Alun Armstrong

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.

Known For

Married... with Children

New Tricks

Great Performances

Play for Today

Play for Today

BBC Play of the Month

Tales from the Crypt

Inspector Morse

All Movies (87)

• The Choral2025 · as Herbert Trickett
• The Nicky Nack2021
• Breaking The Codes2020
• Out of Innocence2019 · as Detective Callaghan
• Possum2018 · as Maurice
• Funny Cow2018 · as Lenny
• Asunder2016 · as Self - Narrator (voice)
• Golden Years2016 · as Sid
• Les Misérables: 25th Anniversary in Concert2010 · as Monsieur Thenardier (1985 Cast)
• Filth: The Mary Whitehouse Story2008 · as Ernest Whitehouse
• The Dinner Party2007 · as Jim
• Eragon2006 · as Uncle Garrow
• The Girls Who Came to Stay2006 · as Bob Jenkins
• Oliver Twist2005 · as Magistrate Fang
• Millions2005 · as Saint Peter
• When I'm Sixty-Four2004 · as Jim
• Van Helsing: The London Assignment2004 · as Cardinal Jinetta (voice)
• Van Helsing2004 · as Cardinal Jinette
• Carrie's War2004 · as Mr. Samuel Evans
• It's All About Love2003 · as David
• Paradise Found2003 · as Camille Pissarro
• Inquisition2002 · as Martin
• Strictly Sinatra2001 · as Bill
• Score2001 · as George
• The Mummy Returns2001 · as Baltus Hafez
• Proof of Life2000 · as Wyatt
• Harrison's Flowers2000 · as Samuel Brubeck
• 7 Up 20002000 · as Himself - Narrator
• This Is Personal: The Hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper2000 · as Asst. Chief Const. George Oldfield
• Onegin1999 · as Zaretsky
• Sleepy Hollow1999 · as High Constable
• G:MT Greenwich Mean Time1999 · as Uncle Henry
• With or Without You1999 · as Sammy
• Aristocrats1999 · as Lord Holland
• The Saint1997 · as Inspector Teal
• Brazen Hussies1996 · as Jimmy Hardcastle
• Breaking the Code1996 · as Mick Ross
• Witness Against Hitler1996 · as Pastor Harold Poelchau
• Sorry About Last Night1995 · as Mickey
• Les Misérables: 10th Anniversary Concert at the Royal Albert Hall1995 · as Monsieur Thénardier
• Braveheart1995 · as Mornay
• An Awfully Big Adventure1995 · as Uncle Vernon
• MacGyver: Trail to Doomsday1994 · as Capshaw
• Doggin' Around1994 · as Charlie Foster
• Black Beauty1994 · as Reuben Smith
• The Tempest1993 · as Caliban
• Blue Ice1992 · as Osgood
• Patriot Games1992 · as Owens
• Split Second1992 · as Thrasher
• London Kills Me1991 · as John Stone
• American Friends1991 · as Dr. Weeks
• The Widowmaker1990 · as Dad
• Sticky Wickets1990 · as Evans
• White Hunter, Black Heart1990 · as Ralph Lockhart
• Looking After Number One1990 · as Dick
• Nineteen961989 · as Det. Supt. Frank Burroughs
• A Night on the Tyne1989 · as Willy
• The Childeater1989 · as Stefano
• That Summer of White Roses1989 · as Zemba
• Number 271988 · as Murray Lester
• The Storyteller: The True Bride1988 · as Troll (Voice)
• Billy the Kid and the Green Baize Vampire1985 · as Maxwell Randall, The Green Baize Vampire
• Number One1985 · as Blackpool Police Sergeant
• The Caucasian Chalk Circle1985 · as Singer
• The House1984 · as Mr. Smeth
• Krull1983 · as Torquil
• Mr Moon's Last Case1983 · as Narrator
• The French Lieutenant's Woman1981 · as Grimes
• Fear of God1980 · as Trahearne
• All Day on the Sands1979
• Measure for Measure1979 · as Provost
• Freedom of the Dig1978 · as Quinn
• Liza1978 · as Mikhalevich
• Our Day Out1977 · as Mr. Briggs
• Shooting the Chandelier1977 · as Brodovich
• The Duellists1977 · as Lieutenant Lacourbe
• Risking It1977 · as Richard Clewes
• A Bridge Too Far1977 · as Cpl. Davies
• The Chester Mystery Plays1976 · as Lightborne
• The Likely Lads1976 · as Tommy
• Easy Go1974 · as First docker
• The 141973 · as Tommy
• The Eyes Have It1973 · as Mike
• The Sex Victims1973 · as George
• Only Make Believe1973 · as Michael Biddle
• Get Carter1971 · as Keith
• My Little Eye— · as Dad

