Michael Craze
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Michael Craze (Born in Cornwall, November 29, 1942 – December 8, 1998) was a British actor noted for his role of Ben Jackson, a companion of the Doctor, in the long-running BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who. He played the part from 1966 to 1967 alongside both William Hartnell and Patrick Troughton as the Doctor.
Craze got into acting by chance as, at the age of twelve, he discovered through Boy Scout Gang Shows that he had a perfect boy soprano voice. This led him to win parts in The King and I and Plain and Fancy, both at Drury Lane, and Damn Yankees at the Coliseum. Once he had left school, he went into repertory and got into TV through his agent. His first television was a show called Family Solicitor for Granada which was followed for Granada which was followed, amongst others, by a part in ABC TV's 1960 series Target Luna (written by Malcolm Hulke and Eric Price and produced by Sydney Newman).
At the age of twenty Craze wrote, directed and acted in a film called The Golden Head which won an award at the Commonwealth Film Festival in Cardiff. Following Doctor Who, Craze worked on several ITV productions, including one episode (The Last Visitor) of Hammer Films' first TV series Journey to the Unknown in 1968. Other television roles include parts in Dixon of Dock Green and Z-Cars. In the 1980s Michael acted only occasionally and also managed a pub.
Craze died on December 8, 1998. He had fallen down some steps the previous day while picking up his neighbour's paper for her. Because of a heart condition, an operation on Michael was impossible. He regained consciousness long enough to say goodbye to his son, Ben.
Craze's name was used by comedians Matt Lucas and David Walliams for a character in their sketch show Little Britain: "Sir Michael Craze" in the programme is a theatrical agent.
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