Brian Blessed
- Known For
- Acting
- Born
- October 9, 1936 in Mexborough, Yorkshire, England, UK
- Active Years
- 1951–2026 (76 Years)
- Total Credits
- 191 credits in database
Acting Born Oct 9, 1936 Mexborough, Yorkshire, England, UK 191 credits
Biography
Brian Blessed OBE is an English actor born on October 9, 1936, in Mexborough, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom. Known for his distinctive bushy beard, booming voice, and exuberant personality and performances, he has accumulated 184 known acting credits. His television roles include portraying PC Fancy Smith in Z-Cars, Augustus in the 1976 BBC television production of I, Claudius, and King Richard IV in the first series of Blackadder. His film and stage work includes playing Prince Vultan in Flash Gordon, Bustopher Jones and Old Deuteronomy in the 1981 original London production of Cats at the New London Theatre, Thomas Beaufort, Duke of Exeter, in Henry V, and Boss Nass in Star Wars Episode I The Phantom Menace, as well as providing the voice of Clayton and the Tarzan yell in Disney animation Tarzan. In 2016, he was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire.
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Career overview
Brian Blessed is an English actor who was born on October 9, 1936, in Mexborough, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom. He is known for his distinctive bushy beard, booming voice, and exuberant personality and performances. Throughout his career, he has accumulated 184 known acting credits across film and television. In 2016, Blessed was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire.
His television roles include portraying PC Fancy Smith in Z-Cars, Augustus in the 1976 BBC television production of I, Claudius, and King Richard IV in the first series of Blackadder. In film and theatre, his notable appearances include Prince Vultan in Flash Gordon, Bustopher Jones and Old Deuteronomy in the 1981 original London production of Cats at the New London Theatre, and Thomas Beaufort, Duke of Exeter, in Henry V. He also appeared as Boss Nass in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace and provided the voice of Clayton along with the Tarzan yell in Disney's Tarzan.
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Frequent co-stars
Stephen Fry
3 shared titles
Derek Jacobi
3 shared titles
Kenneth Branagh
3 shared titles
Michael Gothard
3 shared titles
Morwenna Banks
2 shared titles
Frances White
2 shared titles
John Woodvine
2 shared titles
Kayvan Novak
2 shared titles
Miranda Richardson
2 shared titles
Toyah Willcox
2 shared titles
Career timeline
Dudley & the Invasion of the Space Slugs
Time Travel Is Dangerous!
Peppa's Cinema PartyPeppa Pig: Wedding Party!
Sunday with Laura KuenssbergBest & BesterPeter O'Toole: Along the Sky Road to AqabaThe Queen: 70 Glorious YearsBug-Eyed Monsters Invade the Earth!
Blankety BlankTrollhunters: Rise of the Titans
Close EnoughEugenius!Dear Mr. Burton
Shed of the Dead
Robin Hood: The Rebellion
The Russell Howard HourLife After Flash
Danger MousePeppa Pig: The Golden Boots
Legends of Oz: Dorothy's ReturnThe Seventeenth KindThe KumarsBrian Cox: Space, Time & Videotape
Was It Something I Said?
