Benedict Taylor has had a long and varied career as an artist, actor and producer spanning more than four decades in the arts & entertainment business
Born on April 18th, 1960 in Hampstead, London, the son of BBC documentary features producer Richard Taylor and writer & musician Allegra Taylor. His father was the son of a traditional English farming family and his mother descended from a Polish, Jewish refugee father and a Protestant English mother. Benedict has five brothers and sisters, 3 of them adopted. Throughout their childhood they were immersed in filmmaking, arts and music leading nearly all of them to develop careers in the creative industries
Benedict made his debut as an actor at the age of nine at the Aldwych Theatre in London with the Royal Shakespeare Company as Mamillius in 'A Winter’s Tale' with Judi Dench. He continued to work with the company throughout the 1970s, appearing in productions both in London and Stratford. This was the golden age of the Royal Shakespeare Company; the era of some of their finest productions, with legendary directors like John Barton, Peter Hall and Trevor Nunn at the helm
His first proper film role was in the 1974 feature film 'The Turn of the Screw' but his film career really took off in 1980 when he starred alongside Bette Davis in Walt Disney’s 'A Watcher in the Woods' which helped score the lead role in 'Barriers' a long running, award winning TV series for British ITV company Tyne-Tees and Germany’s ZDF
Throughout the 80s and 90s Benedict worked predominantly on UK & international film and TV projects but kept his passion for theatre alive with several UK tours and a stint at Covent Garden's Donmar Warehouse while Sam Mendes was artistic director
Benedict and his wife Kate, a video and film editor, met in their 20s. They have two daughters, Freya, born in 1996 and Kalila born in 1998. He also has a son, Jay, born in 1981, from an earlier relationship with Marinka Watts. He took a break from theatre touring and location filming while his daughters were in their early years, concentrating on projects that allowed him to be close to his family. During this time he developed and produced a mix of various festival style music event projects and documentary films
He continues to perform, produce and direct across a variety of creative platforms; He is CEO of GIVE production & House of Honey delivering high quality music & arts events in a wide variety of fabulous locations; serving a dedicated membership base, supporting established artists and nurturing emerging new talent.
Scroll down for credits or click HERE to view a full cv
Production | Character | Year | Format | Production Company | Director |
World on Fire | Doctor Craig | 2019 | TV Series | Mammoth | Andy Wilson |
Your Dad's Gay | Ben | 2018 | TV Movie | NGM | Duncan Thomsen |
Laura Marlin - Dead Man's Cove | Calvin Redfern | 2017 | TV Movie | Centurion | Tom Reeve |
The Watcher in the Woods | John Keller | 2016 | Feature Film | Hartbreak Films | Melissa Joan Hart |
Unforgotten | Mark Bennett | 2015 | TV Series | ITV | Andy Wilson |
Hippopotamus | The Chauffeur | 2015 | Feature Film | Electric Shaddow | John Jenks |
Gone | Prof. Thomas Verschwunden | 2014 | Short Film | Electric Shaddow | Lawrence Paige |
Wallander 'The Man Who Smiled' |
Jurgen Nordfeldt | 2010 | TV series | BBC | Andy Wilson |
Perfect Life | Professor Bristor | 2010 | Feature Film | Carousel Picture Co. | Joseph Rusnak |
Breathe | John Franks | 2009 | Short Film | Expanding Universe | Xandy Sahla, Andy Wilson |
Breaking Into Tesco | Narrator | 2008 | TV series | Ricochet | |
Trial & Retribution 'Kill the King' |
Jonathan Carlisle | 2008 | TV series | ITV | |
Notes on a Scandal | Eddie | 2006 | Feature Film | Richard Eyre | Fox Searchlight Pictures |
A & E & series IV | 2005 | TV series | ITV & Granada | Christopher King | |
When Hitler Invaded Britain | SS General Reinhard Heydrich | 2004 | TV Movie | ITV & Granada | Steven Clarke |
Doctors 'Sweet Dreams' |
Derek Payne | 2004 | TV series | BBC | |
Murder in Suburbia | David Arundel | 2004 | TV series | ITV & Carlton | |
Murder Investigation Team 'Red Heads' |
Neil Wake | 2003 | TV series | Thames TV | |
The Bill 'Lies of Silence' |
Digby Leake | 2001 | TV series | Thames TV, Talkback | |
Star Wars: Episode I 'The Phantom Menace' |
Officer Dolf: Bravo 2 | 1999 | Feature Film | Lucasfilm | George Lucas |
Psychos | Gavin Davis | 1999 | TV series | ITV | Andy Wilson |
Monk Dawson | Bobby Winterman | 1998 | Feature Film | De Warrenne Pictures | Tom Waller |
In Exile | Roger | 1998 | TV series | ITV | |
Sharpe's Regiment | Lawford | 1996 | TV series | ITV & Carlton | Tom Clegg |
Comedy Playhouse 'The 10%ers' |
Atin | 1993 | TV series | Carlton, Grant Naylor | |
Charles and Diana: 'Unhappily Ever After' |
Prince Andrew | 1992 | TV Movie | Konigsberg/Sanitsky Company | John Power |
