Geoffrey Hinsliff

Geoffrey Hinsliff (23 November 1937 – 15 September 2024) was an English actor best known for his portrayal of Don Brennan in Coronation Street from 1987 to 1997.^[1]

Geoffrey Hinsliff
Born	(1937-11-23)23 November 1937 Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire, England
Died	15 September 2024(2024-09-15) (aged 86)
Education	Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
Occupation	Actor
Spouse	Judith Seal ​ (m. 1967)​
Children	2, including Gaby Hinsliff

Life and career

Hinsliff was born in Leeds on 23 November 1937.^[2] In November 1954, aged sixteen, he appeared with the Leeds Service of Youth Players in a production of Outward Bound by Sutton Vane at the Civic Theatre.^[3]

Hinsliff trained at RADA, before making his television debut in an episode of Z-Cars.^[4] He went on to appear in Adam Adamant Lives!, Dixon of Dock Green, UFO, Crown Court, The Professionals and Heartbeat, and also played a wireless operator in the film A Bridge Too Far.^[5][6]

In 1978 Hinsliff appeared as a sergeant in an episode of the hard-hitting British police drama The Professionals, the episode entitled When the Heat Cools Off.^[7]

In 1979 he took the role of Doctor Astrov in Anton Chekhov's Uncle Vanya at Leeds Playhouse directed by Michael Attenborough.^[8]

Starting in 1987, Hinsliff appeared regularly on the British television soap opera series Coronation Street as Don Brennan.^[7] Hinsliff had previously appeared on one episode of the show in 1977 as a minor character named Eric Bailey.^[9] Brennan's storylines on the show ranged from on and off again extramarital affairs with Denise Black's character Denise Osbourne to an attempted kidnapping of Alma Halliwell, portrayed by Amanda Barrie.^[10] According to show broadcasters ITV, his character's turbulent relationship with his wife Ivy, portrayed by Lynne Perrie, attracted praise and was generally well-received by fans.^[11] Hinsliff was eventually written off the show in 1997, when his character Don Brennan died in a car crash shortly after kidnapping Alma Halliwell and attempting to murder her then-husband Mike Baldwin, a business rival of Brennan who was himself portrayed by Johnny Briggs.^[12]

He also had a role in the comedy-drama Brass^[5] and appeared in two Doctor Who stories: Image of the Fendahl^[13] and Nightmare of Eden.^[14] He guest-starred in Holby City as an alcoholic in 2010.^[15]

Personal life and death

Hinsliff married Judith Seal on 2 September 1967 in St Cecilia's Church, Little Hadham.^[16] They had two children, including journalist Gaby Hinsliff.^[17]

Hinsliff lived in Winster in the Derbyshire Dales. He died on 15 September 2024, at the age of 86.^[2]

Selected filmography

• O Lucky Man! (1973)^[9]
• The Battle of Billy's Pond (1976) – Tanker Driver^[18]
• I, Claudius (1976) – Rufrius^[19]
• A Bridge Too Far (1977) – British Wireless Operator^[2]