John Shrapnel
Biography
John Morley Shrapnel was an English actor born in Birmingham, Warwickshire, on April 27, 1942. He was the son of Mary Lillian Myfanwy and journalist and author Norman Shrapnel. He passed away on February 14, 2020. As a stage actor, he was a member of Laurence Olivier's Royal National Theatre company and the Royal Shakespeare Company, and his stage appearances included performing as Sir Oliver Surface in The School for Scandal directed by Deborah Warner at the Barbican Centre in 2011. He also appeared extensively in film and television, with credits including Elizabeth R, Z-Cars, Edward and Mrs. Simpson, 101 Dalmatians, Space: 1999, Inspector Morse, Coogan's Run, Notting Hill, Foyle's War, Gladiator, and G.B.H., and he presented an episode of the 1983 BBC television travel series Great Little Railways.
Career overview
John Morley Shrapnel was an English actor born in Birmingham, Warwickshire, on April 27, 1942, to parents Mary Lillian Myfanwy Edwards and journalist and author Norman Shrapnel. He passed away on February 14, 2020. As a stage actor, Shrapnel was a member of Laurence Olivier's Royal National Theatre company and the Royal Shakespeare Company. His stage work included an appearance as Sir Oliver Surface in The School for Scandal, directed by Deborah Warner at the Barbican Centre in 2011.
In addition to his extensive stage career, Shrapnel appeared in numerous films and television programs. His television credits included roles in Elizabeth R, Z-Cars, Edward and Mrs. Simpson, Space: 1999, Inspector Morse, Coogan's Run, Foyle's War, and G.B.H. He also presented an episode of the 1983 BBC television travel series Great Little Railways. His film appearances included roles in 101 Dalmatians, Notting Hill, and Gladiator.
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Career timeline
Full Filmography
135 titles- Hamlet Within (2022)
- King Charles III (2017) as Archbishop of Canterbury
- The Lions Rule (2017) as Narrator (voice)
- Britain's Nuclear Bomb - The Inside Story (2017) as Narrator (Voice)
- The Return of the Flying Scotsman (2016) as Narrator - (Voice)
- Hamlet (2015) as Claudius/Ghost
- Branagh Theatre Live: The Winter's Tale (2015) as Camilo
- OXI, an Act of Resistance (2014) as Creon
- Building Burma's Death Railway: Moving Half the Mountain (2014) as Narrator
- Run. (2013) as St. Peter
- National Theatre Live: Macbeth (2013) as Duncan/Seyton/Old Man
- The Awakening (2011) as Reverend Hugh Purslow
- National Theatre Live: Phèdre (2009) as Théramène
- An Organization of Dreams (2009) as Father
- Merlin (2008) as The Sarrum
- Mirrors (2008) as Lorenzo Sapelli
- The Duchess (2008) as General Grey
- Apparitions (2008) as Cardinal Bukovak
- Chemical Wedding (2008) as Crowley
- Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007) as Lord Howard
- Once Upon a Time on the Westway (2007) as Billy Palmer
- Hindenburg: Titanic of the Skies (2007) as Himself (Narrator)
- Ancient Rome: The Rise and Fall of an Empire (2006) as Pompey
- Alien Autopsy (2006) as Michael Kuhn
- Shadow of the Sword (2005) as Archbishop
- Wachau - Valley of Golden Magic (2005) as Narrator (English Version)
- Troy (2004) as Nestor
- New Tricks (2004) as DAC John Felsham
- I Am Not an Animal (2004) as Narrator (voice)
- Seven Wonders of Ancient Egypt (2004) as Narrator
- Seven Wonders of Ancient Greece (2004) as Narrator
- Seven Wonders of Ancient Rome (2004) as Narrator
- Wild Women of Viramba (2003) as Narrator
- The Race for Everest (2003) as Narrator
- Foyle's War (2002) as Raymond Brooks
- The Inspector Lynley Mysteries (2002) as Sergent Mike McCaffrey
- Schönbrunn - Well of Beauty (2002) as Narrator (English Version)
- K-19: The Widowmaker (2002) as Admiral Bratyeev
- Whistle (2002) as Paul
- Alone (2002) as Hannah
- Claim (2002) as Lex Vandenberg
- Waking the Dead (2001) as John Christie
- The Body (2001) as Moshe Cohen
- The Gentleman Thief (2001) as Monty Sinclair
- Mountain Men: The Ghosts of K2 (2001) as Narrator
- Animals of the Ocean Desert (2001) as Narrator
- Gladiator (2000) as Gaius
- The 10th Kingdom (2000) as Governor of Prison
- Horizon: Supermassive Black Holes (2000) as Narrator
- Lost on Everest: The Search for Mallory and Irvine (2000) as Self - Narrator
- Notting Hill (1999) as PR Chief
- Mary, Mother of Jesus (1999) as Simon
- Hornblower: The Frogs and the Lobsters (1999) as General Charette
- The Strange Case of Delfina Potocka (1999) as Iwaszkiewicz