The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists!Wizards vs AliensLEGO Star Wars: The Empire Strikes OutSo You Want To Be A Pirate!Tales of Television Centre
The Amazing World of GumballCelebrity Antiques Road TripSootyWojtek: The Bear That Went to War
In ConfidenceTake Me OutMr. BojagiFee Fi Fo Yum
All Star Mr & MrsBlackadder's Most Cunning MomentsThe Underdog ShowAgent CrushThe Making of The Trial of a Time Lord
Would I Lie to You?Britain's Got More TalentSaving Planet Earth UKThe 50 Greatest Television DramasBack in Business
Day of WrathAs You Like ItMist: The Tale of a Sheepdog PuppyThe Conclave
The Funny Blokes of British ComedyMist: The Tale of a Sheepdog Puppy
Peppa PigThe Paul O'Grady ShowWho Do You Think You Are?Alexander448 BC: Olympiad of Ancient Hellas
QIThe Dark Side of EverestThe RoyalDevil's Harvest
Ant & Dec's Saturday Night TakeawayI, Claudius: A Television EpicThe Making of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Fun at the Funeral Parlour
The Nearly Complete and Utter History of EverythingThe Mumbo Jumbo
Family GuyTarzanStar Wars: Episode I - The Phantom MenaceThe Greatest Store in the WorldThe Big Knights
The Heaven and Earth ShowFantasy World CupHey, Mr. Producer! The Musical World of Cameron Mackintosh
The History of Tom Jones: A FoundlingMacbeth
The BruceDennis the Menace and GnasherCatherine the GreatHamletGenius: Pythagoras
Soccer AMThe Doctors: 30 Years of Time Travel and BeyondJohnny and the DeadKidnapped
MacGyver: Lost Treasure of AtlantisDavid Macaulay: Roman CityChasing the Deer
Full Filmography
191 titles- Dudley & the Invasion of the Space Slugs (2026) as Arthur (voice)
- Time Travel Is Dangerous! (2025) as Gavin the Octopus (voice)
- Peppa's Cinema Party (2024) as Grampy Rabbit (voice)
- Peppa Pig: Wedding Party! (2024) as Grampy Rabbit (voice)
- Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg (2022) as Self – Actor
- Best & Bester (2022) as Shouty Shirt (Voice)
- Peter O'Toole: Along the Sky Road to Aqaba (2022) as Self
- The Queen: 70 Glorious Years (2022) as Self
- Bug-Eyed Monsters Invade the Earth! (2022) as Narrator
- Blankety Blank (2021) as Self - Panellist
- Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans (2021) as Charlemagne (voice)
- Close Enough (2020) as Sir Jack Kleghorn (voice)
- Eugenius! (2020) as Space Lord
- Dear Mr. Burton (2020) as Narrator
- Shed of the Dead (2019) as Narrator (voice)
- Robin Hood: The Rebellion (2018) as Friar Tuck
- The Russell Howard Hour (2017) as Self
- Life After Flash (2017) as Self
- Danger Mouse (2015) as Santa Claus (voice)
- Peppa Pig: The Golden Boots (2015) as Grampy Rabbit (voice)
- Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Return (2014) as Judge Jawbreaker (voice)
- The Seventeenth Kind (2014) as The Voice (voice)
- The Kumars (2014) as Self
- Brian Cox: Space, Time & Videotape (2014) as Self
- Was It Something I Said? (2013) as Self - Narrator
- The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists! (2012) as The Pirate King (voice)
- Wizards vs Aliens (2012) as The Nekross King (voice)
- LEGO Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Out (2012) as Boss Nass (voice)
- So You Want To Be A Pirate! (2012) as The Pirate King
- Tales of Television Centre (2012) as Self
- The Amazing World of Gumball (2011) as Santa Claus (voice)
- Celebrity Antiques Road Trip (2011) as Self - Participant
- Sooty (2011) as Father Christmas
- Wojtek: The Bear That Went to War (2011) as Narrator
- In Confidence (2010)
- Take Me Out (2010) as Announcer (voice)
- Mr. Bojagi (2010) as Mr. Bojagi
- Fee Fi Fo Yum (2010) as GTV Announcer
- All Star Mr & Mrs (2008)
- Blackadder's Most Cunning Moments (2008) as Self
- The Underdog Show (2008)
- Agent Crush (2008) as Boris Goudphater (voice)
- The Making of The Trial of a Time Lord (2008)
- Would I Lie to You? (2007) as Self
- Britain's Got More Talent (2007) as Self - Narrator
- Saving Planet Earth UK (2007) as Himself - Presenter
- The 50 Greatest Television Dramas (2007) as Self
- Back in Business (2007) as Trevor Pilkington
