Harry Meacher

Harry Meacher is a British actor, director and playwright. He is married to actress Judi Bowker.

Harry Meacher grew up in Hainault, near Chigwell, in Essex. In his teens he worked with Joan Littlewood in Stratford and with James Cooper in Ilford.

He won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, then performed at the Royal Court Theatre, in London's West End and at many leading regional venues. At the National Theatre he worked with Laurence Olivier, and later played Martin Dysart during the run of the original production of Equus directed by John Dexter.

One of his early appearances as a leading actor was seen by Alec Guinness, who said to him afterwards, "You were very good. The Times said so. I read their review. And I know you did - because you were playing the review, rather than the part! Promise me you will stop reading reviews." Meacher stopped reading drama criticism.

Roles in Shakespeare included Pistol to Frank Middlemass's Falstaff, and Exton to Ian McKellen's Richard II. In the death scene at one performance, Exton's blade broke the skin on the King's back; McKellen appeared ready for the curtain call handing Meacher a stiff drink to help him get over it.

He also performed in Twelfth Night and A Midsummer Night's Dream.

His screen appearances have ranged from series such as Dixon of Dock Green, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Softly Softly, Special Branch and The Troubleshooters to major films, including Trial By Combat, Transatlantis and Kannibal.

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