Nick Brimble

Nick Brimble:

Broodingly malevolent-looking and an imposing 6'4", Nick Brimble has made more than a few appearances, mainly as villains and heavies, over the years. Starting in the early '70s he started racking up roles in the popular tough-guy shows of the time, notably 'The Sweeney' on TV and in the feature film, where he was a semi-regular as DS Burtonshaw, and the likes of 'Z-Cars', 'Softly Softly', 'The Professionals' and 'Quiller'.       

About to get a nasty shock in a 1971 public information film

He can also be found in sci-fi shows including 'Space:1999' and 'Blakes 7' and had recurring roles in major hits of the time such as 'Danger UXB' and 'Penmarric' and historical serials like 'John Silver's Return To Treasure Island' and the ambitious pan-European 'William Tell' (AKA Crossbow) which was too similar to the smash-hit 'Robin Of Sherwood' to get much traction in the UK.   

Getting his mind extracted by Brian Blessed's sinister
SodaStream machine in an episode of 'Space:1999'

This regular UK television work was punctuated with film offers, some of which were for pretty major movies. He is the bearded Little John in 'Robin Hood Prince Of Thieves' (1991), and before that he crops up in 'Lust For A Vampire' (1971), 'Silver Dream Racer' (1980), 'Who Dares Wins' (1982), and 'Roger Corman's Frankenstein Unbound' (1990) with John Hurt and Raul Julia. 

Classic villainous performance in 'Dempsey & Makepeace'

As the Monster in 'Roger Corman's Frankenstein 
Unbound' (1990) a time-travel riff on the original

Television work has continued into the 21st century and you're sure to have seen him if you've watched mainstream broadcast TV much at all in the last 30 years. He appeared in 'The Bill' no fewer than six times between 1988 and 2007, had a long story arc in 'Emmerdale', and appeared in the mini series 'House Of Cards' and its follow-ups 'To Play A King' and 'The Final Cut'. And that's before we get into the inevitable round of 'Midsomer Murders', 'Boon, 'Dempsey & Makepeace', 'Bergerac', 'Wycliffe', 'Doc Martin', 'New Tricks' and 'Heartbeat'. 

It's a fair cop. Bang to rights in 'The Famous Five'

In fact, so distinctive and talented is Nick Brimble that it's a surprise that fewer people know his name. As with all these little salutes to character actors, I hope more people will recognise and enjoy his performances when they spot him in future. I know I will. 

Public Information Film - click here

Nick Brimble-imdb

Roger Ashton-Griffiths

Roger Ashton-Griffiths:

The name might mean nothing to you, but pale and jowly Roger Ashton-Griffiths has appeared in a number of high-profile films, including Terry Gilliam's 'The Brothers Grimm' and 'Brazil', Martin Scorsese's 'Gangs of New York' (playing Phineas T Barnum), Roman Polanski's 'Pirates', Peter Greenaway's 'The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover' and Woody Allen's 'You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger'.

Originally trained as a singer, he was a member of the ENO before making his TV debut as a red-painted demon in an episode of 'The Young Ones' alongside the late David Rappaport. This seems to have led directly into a steady stream of work from the mid-'80s onwards.  

As Orgo the Demon in 'The Young Ones'

As well as the big cinema names listed above, he was seen in a roll-call of some of the most popular, if not always primetime, television of the last three decades: ' Young Indiana Jones Chronicles', 'Cadfael', 'The Darling Buds of May', 'C.A.T.S. Eyes', 'Lovejoy', 'Grange Hill' and inevitably, 'The Bill'. Recent interesting parts have included 'Torchwood' and that great salvation for the British character actor,  'Game of Thrones' in which he plays high lord something-or-other Mace Tyrell.

In the Matthew Holness short 'A Gun for George' (2011)

As Dr Johnson in 'Samuel Johnson: The Dictionary Man'

 Other appearances include the very dark comedy short (by 'Garth Marenghi's Darkplace' maverick Matthew Holness) 'A Gun For George'. He is also cast as Alfred Hitchcock in Olivier Dahan's forthcoming 'Grace of Monaco' (2014), which sounds interesting, not least for having Robert Lindsay playing Aristotle Onassis.

Roger Ashton-Griffiths-imdb