New Zealand-born character actor, renowned for his distinctive appearance and booming voice, embarked on a prestigious journey to England to pursue his passion for acting at the esteemed Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. His extensive stage experience included notable appearances with the National Theatre Company, of which he was a founding member, and the Mermaid Theatre, often taking on iconic Shakespearean roles. Notable performances included his portrayals of Balthasar in 'Much Ado About Nothing' (1965) and Sebastian in 'The Tempest' (1970),which garnered widespread acclaim. He also toured Europe as Doolittle in 'My Fair Lady'.
Throughout the 1970s, Purchase made frequent guest appearances on popular television series, including 'I, Claudius' (1976),'Rumpole of the Bailey' (1978),'Blake's 7' (1978),and the iconic 'Doctor Who' (1963) episode 'The Pirate Planet', where he played a larger-than-life cybernetically-enhanced pirate captain, accompanied by a robotic parrot. Other notable television performances included his Duke of Buckingham in 'The First Churchills' (1969) and his Earl of Northumberland in the BBC production of 'Henry IV'. He continued to alternate between television and stage appearances.
In a poignant turn of events, Purchase, who was starring as a cardinal in the production of 'The Last Confession' (starring David Suchet) in May 2007, sadly became ill and passed away at the age of 69 in June 2008.
