Acting · Annfield Plain, County Durham, England, UK · Born July 17, 1946
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.
MovieThe Choral
2025
as Herbert Trickett
TVAfter the Flood
2024
as Alan Benson
TVTom Jones
2023
as Squire Western
TVRemembers…
2022
as Self
TVSherwood
2022
as Gary Jackson
MovieThe Nicky Nack
2021
TVBreeders
2020
as Jim
MovieBreaking The Codes
2020
TVYear of the Rabbit
2019
as Chief Inspector Hugh Wisbech
MovieOut of Innocence
2019
as Detective Callaghan
MoviePossum
2018
as Maurice
MovieFunny Cow
2018
as Lenny
TVPrime Suspect 1973
2017
as Clifford Bentley
TVFrontier
2016
as Lord Benton
TVDark Angel
2016
as George Stot
MovieAsunder
2016
as Self - Narrator (voice)
MovieGolden Years
2016
as Sid
TVPenny Dreadful
2014
as Vincent Brand
TVThe Hollow Crown
2012
as Northumberland
TVThe Mystery of Edwin Drood
2012
as Hiram Grewgious
MovieLes Misérables: 25th Anniversary in Concert
2010
as Monsieur Thenardier (1985 Cast)
TVA Passionate Woman
2010
as Donald (1980s)
TVGarrow's Law
2009
as John Southouse
TVLittle Dorrit
2008
as Ephraim Flintwinch
MovieFilth: The Mary Whitehouse Story
2008
as Ernest Whitehouse
MovieThe Dinner Party
2007
as Jim
MovieEragon
2006
as Uncle Garrow
The Girls Who Came to Stay
2006
as Bob Jenkins
TVBleak House
2005
as Inspector Bucket
MovieOliver Twist
2005
as Magistrate Fang
MovieMillions
2005
as Saint Peter
MovieWhen I'm Sixty-Four
2004
as Jim
MovieVan Helsing: The London Assignment
2004
as Cardinal Jinetta (voice)
MovieVan Helsing
2004
as Cardinal Jinette
MovieCarrie's War
2004
as Mr. Samuel Evans
TVNew Tricks
2004
as Brian Lane
TVBetween The Sheets
2003
as Peter Delany
MovieIt's All About Love
2003
as David
MovieParadise Found
2003
as Camille Pissarro
MovieInquisition
2002
as Martin
TVSparkhouse
2002
as Richard Bolton
Extinct
2001
as Himself - Narrator
TVBedtime
2001
as Neil Henshaw
MovieStrictly Sinatra
2001
as Bill
Score
2001
as George
TVMessiah
2001
as DCI Charlie McIntyre
MovieThe Mummy Returns
2001
as Baltus Hafez
TVAdrian Mole: The Cappuccino Years
2001
as George Mole
MovieProof of Life
2000
as Wyatt
MovieHarrison's Flowers
2000
as Samuel Brubeck
Movie7 Up 2000
2000
as Himself - Narrator
MovieThis Is Personal: The Hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper
2000
as Asst. Chief Const. George Oldfield
TVThis Is Personal: The Hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper
2000
as Asst. Chief Const. George Oldfield
TVDavid Copperfield
1999
as Dan Peggotty
MovieOnegin
1999
as Zaretsky
TVOliver Twist
1999
as Mr. Fleming
MovieSleepy Hollow
1999
as High Constable
MovieG:MT Greenwich Mean Time
1999
as Uncle Henry
MovieWith or Without You
1999
as Sammy
MovieAristocrats
1999
as Lord Holland
TVIn the Red
1998
as DCI Frank Jefferson
TVUnderworld
1997
MovieThe Saint
1997
as Inspector Teal
MovieBrazen Hussies
1996
as Jimmy Hardcastle
MovieBreaking the Code
1996
as Mick Ross
MovieWitness Against Hitler
1996
as Pastor Harold Poelchau
TVOur Friends in the North
1996
as Austin Donohue
MovieSorry About Last Night
1995
as Mickey
MovieLes Misérables: 10th Anniversary Concert at the Royal Albert Hall
1995
as Monsieur Thénardier
MovieBraveheart
1995
as Mornay
MovieAn Awfully Big Adventure
1995
as Uncle Vernon
MovieMacGyver: Trail to Doomsday
1994
as Capshaw
MovieDoggin' Around
1994
as Charlie Foster
MovieBlack Beauty
1994
