Ian Denbigh White (3 June 1949 – 6 May 2024), known professionally as Ian Gelder, was a British actor. He was known for his numerous stage and screen roles, including Mr. Dekker in Torchwood: Children of Earth (2009) and Kevan Lannister in Game of Thrones (2011–2012; 2015–2016).[1]
Ian Denbigh White was born in Gloucestershire on 3 June 1949.[2][3] He spent the later years of his childhood in Wokingham.[3] Adopting his mother's maiden name of Gelder for his stage name, he began acting professionally in an ITV Sunday Night Theatre episode in 1972.[2][3]
Gelder appeared in Rumpole of the Bailey as Rumpole's university lecturer son. He also played many other roles on stage[4] and screen.[5] His stage work includes The Low Road (2013). From May to July 2014 he performed as Marcus Andronicus, brother of Titus, in Lucy Bailey's revival of her original 2006 production of Titus Andronicus at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre.
He appeared in television programmes such as Torchwood: Children of Earth in 2009, and Game of Thrones, 2011 as Mr Dekker and Kevan Lannister respectively.[5] After an absence of three years, Gelder reprised his role in the HBO series Game of Thrones in Season 5 and Season 6 as Kevan Lannister. Gelder guest-starred in 12 episodes for the series. In 2019, he guest-starred as Librarian Scholar Charles in the BBC TV series His Dark Materials, based on the critically acclaimed book trilogy by Philip Pullman. Then in 2020, he guest-starred as Zellin in the seventh episode of the twelfth season of Doctor Who, "Can You Hear Me?".
Gelder's partner was actor Ben Daniels.[6] They met in 1993 during a London stage production of Joe Ortan's Entertaining Mr Sloane.[7] They lived in East Sussex.[3]
Gelder died of complications from bile duct cancer on 6 May 2024, at the age of 74.[8] Gelder's partner Daniels stopped working to take care of him, and remarked that he dealt with his "dreadful illness with such bravery".[1]