Background
Pooley was born of an English father and Danish mother in Parkstone, Poole, Dorset.
Pooley was born of an English father and Danish mother in Parkstone, Poole, Dorset.
He studied architecture and then painting in London.
He wrote and appeared in the film The Corpse (released in the United States as Crucible of Horror), starring Michael Gough, and wrote, directed and appeared in The Johnstown Monster. He also wrote the screenplay for a film version of Bernard Taylor"s novel The Godsend (1980). Beaumont directed the film.
Pooley"s other writing credits include the television film Falcon"s Gold (1982) and being an uncredited writer on the sci-fi horror film Lifeforce (1985).
Pooley"s television guest appearances from the 1950s onwards include Dixon of Dock Green, Paul Temple, Jason King, MacGyver and Star Trek: Voyager. He played Professor Stahlman and his parallel Earth counterpart Director Stahlmann in the Doctor Who serial Inferno (1970).
He also played Lars Torvik in the first episode of The Sandbaggers ("First Principles", 1978). His other appearances include the British Broadcasting Corporation Radio play Ambrose in Paris (1958) and Sebastian in a British Broadcasting Corporation Sunday Night Theatre production of Shakespeare"s The Tempest (1956).
Pooley had a major career in West End theatre appearing in such notable productions as Noël Coward"s Peace In Our Time and revivals of The Tempest and Othello.
Pooley is one of 28 actors to appear in both the Star Trek and Doctor Who franchises.