Alun Armstrong

Alun Armstrong

Acting
Born 1946-07-17 Annfield Plain, County Durham, England, UK

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.

Movies (88)

Braveheart
7.9

Braveheart

1995Movie7.9
The Mummy Returns
6.4

The Mummy Returns

2001Movie6.4
Sleepy Hollow
7.2

Sleepy Hollow

1999Movie7.2
Van Helsing
6.4

Van Helsing

2004Movie6.4
Patriot Games
6.7

Patriot Games

1992Movie6.7
The Saint
6.1

The Saint

1997Movie6.1
Krull
6.0

Krull

1983Movie6.0
A Bridge Too Far
7.2

A Bridge Too Far

1977Movie7.2
Proof of Life
6.2

Proof of Life

2000Movie6.2
Eragon
5.1

Eragon

2006Movie5.1
The Choral
6.5

The Choral

2025Movie6.5
Black Beauty
6.7

Black Beauty

1994Movie6.7
Split Second
6.0

Split Second

1992Movie6.0
Oliver Twist
6.8

Oliver Twist

2005Movie6.8
White Hunter, Black Heart
6.4

White Hunter, Black Heart

1990Movie6.4
Millions
6.4

Millions

2005Movie6.4
Get Carter
7.0

Get Carter

1971Movie7.0
The French Lieutenant's Woman
6.5

The French Lieutenant's Woman

1981Movie6.5
The Duellists
7.2

The Duellists

1977Movie7.2
Nineteen96

Nineteen96

1989Movie
Onegin
6.1

Onegin

1999Movie6.1
Possum
6.1

Possum

2018Movie6.1
Blue Ice
5.3

Blue Ice

1992Movie5.3
Harrison's Flowers
6.5

Harrison's Flowers

2000Movie6.5
MacGyver: Trail to Doomsday
6.0

MacGyver: Trail to Doomsday

1994Movie6.0
G:MT Greenwich Mean Time
5.6

G:MT Greenwich Mean Time

1999Movie5.6
Aristocrats
6.0

Aristocrats

1999Movie6.0
Van Helsing: The London Assignment
6.2

Van Helsing: The London Assignment

2004Movie6.2
Brazen Hussies
3.8

Brazen Hussies

1996Movie3.8
The Likely Lads
6.3

The Likely Lads

1976Movie6.3
Paradise Found
6.5

Paradise Found

2003Movie6.5
An Awfully Big Adventure
6.5

An Awfully Big Adventure

1995Movie6.5
Les Misérables: 25th Anniversary in Concert
8.3

Les Misérables: 25th Anniversary in Concert

2010Movie8.3
Number One
6.7

Number One

1985Movie6.7
Funny Cow
6.3

Funny Cow

2018Movie6.3
The Childeater
7.7

The Childeater

1989Movie7.7
It's All About Love
5.4

It's All About Love

2003Movie5.4
Les Misérables: 10th Anniversary Concert at the Royal Albert Hall
8.8

Les Misérables: 10th Anniversary Concert at the Royal Albert Hall

1995Movie8.8
Risking It

Risking It

1977Movie
Out of Innocence
6.6

Out of Innocence

2019Movie6.6
This Is Personal: The Hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper
7.0

