THE OG
Who played the original Van der Valk?
VAN der Valk made a triumphant return to TV after nearly 30 years away from the box.
However, some viewers have been left wondering who played the Dutch detective in the original series.
Who played the original Van der Valk?
Police boss Piet Van der Valk was originally played by Barry Foster in the 70s, and briefly again in the 90s.
Actor Barry was known for his extensive career in film, radio, stage and television which spanned almost 50 years, and included playing Bob Rusk in Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy (1972).
Van der Valk is now played by actor Marc Warren, and features a completely new cast.
Warren brought the role to life for a reboot in 2020, and again for a second series in 2022.
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But there are certainly some differences between Marc's portrayal of Van der Valk, and Barry's.
Marc told : "Well I didn’t base anything on what Barry Foster had done in the original.
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"He’s a bit of a loner, he’s a bit of the silent type - little bit moody, doesn’t really look at anybody much
"But if he thinks you’ve murdered someone, he never takes his eyes off you.
"So that can be a bit disconcerting."
Why did Barry Foster leave the role?
Barry played Van der Valk for 23 episodes from 1972 to 73, and 1977.
Then in 1991 he resumed the role in a batch of two-hour stories.
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It's not known why he didn't return to the role after this time.
Prior to appearing in Van der Valk, Barry appeared in movie Ryan's Daughter alongside Robert Mitchum, Trevor Howard and John Mills.
His TV roles included Hamlet in 1961, Robert Driscoll in The Troubleshooters in 1965 and Peter in 1971 mini-series A Taste Of Honey.
Where is he now?
Sadly actor Barry died 20 years ago in 2002.
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He became ill while appearing in a play in the West End on February 8, 2002, and was taken to hospital.
A few days later, Barry died of a heart attack aged 74 on February 11, 2022, at the Royal Surrey County Hospital in Guildford, Surrey, not far from where he lived.
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