Ron Cook

Ron Cook (born 1948) played Mr Magpie in The Idiot's Lantern.

Among his credits are numerous UK-produced costume and Shakespeare dramas in both film and television -- including the Russell T Davies-produced Casanova with David Tennant. His other productions have included 24 Hour Party People, Little Dorrit, The Diary of Anne Frank, the original Singing Detective mini-series, and he also played Parker in the film version of Thunderbirds alongside Sophia Myles as Lady Penelope. He has the unusual distinction of having portrayed Napoleon Bonaparte in two different productions. In the Hornblower TV series, he played Doughty (Captain Pellew's former Steward, and Horatio Hornblower's Steward).