Tim Bentinck, 12th Earl of Portland

Timothy Charles Robert Noel Bentinck, 12th Earl of Portland, 8th Count Bentinck und Waldeck Limpurg (born 1 June 1953) is an English peer and member of the House of Bentinck. He is usually known as Tim Bentinck and is an actor, most widely known for his long-running role as David Archer in the BBC Radio 4 series The Archers.

Background and education

The son of the non-conformist intellectual Henry Bentinck, Bentinck was born on a sheep station in Tasmania. He was brought home to England when he was two and grew up in the Hertfordshire town of Berkhamsted. He attended a local prep school and Harrow School, then attended the University of East Anglia (UEA), where he spent most of his time at its drama society^{[citation needed]} before receiving a BA degree in the History of Art. After graduation, he then trained for an acting career at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.^{[citation needed]}

Career

Bentinck has been an actor since 1982 and is best known for the roles of David Archer in the BBC Radio 4 series The Archers and Tom Lacey in the BBC drama series "By the Sword Divided" (1983–85). He is also a voice-over artist, having provided the voice of James Bond for the video-game "The World Is Not Enough." Bentinck has many theatre, television and film credits. He played a pirate in The Pirates of Penzance on film and stage, understudying, and eventually taking over from Tim Curry, the role of the Pirate King in the London production.^{[citation needed]}

He is also an inventor with several patents to his name, as well as a programmer/web site designer, musician, and writer.^{[citation needed]}

Titles

In 1990, Victor Cavendish-Bentinck, 9th Duke of Portland died, and Tim's father Henry, sixth cousin of Victor, succeeded to the earldom of Portland. In 1997, Tim Bentinck succeeded his father. Although he took his seat in the unreformed upper house, Tim did not speak there before losing the right to do so as a result of the House of Lords Act 1999, and apart from a lecture tour of the United States on English Eccentrics, he has not used this title.^{[citation needed]}

On 29 December 1732, the Hon. William Bentinck, Baron Bentinck of the Duchy of Guelders (second surviving son of Hans Willem Bentinck) was made a Count of the Holy Roman Empire (Graf Bentinck ) by Imperial Letters Patent. This title continues to be held by Tim Bentinck and his heirs.

Bentinck is descended from King William IV and his mistress Dorothea Jordan.

Television

Bentinck's roles on television include episodes of The Royal Bodyguard, Twenty Twelve, The Thick of It, Doctors, Broken News, Shadow Play, The Armando Iannucci Shows, A Prince Among Men, Grange Hill, Made in Heaven, A Prince Among Men Square Deal, and By the Sword Divided.

Family

Bentinck married the milliner Judith Emerson in 1979, and they have two sons:

• William Jack Henry Bentinck, Viscount Woodstock (born 19 May 1984)
• Hon. Jasper James Mellows Bentinck (born 12 June 1988)

References

Specific references:

General references:

• Timothy Charles Robert Noel Bentinck, 12th Earl of Portland - website ThePeerage.com

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by the Earl of Portland
• Tim Bentinck's website - official website of the actor
• Tim Bentinck at the Internet Movie Database
• Actor Tim Bentinck - Who’s who The Archers, BBC Radio 4

Peerage of England
Preceded by Henry Bentinck	Earl of Portland 1997–present	Incumbent
German nobility of the Holy Roman Empire
Preceded by Henry Bentinck	Count Bentinck und Waldeck Limpurg 1997–present	Incumbent