David Ryall
- Known For
- Acting
- Born
- January 5, 1935 in Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, England, UK
- Died
- December 25, 2014
- Active Years
- 1951–2014 (64 Years)
- Total Credits
- 132 credits in database
Biography
David John Ryall (5 January 1935 – 25 December 2014) was an English stage, film and television character actor. Born in Shoreham‑by‑Sea, West Sussex, he accumulated 129 credited roles. Ryall is noted for leading parts in the television series Lytton’s Diary and Goodnight Sweetheart, and for memorable performances in Dennis Potter’s The Singing Detective and Andrew Davies’s adaptation To Play the King. On sitcoms he played Billy Buzzle in the ITV series Bless Me, Father and Frank in the BBC series Outnumbered. His career began in the mid‑1970s and continued until his death in 2014.
Career overview
David Ryall (5 January 1935 – 25 December 2014) was an English actor whose work spanned stage, film and television. Born in Shoreham‑by‑Sea, West Sussex, he began appearing on British television in the mid‑1970s and built a reputation as a versatile character actor. Ryall achieved leading‑role status in the series Lytton’s Diary and the time‑travel comedy Goodnight Sweetheart, where his performances were highlighted alongside his extensive supporting work.
Among his most noted television appearances were memorable parts in Dennis Potter’s The Singing Detective and in Andrew Davies’s adaptation of To Play the King, both of which showcased his ability to convey complex, often darker, material. Ryall also contributed to sitcoms, portraying Billy Buzzle in the ITV series Bless Me, Father and later appearing as Frank in the BBC’s Outnumbered. Throughout his career he accumulated more than one hundred credited roles across various media, reflecting a steady presence in British entertainment until his death in 2014 at the age of 79.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full Filmography
132 titles- Automata (2014) as Dominic Hawk
- Mr. Turner (2014) as Footman
- The Village (2013) as Old Bert Middleton
- The Tractate Middoth (2013) as Dr Thomas Rant
- Call the Midwife (2012) as Tommy Mills
- Quartet (2012) as Harry
- Trollied (2011)
- Hysteria (2011) as Judge
- The Broken Santa (2011) as Frank Morrison
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010) as Elphias Doge
- The Robbers (2009) as Frank Morrison
- City of Ember (2008) as Chief Builder
- Bonekickers (2008)
- Crooked House (2008) as Mr Paget
- Lewis (2007) as Mr. Cooper
- Outnumbered (2007) as Granddad
- Clapham Junction (2007) as Vicar
- The Worst Journey in the World (2007) as Curator
- Le Grand Charles (2006) as Winston Churchill
- Pickles: The Dog Who Won the World Cup (2006) as Meriweather
- The League of Gentlemen's Apocalypse (2005) as Tom Tit
- New Tricks (2004) as Jasper Urquhart
- Around the World in 80 Days (2004) as Lord Salisbury
- State of Play (2003) as Bob Coutts
- Byron (2003) as Sir Ralph Milbanke
- Blackball (2003) as Giles Wilton
- Byron (2003) as Sir Ralph Milbanke
- Looking for Victoria (2003) as Henry James
- Lucky Jim (2003) as Stanley
- Foyle's War (2002) as Dr. Henderson
- Ultimate Force (2002)
- Unconditional Love (2002) as Funeral Director
- Bertie and Elizabeth (2002) as Winston Churchill
- Two Men Went To War (2002) as Winston Churchill
- The Cicerones (2002) as Figure in Pulpit
- In Deep (2001) as Denver
- Oliver Twist (1999) as Mr. Fang, magistrate
- Mad Cows (1999) as Man outside Harrods
- In the Red (1998) as Max Parker
- Midsomer Murders (1997) as Bob Moss
- Plotlands (1997) as Harry Crowley
- The Legacy of Reginald Perrin (1996)
- Black Eyes (1996) as Grandad
- Hamish Macbeth (1995) as Paul Jeffreys
- The Final Cut (1995) as Sir Bruce Bullerby
- Restoration (1995) as Lord Bathurst
- Jake's Progress (1995) as Alex Halliwell
- Carrington (1995) as Mayor
- Mrs Hartley and the Growth Centre (1995) as Dr Simmonds
- Pie in the Sky (1994) as Jack Bolland
- Fatherland (1994) as Administrator Kruger
- Black Beauty (1994) as Carriagemaker
- Giorgino (1994) as Professor Beaumont
- Milner (1994) as Dave Stiles
- Law and Disorder (1994)
- Peak Practice (1993) as Ben Jones
- Goodnight Sweetheart (1993) as Eric Elward
- To Play the King (1993) as Sir Bruce Bullerby
- The Entertainer (1993) as Bill
- Justice (1993) as englischer Minister
