'Harry Potter' and 'Doctor Who' actor Simon Fisher-Becker dies at 63
Simon Fisher-Becker, a British actor known for his minor but memorable roles in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and Doctor Who, has died. He was 63.
Fisher-Becker's husband Tony announced his death using his Facebook account.
"I have some very sad news. At 2:50 this afternoon Simon passed away," the post read. "I'll be keeping this account open for a while. I'm not sure at this point if I'll be posting again. Thank you."
No cause of death was given.
In Harry Potter, Fisher-Becker portrayed the Fat Friar, a ghost of the Hufflepuff house of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry welcoming students.
In Doctor Who, he portrayed Dorium Maldovar, the large blue-skinned alien working in the black market.
His role in the sci-fi series, according to him, transformed his career.
“I was a jobbing actor for many years, but Maldovar changed everything,” Fisher-Becker told The Lancashire Telegraph in a 2014 interview. “People were suddenly asking about my availability instead of me asking them about auditions.”
Since then, he appeared in other shows, including Doctors, Afterlife, Waterside, Getting On, Puppy Love, and Les Misérables.
Fisher-Becker's manager Kim Barry told Daily Mail that she lost "not only a client... but a close personal friend of 15 years standing."
"I shall never forget the phone call I made to him when he was offered the part of Dorium Maldovar in BBC’s Doctor Who," Barry said.
“Simon was also a writer, a raconteur and a great public speaker. He helped me out enormously and was kind, gracious and interested in everyone. My condolences go to his husband Tony, his brother, nieces and nephews and his legion of fans.”