- Day of Wrath (2006) as Lord Francisco del Ruiz
- As You Like It (2006) as Duke Senior/Duke Frederick
- Mist: The Tale of a Sheepdog Puppy (2006) as Sir Gregory (voice)
- The Conclave (2006) as Aeneas Sylvius Piccolomin
- The Funny Blokes of British Comedy (2005) as King Richard IV (archive footage) (uncredited)
- Mist: The Tale of a Sheepdog Puppy (2005) as Sir Gregory(voice)
- Peppa Pig (2004) as Grampy Rabbit (voice)
- The Paul O'Grady Show (2004)
- Who Do You Think You Are? (2004) as Self
- Alexander (2004) as Wrestling Trainer
- 448 BC: Olympiad of Ancient Hellas (2004) as Narrator
- The Legend of the Tamworth Two (2004) as Wild Boar (voice)
- QI (2003) as Self
- The Dark Side of Everest (2003) as Self
- The Royal (2003) as Sir Edward Fawcett
- Devil's Harvest (2003) as Father Gabriel Norton
- Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway (2002) as Self
- I, Claudius: A Television Epic (2002) as Self
- The Making of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (2002) as Self - Actor
- Fun at the Funeral Parlour (2001)
- The Nearly Complete and Utter History of Everything (2000)
- The Mumbo Jumbo (2000) as Lucifer Bounder
- Family Guy (1999) as Prince Vultan (voice)
- Tarzan (1999) as Clayton (voice)
- Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999) as Boss Nass (voice)
- The Greatest Store in the World (1999) as Mr. Scottley
- The Big Knights (1999) as Sir Morris
- King Lear (1999) as King Lear
- King Lear (1999) Director
- The Heaven and Earth Show (1998)
- Fantasy World Cup (1998) as Self
- Hey, Mr. Producer! The Musical World of Cameron Mackintosh (1998) as Old Deuteronomy
- The History of Tom Jones: A Foundling (1997) as Squire Western
- Macbeth (1997) as Edward the Confessor
- The Bruce (1996) as Edward I
- Dennis the Menace and Gnasher (1996) as Captain (voice)
- Catherine the Great (1996) as Bestuzhev
- Hamlet (1996) as Ghost of Hamlet's Father
- Genius: Pythagoras (1996) as Self
- Soccer AM (1995) as Self
- The Doctors: 30 Years of Time Travel and Beyond (1995)
- Johnny and the Dead (1995) as William Stickers
- Kidnapped (1995) as Cluny MacPherson
- MacGyver: Lost Treasure of Atlantis (1994) as Atticus
- David Macaulay: Roman City (1994) as Gaius Valerius (voice)
- Chasing the Deer (1994) as Maj. Elliot
- Lady Chatterley (1993) as Petty Officer
- GMTV (1993) as Self
- Sooty & Co. (1993) as Santa Claus
- Much Ado About Nothing (1993) as Antonio
- Freddie As F.R.O.7. (1992) as El Supremo (voice)
- Exam Conditions (1992) as Mr. Carksdale
- Back in the USSR (1992) as Chazov
- Blood and Dust (1992) as Chatillon
- Old Rococo: The Life of Gioacchino Rossini (1992) as Voice of Rossini
- Pebble Mill (1991) as Self
- Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991) as Lord Locksley
- Prisoner of Honor (1991) as Gen. Gonse
- Galahad of Everest (1991) as George Mallory/Self
- Have I Got News for You (1990) as Self - Host
- The Castle of Adventure (1990) as Sam
- The Castle of Adventure (1990) as Sam
- David Macaulay: Pyramid (1989) as Ankhaf (voice)
- Henry V (1989) as Exeter
- The Old Man Of The Mountain (1989) as Narrator
- War and Remembrance (1988) as Yevlenko
- A Question of Entertainment (1988)
- Crossbow (1987)
- The Gnostics (1987) as Guilhabert De Castres
- My Family and Other Animals (1987) as Spiro
- Lovejoy (1986) as Harry Catapodis
- Doctor Who: Mindwarp (1986) as King Yrcanos
- John Silver's Return to Treasure Island (1986) as Long John Silver
- David Macaulay: Cathedral (1986) as Master Guillaume (voice)
- Blake's 7: The Beginning (1985) as Vargas
- The Last Days of Pompeii (1984) as Olinthus
- The Master of Ballantrae (1984) as Captain Teach
- Natural World (1983)
- Blackadder (1983) as King Richard IV
- High Road to China (1983) as Suleman Khan
- The Hound of the Baskervilles (1983) as Geoffrey Lyons
- David Macaulay: Castle (1983) as Voice
- The Kenny Everett Television Show (1982) as Self
- Cosmic Princess (1982) as Mentor
- The Little World of Don Camillo (1981) as Peppone
- Flash Gordon (1980) as Prince Vultan
- Minder (1979) as Freddie Dyer
