John Shrapnel

John Shrapnel

Acting
Born 1942-04-27 - Died 2020-02-14Birmingham, England, UK

Biography

Shrapnel was born in Birmingham, Warwickshire, the son of Mary Lillian Myfanwy (née Edwards) and journalist/author Norman Shrapnel.[1] As a stage actor, he was a member of Laurence Olivier's Royal National Theatre company and the Royal Shakespeare Company and most recently appeared as Sir Oliver Surface in The School for Scandal (directed by Deborah Warner) at the Barbican Centre in 2011. He has also appeared extensively in film and on television in roles in Elizabeth R, Z-Cars, Edward and Mrs. Simpson, 101 Dalmatians, Space: 1999, Inspector Morse, Coogan's Run, Notting Hill and Foyle's War. He presented an episode of the 1983 BBC television travel series Great Little Railways. He gave performances in three entries in the BBC Television Shakespeare plays and as Creon in the BBC's 1984 productions of the Three Theban plays of Sophocles. In America, he has starred in supporting roles as Senator Gaius in Gladiator, Nestor in Troy and Pompey in the second episode of Ancient Rome: The Rise and Fall of an Empire. He also played the Jail Warden in the 10th Kingdom, an epic fantasy miniseries. He has the rare achievement of appearing in two episodes of Midsomer Murders as two different characters, in Death in Chorus and Written in Blood. Shrapnel appeared in an episode of Jonathan Creek as Professor Lance Graumann in the episode The Omega Man. He appears in Chemical Wedding alongside Simon Callow, telling the tale of the resurrection of occultist Aleister Crowley. Shrapnel also has experience in the field of BBC radio drama through such characters as Colin Dexter's Inspector Morse and William Gibson's Neuromancer. He is the son-in-law of Deborah Kerr through his 1975 marriage to her younger daughter Francesca Ann Bartley. They have three sons, the actors Lex Shrapnel (b.1979), Tom Shrapnel (b.1981) and the writer Joe Shrapnel (b.1976). They live in Highbury, north London.

Movies (83)

Gladiator
8.2

Gladiator

2000Movie8.2
Troy
7.2

Troy

2004Movie7.2
Notting Hill
7.3

Notting Hill

1999Movie7.3
101 Dalmatians
5.9

101 Dalmatians

1996Movie5.9
Mirrors
6.3

Mirrors

2008Movie6.3
K-19: The Widowmaker
6.6

K-19: The Widowmaker

2002Movie6.6
Elizabeth: The Golden Age
6.7

Elizabeth: The Golden Age

2007Movie6.7
The Awakening
6.4

The Awakening

2011Movie6.4
The Duchess
7.0

The Duchess

2008Movie7.0
Fatherland
6.3

Fatherland

1994Movie6.3
The Body
5.5

The Body

2001Movie5.5
Personal Services
6.0

Personal Services

1987Movie6.0
Alien Autopsy
5.7

Alien Autopsy

2006Movie5.7
Nicholas and Alexandra
7.0

Nicholas and Alexandra

1971Movie7.0
Solo Shuttle

Solo Shuttle

1998Movie
Hennessy
5.1

Hennessy

1975Movie5.1
King Charles III
6.4

King Charles III

2017Movie6.4
Schönbrunn - Well of Beauty

Schönbrunn - Well of Beauty

2002Movie
Shadow of the Sword
5.8

Shadow of the Sword

2005Movie5.8
Hamlet

Hamlet

1992Movie
Two Deaths
5.6

Two Deaths

1996Movie5.6
Selling Hitler
8.0

Selling Hitler

1993Movie8.0
Run.

Run.

