Francis Patrick "Pat" Roach (19 May 1937 - 17 July 2004) was an English professional wrestler, stuntman and actor.
He practiced competitive wrestling with the moniker of "Bomber" Roach, and at one time held titles in both the British and European Heavyweight Wrestling Championships. He also ran a gymnasium and a used appliance business in Birmingham.
Due to his height (6 ft 5 in / 1.96 m) and imposing stature, he was employed in villainous roles in a string of popular 1980s movies, mostly as The Dragon, The Brute or Giant Mook. His cinematic potential was first noticed by Stanley Kubrick, who hired him to play a bouncer at the Korova Milk Bar in A Clockwork Orange and Toole in Barry Lyndon.
Not to be confused with Canadian actor Patrick Roach
.
Selected filmography:
- A Clockwork Orange (1971) as Korova Milk Bar bouncer
- Barry Lyndon (1975) as Toole / Soldier in fistfight
- Indiana Jones: Played a different role in each film.
- Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) as the German mechanic / Giant sherpa
- The Temple of Doom (1984) as the Chief guard
- The Last Crusade (1989) as a Gestapo agent
- Clash of the Titans (1981) as Hephaestus
- Auf Wiedersehen, Pet (1983) as Brian "Bomber" Busbridge
- Never Say Never Again (1983) as Lippe
- Conan the Destroyer (1984) as Toth-Amon / Man Ape
- Red Sonja (1985) as Brytag
- The Last Place on Earth (1985) as P.O. Evans
- Willow (1988) as General Kael
- The Return of the Musketeers (1989) as the executioner
Tropes in his works:
- Beard of Evil: Comes with being bearded and playing villains.
- The Brute: He played quite a few very strong and very brutish henchmen.
- Third-Person Person: In Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, "Bomber" Busbridge tends to refer to himself using the third-person.
- What Could Have Been: Pat Roach was turned down as Darth Vader in Star Wars. The role went to David Prowse instead.
- Wrestler in All of Us: The Man Ape in Conan the Destroyer fittingly uses wrestling moves against Conan.
