John Leeson (born March 1943 in Leicester, England) is a British actor who although having had a varied stage and television career spanning forty years including both work in repertory and West End productions including "Plaza Suite" (1969); "Flint" (1970) and "Don't Start Without Me" (1971) and character work across a wide range of 1970s television sitcoms including "Dad's Army", is best known for having played the voice of K-9 on the television series Doctor Who from 1977 to 1979, and again in the 1980–1981 season. He was also seen on-screen as the character Dugeen during the serial The Power of Kroll.
Tom Baker detested the character of K-9, but luckily got on very well with Leeson (when Leeson appeared on Tom Baker's edition of This Is Your Life in 2000, Leeson entered on all fours) Leeson however became frustrated himself with the limitations of the character, and left the programme after the conclusion of the 16th season in 1978. David Brierly took over for four stories (one of which was never completed due to a BBC strike) the following year. When John Nathan-Turner took over as producer of the series for season 18 in 1980, he tempted Leeson back, with the promise that the character would be 'killed off' that year. Although the character was, eventually, not killed off, merely written out, Leeson agreed to return.
Leeson also agreed to return to voice K-9 in K-9 and Company (1981), a spin-off from Doctor Who which was not picked up after the airing of its pilot episode. He also voiced K-9 for the 20th anniversary episode of Doctor Who, The Five Doctors, though it was little more than a cameo appearance. He has also reprised K-9's voice in two BBV and several Big Finish audio dramas including Zagreus and the Gallifrey series. He also voiced K-9 for its return in the 2006 Doctor Who episode "School Reunion", then its cameo in the pilot episode of The Sarah Jane Adventures. Leeson's voice was also heard most recently in the Doctor Who episode "Journey's End" once more as K-9 (Doctor Who). Leeson also voiced K-9 in a Doctor Who-themed episode of The Weakest Link.
Leeson's vocal contributions to Doctor Who can also be heard as other characters in the serials The Invisible Enemy and Remembrance of the Daleks. Leeson has also compiled an entertaining one-man show "A Dog's Life", directed by Richard Fawkes.
Other credits include appearances in Blake's 7 (in the season A episode Mission to Destiny and the season B episode Gambit), Jigsaw in which he played the giant Biggum, who was so tall only his feet were seen and his voice heard!) , Sorry!, 'Allo 'Allo! and Bungle in the children's television series Rainbow. John has also read extensively for the audio tape charity Calibre Library, and is also the narrator/character voices behind The Space Gypsy Adventures on Children's UK hospital radio.
Away from stage and screen he was regularly heard as continuity announcer on Channel 4 when his rich warm tones proved a distinct contrast to the K9 voice. A lively interest in both classical music and particularly wine, led him to develop a longstanding parallel career as a wine educator. In his birth name he is an accredited tutor for the Wine & Spirit Education Trust, and he lectures widely in wine both on land and in cruises at sea.
He also sits regularly in court as a local Justice of the Peace.
External links
John Leeson at the Internet Movie Database
BBC press release announcing the return of K-9
Persondata
NAME
Leeson, John
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
Ducker, John Francis Christopher (birth name)
SHORT DESCRIPTION
English actor
DATE OF BIRTH
March 1943
PLACE OF BIRTH
Leicester, Leicestershire, England
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH
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Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Leeson"
Categories: 1943 births | English television actors | English voice actors | Living people
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This page was last modified on 4 August 2008, at 13:13.
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