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Sam Dastor

Sam Dastor is an Indian-born renowned for his versatile career spanning over five decades in , , , radio, and audiobook narration. Born on 2 October 1941 in Bombay (now ), British India, Dastor pursued higher education in English at the before earning a to the . His theatrical career began with a debut at the National Theatre under Sir , followed by a West End appearance as Ariel in opposite . Dastor later joined the Royal Shakespeare Company for productions including and Tales from Ovid, and toured globally with ; more recently, he starred in Yes, Prime Minister at , on tour, and in the West End, while also performing a one-man show of at venues like . In film, Dastor portrayed Gandhi in Jinnah (1998), and appeared in Such a Long Journey (1998), Made (1972), and The Life and Death of (2004). On television, his notable roles include appearances in (1976), (1980–1984), Fortunes of War (1987), (2002–2011), and The Marlowe Sessions (2024). Dastor's radio work features extensive BBC broadcasts, such as Forty Years On with Sir , and he has narrated award-winning audiobooks, including works by and a tribute to Prince Philip. Additionally, he served as a judge for the Young Theatre Writers Award for a decade.

Early life and education

Early years

Sam Dastor was born on October 2, 1941, in Bombay, , British India. He was raised in a Parsi family of Zoroastrian faith in . Dastor spent his formative years in Bombay, where he was brought up in the Zoroastrian tradition before later converting to . In his early adulthood, Dastor decided to pursue studies abroad and relocated to the .

Education

Dastor pursued his undergraduate studies in English at the , graduating with a degree that provided a deep engagement with literature and language, essential for his future in the performing arts. After , he secured a to the in London, an esteemed conservatory renowned for its intensive classical training program. During his time at , Dastor immersed himself in foundational acting disciplines, including voice projection, physical characterization, and textual analysis of dramatic works, which cultivated his versatile style suited to Shakespearean and modern repertoire. He completed his training and joined the National Theatre under Sir .

Acting career

Stage roles

Sam Dastor's stage career began with his West End debut in 1974, portraying opposite Paul Scofield's in William Shakespeare's , a production that originated at the before transferring to in . This role marked a significant early milestone, showcasing his versatility in classical following his training at . Throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s, Dastor was a prominent member of the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), contributing to several acclaimed productions. In 1999, he played the Poet in Greg Doran's staging of at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in . That same year, he took on multiple roles, including , in Tim Supple's adaptation of Ted Hughes's Tales from Ovid at the Swan Theatre, a production that toured extensively in 2000, including stops at the in and the Kennedy Center in . He also appeared as Dr. Lombardi in during the 2000–2001 season, joining the RSC's world tour that again featured a performance at the Kennedy Center. Dastor frequently collaborated with playwright , delivering performances in the world premieres of three of his works. In (1987), he acted alongside at the . He followed this with the role of Harry in Hidden Laughter (1990) at the , opposite . In 1995, Dastor portrayed Sam Parsley in Cell Mates at the Albery Theatre (now ), sharing the stage with as and as Boris Korczak in a production that began at the Theatre in . In his later career, Dastor continued to engage with both West End and touring productions, including the role of the Kumranistan Ambassador in the stage adaptation of Yes, Prime Minister. This comedic role debuted at the in 2010, followed by a UK tour and a West End run at the in 2011. Dastor has also presented his one-man show Shakespeare's Sonnets, a solo performance exploring the Bard's poetry, which he has toured to universities across North America, Europe, and beyond, including venues in the United States, Canada, Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Russia, Belarus, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Poland, and Spain; it has additionally been staged at the Rose Theatre in London and the Shakespeare's Birthplace Trust in Stratford-upon-Avon. Beyond performing, Dastor served as a for the Young Theatre Writers Award for a decade, supporting emerging playwrights through a scheme that provided £5,000 to recipients, some of whom went on to notable careers.