- Invasion: Earth (1998) as Air Marshal Bentley
- Lion Queen (1998) as Narrator (voice)
- Midsomer Murders (1997) as Max Jennings
- Midsomer Murders (1997) as Leo Clarke
- Jonathan Creek (1997) as Prof. Lance Graumann
- Predators Killing for a Living (1997)
- True Tilda (1997) as Reverand Glasson
- Bodyguards (1997) as Commander Alan MacIntyre
- St. Stephen's: The Living Cathedral (1997) as Narrator (English voice)
- 101 Dalmatians (1996) as Skinner
- Two Deaths (1996) as Cinca
- Alien Empire (1996) as Narrator
- Kavanagh Q.C. (1995) as Mr. Justice Griffin
- Coogan's Run (1995) as Douglas Crown
- King Arthur: His Life and Legends (1995)
- England, My England (1995) as Samuel Pepys
- Wycliffe (1994) as Dr. Sam Malvern
- Fatherland (1994) as General Globus
- Selling Hitler (1993) as Gerd Schulte-Hillen
- Between the Lines (1992) as Deputy Assistant Commissioner Dunning
- Between the Lines (1992) as D.C.C. Dunning
- Shakespeare: The Animated Tales (1992) as Claudius / The Ghost (voice)
- SS-3: The Assassination of Reinhard Heydrich (1992) as Narrator
- Hamlet (1992) as Claudius
- G.B.H. (1991) as Dr Jacobs
- Selling Hitler (1991) as Gerd Schülte-Hillen
- For the Greater Good (1991) as Norman May-Boys MP
- The Chief (1990) as Dan Cheyney
- The Tragedy of Flight 103: The Inside Story (1990) as BKA Police Chief
- Centrepoint (1990) as Claud Wareing
- How to Get Ahead in Advertising (1989) as Psychiatrist
- Blackeyes (1989) as Detective Blake
- About Face (1989)
- The Modern World: Ten Great Writers (1988) as Thomas Mann
- Testimony (1988) as Andre Zhdanov
- Vanity Fair (1987) as Lord Steyne
- Personal Services (1987) as Lionel
- Partition (1987) as General Flood
- Theban Plays: Antigone (1986) as Creon
- Theban Plays: Oedipus at Colonus (1986) as Creon
- Theban Plays: Oedipus the King (1986) as Creon
- Screen Two (1985) as Rev. Charles Tucker Eland
- Screen Two (1985) as Heiger
- Poppyland (1985) as George Sims
- The Burston Rebellion (1985) as Rev. Charles Tucker Eland
- Mr. Palfrey of Westminster (1984) as Adrian Vyner
- Sorrell and Son (1984) as Thomas Roland
- Natural World (1983) as Narrator
- The Woman in White (1982) as Sir Percival Glyde
- King Lear (1982) as Earl of Kent
- Private Schulz (1981) as German Newsreel Commentator (voice, uncredited)
- Timon of Athens (1981) as Alcibiades
- Troilus & Cressida (1981) as Hector
- The Tom Machine (1980)
- The Victim (1980) as Vincent Craig
- Screenplay (1979) as Matthias Erzberger
- Gossip from the Forest (1979) as Matthias Erzberger
- Armchair Thriller (1978) as Vincent Craig
- Flayed (1978) as Robert
- Edward and Mrs Simpson (1978) as Major Alexander Hardinge
- Edward & Mrs. Simpson (1978) as Maj. Alexander Hardinge
- BBC2 Play of the Week (1977) as McKendrick
- BBC2 Play of the Week (1977) as Robert
- The Three Hostages (1977) as Gaudian
- Professional Foul (1977) as McKendrick
- Plays for Britain (1976) as Voice of Leonard Brazil
- Hitting Town (1976) as Leonard Brazil (voice)
- Space: 1999 (1975) as Jack Tanner
- Hennessy (1975) as Tipaldi
- King Lear (1975) as Duke of Cornwall
- Good Girl (1974) as Christopher Wimple
- Pope Joan (1972) as Father James
- Justice (1971) as Roger Anderson
- Elizabeth R (1971) as Earl of Sussex
- Nicholas and Alexandra (1971) as Petya
- The Ha-Ha (1969) as Jamie
- It's Called the Sugar Plum (1969) as Wally Zuckerman
- Omnibus (1967) as Zborowski
- ITV Playhouse (1967) as Schoner
- BBC Play of the Month (1965) as Duke of Cornwall
- BBC Play of the Month (1965) as Viktor Myshlaevsky
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is John Shrapnel best known for?
John Shrapnel is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including The Awakening (2011), Merlin (2008), Mirrors (2008), The Duchess (2008).
When and where was John Shrapnel born?
John Shrapnel was born on April 27, 1942 in Birmingham, England, UK. They passed away on February 14, 2020.
How many credits does John Shrapnel have?
John Shrapnel has accumulated over 135 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1965 to 2022.
What is John Shrapnel's background in cinema and television?
John Morley Shrapnel was an English actor born in Birmingham, Warwickshire, on April 27, 1942. He was the son of Mary Lillian Myfanwy and journalist and author Norman Shrapnel. He passed away on February 14, 2020. As a stage actor, he was a member of Laurence Olivier's Royal National Theatre company and the Royal Shake...