Veteran British TV and film actor Geoffrey Bayldon, who was most famous for playing children's TV character Catweazle, has died aged 93.
He played the title role of the eccentric 12th century wizard from 1970 to 1972 and was also known for portraying the Crowman in Worzel Gummidge from 1979 to 1981, and Magic Grandad in the BBC series Watch in 1995.
Bayldon was twice approached to play the lead role in Doctor Who, turning down the part of the first Doctor (played by William Hartnell) and then the second (Patrick Troughton).
Bayldon was born in Leeds on January 7, 1924 and moved into acting in the late 1940s. His earlier theatre work led to movie parts in the 1960s, in such films as 1967's To Sir With Love and the same year's Bond movie Casino Royale, in which he played Q.
His final television appearances before his retirement were in a 2007 episode of New Tricks and a 2010 episode of My Family.
Speaking in 2010 about his time playing Catweazle in the ITV series, Bayldon said: "It was a new idea, at the time of boring kitchen-sink drama.
"Everything was serious, working-class, and the idea of magic didn't even occur, let alone humour. With the two together I thought the world would be mine!"
Bayldon eventually appeared in Doctor Who in 1979 playing the astrologer Organon opposite Tom Baker in the story The Creature from the Pit. He also played the Doctor in two audio plays.
