Alun Armstrong
Known for: Acting
Born: July 17, 1946
Place of birth: Annfield Plain, County Durham, England, UK
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.
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Filmography
87 movies · 73 TV shows, newest first
6.5
The Choral
2025
7.0
After the Flood
2024
6.0
Tom Jones
2023
7.0
Remembers…
2022
6.9
Sherwood
2022
NR
The Nicky Nack
2021
6.8
Breeders
2020
NR
Breaking The Codes
2020
7.0
Year of the Rabbit
2019
6.6
Out of Innocence
2019
6.1
Possum
2018
6.3
Funny Cow
2018
7.3
Prime Suspect 1973
2017
6.8
Frontier
2016
6.2
Dark Angel
2016
NR
Asunder
2016
6.3
Golden Years
2016
7.8
Penny Dreadful
2014
7.4
The Hollow Crown
2012
5.9
The Mystery of Edwin Drood
2012
8.3
Les Misérables: 25th Anniversary in Concert
2010
5.9
A Passionate Woman
2010
7.7
Garrow's Law
2009
7.9
Little Dorrit
2008
6.3
Filth: The Mary Whitehouse Story
2008
6.0
The Dinner Party
2007
5.1
Eragon
20068.0
The Girls Who Came to Stay
2006
8.1
Bleak House
2005
6.8
Oliver Twist
2005
6.4
Millions
2005
5.4
When I'm Sixty-Four
2004
6.2
Van Helsing: The London Assignment
2004
6.4
Van Helsing
2004
7.7
Carrie's War
2004
7.3
New Tricks
2004
5.2
Between The Sheets
2003
5.4
It's All About Love
2003
6.5
Paradise Found
2003
7.0
Inquisition
2002
7.8
Sparkhouse
20028.0
Extinct
2001
4.3
Bedtime
2001
5.0
Strictly Sinatra
20017.0
Score
2001
7.4
Messiah
2001
6.4
The Mummy Returns
2001
6.0
Adrian Mole: The Cappuccino Years
2001
6.2
Proof of Life
2000
6.5
Harrison's Flowers
2000
8.0
7 Up 2000
2000
7.0
This Is Personal: The Hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper
2000
7.4
This Is Personal: The Hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper
2000
7.1
David Copperfield
1999
6.1
Onegin
1999
6.3
Oliver Twist
1999
7.2
Sleepy Hollow
1999
5.6
G:MT Greenwich Mean Time
1999
5.3
With or Without You
1999
6.0
Aristocrats
1999
6.1
In the Red
1998
7.0
Underworld
1997
6.1
The Saint
1997
3.8
Brazen Hussies
1996
5.6
Breaking the Code
1996
8.0
Witness Against Hitler
1996
7.7
Our Friends in the North
1996
8.0
Sorry About Last Night
1995
8.8
Les Misérables: 10th Anniversary Concert at the Royal Albert Hall
1995
7.9
Braveheart
1995
6.5
An Awfully Big Adventure
1995
6.0
MacGyver: Trail to Doomsday
1994
6.0
Doggin' Around
1994
6.7
Black Beauty
19948.0
Goggle Eyes
1993
5.0
The Tempest
1993
6.4
Shakespeare: The Animated Tales
199210.0
The Life and Times of Henry Pratt
1992
5.3
Blue Ice
1992
6.7
Patriot Games
1992
6.0
Split Second
1992
7.5
Goodbye Cruel World
1992
5.9
London Kills Me
1991
6.5
Stanley and the Women
1991
7.0
Murder in Eden
1991
6.3
American Friends
1991
10.0
The Widowmaker
1990
NR
Sticky Wickets
1990
6.4
White Hunter, Black Heart
1990
NR
Looking After Number One
1990
NR
Nineteen96
1989
7.2
Screen One
1989
9.0
A Night on the Tyne
1989
8.0
Tales from the Crypt
1989
9.0
The Jim Henson Hour
1989
7.7
The Childeater
1989
6.0
That Summer of White Roses
1989
9.0
Number 27
1988
NR
The Storyteller: The True Bride
1988
8.2
The Storyteller
1988
7.7
Married... with Children
1987
7.9
Inspector Morse
1987
6.0
ScreenPlay
1986
6.1
Billy the Kid and the Green Baize Vampire
1985
5.4
A.D.
1985
6.7
Number One
1985
NR
The Caucasian Chalk Circle
1985
5.7
The House
1984NR
Sharing Time
1984
6.0
Krull
1983
NR
Mr Moon's Last Case
1983
7.7
The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby
1982
6.5
The French Lieutenant's Woman
1981
7.0
Get Lost!
198110.0
Fear of God
1980
7.0
All Day on the Sands
1979
5.9
Measure for Measure
1979
6.0
The BBC Television Shakespeare
1978
NR
Freedom of the Dig
1978
NR
Liza
1978
4.2
Armchair Thriller
1978
8.2
Enemy at the Door
1978
7.8
Our Day Out
1977
NR
Shooting the Chandelier
19777.0
Premiere
1977
7.0
BBC2 Play of the Week
1977
7.2
The Duellists
1977
7.2
A Sharp Intake of Breath
1977
NR
Risking It
1977
7.2
A Bridge Too Far
1977NR
Romance
1977
7.1
The New Avengers
1976
NR
The Chester Mystery Plays
1976
6.3
The Likely Lads
1976
8.0
The Stars Look Down
1975
8.1
The Sweeney
1975
6.8
Father Brown
1974
8.1
Porridge
1974
NR
Easy Go
1974NR
Sporting Scenes
1973NR
Second City Firsts
1973
7.0
Centre Play
1973
5.9
The 14
1973
7.3
The Eyes Have It
1973
7.0
Thriller
1973NR
Armchair 30
1973
5.0
The Sex Victims
1973
10.0
Only Make Believe
1973
7.7
Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?
1973
7.5
Villains
1972
6.3
New Scotland Yard
1972
10.0
Six Days of Justice
1972
7.3
Justice
1971
7.0
Get Carter
1971
6.1
Great Performances
1971
6.6
Play for Today
1970
5.2
BBC Play of the Month
1965
8.2
Public Eye
19659.0
My Little Eye
—NR
The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole
—