Ivor Dean

Who was Ivor Dean?

Ivor Donald Dean was a British stage and television actor.

With his lugubrious demeanour he was often cast as world-weary police officers or butlers, and indeed it is for the role of Chief Inspector Claud Eustace Teal in the 1960s series The Saint, opposite Roger Moore, that he is best remembered. Dean played Teal for almost the entire run of the series, except three instances in early episodes where other actors were used. It was on the third occasion, in an episode called Starring The Saint which featured Dean in another role, that the producers saw the ideal actor for the part.

Dean proved the ideal foil for Moore's Simon Templar, invariably one step behind and allegedly hoping for the day when he could pin something on the Saint. Dean's character however seemed to have a respect for his adversary nonetheless. Dean reprised the role in all but name in Randall and Hopkirk in which he played Inspector Large, who had the same adversarial relationship with Jeff Randall.

Dean also appeared in one off roles in several other ITC series, including Jason King and The Persuaders!, he appeared as a butler in 3 episodes of the long-running LWT sitcom Doctor at Large and featured in three episodes of The Avengers. In 1964 he played estate agent Alfred Wormold in the long-running soap opera Coronation Street, selling No. 13 Coronation Street to Stan Ogden and his wife Hilda.