2013Movie
The Misfit and the Matterhorn

The Misfit and the Matterhorn

2001Movie
Edward & Mrs. Simpson
10.0

Edward & Mrs. Simpson

1978Movie10.0
Poppyland
7.0

Poppyland

1985Movie7.0
SS-3: The Assassination of Reinhard Heydrich
4.0

SS-3: The Assassination of Reinhard Heydrich

1992Movie4.0
Gossip from the Forest
7.0

Gossip from the Forest

1979Movie7.0
Theban Plays: Oedipus the King
4.5

Theban Plays: Oedipus the King

1986Movie4.5
Chemical Wedding
4.2

Chemical Wedding

2008Movie4.2
Flayed

Flayed

1978Movie
The Ha-Ha

The Ha-Ha

1969Movie
Pope Joan
6.1

Pope Joan

1972Movie6.1
The Tragedy of Flight 103: The Inside Story
7.0

The Tragedy of Flight 103: The Inside Story

1990Movie7.0
Theban Plays: Antigone
9.0

Theban Plays: Antigone

1986Movie9.0
How to Get Ahead in Advertising
6.3

How to Get Ahead in Advertising

1989Movie6.3
Mary, Mother of Jesus
4.1

Mary, Mother of Jesus

1999Movie4.1
National Theatre Live: Macbeth
7.0

National Theatre Live: Macbeth

2013Movie7.0
Hornblower: The Frogs and the Lobsters
7.2

Hornblower: The Frogs and the Lobsters

1999Movie7.2
Timon of Athens
8.5

Timon of Athens

1981Movie8.5
National Theatre Live: Phèdre
7.8

National Theatre Live: Phèdre

2009Movie7.8
The Three Hostages

The Three Hostages

1977Movie
Troilus & Cressida
8.0

Troilus & Cressida

1981Movie8.0
Professional Foul
7.5

Professional Foul

1977Movie7.5
An Organization of Dreams

An Organization of Dreams

2009Movie
Hindenburg: Titanic of the Skies
6.0

Hindenburg: Titanic of the Skies

2007Movie6.0
Hamlet Within

Hamlet Within

2022Movie
The Gentleman Thief

The Gentleman Thief

2001Movie
Branagh Theatre Live: The Winter's Tale
7.7

Branagh Theatre Live: The Winter's Tale

2015Movie7.7
Testimony
5.6

Testimony

1988Movie5.6
Hitting Town

Hitting Town

1976Movie
Whistle
6.3

Whistle

2002Movie6.3
King Lear
6.5

King Lear

1982Movie6.5
Alone
5.1

Alone

2002Movie5.1
The Burston Rebellion
8.0

The Burston Rebellion

1985Movie8.0
Theban Plays: Oedipus at Colonus
8.0

Theban Plays: Oedipus at Colonus

1986Movie8.0
England, My England
6.5

England, My England

1995Movie6.5
King Lear
10.0

King Lear

1975Movie10.0
Horizon: Supermassive Black Holes
8.0

Horizon: Supermassive Black Holes

2000Movie8.0
Claim
5.1

Claim

2002Movie5.1
King Arthur: His Life and Legends
8.5

King Arthur: His Life and Legends

1995Movie8.5
The Victim
7.0

The Victim

1980Movie7.0
The Race for Everest
10.0

The Race for Everest

2003Movie10.0
Hamlet
8.2

Hamlet

2015Movie8.2
Wild Women of Viramba

Wild Women of Viramba

2003Movie
The Strange Case of Delfina Potocka
10.0

The Strange Case of Delfina Potocka

1999Movie10.0
OXI, an Act of Resistance

OXI, an Act of Resistance

2014Movie
It's Called the Sugar Plum

It's Called the Sugar Plum

1969Movie
Partition
5.5

Partition

1987Movie5.5
The Return of the Flying Scotsman

The Return of the Flying Scotsman

2016Movie
Britain's Nuclear Bomb - The Inside Story
7.0

Britain's Nuclear Bomb - The Inside Story

2017Movie7.0
The Tom Machine

The Tom Machine

1980Movie
Animals of the Ocean Desert

Animals of the Ocean Desert

2001Movie
Mountain Men: The Ghosts of K2
7.5

Mountain Men: The Ghosts of K2

2001Movie7.5
Lion Queen
9.0

Lion Queen

1998Movie9.0
Seven Wonders of Ancient Egypt
10.0

Seven Wonders of Ancient Egypt

2004Movie10.0
St. Stephen's: The Living Cathedral
7.0

St. Stephen's: The Living Cathedral

1997Movie7.0
Lost on Everest: The Search for Mallory and Irvine

Lost on Everest: The Search for Mallory and Irvine

2000Movie
Seven Wonders of Ancient Rome

Seven Wonders of Ancient Rome

2004Movie
Wachau - Valley of Golden Magic

Wachau - Valley of Golden Magic

2005Movie
Once Upon a Time on the Westway

Once Upon a Time on the Westway

2007Movie
Building Burma's Death Railway: Moving Half the Mountain

Building Burma's Death Railway: Moving Half the Mountain

2014Movie
Seven Wonders of Ancient Greece

Seven Wonders of Ancient Greece

2004Movie

TV Shows (49)

