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.
Known For
Braveheart
(1995)
Mornay
Sleepy Hollow
(1999)
High Constable
The Mummy Returns
(2001)
Baltus Hafez
Van Helsing
(2004)
Cardinal Jinette
Krull
(1983)
Torquil
Eragon
(2006)
Uncle Garrow
The Saint
(1997)
Inspector Teal
The Duellists
(1977)
Lacourbe
Patriot Games
(1992)
Owens
Get Carter
(1971)
Keith
A Bridge Too Far
(1977)
Cpl. Davies
Oliver Twist
(2005)
Magistrate Fang
Van Helsing: The London Assignment
(2004)
Cardinal Jinetta (voice)
Split Second
(1992)
Thrasher
Onegin
(1999)
Zaretsky
Black Beauty
(1994)
Reuben Smith
Full Filmography
Acting
Get Carter
(1971)
Keith
The 14
(1973)
Tommy
Only Make Believe
(1973)
Michael Biddle
The Sex Victims
(1973)
George
The Eyes Have It
(1973)
Mike
Easy Go
(1974)
First docker
The Likely Lads
(1976)
Tommy
The Duellists
(1977)
Lacourbe
Our Day Out
(1977)
Mr. Briggs
A Bridge Too Far
(1977)
Cpl. Davies
Shooting the Chandelier
(1977)
Brodovich
All Day on the Sands
(1979)
Measure for Measure
(1979)
Provost
Fear of God
(1980)
Trahearne
The French Lieutenant's Woman
(1981)
Grimes
Krull
(1983)
Torquil
Mr Moon's Last Case
(1983)
Narrator
The House
(1984)
Mr. Smeth
Number One
(1985)
Blackpool Police Sergeant
Billy the Kid and the Green Baize Vampire
(1985)
Maxwell Randall, The Green Baize Vampire
The Caucasian Chalk Circle
(1985)
Singer
That Summer of White Roses
(1989)
Nineteen96
(1989)
Det. Supt. Frank Burroughs
A Night on the Tyne
(1989)
Willy
The Childeater
(1989)
Stefano
White Hunter, Black Heart
(1990)
Ralph Lockhart
The Widowmaker
(1990)
Dad
Sticky Wickets
(1990)
Evans
Looking After Number One
(1990)
Dick
American Friends
(1991)
Dr. Weeks
London Kills Me
(1991)
John Stone
Split Second
(1992)
Thrasher
Patriot Games
(1992)
Owens
Blue Ice
(1992)
Osgood
MacGyver: Trail to Doomsday
(1994)
Capshaw
Black Beauty
(1994)
Reuben Smith
Doggin' Around
(1994)
Charlie Foster
Les Misérables: 10th Anniversary Concert at the Royal Albert Hall
(1995)
Thenardier
Braveheart
(1995)
Mornay
An Awfully Big Adventure
(1995)
Uncle Vernon
Sorry About Last Night
(1995)
Mickey
Breaking the Code
(1996)
Mick Ross
Brazen Hussies
(1996)
Jimmy Hardcastle
Witness Against Hitler
(1996)
Pastor Harold Poelchau
The Saint
(1997)
Inspector Teal
Sleepy Hollow
(1999)
High Constable
G:MT Greenwich Mean Time
(1999)
Uncle Henry
With or Without You
(1999)
Sammy
Aristocrats
(1999)
Lord Holland
Onegin
(1999)
Zaretsky
This Is Personal: The Hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper
(2000)
Asst. Chief Const. George Oldfield
Harrison's Flowers
(2000)
Samuel Brubeck
7 Up 2000
(2000)
Himself - Narrator
Proof of Life
(2000)
Wyatt
The Mummy Returns
(2001)
Baltus Hafez
Strictly Sinatra
(2001)
Bill
Score
(2001)
George
Inquisition
(2002)
Martin
Paradise Found
(2003)
Camille Pissarro
It's All About Love
(2003)
David
Van Helsing: The London Assignment
(2004)
Cardinal Jinetta (voice)
Van Helsing
(2004)
Cardinal Jinette
Carrie's War
(2004)
Mr. Samuel Evans
When I'm Sixty-Four
(2004)
Jim
Millions
(2004)
Saint Peter
Oliver Twist
(2005)
Magistrate Fang
Eragon
(2006)
Uncle Garrow
The Girls Who Came to Stay
(2006)
Bob Jenkins
The Dinner Party
(2007)
Jim
Filth: The Mary Whitehouse Story
(2008)
Ernest Whitehouse
Les Misérables - 25th Anniversary in Concert
(2010)
Monsieur Thenardier (1985 Cast)
Golden Years
(2016)
Sid
Funny Cow
(2018)
Lenny
Possum
(2018)
Maurice
Out of Innocence
(2019)
Detective Callaghan
The Nicky Nack
(2021)