Michael Keating, the British actor who became a cult icon playing the lovable rogue Vila Restal across every episode of the BBC space drama "Blake's 7," died on Thursday. He was 79.
His first stage role was at Nottingham Playhouse under classical actor and artistic director John Neville. Over the following years, he performed at theaters across the United Kingdom, including the Library Theatre Manchester, the Pitlochry Theatre, the Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh and the Lyric Theatre Belfast, as well as numerous touring productions throughout England.
Before his breakthrough on television, Keating built his screen résumé through guest appearances on British series including "Special Branch," "Merry-Go-Round," "Omnibus," "The Dragon's Opponent" and the enduring sci-fi franchise "Doctor Who.”
His career-defining role arrived in 1978 with the BBC dystopian space opera "Blake's 7," which centers on a band of rebels battling a totalitarian regime that has seized control of Earth. Keating portrayed Vila Restal—a self-declared coward and career thief who, according to Big Finish, Keating himself preferred to describe not as cowardly but simply "cautious." The character appeared in all 52 episodes across four series from 1978 to 1981, making Keating the only cast member who appeared in every episode.
His stage work extended well beyond television. He performed with both the National Theatre and the Old Vic, and in 1985 originated the role of Marty at the Phoenix Theatre in the West End in Alan Bleasdale's play "Are You Lonesome Tonight," a production about Elvis Presley in which Martin Shaw played the King.
On screen, Keating also found a long second chapter through the BBC soap opera "EastEnders," portraying the Reverend George Stevens—a Christian church priest for the made-up town of Walford—across 54 episodes from 2005 to 2017. The character became a steady presence at the community's biggest moments, from christenings and weddings to funerals.
Beyond television and stage, Keating extended his career into audio drama through Big Finish Productions. He first appeared in their monthly "Doctor Who" range in 2004, and returned to the role of Vila Restal beginning in 2012, reuniting over the following decade with on-screen colleagues including Paul Darrow, Gareth Thomas, and Jacqueline Pearce. His final Big Finish credit, "The Terra Nostra," was released in January 2022.
Big Finish "Blake's 7" producer Peter Anghelides remembered him fondly. "What a joy it was to work with Michael," Anghelides said. "His cheery presence on studio days was always most welcome. I would sit at the back of the Audio Sorcery control room hooting with laughter at his comic timing in our recordings."