as Reuben Smith
Goggle Eyes
1993
as Gerald 'Goggle Eyes' Faulkner
MovieThe Tempest
1993
as Caliban
TVShakespeare: The Animated Tales
1992
as Caliban (voice)
MovieBlue Ice
1992
as Osgood
MoviePatriot Games
1992
as Owens
MovieSplit Second
1992
as Thrasher
TVGoodbye Cruel World
1992
as Roy Grade
MovieLondon Kills Me
1991
as John Stone
TVStanley and the Women
1991
as Rufus Hilton
TVMurder in Eden
1991
as Sgt McGing
MovieAmerican Friends
1991
as Dr. Weeks
MovieThe Widowmaker
1990
as Dad
MovieSticky Wickets
1990
as Evans
MovieWhite Hunter, Black Heart
1990
as Ralph Lockhart
MovieLooking After Number One
1990
as Dick
MovieNineteen96
1989
as Det. Supt. Frank Burroughs
TVScreen One
1989
as Det Supt Frank Burroughs
MovieA Night on the Tyne
1989
as Willy
TVTales from the Crypt
1989
as Inspector Herbert
TVThe Jim Henson Hour
1989
as The Troll (archive audio)
MovieThe Childeater
1989
as Stefano
MovieThat Summer of White Roses
1989
as Zemba
MovieNumber 27
1988
as Murray Lester
MovieThe Storyteller: The True Bride
1988
as Troll (Voice)
TVThe Storyteller
1988
as Troll (voice)
TVMarried... with Children
1987
as Trevor
TVInspector Morse
1987
as Superintendent Holdsby
TVScreenPlay
1986
as Willy
MovieBilly the Kid and the Green Baize Vampire
1985
as Maxwell Randall, The Green Baize Vampire
TVA.D.
1985
as Gamesmaster
MovieNumber One
1985
as Blackpool Police Sergeant
MovieThe Caucasian Chalk Circle
1985
as Singer
MovieThe House
1984
as Mr. Smeth
Sharing Time
1984
as Luke
MovieKrull
1983
as Torquil
MovieMr Moon's Last Case
1983
as Narrator
TVThe Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby
1982
MovieThe French Lieutenant's Woman
1981
as Grimes
TVGet Lost!
1981
as Neville Keaton
Fear of God
1980
as Trahearne
MovieAll Day on the Sands
1979
MovieMeasure for Measure
1979
as Provost
TVThe BBC Television Shakespeare
1978
as Provost
MovieFreedom of the Dig
1978
as Quinn
MovieLiza
1978
as Mikhalevich
TVArmchair Thriller
1978
as Trahearne
TVEnemy at the Door
1978
as Louis Mendoza
MovieOur Day Out
1977
as Mr. Briggs
MovieShooting the Chandelier
1977
as Brodovich
Premiere
1977
as Quinn
TVBBC2 Play of the Week
1977
as Brodovich
MovieThe Duellists
1977
as Lieutenant Lacourbe
TVA Sharp Intake of Breath
1977
MovieRisking It
1977
as Richard Clewes
MovieA Bridge Too Far
1977
as Cpl. Davies
Romance
1977
as Weaver
TVThe New Avengers
1976
as Private George Harris
MovieThe Chester Mystery Plays
1976
as Lightborne
MovieThe Likely Lads
1976
as Tommy
TVDays of Hope
1975
as Billy Shepherd
TVThe Stars Look Down
1975
as Joe Gowlan
TVThe Sweeney
1975
as Peter Jenner
TVFather Brown
1974
as Joe
TVPorridge
1974
as Spraggon
MovieEasy Go
1974
as First docker
Second City Firsts
1973
as Ken
TVCentre Play
1973
as Richard Clewes
MovieThe 14
1973
as Tommy
MovieThe Eyes Have It
1973
as Mike
TVThriller
1973
as Mike
Armchair 30
1973
as Glazier
MovieThe Sex Victims
1973
as George
MovieOnly Make Believe
1973
as Michael Biddle
TVWhatever Happened to the Likely Lads?
1973
as Scaife
TVVillains
1972
as Terence 'Tel' Bolden
TVNew Scotland Yard
1972
as Ray Davies
TVSix Days of Justice
1972
as P.C. Williamson
TVJustice
1971
as Bob Graham
MovieGet Carter
1971
as Keith
TVGreat Performances
1971
as Thénardier
TVPlay for Today
1970
as 1st Docker
TVBBC Play of the Month
1965
as Lightborne
TVPublic Eye
1965
as Vince Gregson
My Little Eye
as Dad
