
Brian Blessed
Brian Blessed OBE (born 9 October 1936)is an English actor. He is known for his distinctive bushy beard, booming voice, and exuberant personality and performances. He portrayed PC "Fancy" Smith in Z-Cars; Augustus in the 1976 BBC television production of I, Claudius; King Richard IV in the first series of Blackadder; Prince Vultan in Flash Gordon; Bustopher Jones and Old Deuteronomy in the 1981 original London production of Cats at the New London Theatre; Thomas Beaufort, Duke of Exeter, in Henry V; Boss Nass in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace; and the voice of Clayton and the Tarzan yell in Disney's Tarzan. In 2016, Blessed was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to the arts and charity. Blessed was born on 9 October 1936 at Montagu Hospital in Mexborough, West Riding of Yorkshire, the son of William Blessed, a socialist coal miner at Hickleton Main Colliery (and himself the son of a coal miner) and cricketer for the Yorkshire second team, and Hilda (née Wall). He had a brother Alan, seven years younger, and the pair "went everywhere together" when they were growing up. Alan Blessed died from leukaemia aged 52; their mother died aged…
Acting
- 2022Best & BesterShouty Shirt (Voice)52 ep.
- 2021Blankety BlankSelf - Panellist1 ep.
- 2020Close EnoughSir Jack Kleghorn (voice)1 ep.
- 2017The Russell Howard HourSelf1 ep.
- 2015Danger MouseSanta Claus (voice)1 ep.
- 2014The KumarsSelf1 ep.
- 2013Was It Something I Said?Self - Narrator1 ep.
- 2012Wizards vs AliensThe Nekross King (voice)36 ep.
- 2011Celebrity Antiques Road TripSelf - Participant1 ep.
- 2011SootyFather Christmas1 ep.
- 2011The Amazing World of GumballSanta Claus (voice)1 ep.
- 2010Fee Fi Fo YumGTV Announcer1 ep.
- 2010In Confidence1 ep.
- 2010Take Me OutAnnouncer (voice)9 ep.
- 2008The Underdog Show10 ep.
- 2008All Star Mr & Mrs1 ep.
- 2007Saving Planet Earth UKHimself - Presenter1 ep.
- 2007Would I Lie to You?Self1 ep.
- 2007Britain's Got More TalentSelf - Narrator17 ep.
- 2004Who Do You Think You Are?Self1 ep.
- 2004The Paul O'Grady Show1 ep.
- 2004Peppa PigGrampy Rabbit (voice)388 ep.
- 2003QISelf1 ep.
- 2002Ant & Dec's Saturday Night TakeawaySelf1 ep.
- 2001Fun at the Funeral Parlour1 ep.
- 2000The Nearly Complete and Utter History of Everything2 ep.
- 1999The Big KnightsSir Morris13 ep.
- 1998The Heaven and Earth Show1 ep.
- 1998Fantasy World CupSelf1 ep.
- 1997The History of Tom Jones: A FoundlingSquire Western5 ep.
- 1996Dennis the Menace and GnasherCaptain (voice)1 ep.
- 1995Soccer AMSelf1 ep.
- 1995Johnny and the DeadWilliam Stickers4 ep.
- 1993Sooty & Co.Santa Claus1 ep.
- 1993Lady ChatterleyPetty Officer1 ep.
- 1993GMTVSelf1 ep.
- 1991Pebble MillSelf2 ep.
- 1990The Castle of AdventureSam8 ep.
- 1988War and RemembranceYevlenko1 ep.
- 1988A Question of Entertainment1 ep.
- 1988Comic Relief1 ep.
- 1987My Family and Other AnimalsSpiro10 ep.
- 1987Crossbow3 ep.
- 1987The GnosticsGuilhabert De Castres4 ep.
- 1986John Silver's Return to Treasure IslandLong John Silver10 ep.
- 1986BoonLambert Sampson1 ep.
- 1986LovejoyHarry Catapodis2 ep.
- 1984The Last Days of PompeiiOlinthus3 ep.
- 1983Natural World1 ep.
- 1983BlackadderKing Richard IV6 ep.
- 1982The Kenny Everett Television ShowSelf1 ep.
- 1981The Little World of Don CamilloPeppone13 ep.
- 1979The Aphrodite InheritanceBasileos8 ep.
- 1978Blake's 7Vargas1 ep.
- 1976I, ClaudiusAugustus5 ep.
- 1976Nobody's HouseJack Treadful1 ep.
- 1975The Day After TomorrowDr. Tom Bowen1 ep.
- 1975Space: 1999Mentor2 ep.
- 1975SurvivorsBrod1 ep.
- 1975The SweeneyFrank Kemble1 ep.
- 1974Churchill's PeopleGuthrum1 ep.
- 1974Notorious WomanAlbert Grzymala3 ep.
- 1974Boy DominicWilliam Woodcock13 ep.
- 1973European HeritageNarrator (voice)1 ep.
- 1973ThrillerDet Sgt George Briggs1 ep.