- Shuttlecock (1993) as Pound
- Heartbeat (1992) as Howard Dufton
- A Touch of Frost (1992) as Edward Cull
- The Borrowers (1992) as Crampfurl
- Anglo Saxon Attitudes (1992) as Frank Rammage
- Witchcraft (1992) as Oxford Librarian
- The Secret Agent (1992) as Wurme
- Revolver (1992) as Aldo Testi
- Running Late (1992) as Wicks
- Prime Suspect (1991) as Oscar Bream
- Performance (1991) as Bill
- The Men's Room (1991) as Alan Pascoe
- For the Greater Good (1991) as Jack Brooke
- Truly Madly Deeply (1991) as George
- One Against the Wind (1991) as Dumont, Mary's Lawyer
- The Chief (1990) as Charlie Summers
- Perfect Scoundrels (1990) as Vicar
- The Russia House (1990) as Colonial Type
- Who Bombed Birmingham? (1990) as Dr. Frank Skuse
- The Saint: The Software Murders (1990) as Teal
- The Paradise Club (1989) as Bishop Sykes
- About Face (1989)
- The Woman in Black (1989) as Sweetman
- Wilt (1989) as Rev. Froude
- Nineteen96 (1989) as Sir Cyril Llewellyn
- The Saint: The Brazilian Connection (1989) as Teal
- A Beginners Guide to Freud (1989) as Charcot
- The Modern World: Ten Great Writers (1988) as Pastor Kroll
- Jack the Ripper (1988) as Bowyer
- South of the Border (1988) as Trevor Mitchell
- The Return of Shelley (1988)
- The River (1988) as Colonel Danvers
- Starlings (1988) as Mr James
- Inspector Morse (1987) as Derek Whittaker
- The Ruth Rendell Mysteries (1987) as Bill
- Casualty (1986) as Eddie Gash
- Casualty (1986) as Tom Harley
- Casualty (1986) as Dr. James Baker
- Lovejoy (1986) as Sam Cavendish
- The Singing Detective (1986) as Mr Hall
- Lytton's Diary (1985) as Norman
- Blake's 7: The Beginning (1985) as Selman
- The Bill (1984)
- Reilly: Ace of Spies (1983) as Glass
- Number 10 (1983) as Charles Fox
- Spyship (1983)
- Fords on Water (1983) as Mister Jack
- On the Line (1982) as Charles Blanchard
- Walter (1982) as Mr. Richards
- The Elephant Man (1980) as Man With Whores
- Drake's Venture (1980) as Sir Francis Wisingham
- Dreams of Leaving (1980) as Drunk Journalist
- 'Tis Pity She's a Whore (1980) as Richardetto
- Dying Day (1980) as Lane
- Minder (1979) as Ashley Brown
- The Knowledge (1979) as Titanic Walters
- Blake's 7 (1978) as Selman
- Enemy at the Door (1978) as Capt. Tom Foster-Smythe
- Enemy at the Door (1978) as Captain Tom Foster-Smythe
- Bless Me Father (1978) as Billy Buzzle
- Black Joy (1977) as Butcher
- The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin (1976) as Welton Ormsby
- The Legend of Robin Hood (1975) as Abbot of Grantham
- The Pallisers (1974) as Sextus Parker
- The Aweful Mr Goodall (1974) as Dolman
- Crown Court (1972)
- Crown Court (1972) as Magnus Benjamin
- A Ghost Story for Christmas (1971) as Rant
- The Dance of Death (1969) as Sentry
- One Pair of Eyes (1967)
- Much Ado About Nothing (1967) as The Sexton
- Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951) as Dumont
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is David Ryall best known for?
David Ryall is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including Automata (2014), Mr. Turner (2014), The Swarm (1978), Call the Midwife (2012).
When and where was David Ryall born?
David Ryall was born on January 5, 1935 in Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, England, UK. They passed away on December 25, 2014.
How many credits does David Ryall have?
David Ryall has accumulated over 132 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1951 to 2014.
What is David Ryall's background in cinema and television?
David John Ryall (5 January 1935 – 25 December 2014) was an English stage, film and television character actor. Born in Shoreham‑by‑Sea, West Sussex, he accumulated 129 credited roles. Ryall is noted for leading parts in the television series Lytton’s Diary and Goodnight Sweetheart, and for memorable performances in De...
David Ryall by the numbers
Age in their best-rated roles
- Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951) as Dumont — aged about 16
- Pie in the Sky (1994) as Jack Bolland — aged about 59
- Enemy at the Door (1978) as Capt. Tom Foster-Smythe — aged about 43
- Enemy at the Door (1978) as Captain Tom Foster-Smythe — aged about 43
- The Modern World: Ten Great Writers (1988) as Pastor Kroll — aged about 53
- The Elephant Man (1980) as Man With Whores — aged about 45
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