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Ralph Bates first grabbed a mass audience by the throat by playing Emperor Calilgula on British television. This led Bates to similar lunatic assignments in the Hammer Studios horror output of the 1970s, including the title roles in Horror of Frankenstein (1970) and Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde (1972). By far, Bates' kinkiest role was as the manipulative son of Lana Turner in the latter's embarrassing penultimate film Persecution (1974). His British TV-series work has included Poldark, Penmarric and Dear John. Ralph Bates was the husband of actress Virginia Weatherell.