Alun Armstrong
Acting • Born 1946-07-17
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
148 credits
Paradise Found
Movie • 2003
Camille Pissarro
The Saint
Movie • 1997
Inspector Teal
Krull
Movie • 1983
Torquil
The Mummy Returns
Movie • 2001
Baltus Hafez
Eragon
Movie • 2006
Uncle Garrow
Sleepy Hollow
Movie • 1999
High Constable
An Awfully Big Adventure
Movie • 1995
Uncle Vernon
The Nicky Nack
Movie • 2021
Van Helsing: The London Assignment
Movie • 2004
Cardinal Jinetta (voice)
Van Helsing
Movie • 2004
Cardinal Jinette
It's All About Love
Movie • 2003
David
Split Second
Movie • 1992
Thrasher
Patriot Games
Movie • 1992
Owens
MacGyver: Trail to Doomsday
Movie • 1994
Capshaw
Black Beauty
Movie • 1994
Reuben Smith
Les Misérables: 10th Anniversary Concert at the Royal Albert Hall
Movie • 1995
Thenardier
Sticky Wickets
Movie • 1990
Evans
G:MT Greenwich Mean Time
Movie • 1999
Uncle Henry
The Duellists
Movie • 1977
Lieutenant Lacourbe
Breaking the Code
Movie • 1996
Mick Ross
Carrie's War
Movie • 2004
Mr. Samuel Evans
Filth: The Mary Whitehouse Story
Movie • 2008
Ernest Whitehouse
Number One
Movie • 1985
Blackpool Police Sergeant
Witness Against Hitler
Movie • 1996
Pastor Harold Poelchau
Billy the Kid and the Green Baize Vampire
Movie • 1985
Maxwell Randall, The Green Baize Vampire
Our Day Out
Movie • 1977
Mr. Briggs
When I'm Sixty-Four
Movie • 2004
Jim
The Girls Who Came to Stay
Movie • 2006
Bob Jenkins
London Kills Me
Movie • 1991
John Stone
White Hunter, Black Heart
Movie • 1990
Ralph Lockhart
Les Misérables: 25th Anniversary in Concert
Movie • 2010
Monsieur Thenardier (1985 Cast)
Fear of God
Movie • 1980
Trahearne
Looking After Number One
Movie • 1990
Dick
The 14
Movie • 1973
Tommy
The Childeater
Movie • 1989
Stefano
Blue Ice
Movie • 1992
Osgood
With or Without You
Movie • 1999
Sammy
This Is Personal: The Hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper
Movie • 2000
Asst. Chief Const. George Oldfield
Braveheart
Movie • 1995
Mornay
A Night on the Tyne
Movie • 1989
Willy
All Day on the Sands
Movie • 1979
The Likely Lads
Movie • 1976
Tommy
The Dinner Party
Movie • 2007
Jim
The Widowmaker
Movie • 1990
Dad
Risking It
Movie • 1977
Richard Clewes
Sorry About Last Night
Movie • 1995
Mickey
The Choral
Movie • 2025
Herbert Trickett
Golden Years
Movie • 2016
Sid
Doggin' Around
Movie • 1994
Charlie Foster
Get Carter
Movie • 1971
Keith
A Bridge Too Far
Movie • 1977
Cpl. Davies
Harrison's Flowers
Movie • 2000
Samuel Brubeck
That Summer of White Roses
Movie • 1989
Zemba
Asunder
Movie • 2016
Self - Narrator (voice)
Inquisition
Movie • 2002
Martin
Brazen Hussies
Movie • 1996
Jimmy Hardcastle
Funny Cow
Movie • 2018
Lenny
Oliver Twist
Movie • 2005
Magistrate Fang
Strictly Sinatra
Movie • 2001
Bill
Millions
Movie • 2005
Saint Peter
Possum
Movie • 2018
Maurice
Score
Movie • 2001
George
7 Up 2000
Movie • 2000
Himself - Narrator
Proof of Life
Movie • 2000
Wyatt
Only Make Believe
Movie • 1973
Michael Biddle
Mr Moon's Last Case
Movie • 1983
Narrator
Out of Innocence
Movie • 2019
Detective Callaghan
Aristocrats
Movie • 1999
Lord Holland
The House
Movie • 1984
Mr. Smeth
Measure for Measure
Movie • 1979
Provost
The French Lieutenant's Woman
Movie • 1981
Grimes
Shooting the Chandelier
Movie • 1977
Brodovich
Easy Go
Movie • 1974
First docker
The Sex Victims
Movie • 1973
George
Onegin
Movie • 1999
Zaretsky
Nineteen96
Movie • 1989
Det. Supt. Frank Burroughs
The Eyes Have It
Movie • 1973
Mike
The Caucasian Chalk Circle
Movie • 1985
Singer
American Friends
Movie • 1991
Dr. Weeks
Freedom of the Dig
Movie • 1978
Quinn
Liza
Movie • 1978
Mikhalevich
Breaking The Codes
Movie • 2020
Number 27
Movie • 1988
Murray Lester
The Tempest
Movie • 1993
Caliban
My Little Eye
Movie
Dad
The Storyteller: The True Bride
Movie • 1988
Troll (Voice)
The Chester Mystery Plays
Movie • 1976
Lightborne
The Sweeney
TV • 1975
Peter Jenner
Thriller
TV • 1973
Mike
Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?