All TV Shows (73)

• After the Flood2024 · as Alan Benson
• Tom Jones2023 · as Squire Western
• Remembers…2022 · as Self
• Sherwood2022 · as Gary Jackson
• Breeders2020 · as Jim
• Year of the Rabbit2019 · as Chief Inspector Hugh Wisbech
• Prime Suspect 19732017 · as Clifford Bentley
• Frontier2016 · as Lord Benton
• Dark Angel2016 · as George Stot
• Penny Dreadful2014 · as Vincent Brand
• The Hollow Crown2012 · as Northumberland
• The Mystery of Edwin Drood2012 · as Hiram Grewgious
• A Passionate Woman2010 · as Donald (1980s)
• Garrow's Law2009 · as John Southouse
• Little Dorrit2008 · as Ephraim Flintwinch
• Bleak House2005 · as Inspector Bucket
• New Tricks2004 · as Brian Lane
• Between The Sheets2003 · as Peter Delany
• Sparkhouse2002 · as Richard Bolton
• Extinct2001 · as Himself - Narrator
• Bedtime2001 · as Neil Henshaw
• Messiah2001 · as DCI Charlie McIntyre
• Adrian Mole: The Cappuccino Years2001 · as George Mole
• This Is Personal: The Hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper2000 · as Asst. Chief Const. George Oldfield
• David Copperfield1999 · as Dan Peggotty
• Oliver Twist1999 · as Mr. Fleming
• In the Red1998 · as DCI Frank Jefferson
• Underworld1997
• Our Friends in the North1996 · as Austin Donohue
• Goggle Eyes1993 · as Gerald 'Goggle Eyes' Faulkner
• Shakespeare: The Animated Tales1992 · as Caliban (voice)
• Goodbye Cruel World1992 · as Roy Grade
• Stanley and the Women1991 · as Rufus Hilton
• Murder in Eden1991 · as Sgt McGing
• Screen One1989 · as Det Supt Frank Burroughs
• Screen One1989 · as Evans
• Screen One1989 · as Charlie Foster
• Tales from the Crypt1989 · as Inspector Herbert
• The Jim Henson Hour1989 · as The Troll (archive audio)
• The Storyteller1988 · as Troll (voice)
• Married... with Children1987 · as Trevor
• Inspector Morse1987 · as Superintendent Holdsby
• ScreenPlay1986 · as Willy
• A.D.1985 · as Gamesmaster
• The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby1982
• Get Lost!1981 · as Neville Keaton
• The BBC Television Shakespeare1978 · as Provost
• Armchair Thriller1978 · as Trahearne
• Enemy at the Door1978 · as Louis Mendoza
• BBC2 Play of the Week1977 · as Brodovich
• BBC2 Play of the Week1977 · as Mikhalevich
• A Sharp Intake of Breath1977
• Romance1977 · as Weaver
• The New Avengers1976 · as Private George Harris
• Days of Hope1975 · as Billy Shepherd
• The Stars Look Down1975 · as Joe Gowlan
• The Sweeney1975 · as Peter Jenner
• Father Brown1974 · as Joe
• Porridge1974 · as Spraggon
• Second City Firsts1973 · as Ken
• Centre Play1973 · as Richard Clewes
• Thriller1973 · as Mike
• Armchair 301973 · as Glazier
• Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?1973 · as Scaife
• Villains1972 · as Terence 'Tel' Bolden
• New Scotland Yard1972 · as Ray Davies
• Six Days of Justice1972 · as P.C. Williamson
• Justice1971 · as Bob Graham
• Great Performances1971 · as Thénardier
• Play for Today1970 · as 1st Docker
• Play for Today1970 · as Mr Briggs
• BBC Play of the Month1965 · as Lightborne
• Public Eye1965 · as Vince Gregson