Ian Trigger: Movies & Filmography

Ian Trigger (30 September 1938 – 6 January 2010) was a distinguished British actor whose career spanned several decades across stage, television, and film in both the United Kingdom and the United States. Born in Plymouth, Devon, Trigger discovered his passion for acting at a young age, declaring that nothing else would satisfy him. He attended Devonport High School for Boys before receiving a scholarship to the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in 1955, making him at that time the youngest student to have trained there. His training was interrupted by two years of national service in the army in Scotland, but he ultimately graduated from RADA in 1959. Trigger began his professional career in repertory theatre, working with renowned companies including the Birmingham Repertory Theatre (1960), the Citizens Theatre in Glasgow, The Gateway in Edinburgh, and the Bristol Old Vic. He then moved to the newly formed Traverse Theatre, where he played comedy leads in productions such as Ubu Roi and Fairy Tales of New York. His early stage work led him to London's West End, where he appeared in various productions including See How They Run (1964) at the Vaudeville Theatre. Shakespeare was the love of his life, as his twin brother Allan recalled, and if Trigger could have spent his entire career playing Shakespeare, that would have been total fulfilment for him. Throughout his career, Trigger amassed an impressive list of television credits, including roles in The Forsyte Saga (1967) as Greenwater, The Wednesday Play (1966) as Morris Todd, and Dr. Finlay's Casebook (1964) as Sandy McKinley. He also appeared in numerous films such as The Fantastic Four (1994) as The Jeweler, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1972) as Frog Footman, and Up Pompeii (1971) as Odius. On Broadway, he earned acclaim for his performances in Habeas Corpus (1976) as Sir Henry Shorter, Scapino (1974-1975) as Argante at the Ambassador Theatre, and 13 Rue de l'Amour (1978) as the Police Inspector. Trigger was particularly admired for his mentorship of younger actors, most notably Lenny Von Dohlen, who later gained fame for his role in Twin Peaks and called Trigger his theatrical father and greatest influence. Trigger's personal interests included collecting 18th-century English theatre portrait figures and 19th-century Staffordshire pottery. He never married and had no children. After a long illness, he passed away at King's College Hospital in London on 6 January 2010 at the age of 71.