Often cast as a villain, Bennett had many roles on television including
Market in Honey Lane,
Porridge,
Survivors,
The Avengers,
Strange Report,
Bergerac,
The Professionals and four episodes of
The Saint. He guest-starred in two
Doctor Who serials. He is also well remembered as Philip Bosinney in the BBC's adaptation of
The Forsyte Saga (1967), but also appeared in over three hundred TV productions including ''God's Architect
; Blake's 7; I, Claudius; Rome; Rosemary & Thyme; Saracen; Special Branch; Softly, Softly; Mulberry; Crown Court; Tales of the Unexpected and Anna Karenina. One of his last televised roles was in an episode of Jonathan Creek''. Bennett's film roles included
The House That Dripped Blood (1970),
The House in Nightmare Park (1973),
The Fifth Element (1997),
Charlotte Gray (2001) and
Minority Report (2002). He also played an undercover detective in
Victim, but the role was uncredited. Bennett's theatre roles included Yasha in
The Cherry Orchard and Henry Percy (Hotspur) in
Henry IV, Part 1 both for
John Gielgud, Exton in
Richard II and Volscian Senator in
Coriolanus (
Almeida Theatre), Marley's Ghost in
A Christmas Carol (
Royal Shakespeare Company) and Uncle in
Inner Voices (
Royal National Theatre), as well as working extensively at the
Royal Exchange, Manchester. He starred in many
West End musicals including
On Your Toes (
Palace),
Marilyn! (
Adelphi),
The Sound of Music (
Apollo Victoria),
The King and I (
London Palladium), ''
The Baker's Wife (Phoenix) and was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Supporting Performance in a Musical for his performance as Louis Epstein in Jolson The Musical (Victoria Palace and Royal Alexandra Theatre, Toronto). His last stage role was as Conrad in Gates of Gold'' by
Frank McGuinness with
William Gaunt at the
Finborough Theatre, London, in December 2004. In radio, Bennett had been a member of the BBC Drama Repertory Company, and his broadcast parts included roles in programmes that ranged from
Shakespeare to
Paul Temple. Bennett was an enthusiastic amateur flier and an accomplished glider pilot. For many years he was a member of the RAF G.S.A (Gliding and Soaring Association) Centre at
RAF Bicester in the 1970s. He flew alongside
Warrant Officer Andy Gough (then Chief Flying Instructor) and was a part owner of a number of high performance gliders. == Selected filmography ==