Ralph Bates (12 February 1940 – 27 March 1991) was an English film and television actor, known for his role in the British sitcom Dear John and the 1975 series Poldark.

The course completed, Bates returned to Ireland to make his stage debut in Shaw's You Never Can Tell at The Gate Theatre, Dublin, in 1963.

A career in repertory theatre followed, and the young actor gained experience in productions ranging from Hedda Gabler to raucous comedies.

[8] Because of his French ancestry and dark looks, he often was chosen to play a Frenchman on television, such as in an episode of ITV comedy drama Turtle's Progress.

[14] The large metal cross marking his grave at Chiswick New Cemetery bears the epitaph "Don't Worry.