Sir Derek Jules Gaspard Ulric Niven van den Bogaerde, known as Dirk Bogarde (28 March 1921 – 8 May 1999) was an English actor and writer. Initially a matinée idol in films such as Doctor in the House (1954) for the Rank Organisation, he later acted in art-house films. In a second career, he wrote seven best-selling volumes of memoirs, six novels and a volume of collected journalism, mainly from articles in The Daily Telegraph.
Bogarde came to prominence in films including The Blue Lamp in 1950, before starring in the successful Doctor film series (1954–63). He twice won the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role; for The Servant (1963) and Darling (1965). His other film roles included Victim (1961), Accident (1967), The Damned (1969), Death in Venice (1971), The Night Porter (1974), A Bridge Too Far (1977) and Despair (1978). He was appointed a Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters in 1990 and a Knight Bachelor in 1992.
Bogarde was the elder of two sons born to Ulric van den Bogaerde (1892–1972) and Margaret Niven (1898–1980). He had a younger sister, Elizabeth.