Sad news as Rogue One, Emmerdale and Crossroads actor Richard Franklin has passed away. He was 87, and leaves behind a body of work that most famously includes a Pertwee-era stint with the 3rd Doctor as Captain Mike Yates.
The long-time stage actor made his TV debut in a 1966 episode of the British series Dixon of Dock Green, before his screen breakout in a nine-episode run of ITV soap Crossroads. He would go on to appear in The Doctors, Little Women mini-series, and The Borgias in one-off appearances, alongside more recent film appearances, including in 2016’s Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
But he would be best known for his turn as a regular on Emmerdale Farm, where he portrayed Denis Rigg for two years. He would also appear as Captain Mike Yates of UNIT in Doctor Who from 1971 to 1974 during Pertwee’s run, a character he would return to again and again for Doctor Who: Dimensions in Time and other spin-off media.
