Francis Bernard Heptonstall (19 October 1925 – 27 July 2018)^[2] better known by the stage name Bernard Hepton, was an English theatre director and actor. He is known for his stage work and television roles in teleplays and series, he also appeared briefly on radio and in film.^[3]

Hepton was born in Bradford, West Riding of Yorkshire. His father, Bernard senior, was an electrician, while his mother Hilda (née Berrington) was from a mill-working family. Brought up as a Catholic, he attended St Bede's Grammar School.^[1] His short-sight meant he was unable to serve in the British Army during the Second World War. He trained as an aircraft engineer and draughtsman while undertaking firewatching duties.^[2]

Hepton trained at the Bradford Civic Playhouse under director Esme Church.^[4] He had extensive stage experience as an actor in repertory, especially in Scarborough and York. In 1952, he joined Birmingham Rep under Barry Jackson, later himself becoming the theatre's artistic director in 1957.^[1][4] For a brief period from 1963, he was director of the Liverpool Playhouse, but resigned during his first season. Productions of the Max Frisch play The Fire Raisers and John Osborne's Luther featured in his effort to move the theatre's repertoire beyond its standard fare.^[1] He was responsible for arranging the fight sequences in Laurence Olivier's film version of Richard III (1955) and an Old Vic production of Hamlet with Richard Burton in 1953.^[1][2]

He made his television debut as Sir Thomas More in Robert Bolt’s A Man for All Seasons in a live broadcast in 1957.^[2] Hepton played Caiaphas in the 1969 Dennis Potter play Son of Man. He was cast as the Kommandant in Colditz (1972–74) and later appeared for the same production team as Albert Foiret in three series of Secret Army (1977–79).^[5] Before that he made a guest appearance in an episode of the first series of Catweazle (1970) where he played a naturalist. Other notable performances included Thomas Cranmer in both The Six Wives of Henry VIII (1970) and Elizabeth R (1971). He reprised the role in the film adaptation of the former, Henry VIII and His Six Wives (1972). Hepton acted in adaptations of John le Carré's novels, as Toby Esterhase in the BBC Television versions of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and Smiley's People, and George Smiley in the radio adaptations. He appeared in I, Claudius (1976) as Pallas and in the comedy series The Squirrels (1974–77).

Having played Inspector Goole in An Inspector Calls (1982) and Sir Thomas Bertram in Mansfield Park (1983), he appeared as Sam Toovey in the 1989 television adaptation of Susan Hill's ghost story The Woman in Black (1989). In 1996 he appeared in the TV adaptation of Jane Austen's Emma, as the title character's hypochondriac father, Mr. Woodhouse. He was also in TV's The Charmer - 1987 where he played Donald Stimpson^[2]

On radio, Hepton played the role of Albert, in Stranger in the Home by Alan Dapre, also the role of The Old Man in the Corner, the amateur, and mostly sedentary, sleuth in the BBC Radio 4 dramatic adaption called The Teahouse Detective (1998–2000) by Baroness Orczy. He also starred in Robert Barr's quirky detective radio series "Galbraith" as Inspector Bill Galbraith on BBC radio and as Dr Soppoth in Peter Tinniswood radio monologue "The Governor's Consort" starring Mary Wimbush.

Hepton's appearances in feature films were less frequent, he made his debut in 1949. He made a brief appearance as Thorpey, a gangster, in the classic British crime thriller Get Carter (1971), and another small role, as Milton Goldsmith, in Voyage of the Damned (1976).

Hepton was married to actress Nancie Jackson from 1957 until she died in 1977. Jackson played Thomas More’s wife Alice opposite Hepton as More in the 1957 TV film A Man for All Seasons; Hepton and she settled in Barnes, London. Hepton married Hilary Liddell in 1979; she died in 2013. Hepton died on 27 July 2018, aged 92, in Martin Mill, Dover, Kent.^[2][6]

• Bernard Hepton at the British Film Institute
• Bernard Hepton at IMDb