Alun Armstrong
Born: 1946-07-17 in Annfield Plain, County Durham, England, UK
Known For: Acting
Biography
Alun Armstrong is a prolific English character actor. Armstrong grew up in County Durham in North East England. He first became interested in acting through Shakespeare productions at his grammar school. Since his career began in the early 1970s, he has played, in his words, "the full spectrum of characters from the grotesque to musicals... I always play very colourful characters, often a bit crazy, despotic, psychotic." His numerous credits include six different Dickens adaptations and seven series as eccentric ex-detective Brian Lane in New Tricks. Armstrong is also an accomplished stage actor who spent nine years with the Royal Shakespeare Company. He originated the role of Thénardier in the London production of Les Misérables and he won an Olivier Award for playing the title role in Sweeney Todd.
Filmography
2025
- The Choral as Herbert Trickett
2024
- After the Flood as Alan Benson
2023
- Tom Jones as Squire Western
2022
- Sherwood as Gary Jackson
- Remembers… as Self
2021
2020
- Breeders as Jim
- Breaking The Codes
2019
- Year of the Rabbit as Chief Inspector Hugh Wisbech
- Out of Innocence as Detective Callaghan
2017
- Prime Suspect 1973 as Clifford Bentley
2016
- Frontier as Lord Benton
- Dark Angel as George Stot
- Asunder as Self - Narrator (voice)
- Golden Years as Sid
2014
- Penny Dreadful as Vincent Brand
2012
- The Hollow Crown as Northumberland
- The Mystery of Edwin Drood as Hiram Grewgious
2010
- Les Misérables: 25th Anniversary in Concert as Monsieur Thenardier (1985 Cast)
- A Passionate Woman as Donald (1980s)
2009
- Garrow's Law as John Southouse
2008
- Little Dorrit as Ephraim Flintwinch
- Filth: The Mary Whitehouse Story as Ernest Whitehouse
2007
- The Dinner Party as Jim
2006
- Eragon as Uncle Garrow
- The Girls Who Came to Stay as Bob Jenkins
2005
- Bleak House as Inspector Bucket
- Oliver Twist as Magistrate Fang
- Millions as Saint Peter
2004
- New Tricks as Brian Lane
- Van Helsing as Cardinal Jinette
- Van Helsing: The London Assignment as Cardinal Jinetta (voice)
- When I'm Sixty-Four as Jim
- Carrie's War as Mr. Samuel Evans
2003
- Between The Sheets as Peter Delany
- It's All About Love as David
- Paradise Found as Camille Pissarro
2002
- Sparkhouse as Richard Bolton
- Inquisition as Martin
2001
- The Mummy Returns as Baltus Hafez
- Messiah as DCI Charlie McIntyre
- Bedtime as Neil Henshaw
- Adrian Mole: The Cappuccino Years as George Mole
- Strictly Sinatra as Bill
- Extinct as Himself - Narrator
- Score as George
2000
- Proof of Life as Wyatt
- Harrison's Flowers as Samuel Brubeck
- This Is Personal: The Hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper as Asst. Chief Const. George Oldfield
- This Is Personal: The Hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper as Asst. Chief Const. George Oldfield
- 7 Up 2000 as Himself - Narrator
1999
- Sleepy Hollow as High Constable
- David Copperfield as Dan Peggotty
- Oliver Twist as Mr. Fleming
- Onegin as Zaretsky
- G:MT Greenwich Mean Time as Uncle Henry
- With or Without You as Sammy
- Aristocrats as Lord Holland
1998
- In the Red as DCI Frank Jefferson
- The Destruction of Troy and the Adventures of Odysseus
1997
- The Saint as Inspector Teal
- Underworld
1996
- Our Friends in the North as Austin Donohue