Television appearances

Sam Dastor began his extensive career in the early 1970s, building a reputation for portraying complex characters in dramatic series, , and docudramas, often drawing on his versatile acting style honed in . His roles frequently explored historical, political, and sci-fi themes, contributing to acclaimed British productions broadcast on and . A breakthrough came in 1976 with his portrayal of Cassius Chaerea, the ambitious Praetorian Guard officer, in the BBC's landmark adaptation of Robert Graves's I, Claudius, directed by Herbert Wise and starring Derek Jacobi. This role showcased Dastor's ability to convey intrigue and intensity in a densely plotted historical drama. In 1977, Dastor appeared as Dr. Ed Spencer, a medical officer, in three episodes of the science fiction series Space: 1999—including "Dorzak," "Devil's Planet," and "The Immunity Syndrome"—adding depth to the ensemble amid the show's interstellar adventures. During the 1980s, he featured in the satirical political series Yes Minister, playing a Qumrani businessman in the episode "The Moral Dimension" (1981), which highlighted bureaucratic absurdities in Whitehall. This appearance extended to the sequel Yes, Prime Minister in 2013, where he reprised a similar ambassadorial role. Dastor's work in espionage drama continued into the 2000s with his role as Riyad Barzali, a shadowy operative, in the BBC series Spooks (also known as MI-5), appearing across multiple episodes from 2002 to 2011 and embodying the tense moral ambiguities of modern intelligence work. He delivered a commanding lead performance as the Apostle Paul in the 2003 BBC/Discovery Channel docudrama St Paul, a one-hour production presented by Jonathan Edwards that dramatized the saint's life and conversion, blending historical reenactment with scholarly analysis. In the 1986 ITV miniseries Lord Mountbatten: The Last Viceroy, Dastor portrayed , capturing the independence leader's philosophical resolve during India's partition, opposite as Mountbatten. Throughout the to , Dastor made numerous guest appearances in television, including as The Caliph in (1980), Dr. Shafik in Fortunes of War (1987), and in The Borgias (1981), alongside roles in series like , , and The New Avengers, often in supporting parts that enriched ensemble narratives.

Film roles

Sam Dastor's film career spans over three decades, beginning with his debut in the 1972 Made, where he portrayed the character Mahdav, a diffident office worker harboring unrequited feelings for the . Directed by John Mackenzie, the film explores themes of personal struggle and cultural displacement in post-war , with Dastor's role contributing to the narrative's emotional depth through subtle performances of quiet longing. In 1998, Dastor took on two significant roles in period dramas set against historical backdrops. He played Dinshawji, the bombastic and loyal colleague to the central character Gustad Noble, in Such a Long Journey, an adaptation of Rohinton Mistry's novel directed by Sturla Gunnarsson. The film, set in 1971 Bombay amid political turmoil, highlights Dastor's ability to infuse humor and into a supporting figure navigating and crises. That same year, he portrayed in the biographical epic Jinnah, directed by , depicting the leader in key interactions with during the and . Dastor's performance captures Gandhi's principled resolve and moral authority in this historical narrative. Dastor's later film work includes his role as Hal Ashby, the American filmmaker who collaborates with on Being There, in the 2004 biopic The Life and Death of Peter Sellers. Directed by Stephen Hopkins and starring , the film delves into Sellers' tumultuous life, with Dastor's portrayal providing insight into the professional dynamics and creative tensions of their real-life partnership. Throughout his selective , Dastor has favored character-driven supporting roles that emphasize cultural nuance and historical context, appearing in fewer than a dozen feature films from the to the .

