Ed Bishop
USABiography of Ed Bishop
Ed Bishop was an American actor of stage, film, television, and radio. He was born as George Victor Bishop on June 11, 1932, in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, New York, USA. After serving in the US Army from 1952 to 1954, where he worked as a disc jockey for the Armed Forces Radio in Newfoundland, Bishop attended the Boston University School of Fine and Applied Arts. He received a two-year grant to study at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.
Early Career
Shortly after completing his studies, Bishop found work in the British film industry and theater. For professional reasons, he adopted the name 'Edward' and made his Broadway debut in the play "Rehearsal" in 1963, returning to Britain the following year.
Television and Film Career
Bishop became well-known on television for his collaboration with producer Gerry Anderson, primarily for his role as Ed Straker in the science fiction series "UFO." After the success of the British version, the series was translated into French, German, and Italian to be sold in continental Europe, significantly expanding Bishop's fame. He also voiced the character Captain Blue in the puppet TV series "Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons." Both of these projects became cult classics.
Bishop made his mark in the film industry with a small role as an ambulance driver in Stanley Kubrick's adaptation of "Lolita." He had cameo appearances in James Bond films "You Only Live Twice" and "Diamonds Are Forever," as well as in James B. Harris' thriller "The Bedford Incident." Some of his more notable films include "Saturn 3," "The Last Sunset," "Apocalypse Now!" (both the film and TV series), and "2001: A Space Odyssey." In the latter, Bishop portrayed the captain of the lunar shuttle "Aries-1B," although his dialogue was ultimately cut from the final film.
Other Works
Bishop played the American astronaut in Richard Lester's comedy "The Mouse on the Moon" in 1963. He also voiced Asmodeus in the animated version of "Star Trek" and contributed as a voice actor in the audio drama "Full Fathom Five" from the "Doctor Who" series. Additionally, he portrayed private detective Philip Marlowe in six Raymond Chandler stories on radio.
Personal Life and Legacy
Bishop was married three times. His first wife was Jane Tate, his second wife was Hilary Preen (with whom he had a son and three daughters), and his final wife was photographer Jane Skinner. He passed away on June 8, 2005, just five days after the death of another "UFO" actor, Michael Billington. Bishop was buried at the St. Lawrence Churchyard in Napton, Warwickshire. His gray sandstone gravestone prominently features a symbol of peace, and the gravestone itself resembles the one located two meters to the left. This is the resting place of Bishop's son, Daniel, who died in a car accident on January 18, 1988, in Cumbria. In May 2006, Bishop was posthumously honored with a British Academy Television Award for his work.