- Tales of the Unexpected (1979) as Detective Sergeant Jack Nolan
- The Aphrodite Inheritance (1979) as Basileos
- Tales of the Unexpected: Lamb to the Slaughter (1979) as Detective Jack Noonan
- Blake's 7 (1978) as Vargas
- A Christmas Carol (1977) as Narrator (voice)
- I, Claudius (1976) as Augustus
- The Eagle Has Landed (1976) as Arthur Seymour (voice) (uncredited)
- Nobody's House (1976) as Jack Treadful
- The Sweeney (1975) as Frank Kemble
- Space: 1999 (1975) as Mentor
- Space: 1999 (1975) as Cabot Rowland
- Survivors (1975) as Brod
- The Day After Tomorrow: Into Infinity (1975) as Dr. Tom Bowen
- A Midsummer Nightmare (1975) as Det Sgt George Briggs
- King Arthur, the Young Warlord (1975) as Mark of Cornwall
- The Day After Tomorrow (1975) as Dr. Tom Bowen
- Churchill's People (1974) as Guthrum
- Boy Dominic (1974) as William Woodcock
- Notorious Woman (1974) as Albert Grzymala
- Thriller (1973) as Det Sgt George Briggs
- European Heritage (1973) as Narrator (voice)
- Arthur of the Britons (1972) as Mark of Cornwall
- Shirley's World (1972)
- Henry VIII and His Six Wives (1972) as Suffolk
- Man of La Mancha (1972) as Pedro
- Justice (1971) as Tiger Lawson
- The Trojan Women (1971) as Talthybius
- The Last Valley (1971) as Korski
- The Bristol Entertainment (1971) as Cabot / Wolstan / Pocock / Colston / Pope Gregory / Dr. Beddoes
- Brotherly Love (1970) as Jack Baird
- Wine of India (1970) as Will
- ITV Saturday Night Theatre (1969) as Ted Gissing
- Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) (1969) as Jim Lawsey
- The Double Agent (1969) as Reg Sugden
- Till Death Us Do Part (1969) as Sergeant
- Son of Man (1969) as Peter
- The Expert (1968) as Hubert Innes
- Cold Comfort Farm (1968) as Reuben Starkadder
- ITV Playhouse (1967) as Reg Sugden
- ITV Playhouse (1967) as Jim Carter
- The Further Adventures of the Musketeers (1967) as Porthos
- The Three Musketeers (1966) as Porthos
- The Christmas Tree (1966)
- BBC Play of the Month (1965) as Sgt. Kite
- Public Eye (1965) as Rev. William Pratt
- The Troubleshooters (1965) as Eddie Barnaby
- The Wednesday Play (1964) as Peter
- The Wednesday Play (1964) as Will
- Doctor Who (1963) as King Yrcanos
- Z-Cars (1962) as PC Smith
- Z-Cars (1962) as PC Fancy Smith
- Z-Cars (1962) as PC William "Fancy" Smith
- The Avengers (1961) as Sergeant Hearn
- The Avengers (1961) as Mark Dayton
- Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951) as Captain Teach
- Have I Got a Bit More News for You as Self - Presenter
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Brian Blessed best known for?
Brian Blessed is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including Time Travel Is Dangerous! (2025), Living Is Easy with Eyes Closed (2013), Blankety Blank (2021), Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans (2021).
When and where was Brian Blessed born?
Brian Blessed was born on October 9, 1936 in Mexborough, Yorkshire, England, UK.
How many credits does Brian Blessed have?
Brian Blessed has accumulated over 191 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1951 to 2026.
What is Brian Blessed's background in cinema and television?
Brian Blessed OBE is an English actor born on October 9, 1936, in Mexborough, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom. Known for his distinctive bushy beard, booming voice, and exuberant personality and performances, he has accumulated 184 known acting credits. His television roles include portraying PC Fancy Smith in Z-Car...
Brian Blessed by the numbers
191credits
97films
94TV series
1951–2026active years
Age in their best-rated roles
- The Expert (1968) as Hubert Innes — aged about 31
- John Silver's Return to Treasure Island (1986) as Long John Silver — aged about 49
- Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951) as Captain Teach — aged about 14
- The Amazing World of Gumball (2011) as Santa Claus (voice) — aged about 74
- Public Eye (1965) as Rev. William Pratt — aged about 28
- The Sweeney (1975) as Frank Kemble — aged about 38
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