- 1972Arthur of the BritonsMark of Cornwall2 ep.
- 1972Shirley's World1 ep.
- 1971JusticeTiger Lawson1 ep.
- 1969Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)Jim Lawsey1 ep.
- 1968The ExpertHubert Innes1 ep.
- 1968Cold Comfort FarmReuben Starkadder3 ep.
- 1967ITV PlayhouseJim Carter2 ep.
- 1967The Further Adventures of the MusketeersPorthos16 ep.
- 1966The Three MusketeersPorthos10 ep.
- 1965The TroubleshootersEddie Barnaby1 ep.
- 1964The Wednesday PlayPeter2 ep.
- 1962Z-CarsPC William "Fancy" Smith170 ep.
- 1961The AvengersSergeant Hearn2 ep.
- —Have I Got a Bit More News for YouSelf - Presenter2 ep.
Guest appearances
- 2023Blankety BlankSelf - Panellist1 ep.
- 2023Sunday with Laura KuenssbergSelf – Actor1 ep.
- 2022Close EnoughSir Jack Kleghorn (voice)1 ep.
- 2020The Russell Howard HourSelf1 ep.
- 2016Would I Lie to You?Self1 ep.
- 2015Danger MouseSanta Claus (voice)1 ep.
- 2014Who Do You Think You Are?Self1 ep.
- 2014The KumarsSelf1 ep.
- 2013SootyFather Christmas1 ep.
- 2013Was It Something I Said?Self - Narrator1 ep.
- 2008Have I Got a Bit More News for YouSelf - Presenter2 ep.
- 2008Have I Got News for YouSelf - Host2 ep.
- 2012The Amazing World of GumballSanta Claus (voice)1 ep.
- 2012In Confidence1 ep.
- 2011QISelf1 ep.
- 2011Celebrity Antiques Road TripSelf - Participant1 ep.
- 2010GMTVSelf1 ep.
- 2009All Star Mr & Mrs1 ep.
- 2009Ant & Dec's Saturday Night TakeawaySelf1 ep.
- 2008The RoyalSir Edward Fawcett1 ep.
- 2008Family GuyPrince Vultan (voice)1 ep.
- 2007Saving Planet Earth UKHimself - Presenter1 ep.
- 2006Soccer AMSelf1 ep.
- 2004The Paul O'Grady Show1 ep.
- 2001The Heaven and Earth Show1 ep.
- 2001Fun at the Funeral Parlour1 ep.
- 1998Fantasy World CupSelf1 ep.
- 1998Dennis the Menace and GnasherCaptain (voice)1 ep.
- 1997Sooty & Co.Santa Claus1 ep.
- 1991Pebble MillSelf2 ep.
- 1994MacGyverAtticus1 ep.
- 1993Lady ChatterleyPetty Officer1 ep.
- 1991LovejoyHarry Catapodis2 ep.
- 1989Natural World1 ep.
- 1989MinderFreddie Dyer1 ep.
- 1989BoonLambert Sampson1 ep.
- 1988War and RemembranceYevlenko1 ep.
- 1988A Question of Entertainment1 ep.
- 1988Comic Relief1 ep.
- 1987Crossbow3 ep.
- 1986The Kenny Everett Television ShowSelf1 ep.
- 1966Doctor WhoHimself, King Yrcanos5 ep.
- 1984Hallmark Hall of FameCaptain Teach1 ep.
- 1969ITV PlayhouseJim Carter, Reg Sugden2 ep.
- 1979Tales of the UnexpectedDetective Sergeant Jack Nolan1 ep.
- 1978Blake's 7Vargas1 ep.
- 1977SurvivorsBrod1 ep.
- 1976I, ClaudiusAugustus5 ep.
- 1975Space: 1999Cabot Rowland, Mentor2 ep.
- 1976Nobody's HouseJack Treadful1 ep.
- 1976ThrillerDet Sgt George Briggs1 ep.
- 1975Churchill's PeopleGuthrum1 ep.
- 1975The SweeneyFrank Kemble1 ep.
- 1974Notorious WomanAlbert Grzymala3 ep.
- 1973BBC Play of the MonthSgt. Kite1 ep.
- 1973European HeritageNarrator (voice)1 ep.
- 1973ITV Saturday Night TheatreTed Gissing1 ep.
- 1973JusticeTiger Lawson1 ep.
- 1973Public EyeRev. William Pratt1 ep.
- 1972Arthur of the BritonsMark of Cornwall2 ep.
- 1971Shirley's World1 ep.
- 1971The ExpertHubert Innes1 ep.
- 1969The Wednesday PlayPeter, Will3 ep.
- 1969Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)Jim Lawsey1 ep.
- 1967The AvengersMark Dayton, Sergeant Hearn2 ep.
- 1968The TroubleshootersEddie Barnaby1 ep.
- 1962Z-CarsPC Fancy Smith, PC Smith2 ep.
Also known as: B. Blessed · برایان بلسد