TV • 1973
Scaife
Tales from the Crypt
TV • 1989
Inspector Herbert
Bleak House
TV • 2005
Inspector Bucket
Inspector Morse
TV • 1987
Superintendent Holdsby
The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby
TV • 1982
A Sharp Intake of Breath
TV • 1977
Between The Sheets
TV • 2003
Peter Delany
Sparkhouse
TV • 2002
Richard Bolton
The Storyteller
TV • 1988
Troll (voice)
Our Friends in the North
TV • 1996
Austin Donohue
Little Dorrit
TV • 2008
Ephraim Flintwinch
Play for Today
TV • 1970
1st Docker
New Tricks
TV • 2004
Brian Lane
Bedtime
TV • 2001
Neil Henshaw
Get Lost!
TV • 1981
Neville Keaton
Underworld
TV • 1997
BBC Play of the Month
TV • 1965
Lightborne
Porridge
TV • 1974
Spraggon
Adrian Mole: The Cappuccino Years
TV • 2001
George Mole
A Passionate Woman
TV • 2010
Donald (1980s)
Garrow's Law
TV • 2009
John Southouse
Murder in Eden
TV • 1991
Sgt. McGing
Penny Dreadful
TV • 2014
Vincent Brand
This Is Personal: The Hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper
TV • 2000
Asst. Chief Const. George Oldfield
Tom Jones
TV • 2023
Squire Western
Frontier
TV • 2016
Lord Benton
Messiah
TV • 2001
DCI Charlie McIntyre
In the Red
TV • 1998
DCI Frank Jefferson
Dark Angel
TV • 2016
George Stot
Married... with Children
TV • 1987
Trevor
Enemy at the Door
TV • 1978
Louis Mendoza
Prime Suspect 1973
TV • 2017
Clifford Bentley
The Stars Look Down
TV • 1975
Joe Gowlan
Justice
TV • 1971
Bob Graham
A.D.
TV • 1985
Gamesmaster
Oliver Twist
TV • 1999
Mr. Fleming
Stanley and the Women
TV • 1991
Rufus Hilton
Goggle Eyes
TV • 1993
Gerald 'Goggle Eyes' Faulkner
David Copperfield
TV • 1999
Dan Peggotty
Days of Hope
TV • 1975
Billy Shepherd
Sherwood
TV • 2022
Gary Jackson
Breeders
TV • 2020
Jim
Extinct
TV • 2001
Himself - Narrator
The Hollow Crown
TV • 2012
Northumberland
Year of the Rabbit
TV • 2019
Chief Inspector Hugh Wisbech
Public Eye
TV • 1965
Vince Gregson
Shakespeare: The Animated Tales
TV • 1992
Caliban (voice)
Play for Today
TV • 1970
Mr Briggs
The Mystery of Edwin Drood
TV • 2012
Hiram Grewgious
Father Brown
TV • 1974
Joe
Armchair Thriller
TV • 1978
Trahearne
BBC2 Play of the Week
TV • 1977
Brodovich
BBC2 Play of the Week
TV • 1977
Mikhalevich
Great Performances
TV • 1971
Thénardier
The New Avengers
TV • 1976
Private George Harris
After the Flood
TV • 2024
Alan Benson
Goodbye Cruel World
TV • 1992
Roy Grade
Remembers…
TV • 2022
Self
Centre Play
TV • 1973
Richard Clewes