Mark Williams
Biography
Mark Williams was born on August 22, 1959, in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, England, United Kingdom. He is an English actor, comedian, presenter, and screenwriter who has accrued 114 known acting credits. Williams first gained widespread recognition as a central performer in the popular BBC sketch show The Fast Show. His film career includes playing Horace in the 1996 adaptation of 101 Dalmatians and Arthur Weasley in seven films of the Harry Potter series. On television, he made recurring appearances as Brian Williams in Doctor Who and as Olaf Petersen in Red Dwarf. Since 2013, Williams has portrayed the title character in the BBC series Father Brown, which is loosely based on the short stories by G. K. Chesterton.
Career overview
Mark Williams was born on August 22, 1959, in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, England, United Kingdom. He is an English actor, comedian, presenter, and screenwriter who has established a diverse body of work across television and film. He first achieved widespread recognition as one of the central performers in the popular BBC sketch show The Fast Show.
In his film career, Williams played Horace in the 1996 adaptation of 101 Dalmatians and portrayed Arthur Weasley in seven of the Harry Potter films. His television credits include recurring appearances as Brian Williams in the BBC series Doctor Who and as Olaf Petersen in Red Dwarf. Since 2013, he has portrayed the title character in the long-running BBC series loosely based on the Father Brown short stories by G. K. Chesterton.
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Career timeline
Full filmography
- The Secret Santa Project (2025) as Leon
- Dream Hacker (2025) as Edgar Wainwright
- Robin and the Hoods (2024) as The Mayor
- Surprised by Oxford (2023) as Professor Nuttham
- The Effects of Lying (2023)
- Sister Boniface Mysteries (2022) as Father Brown
- Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts (2022) as Self
- Fantastic Friends (2022) as Self
- Here We Go (2022) as Frank
- Super Villans (2022) as Self
- Super Villans (2022) Presenter
- Super Villans (2022) Writer
- The Fast Show: More Blooming Catchphrases (2020) as Self/Various Characters
- The Fast Show: Just a Load of Blooming Catchphrases (2020) Writer
- Early Man (2018) as Barry (voice)
- Harry Potter: A History Of Magic (2017) as Himself
- Heidi: Queen of the Mountain (2017) as Henry
- Red Top (2016) as Police Commissioner Hamish Pritchard
- Golden Years (2016) as Phil
- We're Going on a Bear Hunt (2016) as Dad (voice)
- Born Naughty? (2015) as Self - Narrator (voice)
- The Musketeers (2014) as Pathologist
- Father Brown (2013) as Father Brown
- Blandings (2013) as Sebastian Beach
- The Look of Love (2013) as Follies Director
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) as Arthur Weasley
- Albert Nobbs (2011) as Sean Casey
- 50 Greatest Harry Potter Moments (2011) as Arthur Weasley (archive footage)
- When Harry Left Hogwarts (2011) as Self
- Frankenstein's Wedding... Live in Leeds (2011) as Alphonse Frankenstein
- Fern (2011)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010) as Arthur Weasley
- Little Crackers (2010) as Father Christmas
- The Indian Doctor (2010) as Richard Sharpe
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009) as Arthur Weasley
- Being Human (2009) as Regus
- Steve Coogan: The Inside Story (2009) as Self
- Merlin (2008) as The Goblin (voice)
- Sense and Sensibility (2008) as Sir John Middleton
- A Room with a View (2008) as Mr Beebe
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) as Arthur Weasley
- Stardust (2007) as Billy
- A Room with a View (2007) as Mr Beebe
- The One Show (2006) as Self
- Saxondale (2006) as Deggsy
- Viva Blackpool (2006) as Tommy Vesty
- Saxondale: On The Road (2006) as Self
- The World's Strangest UFO Stories (2006) as Self - Narrator (voice)
- Doctor Who (2005) as Brian Williams
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) as Arthur Weasley
- A Cock and Bull Story (2005) as Ingoldsby
- The Rotters' Club (2005) as Sam Chase
- Agatha Christie's Marple (2004) as Commander Peters
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) as Arthur Weasley
- New Tricks (2004) as David Beaumont
- Hustle (2004) as Dale Ridley
- Carrie & Barry (2004) as Kirk
- Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London (2004) as Inspector Crescent
- The Heart of Me (2004) as Man
- Mark Williams On The Rails (2004) as Self - Presenter
- The Fast Show: The Farewell Tour (2003) as Various
- Star (2003) as Mr Fisher
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) as Arthur Weasley
- Shackleton (2002) as Dudley Docker
- Industrial Revelations (2002)
- Dick Whittington: The ITV Pantomime (2002) as King Rat
- Anita and Me (2002) as The Reverend 'Uncle' Alan
- The Final Curtain (2002) as Declan Farrell
- Exit Wounds (2001) as Cop
- Second Star to the Left (2001) as Duke (voice)
- Fun at the Funeral Parlour (2001)
- High Heels and Low Lifes (2001) as Tremaine
- Combat Sheep (2001) as Moose (voice)
- Jumpers for Goalposts (2001) as Tommy Stein
- Happiness (2001)
- Gormenghast (2000) as Professor Perch
- Whatever Happened to Harold Smith? (2000) as Roland Thornton
- The Strangerers (2000) as Cadet Flynn
- Happy Birthday Shakespeare (2000) as Ted
- Loose Women (1999) as Self
- Suit You Sir! The Inside Leg Of The Fast Show (1999) as Self
- Hunting Venus (1999) as Peter
- Shakespeare in Love (1998) as Wabash
- Comedy Lab (1998) as Mr. Anderson
- The Fast Show Live (1998)
- Ted & Ralph (1998) as Confirmed Bachelor
- Midsomer Murders (1997) as Pat Everett
- The Borrowers (1997) as Exterminator Jeff
- 101 Dalmatians (1996) as Horace
- The Big Game (1995) as Tommy Hollis
- The Fast Show (1994) as Various Characters
- The Fast Show (1994) Writer
- Harry Enfield and Chums (1994) as Husband on Holiday
- 99-1 (1994) as John Samms
- Prince of Jutland (1994) as Aslak
- Fever (1994) as Jukebox Man
- Peak Practice (1993) as Roland Grogan
- Chef (1993) as Policeman 2
- The Smell of Reeves and Mortimer (1993)
- Bottom (1991) as Boris
- Merlin of the Crystal Cave (1991) as Cerdic
- Kinsey (1991) as Danny
- KYTV (1989)
- Dragon Fight (1989) as Ray
- Great Expectations (1989) as Mr. Trabb's Son
- Red Dwarf (1988) as Olaf Petersen
- The Storyteller (1988) as Fearnot's Brother
- Tumbledown (1988) as Lumpy
- Alexei Sayle's Stuff (1988)
- The Storyteller: Fearnot (1988) as Fearnot's Brother
- Coppers (1988)
- Casualty (1986) as Des Jones
- Privileged (1982) as Wilf
- Top of the Pops (1964) as Self - Host
- The Dark Channel as Mabuse
- Lead Heads
- Mark Williams' Big Bangs