BRADFORD actor Bernard Hepton has died at the age of 92.

Mr Hepton – real name Bernard Heptonstall – was born in Manningham, reportedly on the same street as novelist and playwright J.B. Priestley, on October 19, 1925, to father Bernard Sr, who was an electrician, and mother Hilda.

He was educated at St Bede’s Grammar School and avoided military service during World War II due to being short-sighted, but instead trained as an aircraft engineer and draughtsman, while undertaking firewatching duties.

He trained at Bradford Civic Playhouse and spent a great number of years performing on stage before joining Birmingham Rep, later becoming the artistic director in 1957, before becoming director of Liverpool Playhouse in 1963.

While he rarely took the lead role in his television, film and theatre roles, Mr Hepton had a face familiar to many due to his large number of appearances in a wide range of dramas.

He is perhaps best known for his appearances in historical war drama Colditz from 1972 to 1974, as Toby Esterhase in Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy in 1979 alongside Alec Guinness, and in 1976’s I, Claudius.

He appeared in a vast number of television series and films, including minor roles in Some Mothers Do Ave Em, Gandhi, and Get Carter alongside Michael Caine.

He had 100 acting credits to his name in a career spanning 59 years, his first role coming as a cyclist A Boy, A Girl and a Bike in 1949, and also directed television series Compact and television film Troilus and Cressida in the 1960s.

His most recent acting role was 10 years ago in Masterpiece Classic’s Emma, and before that appeared in The Baroness and the Pig in 2002, and Midsomer Murders in 1998.

Mr Hepton was married to Nancie Jackson from 1957 until her death in 1977, and to Hillary Liddell from 1979 until she died in 2013.

He died on July 27 and is survived by a niece and nephew.