Alun Armstrong
Biography
Alun Armstrong is a prolific English character actor born in Annfield Plain, County Durham, England, UK. He grew up in North East England and developed an interest in acting through Shakespeare productions at his grammar school. Armstrong has spent nine years with the Royal Shakespeare Company and originated the role of Thénardier. He has appeared in numerous credits, including six different Dickens adaptations and seven series as eccentric ex-detective Brian Lane in New Tricks. Armstrong has played a wide range of characters, from the grotesque to musicals, often portraying colourful, eccentric, and sometimes despotic or psychotic characters throughout his career.
Career overview
Alun Armstrong is a prolific English character actor. He grew up in County Durham in North East England, where he first became interested in acting through Shakespeare productions at his grammar school. Since his career began in the early 1970s, Armstrong has played a wide range of characters, including those described as "grotesque" and "despotic."
Armstrong's numerous credits include six different Dickens adaptations. He has also appeared in a long-running television series as an eccentric ex-detective. Armstrong's stage career has been notable, with nine years spent with the Royal Shakespeare Company. He originated the role of Thénardier in a production of the company.
Armstrong's extensive body of work includes over 159 acting credits. He has demonstrated his versatility as a character actor, playing a variety of roles in film, television, and theater. His career has spanned multiple decades, with a notable presence in the entertainment industry.
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Career timeline
Full filmography
- The Choral (2025) as Herbert Trickett
- After the Flood (2024) as Alan Benson
- Tom Jones (2023) as Squire Western
- Remembers… (2022) as Self
- Sherwood (2022) as Gary Jackson
- The Nicky Nack (2021)
- Breeders (2020) as Jim
- Breaking The Codes (2020)
- Year of the Rabbit (2019) as Chief Inspector Hugh Wisbech
- Out of Innocence (2019) as Detective Callaghan
- Funny Cow (2018) as Lenny
- Possum (2018) as Maurice
- Prime Suspect 1973 (2017) as Clifford Bentley
- Frontier (2016) as Lord Benton
- Dark Angel (2016) as George Stot
- Asunder (2016) as Self - Narrator (voice)
- Golden Years (2016) as Sid
- Penny Dreadful (2014) as Vincent Brand
- The Hollow Crown (2012) as Northumberland
- The Mystery of Edwin Drood (2012) as Hiram Grewgious
- Les Misérables: 25th Anniversary in Concert (2010) as Monsieur Thenardier (1985 Cast)
- A Passionate Woman (2010) as Donald (1980s)
- Garrow's Law (2009) as John Southouse
- Little Dorrit (2008) as Ephraim Flintwinch
- Filth: The Mary Whitehouse Story (2008) as Ernest Whitehouse
- The Dinner Party (2007) as Jim
- Eragon (2006) as Uncle Garrow
- The Girls Who Came to Stay (2006) as Bob Jenkins
- Bleak House (2005) as Inspector Bucket
- Oliver Twist (2005) as Magistrate Fang
- Millions (2005) as Saint Peter
- New Tricks (2004) as Brian Lane
- Van Helsing (2004) as Cardinal Jinette
- Van Helsing: The London Assignment (2004) as Cardinal Jinetta (voice)
- When I'm Sixty-Four (2004) as Jim
- Carrie's War (2004) as Mr. Samuel Evans
- Paradise Found (2003) as Camille Pissarro
- Between The Sheets (2003) as Peter Delany
- It's All About Love (2003) as David
- Sparkhouse (2002) as Richard Bolton
- Inquisition (2002) as Martin
- The Mummy Returns (2001) as Baltus Hafez
- Messiah (2001) as DCI Charlie McIntyre
- Adrian Mole: The Cappuccino Years (2001) as George Mole
- Bedtime (2001) as Neil Henshaw
- Strictly Sinatra (2001) as Bill
- Extinct (2001) as Himself - Narrator
- Score (2001) as George
- Proof of Life (2000) as Wyatt
- Harrison's Flowers (2000) as Samuel Brubeck
- 7 Up 2000 (2000) as Himself - Narrator
- This Is Personal: The Hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper (2000) as Asst. Chief Const. George Oldfield
- This Is Personal: The Hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper (2000) as Asst. Chief Const. George Oldfield
- Sleepy Hollow (1999) as High Constable
- David Copperfield (1999) as Dan Peggotty
- Oliver Twist (1999) as Mr. Fleming
- Onegin (1999) as Zaretsky
- G:MT Greenwich Mean Time (1999) as Uncle Henry