Radio and audio performances

Sam Dastor has had an extensive career in , spanning over five decades with numerous appearances on , , and the . His voice work includes serializations of literary works for programs such as Storytime, , and Book at Bedtime, featuring authors like , , , , and H.R.F. Keating's Inspector Ghote series. Early in his radio career during the 1970s, as part of the Repertory Company, Dastor contributed to productions like the eight-episode Barchester Chronicles directed by Norman Wright. One of his notable radio roles was in Alan Bennett's Forty Years On, broadcast in 1973, where he performed alongside Sir , , and Dorothy Reynolds, with Bennett himself participating. He also played Ariel opposite Gielgud's in a radio adaptation of Shakespeare's . Other significant radio dramas include Tom Stoppard's In the Native State (later adapted as ), in which Dastor portrayed Nirad Das alongside , , and Dame , and a special recording of Viktor Ullmann's music and poetry for 3's Holocaust Memorial Week with Maria Garzón. Dastor's radio performances often highlighted his versatile voice in dramatic readings and ensemble plays from the 1970s onward. In audiobook narration, Dastor has recorded acclaimed works, earning AudioFile Magazine's Earphones Award for his reading of V.S. Naipaul's , praised for its engaging Trinidadian accent that captures the novel's themes of identity and belonging. He has narrated other Naipaul titles, including and A Wounded Civilization, as well as Rushdie's and Joseph Anton, Kipling's , Forster's , Adiga's Last Man in Tower, Desai's , and Keating's Inspector Ghote Hunts the Peacock. His Earphones Award-winning narration of was lauded for its crystal-clear character portrayals. Dastor's audio contributions extended to a centenary tribute to HRH Prince Philip, narrating Robert Jobson's biography Prince Philip's Century for Isis Audio/Ulverscroft; notably, he completed the final chapter recording on the day of Prince Philip's death in 2021. These works underscore his enduring impact in audio formats, leveraging his distinctive voice for literary and historical narratives.

References

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    Sam Dastor's career has spanned theatre, film, television and radio. He studied English at Cambridge University before winning a scholarship to RADA.
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    Sam Dastor is a theater, film, television, and voice actor. He has appeared onstage in London's West End, the Royal Shakespeare Company, and the National ...
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    Sam Dastor - IMDb
    Sam Dastor was born on 2 October 1941 in Bombay, Bombay Presidency, British India. He is an actor, known for The Life and Death of Peter Sellers (2004), Space: ...
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    Sam Dastor — The Movie Database (TMDB)
    Known For Acting ; Known Credits 26 ; Gender Male ; Birthday October 2, 1941 (84 years old) ; Place of Birth Bombay, India ...Missing: actor | Show results with:actor
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    Sam Dastor was born on October 2, 1941 in Bombay, Bombay Presidency, British India. He is an actor, known for The Life and Death of Peter Sellers (2004)
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    ... Sam Dastor's career has spanned theatre, film, television and radio. He studied English at Cambridge University before winning a scholarship to RADA. Soon ...Missing: biography | Show results with:biography
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    Sam won a scholarship to RADA and soon after finishing his training he joined the National Theatre. Since then he has worked consistently with most of the ...Missing: interest | Show results with:interest
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    This is a production of the play The Tempest (by William Shakespeare), at Leeds Playhouse (started 23 rd October 1974) and Wyndham's Theatre, LondonMissing: West | Show results with:West
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    Sam Dastor | Theatricalia
    Dr Lombardi, A Servant of Two Masters, Royal Shakespeare Company 2000 – 2001, Tour – RSC and Theatre Royal, Bath. Poet, Timon of Athens, Royal Shakespeare ...Missing: roles | Show results with:roles
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    Taking his cue from a line in T.S. Eliot's poem Burnt Norton, Simon Gray has written what is probably his saddest, deepest and certainly most moving play, ...Missing: Melon Cell Mates
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    Cast list, Yes Prime Minister (2010) - Chichester Festival Theatre
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    In 1977 he was in several episodes of Space 1999, followed by his role as ... “Inspector Ghote was played with the most cool, unflappable composure by Sam Dastor ...
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    Saint Paul: Directed by Jean-Claude Bragard. With Jonathan Edwards, Sam Dastor, Mark Goodacre.
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    Rating 7.4/10 (219) Sam Dastor · Gandhi. 6 eps 6 episodes • 1986. Nigel Davenport · Ismay. 6 eps 6 episodes • 1986. Wendy Hiller · Princess Victoria. 6 ...
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    Rating 6.2/10 (208) Sam Dastor was very good I thought, and he did perhaps steal the show as The Caliph. Charismatic, sinister, and not visually presented in the regular way. 7/10.
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    Indira Varma. Character(s) Ruttie Jinnah. Credit(s) Actor. Sam Dastor. Character(s) Gandhi. Credit(s) Actor. Yousuf Kamal. Character(s) Liaquat Ali Khan. Credit ...
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    14-day returnsA PASSAGE TO INDIA. Earphones Award Winner. by E.M. Forster | Read by Sam Dastor. Classics • 11.25 hrs. • Unabridged ...