
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