- With or Without You (1999) as Sammy
- Aristocrats (1999) as Lord Holland
- In the Red (1998) as DCI Frank Jefferson
- The Saint (1997) as Inspector Teal
- Underworld (1997)
- Our Friends in the North (1996) as Austin Donohue
- Brazen Hussies (1996) as Jimmy Hardcastle
- Witness Against Hitler (1996) as Pastor Harold Poelchau
- Breaking the Code (1996) as Mick Ross
- Braveheart (1995) as Mornay
- An Awfully Big Adventure (1995) as Uncle Vernon
- Les Misérables: 10th Anniversary Concert at the Royal Albert Hall (1995) as Monsieur Thénardier
- Sorry About Last Night (1995) as Mickey
- Black Beauty (1994) as Reuben Smith
- MacGyver: Trail to Doomsday (1994) as Capshaw
- Doggin' Around (1994) as Charlie Foster
- Goggle Eyes (1993) as Gerald 'Goggle Eyes' Faulkner
- The Tempest (1993) as Caliban
- Shakespeare: The Animated Tales (1992) as Caliban (voice)
- Patriot Games (1992) as Owens
- Split Second (1992) as Thrasher
- Blue Ice (1992) as Osgood
- Goodbye Cruel World (1992) as Roy Grade
- Murder in Eden (1991) as Sgt McGing
- Stanley and the Women (1991) as Rufus Hilton
- American Friends (1991) as Dr. Weeks
- London Kills Me (1991) as John Stone
- White Hunter, Black Heart (1990) as Ralph Lockhart
- The Widowmaker (1990) as Dad
- Looking After Number One (1990) as Dick
- Sticky Wickets (1990) as Evans
- Tales from the Crypt (1989) as Inspector Herbert
- Screen One (1989) as Det Supt Frank Burroughs
- Screen One (1989) as Evans
- Screen One (1989) as Charlie Foster
- The Jim Henson Hour (1989) as The Troll (archive audio)
- The Childeater (1989) as Stefano
- That Summer of White Roses (1989) as Zemba
- A Night on the Tyne (1989) as Willy
- Nineteen96 (1989) as Det. Supt. Frank Burroughs
- The Storyteller (1988) as Troll (voice)
- The Storyteller: The True Bride (1988) as Troll (Voice)
- Number 27 (1988) as Murray Lester
- Married... with Children (1987) as Trevor
- Inspector Morse (1987) as Superintendent Holdsby
- ScreenPlay (1986) as Willy
- A.D. (1985) as Gamesmaster
- Number One (1985) as Blackpool Police Sergeant
- Billy the Kid and the Green Baize Vampire (1985) as Maxwell Randall, The Green Baize Vampire
- The Caucasian Chalk Circle (1985) as Singer
- Sharing Time (1984) as Luke
- The House (1984) as Mr. Smeth
- Krull (1983) as Torquil
- Mr Moon's Last Case (1983) as Narrator
- The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby (1982)
- The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981) as Grimes
- Get Lost! (1981) as Neville Keaton
- Fear of God (1980) as Trahearne
- Measure for Measure (1979) as Provost
- All Day on the Sands (1979)
- Enemy at the Door (1978) as Louis Mendoza
- The BBC Television Shakespeare (1978) as Provost
- Armchair Thriller (1978) as Trahearne
- Freedom of the Dig (1978) as Quinn
- Liza (1978) as Mikhalevich
- BBC2 Play of the Week (1977) as Brodovich
- BBC2 Play of the Week (1977) as Mikhalevich
- A Bridge Too Far (1977) as Cpl. Davies
- Premiere (1977) as Quinn
- The Duellists (1977) as Lieutenant Lacourbe
- Romance (1977) as Weaver
- A Sharp Intake of Breath (1977)
- Risking It (1977) as Richard Clewes
- Shooting the Chandelier (1977) as Brodovich
- Our Day Out (1977) as Mr. Briggs
- The New Avengers (1976) as Private George Harris
- The Chester Mystery Plays (1976) as Lightborne
- The Likely Lads (1976) as Tommy
- The Sweeney (1975) as Peter Jenner
- Days of Hope (1975) as Billy Shepherd
- The Stars Look Down (1975) as Joe Gowlan
- Father Brown (1974) as Joe
- Porridge (1974) as Spraggon
- Easy Go (1974) as First docker
- Thriller (1973) as Mike
- Centre Play (1973) as Richard Clewes
- Second City Firsts (1973) as Ken
- Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? (1973) as Scaife
- Armchair 30 (1973) as Glazier
- Only Make Believe (1973) as Michael Biddle
- The 14 (1973) as Tommy
- The Eyes Have It (1973) as Mike
- The Sex Victims (1973) as George
- New Scotland Yard (1972) as Ray Davies
- Villains (1972) as Terence 'Tel' Bolden
- Six Days of Justice (1972) as P.C. Williamson
- Great Performances (1971) as Thénardier
- Justice (1971) as Bob Graham
- Get Carter (1971) as Keith
- Play for Today (1970) as 1st Docker
- Play for Today (1970) as Mr Briggs
- BBC Play of the Month (1965) as Lightborne
- Public Eye (1965) as Vince Gregson
- My Little Eye as Dad