Jewels | Julian | 1992 | TV Movie | Delux Productions | Roger Young |
Young Indiana Jones | Prince Sixtus of Bourbon-Parma | 1992 | TV Movie | Amblin Entertainment, Lucasfilm, Paramount | Vic Armstrong |
The Darling Buds of May 'Stranger at the Gates' |
Pieter | 1992 | TV series | ITV-Excelsior, Yorkshire Television | |
An Actor's Life for Me | Sebastian Groom | 1991 | TV series | BBC | |
Zorro 'One for All' |
Athos | 1991 | TV series | Carrington Productions International, Ellipse Animation, Family Channel | |
Duel of Hearts | Lord Vane Brecon | 1991 | TV Movie | Gainsborough Pictures, The Grade Company, Turner Pictures | John Hough |
Bergerac | Toby Lemaire | 1989 | TV series | BBC | Robert Banks Stewart |
Tales of the Unexpected 'The Facts of Life' |
Nicholas Lillie | 1988 | TV series | ITV & Anglia TV | |
Dirty Dozen: The Series | Captain Hyde-White | 1988 | TV series | Jadran Film, MGM/UA Television | Jonas McCord |
A Perfect Spy | Magnus Pym | 1987 | TV series | BBC | |
Vanity Fair | George Osborne | 1987 | TV series | BBC | |
Every Time We Say Goodbye | Peter Ross | 1986 | Feature Film | Delphi V Productions, TriStar Pictures | Moshe Mizrahi |
Screenplay 'Drums Along Balmoral Drive' |
Peter | 1986 | TV series | BBC | |
Behind Enemy Lines '92 Grosvenor Street' |
Simon | 1985 | TV Movie | MTM Enterprises, TVS Television | Sheldon Larry |
Thirteen at Dinner | Donald Ross | 1985 | TV Movie | CBS Entertainment Production, Warner Bros. Television | Lou Antonio |
My Brother Jonathan | Harold Dakers | 1985 | TV series | BBC | |
The Corsican Brothers | 1985 | TV Movie | Hallmark Hall of Fame, Norman Rosemont | ||
Black Arrow | Richard | 1985 | TV Movie | Cabo Blanco Production | John Hough |
Mitch 'Postman's Knock' |
Barry Stanley | 1984 | TV series | ITV & LWT | |
The First Olympics: Athens 1896 |
Edwin Flack | 1984 | TV mini series | Columbia Pictures Television | |
The Last Days of Pompeii | Antonius | 1984 | TV mini series | Columbia Pictures Television, RAI | |
The Far Pavilions | Wally | 1984 | TV mini series | Geoffrey Reeve, Goldcrest Films, HBO | |
Video Stars | Max Loom | 1983 | TV Movie | BBC | Colin Bucksey |
A Flame to the Pheonix | Max Kurowicki | 1983 | TV Movie | ITV & Granada TV | |
Beau Geste | Beau Geste | 1982 | TV series | BBC | |
The Gentle Touch – Danny | Diethelm Baren | 1982 | TV series | ITV & LWT | Terence Feely |
Union Castle | Buckleigh Thaxted | 1982 | TV series | ITV & Granada TV | |
Barriers | Billy Stanyon | 1981-1982 | TV series | ITV & Tyne Tees TV | Douglas Hurd |
The Watcher in the Woods | Mike Fleming | 1980 | Feature Film | Walt Disney Productions | John Hough |
Play for Today 'The Other Woman' |
Ben | 1976 | TV series | BBC | |
The Turn of the Screw | Timothy | 1974 | Feature Film | Dan Curtis Productions | Dan Curtis |
Say Hello to Yesterday | 1971 | Feature Film | Josef Shaftel Productions | Alvin Rakoff | |
Production | Character | Year | Director | Production Company | Playwrite |
Good | Freddie | 1998 | Michael Grandage | Donmar Warehouse | CP Taylor |
Abducting Diana | Kidnapper | 1996 | Johnathan Banatvala | Pleasance (Edinburgh Festival) | Dario Fo |
The Importance of Being Earnest | Algernon | 1990 | Val May | Guilford & 'A' Tour | Noel Coward |
London Assurance | Courtley | 1987 | Sam Mendes | Chichester & 'A'Tour, Theatre Royal Haymarket | Dion Boucicault |
Semi-Monde | Hardacre | 1987 | Tim Luscombe | Royalty Theatre | Noel Coward |
In Praise of Rattigan | Various | 1986 | Martin Tickner | Richmond | Terrance Rattigan |
Coward Celebration | Various | 1984 | Kim Grant | Royalty Theatre | Noel Coward |
RSC Centenary | Puck | 1975 | Peter Hall | RSC Stratford | Shakespeare |
King John | Arthur | 1974 | John Barton | RSC Stratford | Shakespeare |
Peter Pan | John | 1974 & 1975 | Alan Pinniger | London Colosseum | JM Barrie |
Macbeth | Fleance | 1973 | Trevor Nunn | RSC Stratford & Aldwych | Shakespeare |
Man of Mode | Flutter's Page | 1971 | Trevor Nunn | RSC Aldwych | Shakespeare |
A Winter's Tale | Mamillius | 1969 | Trevor Nunn | RSC Aldwych | Shakespeare |
Documentary voice-over
Cecilia Bartoli, Breaking into Tesco, The British Open Golf Championship Official Film 2005, 2006, 2007, Biopics on Seve Ballesteros, Gary Player & Jack Niclaus. 'The British Empire In Colour' and the official film for Wimbledon 2007.
Commercial voice-over
The London Mayorial candiate selection 2008, Skoda, RSPCA, Saga Insurance, First Class Mortgages and Bud Light.
Continuity voice-over
Sky, CNN and Five.
Corporate voice-over
Visa, the London Olympic Bid, British Energy, Whitbread, Heineken, Redstone Communications, Western Homes, FIFA, British Gas, Yorkshire Electricity, BT, Cable & Wireless, Kingfisher, Longmans, Legal & General, Moneyextra.com, Royal Bank of Scotland, Royal Mail, Rover Cars, and Microsoft.