(John) Barry Foster (21 August 1927 – 11 February 2002) was a British actor who appeared in numerous roles on film and television. He is best known for his leading role as a Dutch detective in the ITV drama series, Van der Valk, which spanned five series over 20 years from 1972.
He was born in Beeston (recorded as Basford), in the south of Nottinghamshire in England. When a few months old, his family moved to Hayes in Middlesex. His father was a ...
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(John) Barry Foster (21 August 1927 – 11 February 2002) was a British actor who appeared in numerous roles on film and television. He is best known for his leading role as a Dutch detective in the ITV drama series, Van der Valk, which spanned five series over 20 years from 1972.
He was born in Beeston (recorded as Basford), in the south of Nottinghamshire in England. When a few months old, his family moved to Hayes in Middlesex. His father was a toolsetter. He attended Southall County Grammar School (became Villiers High School in the 1970s) on Boyd Road and Villiers Road. Foster worked as a plastics organic chemist at the local EMI Central Research Laboratories, whilst unsuccessfully submitting ideas to advertising agencies. He embarked on a career in acting. Foster trained as an actor for two years at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London, arriving there at the age of 20, a little older than the other students. It was here he became friends with an actor called David...
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