This Is Personal: The Hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper

2000Movie7.0
Billy the Kid and the Green Baize Vampire
6.1

Billy the Kid and the Green Baize Vampire

1985Movie6.1
The Dinner Party
6.0

The Dinner Party

2007Movie6.0
American Friends
6.3

American Friends

1991Movie6.3
Only Make Believe
10.0

Only Make Believe

1973Movie10.0
London Kills Me
5.9

London Kills Me

1991Movie5.9
Golden Years
6.3

Golden Years

2016Movie6.3
Asunder

Asunder

2016Movie
The Chester Mystery Plays

The Chester Mystery Plays

1976Movie
Doggin' Around
6.0

Doggin' Around

1994Movie6.0
The House
5.7

The House

1984Movie5.7
That Summer of White Roses
6.0

That Summer of White Roses

1989Movie6.0
The Storyteller: The True Bride

The Storyteller: The True Bride

1988Movie
Sorry About Last Night
8.0

Sorry About Last Night

1995Movie8.0
The Sex Victims
5.0

The Sex Victims

1973Movie5.0
Our Day Out
7.8

Our Day Out

1977Movie7.8
The Destruction of Troy and the Adventures of Odysseus
6.0

The Destruction of Troy and the Adventures of Odysseus

1998Movie6.0
Breaking the Code
5.6

Breaking the Code

1996Movie5.6
The 14
5.9

The 14

1973Movie5.9
Strictly Sinatra
5.0

Strictly Sinatra

2001Movie5.0
Witness Against Hitler
8.0

Witness Against Hitler

1996Movie8.0
The Widowmaker
10.0

The Widowmaker

1990Movie10.0
Filth: The Mary Whitehouse Story
6.3

Filth: The Mary Whitehouse Story

2008Movie6.3
The Eyes Have It
7.3

The Eyes Have It

1973Movie7.3
Carrie's War
7.7

Carrie's War

2004Movie7.7
Score
7.0

Score

2001Movie7.0
When I'm Sixty-Four
5.4

When I'm Sixty-Four

2004Movie5.4
The Caucasian Chalk Circle

The Caucasian Chalk Circle

1985Movie
My Little Eye
9.0

My Little Eye

Movie9.0
Number 27
9.0

Number 27

1988Movie9.0
Measure for Measure
5.9

Measure for Measure

1979Movie5.9
Sticky Wickets

Sticky Wickets

1990Movie
Freedom of the Dig

Freedom of the Dig

1978Movie
The Tempest
5.0

The Tempest

1993Movie5.0
The Girls Who Came to Stay
8.0

The Girls Who Came to Stay

2006Movie8.0
Inquisition
7.0

Inquisition

2002Movie7.0
All Day on the Sands
7.0

All Day on the Sands

1979Movie7.0
The Nicky Nack

The Nicky Nack

2021Movie
Liza

Liza

1978Movie
7 Up 2000
8.0

7 Up 2000

2000Movie8.0
With or Without You
5.3

With or Without You

1999Movie5.3
Breaking The Codes

Breaking The Codes

2020Movie
Shooting the Chandelier

Shooting the Chandelier

1977Movie
Easy Go

Easy Go

1974Movie
Mr Moon's Last Case

Mr Moon's Last Case

1983Movie
Looking After Number One

Looking After Number One

1990Movie
A Night on the Tyne
9.0

A Night on the Tyne

1989Movie9.0
Fear of God
10.0

Fear of God

1980Movie10.0

TV Shows (73)

