Mark Williams (actor)
| Mark Williams | |
|---|---|
| Born | 22 August 1959 Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, England, UK |
| Occupation | Actor, presenter, screenwriter |
| Years active | 1982–present |
Mark Williams (born 22 August 1959) is an English actor, comedian, screenwriter and presenter. He is best known as one of the stars of the popular BBC sketch show The Fast Show, as well as for his role as Arthur Weasley in the Harry Potter films. Most recently he has appeared as the titular character in the BBC series Father Brown.
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Life and career [edit]
Williams was born in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire.
He was educated at North Bromsgrove High School and Brasenose College, Oxford. Having made a career as a theatre actor and working for the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Royal National Theatre along the way, Williams came to wider public attention through his appearances on the BBC television sketch programme The Fast Show.[1] Williams has described the huge popularity of the show as a "double-edged sword" as it has led to his being perceived as a comedian in the eyes of the public rather than as an actor.[1] His film acting career pre-dates his first Fast Show appearance by some twelve years, having made his début alongside fellow débutants Hugh Grant and Imogen Stubbs in the Oxford University Film Foundation production Privileged in 1982.
His most famous cinema role is as Arthur Weasley in the Harry Potter film series, which began in 2002. Other high profile appearances include the film adaptation of Neil Gaiman's Stardust alongside Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert De Niro and Claire Danes in 2007 and a 2012 role in Doctor Who as Brian Williams, father of the Doctor's companion, Rory.[2]
In 2013 he appeared as the lead role in the BBC costume drama Father Brown.
Aside from his acting work, Williams has also presented several documentary programmes: Mark Williams' Big Bangs on the history of explosives, a follow-up to previous series Mark Williams on the Rails, Industrial Revelations and More Industrial Revelations.
He is a supporter of both Aston Villa and Brighton & Hove Albion football clubs.[3]
Filmography [edit]
Film [edit]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Privileged | Wilf | |
| 1987 | Out of Order | PC | |
| 1988 | High Season | Benny | |
| 1994 | Prince of Jutland | Aslak | |
| 1996 | 101 Dalmatians | Horace | |
| 1997 | The Borrowers | Exterminator Jeff | |
| 1998 | Shakespeare in Love | Wabash | |
| 1999 | Whatever Happened to Harold Smith? | Roland Thornton | |
| 2000 | High Heels and Low Lifes | Tremaine | |
| 2002 | Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets | Arthur Weasley | |
| 2002 | Anita and Me | The Reverend 'Uncle' Alan | |
| 2002 | The Final Curtain | Declan Farrell | |
| 2004 | Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London | Inspector Crescent | |
| 2004 | Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban | Arthur Weasley | |
| 2005 | Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire | Arthur Weasley | |
| 2006 | A Cock and Bull Story | Ingoldsby | |
| 2007 | Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix | Arthur Weasley | |
| 2007 | Stardust | Billy the Innkeeper | |
| 2009 | Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince | Arthur Weasley | |
| 2010 | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 | Arthur Weasley | |
| 2010 | Flutter | Raymond | |
| 2011 | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 | Arthur Weasley | |
| 2011 | Albert Nobbs | Sean |
Television [edit]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | The Storyteller | Fearnot's brother | Episode "Fearnot" |
| Red Dwarf | Olaf Petersen | 3 Episodes "The End", "Balance of Power" & "Stasis Leak" | |
| Alexei Sayle's Stuff | First series, 6 episodes | ||
| 1989 | Tumbledown | Lumpy | |
| 1990 | Kinsey | Danny | |
| Making Out | Manfred | Episode No.1.2 | |
| KYTV | Episode "Launch" | ||
| 1991 | Merlin of the Crystal Cave | Cerdic | |
| Bottom | Boris | Episode "Accident" | |
| 1993 | The Smell of Reeves and Mortimer | Don Powell | 7 episodes 1993–1995 |
| 1994 | Health and Efficiency | Steven | Episode "Cinderella Rockafeller" |
| The Fast Show | 23 episodes 1994–2000 | ||
| Chef! | Policeman 2 | Episode "Masterchef" | |
| 1995 | The Big Game | Tommy Hollis | |
| Searching | Gerald | ||
| Peak Practice | Roland Grogan | Episode "Life and Soul" | |
| 1998 | The Fast Show Live | ||
| The Canterbury Tales | Chanticleer | Episode "Leaving London" – voice | |
| Ted & Ralph | Confirmed Bachelor | ||
| 1999 | Hunting Venus | Peter | |
| 2000 | Gormenghast | Professor Perch | |
| The Strangerers | Cadet Flynn | Four episodes | |
| 2001 | Fun at the Funeral Parlour | Larry Nazareth | Episode "The Jaws of Doom" |
| Industrial Revelations | Himself | 2 series as Presenter | |
| 2002 | Shackleton | Dudley Docker | |
| 2003 | Grass | Ben | 6 episodes |
| 2004 | Mark Williams on the Rails | Himself | Presenter |
| Carrie and Barry | Kirk | 2 episodes | |
| 2006 | Mark Williams' Big Bangs | Himself | Presenter |
| Saxondale | Deggsy | 1 episode | |
| 2007 | A Room with a View | Mr Beebe | |
| 2008 | Sense and Sensibility | Sir John Middleton | |
| 2009 | Inspector George Gently | Joe Bishop | Episode "Gently in the Night" |
| Blood in the Water | Jerry Hourihan | ||
| Agatha Christie's Miss Marple | Claud Evans | Episode "Why Didn't They Ask Evans?" | |
| New Tricks | David Beaumont | Episode "The Truth is out There" | |
| 2010 | Merlin | voice of goblin[4] | Episode "Goblin's Gold" |
| The Indian Doctor | Richard Sharpe[5] | 5 episodes | |
| 2011 | Frankenstein's Wedding | Alphonse Frankenstein | |
| 2012 | Being Human | Regus | |
| Hustle | Dale Ridley | ||
| Doctor Who | Brian Willams[6] | Season 7; Episode 2 (Dinosaurs on a Spaceship) and Episode 4 (The Power of Three) | |
| 2013 | Blandings | Sebastian Beach | 6 episodes |
| Father Brown | Father Brown | 10 episodes |
References [edit]
- ^ a b "Mark Williams: I'm not a comedian". Belfasttelegraph.co.uk. 2013-01-12. Retrieved 2013-01-16.
- ^ [1][dead link]
- ^ Mark Williams: Captain of industry from independent.co.uk
- ^ TV.com. "Merlin – Goblin's Gold". tv.com. Retrieved 2013-01-16.
- ^ Ian Wolf. "The Indian Doctor – Production Details". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 18 November 2010.
- ^ Doctor Who Magazine - Issued March 8, 2012.
External links [edit]
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- 1959 births
- Alumni of Brasenose College, Oxford
- English male comedians
- English film actors
- English stage actors
- English television actors
- English television writers
- English voice actors
- Living people
- Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Screen Actors Guild Award winners
- People from Bromsgrove