- Brazen Hussies as Jimmy Hardcastle
- Breaking the Code as Mick Ross
- Witness Against Hitler as Pastor Harold Poelchau
1995
- Braveheart as Mornay
- An Awfully Big Adventure as Uncle Vernon
- Les Misérables: 10th Anniversary Concert at the Royal Albert Hall as Monsieur Thénardier
- Sorry About Last Night as Mickey
1994
- Black Beauty as Reuben Smith
- MacGyver: Trail to Doomsday as Capshaw
- Doggin' Around as Charlie Foster
1993
- Goggle Eyes as Gerald 'Goggle Eyes' Faulkner
- The Tempest as Caliban
1992
- Patriot Games as Owens
- Shakespeare: The Animated Tales as Caliban (voice)
- Split Second as Thrasher
- Blue Ice as Osgood
- The Life and Times of Henry Pratt as Uncle Teddy
- Goodbye Cruel World as Roy Grade
1991
- Stanley and the Women as Rufus Hilton
- Murder in Eden as Sgt McGing
- London Kills Me as John Stone
- American Friends as Dr. Weeks
1990
- White Hunter, Black Heart as Ralph Lockhart
- The Widowmaker as Dad
- Looking After Number One as Dick
- Sticky Wickets as Evans
1989
- Tales from the Crypt as Inspector Herbert
- Screen One as Det Supt Frank Burroughs
- The Jim Henson Hour as The Troll (archive audio)
- The Childeater as Stefano
- A Night on the Tyne as Willy
- That Summer of White Roses as Zemba
- Nineteen96 as Det. Supt. Frank Burroughs
1988
- The Storyteller as Troll (voice)
- The Storyteller: The True Bride as Troll (Voice)
- Number 27 as Murray Lester
1987
- Married... with Children as Trevor
- Inspector Morse as Superintendent Holdsby
1986
- ScreenPlay as Willy
1985
- A.D. as Gamesmaster
- The Caucasian Chalk Circle as Singer
- Billy the Kid and the Green Baize Vampire as Maxwell Randall, The Green Baize Vampire
- Number One as Blackpool Police Sergeant
1984
- Sharing Time as Luke
- The House as Mr. Smeth
1983
- Krull as Torquil
- Mr Moon's Last Case as Narrator
1981
- The French Lieutenant's Woman as Grimes
- Get Lost! as Neville Keaton
1980
- Fear of God as Trahearne
1979
- Measure for Measure as Provost
- All Day on the Sands
1978
- The BBC Television Shakespeare as Provost
- Enemy at the Door as Louis Mendoza
- Armchair Thriller as Trahearne
- Freedom of the Dig as Quinn
- Liza as Mikhalevich
1977
- BBC2 Play of the Week as Brodovich
- A Bridge Too Far as Cpl. Davies
- Premiere as Quinn
- A Sharp Intake of Breath as Arthur Clegg
- Romance as Weaver
- The Duellists as Lieutenant Lacourbe
- Risking It as Richard Clewes
- Our Day Out as Mr. Briggs
- Shooting the Chandelier as Brodovich
1976
- The New Avengers as Private George Harris
- The Chester Mystery Plays as Lightborne
- The Likely Lads as Tommy
1975
- The Sweeney as Peter Jenner
- The Stars Look Down as Joe Gowlan
1974
- Father Brown as Joe
- Porridge as Spraggon
- Easy Go as First docker
1973
- Thriller as Mike
- Centre Play as Richard Clewes
- Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? as Scaife
- Second City Firsts as Ken
- Armchair 30 as Glazier
- Sporting Scenes as Bernie
- Only Make Believe as Michael Biddle
- The Eyes Have It as Mike
- The 14 as Tommy
- The Sex Victims as George
1972
- New Scotland Yard as Ray Davies
- Villains as Terence 'Tel' Bolden
- Six Days of Justice as P.C. Williamson
1971
- Great Performances as Thénardier
- Justice as Bob Graham
- Get Carter as Keith
1970
- Play for Today as 1st Docker
1965
- BBC Play of the Month as Lightborne
- Public Eye as Vince Gregson