Doctor Who and Crossroads’ Norman Jones dies

Actor Norman Jones has died aged 78. In the sixties he became best known as Milkman Ralph Palmer in ITV soap Crossroads, and later starred in 15 episodes of cult BBC sci-fi drama Doctor Who. (pictured left in 1965 with Crossroads co-star Sue Nicholls.)

Norman Jones was born in Shropshire in 1935, and after a successful theatre career, he was cast in his first television role in 1962 on ABC Television’s drama thriller series Out of this World.

It was just a small part in the ITV aired series, however two years later he was hired in his only major long running television role as Milkman Ralph Palmer in daily daytime saga Crossroads which was set in a near Birmingham motel. The storyline saw him marry motel waitress and unmarried mother Christine Fuller – such things were quite controversial at the time.

Between 1967 and 1976 he appeared in fifteen episodes of the BBC’s Doctor Who space and time science fiction drama, firstly in the story The Abominable Snowmen where he featured as Khrisong. He returned in 1970 as Major Baker in the story Doctor Who and the Silurians and his final story, The Masque of Mandragora, saw him in the role of Hieronymous.

Other roles include many guest spots in such shows as ATV police serial Hunter’s Walk, Granada Television’s legal drama Crown Court and Central Television’s crime series Inspector Morse.

The Shropshire Star Newspaper note that the actor died on April 23rd in the Shropshire market town of Newport.