Midsomer Murders
7.5

Midsomer Murders

1997Series7.5
Merlin
7.8

Merlin

2008Series7.8
Natural World
7.4

Natural World

1983Series7.4
BBC Play of the Month
5.2

BBC Play of the Month

1965Series5.2
Screen Two
7.1

Screen Two

1985Series7.1
Omnibus
7.2

Omnibus

1967Series7.2
New Tricks
7.3

New Tricks

2004Series7.3
Foyle's War
7.9

Foyle's War

2002Series7.9
Waking the Dead
7.2

Waking the Dead

2001Series7.2
ITV Playhouse
7.0

ITV Playhouse

1967Series7.0
Space: 1999
7.1

Space: 1999

1975Series7.1
Jonathan Creek
7.6

Jonathan Creek

1997Series7.6
Wycliffe
6.8

Wycliffe

1994Series6.8
Between the Lines
5.5

Between the Lines

1992Series5.5
The Inspector Lynley Mysteries
7.4

The Inspector Lynley Mysteries

2002Series7.4
BBC2 Play of the Week
7.0

BBC2 Play of the Week

1977Series7.0
Shakespeare: The Animated Tales
6.4

Shakespeare: The Animated Tales

1992Series6.4
Kavanagh Q.C.
7.3

Kavanagh Q.C.

1995Series7.3
The Chief
7.0

The Chief

1990Series7.0
Justice
7.3

Justice

1971Series7.3
Elizabeth R
7.5

Elizabeth R

1971Series7.5
The 10th Kingdom
7.6

The 10th Kingdom

2000Series7.6
Ancient Rome: The Rise and Fall of an Empire
7.6

Ancient Rome: The Rise and Fall of an Empire

2006Series7.6
G.B.H.
6.3

G.B.H.

1991Series6.3
Private Schulz
5.3

Private Schulz

1981Series5.3
Blackeyes
5.9

Blackeyes

1989Series5.9
Mr. Palfrey of Westminster
5.7

Mr. Palfrey of Westminster

1984Series5.7
I Am Not an Animal
8.6

I Am Not an Animal

2004Series8.6
Vanity Fair

Vanity Fair

1987Series
Coogan's Run
6.6

Coogan's Run

1995Series6.6
The Modern World: Ten Great Writers
8.0

The Modern World: Ten Great Writers

1988Series8.0
Edward and Mrs Simpson
6.8

Edward and Mrs Simpson

1978Series6.8
Bodyguards
8.0

Bodyguards

1997Series8.0
For the Greater Good
9.0

For the Greater Good

1991Series9.0
Invasion: Earth
6.3

Invasion: Earth

1998Series6.3
Screenplay
6.3

Screenplay

1979Series6.3
True Tilda
8.0

True Tilda

1997Series8.0
Armchair Thriller
4.2

Armchair Thriller

1978Series4.2
Plays for Britain
6.0

Plays for Britain

1976Series6.0
Selling Hitler
7.0

Selling Hitler

1991Series7.0
Predators Killing for a Living

Predators Killing for a Living

1997Series
Apparitions
7.2

Apparitions

2008Series7.2
About Face
7.0

About Face

1989Series7.0
The Lions Rule
9.0

The Lions Rule

2017Series9.0
Alien Empire

Alien Empire

1996Series
The Woman in White
8.3

The Woman in White

1982Series8.3
Good Girl

Good Girl

1974Series
Centrepoint
6.7

Centrepoint

1990Series6.7
Sorrell and Son
6.0

Sorrell and Son

1984Series6.0