. His final television role of 1982 was as Jack Driscoll in an episode of the police drama Juliet Bravo – ‘A Breach of the Peace’ (2nd October 1982). As this episode was transmitted theatre lovers could see Horsfall in Ira Levin’s thriller play Veronica’s Room at the Walford Palace, Watford. Cinema work for the year saw him appear as General Edgar in the hugely successful Ghandi (1982).
Next was the role of Roger Burr in the ATV children’s drama series Echoes of Louisa (1st April – 6th May 1981). The six-part series was written by Gail Renard and centred on a young girl who discovers she has a Victorian era double. During the broadcast of this series Horsfall also appeared in the daytime legal drama Crown Court case ‘The Merry Window’ (21st April 1981). The following year Horsfall played another lawyer, Mr Russell, in The Minder episode ‘Poetic Justice, Innit’ (24th March 1982). He then returned to Crown Court, this time as the prosecuting counsel, in ‘Face Value’ which was transmitted in the first week of May 1982. The American TV movie Inside the Third Reich (9th May 1982) featured Rutger Hauer as Albert Speer, confidant of Adolph Hitler. Derek Jacobi appears as Hitler alongside Horsfall in the role of Fritz Todt. His final television role of 1982 was as Jack Driscoll in an episode of the police drama Juliet Bravo – ‘A Breach of the Peace’ (2nd October 1982). As this episode was transmitted theatre lovers could see Horsfall in Ira Levin’s thriller play Veronica’s Room at the Walford Palace, Watford. Cinema work for the year saw him appear as General Edgar in the hugely successful Ghandi (1982).
He continued to play authority figures with guest roles in many series over the next few years; Major General Rankin in ‘Regimental Silver’ (31st January 1984) an episode of The Jewel In The Crown, Doctor Bradbury in an episode of the drama series Strangers and Brothers (4th April 1984), Logan Mayhew in ‘Grand Duo’ (29th July 1984), an episode of Weekend Playhouse, and as a doctor in ‘A Distant Scream’ (1984), an episode of the horror anthology programme Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense. During 1985 Horsfall was mainly seen on the stage with highlights including a Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) production of Henry the Fifth at the Barbican, London during May and June 1985. Kenneth Branagh headlined this iteration. His work the RSC continued with Camille during November 1985, The Winter’s Tale during April and May 1986 and Richard III at the Royal Shakespeare theatre during September and October 1986. First Amongst Equals was a Granada produced political drama based on a novel by Jeffrey Archer. Horsfall appears as another authority figure, Sir Nigel Hartwell, in episodes four and five (21st and 28th October 1986). The cast also includes Horsfall’s ‘The Dummy’ co-star Clive Swift.
Theatre work dominated 1987 with Horsfall still attached to the RSC with roles in in Sarcophagus at the Pit theatre, London during April 1987, Richard II during April and May 1987 and A Winter’s Tale during October 1987. He made no film or television appearances during the year and returned to the screen with his first role in Casualty, in the episode ‘Welcome to Casualty’ (9th September 1988), as the character Tom Baxter. This was followed with the role of Frankland opposite Jeremy Brett’s portrayal of Sherlock Holmes in The Hound of the Baskervilles (8th December 1988). 1989 saw only a couple of television roles – The Bill instalment ‘Getting It Right’ (3rd January 1989) and ‘You Can’t Beat Mozart’ (6th August 1989), an episode of the Peter Bowles starring drama series Chelworth. The majority of his professional life was taken with an extensive run of Romeo and Juliet in Stratford during March 1989 through to January 1990. His theatre engagements continued throughout the rest of 1990.
Horsfall was next seen on television as Harrington Pace in ‘The Mystery of Hunter’s Lodge’ (10th March 1991), an episode of Agatha Christie’s Poirot, followed by For The Greater Good (20th March – 3rd April 1991), a three episode political drama which sees the careers of three reforming politicians destroyed by the tabloid press. Horsfall appears as the prime minister. His penultimate role for the year also stayed within the realms of British politics when he played the real life Conservative MP Alan Clarke in the single drama Thatcher: The Final Days (11th September 1991), a dramatization of events that led up to the resignation of Margaret Thatcher in 1990. Only two days later viewers could watch him make his second appearance in an episode of Casualty. Horsfall played a coroner, Doctor Alex Upchurch, in the episode ‘Judgement Day’ (13th September 1991).
Television appearance for 1992 saw him in the regular role as Lord Thornhill in the second season of the legal drama The Advocates (9th March – 23rd March 1992). He was also reunited with his old Doctor Who colleague Jon Pertwee for an episode of the cult BBC crime series Virtual Murder. Horsfall appears as Professor Donn in the episode ‘A Torch for Silverado’ (14th August 1992). He then played another authority figure role as Chief Constable Gordon in ‘The Chill Factor’ (27th November 1992), an episode of the BBC police drama Between the Lines. His final role for the year was in Nice Town (18th November – 2nd December 1992), a three-part BBC drama which was headlined by future Doctor Who Paul McGann. Horsfall appears as Peter Dobson. He continued to balance television and stage work the following year, though by now he was appearing less often on our screens. His only television work for 1993 was as another authority figure, Major Hurley, in the two-part thriller Seekers (April 1993).
Horsfall made his penultimate film appearance was as Balliol in the Mel Gibson movie Braveheart (1995). The same year he made his third and final appearance in an episode of Casualty playing Gerald Lassiter in the episode ‘When All Else Fails’ (18th November 1995). He also had a small, but important role, in the BBC feature length drama Queen of the East (1995) as the Prime Minister Sir William Pitt. The production starred Jennifer Saunders in the tale of an English woman who became the Queen of an Arabic country. At the start of the 21st Century Horsfall took less roles as he entered his seventies. He played the character Crawford Senior in Murder Rooms: The Dark Beginnings of Sherlock Holmes (18th May 2000) and his final TV role was in an episode of the daytime medical drama Doctors, appearing as Joseph Bryan in the episode ‘Locked Away’ (19th April 2005). His final screen role was in the film Stone of Destiny (2008) playing an archdeacon.
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