Married... with Children
7.7

Married... with Children

1987Series7.7
Play for Today
6.6

Play for Today

1970Series6.6
Great Performances
6.1

Great Performances

1971Series6.1
BBC Play of the Month
5.2

BBC Play of the Month

1965Series5.2
Tales from the Crypt
8.0

Tales from the Crypt

1989Series8.0
New Tricks
7.3

New Tricks

2004Series7.3
Inspector Morse
7.9

Inspector Morse

1987Series7.9
Penny Dreadful
7.8

Penny Dreadful

2014Series7.8
Villains
7.5

Villains

1972Series7.5
Remembers…
7.0

Remembers…

2022Series7.0
The Sweeney
8.1

The Sweeney

1975Series8.1
Thriller
7.0

Thriller

1973Series7.0
The BBC Television Shakespeare
6.0

The BBC Television Shakespeare

1978Series6.0
BBC2 Play of the Week
7.0

BBC2 Play of the Week

1977Series7.0
Frontier
6.8

Frontier

2016Series6.8
ScreenPlay
6.0

ScreenPlay

1986Series6.0
The Hollow Crown
7.4

The Hollow Crown

2012Series7.4
Little Dorrit
7.9

Little Dorrit

2008Series7.9
The Storyteller
8.2

The Storyteller

1988Series8.2
Shakespeare: The Animated Tales
6.4

Shakespeare: The Animated Tales

1992Series6.4
Sherwood
6.9

Sherwood

2022Series6.9
Centre Play
7.0

Centre Play

1973Series7.0
New Scotland Yard
6.3

New Scotland Yard

1972Series6.3
The Jim Henson Hour
9.0

The Jim Henson Hour

1989Series9.0
The New Avengers
7.1

The New Avengers

1976Series7.1
Public Eye
8.2

Public Eye

1965Series8.2
Justice
7.3

Justice

1971Series7.3
Screen One
7.2

Screen One

1989Series7.2
Breeders
6.8

Breeders

2020Series6.8
Bleak House
8.1

Bleak House

2005Series8.1
Enemy at the Door
8.2

Enemy at the Door

1978Series8.2
Sporting Scenes

Sporting Scenes

1973Series
Second City Firsts

Second City Firsts

1973Series
Porridge
8.1

Porridge

1974Series8.1
David Copperfield
7.1

David Copperfield

1999Series7.1
Year of the Rabbit
7.0

Year of the Rabbit

2019Series7.0
Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?
7.7

Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?

1973Series7.7
Our Friends in the North
7.7

Our Friends in the North

1996Series7.7
Premiere
7.0

Premiere

1977Series7.0
Armchair 30

Armchair 30

1973Series
Sharing Time

Sharing Time

1984Series
After the Flood
7.0

After the Flood

2024Series7.0
Father Brown
6.8

Father Brown

1974Series6.8
Six Days of Justice
10.0

Six Days of Justice

1972Series10.0
Prime Suspect 1973
7.3

Prime Suspect 1973

2017Series7.3
Oliver Twist
6.3

Oliver Twist

1999Series6.3
Garrow's Law
7.7

Garrow's Law

2009Series7.7
Messiah
7.4

Messiah

2001Series7.4
Tom Jones
6.0

Tom Jones

2023Series6.0
A.D.
5.4

A.D.

1985Series5.4
Romance

Romance

1977Series
The Mystery of Edwin Drood
5.9

The Mystery of Edwin Drood

2012Series5.9
Dark Angel
6.2

Dark Angel

2016Series6.2
A Sharp Intake of Breath
7.2

A Sharp Intake of Breath

1977Series7.2
Murder in Eden
7.0

Murder in Eden

1991Series7.0
The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby
7.7

The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby

1982Series7.7
Armchair Thriller
4.2

Armchair Thriller

1978Series4.2
Bedtime
4.3

Bedtime

2001Series4.3
In the Red
6.1

In the Red

1998Series6.1
Between The Sheets
5.2

Between The Sheets

2003Series5.2
Sparkhouse
7.8

Sparkhouse

2002Series7.8
Adrian Mole: The Cappuccino Years
6.0

Adrian Mole: The Cappuccino Years

2001Series6.0
Get Lost!
7.0

Get Lost!

1981Series7.0
The Stars Look Down
8.0

The Stars Look Down

1975Series8.0
A Passionate Woman
5.9

A Passionate Woman

2010Series5.9
Stanley and the Women
6.5

Stanley and the Women

1991Series6.5
The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole

The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole

Series
Underworld
7.0

Underworld

1997Series7.0
Goodbye Cruel World
7.5

Goodbye Cruel World

1992Series7.5
Goggle Eyes
8.0

Goggle Eyes

1993Series8.0
The Life and Times of Henry Pratt
10.0

The Life and Times of Henry Pratt

1992Series10.0
Extinct
8.0

Extinct

2001Series8.0
This Is Personal: The Hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper
7.4

This Is Personal: The Hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper

2000Series7.4