Ian McNeice

British actor From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ian McNeice

Ian McNeice (born 2 October 1950) is an English film and television actor. On television, he has played government agent Harcourt in the 1985 television series Edge of Darkness, Bert Large in the comedy-drama Doc Martin, the Newsreader in historical drama Rome (2005–2007) and Winston Churchill in Doctor Who (2010–2011). He has also appeared in films including The Englishman Who Went up a Hill but Came down a Mountain, Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls and Frank Herbert's Dune.

Quick Facts Born, Occupation ...
Ian McNeice
McNeice in 2009
Born (1950-10-02) 2 October 1950 (age 74)
OccupationActor
Years active1977-present
TelevisionB&B (1992)
Doc Martin (2004–2022)
Rome (2005–2007)
Doctor Who (2010–2011)
SpouseKatie Nicholls (separated)
Children3
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Early life and education

McNeice was born in Basingstoke, Hampshire. His acting training started at the Taunton School in Somerset, followed by the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) and two years at the Salisbury Playhouse. The next few years were spent in theatre, including a four-year period with the Royal Shakespeare Company and a production of Nicholas Nickleby on Broadway.[1][2]

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Ian McNeice in The Optimist

Career

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Perspective

McNeice's television breakthrough was as Harcourt in the award-winning series Edge of Darkness. He played the alcoholic sous chef Gustave LaRoche on the television series Chef!, and went on to appear in the 2000 miniseries Frank Herbert's Dune as the evil Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, a role he later reprised for the 2003 sequel Children of Dune. His television appearances have included all ten series of Doc Martin, in which he plays Bert Large, series 4 episode 4 of Midsomer Murders, and the third episode of the second series of Lewis. He appears as the Newsreader in the HBO/BBC production Rome and as the Mr. Tapling of the British diplomatic service in Hornblower - The Examination for Lieutenant.[citation needed]

McNeice has also appeared in a number of films, including 84 Charing Cross Road, Day of the Dead, No Escape, From Hell and The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain.[3] His breakthrough into American films occurred when he played Fulton Greenwall in Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (1995). He played the Nazi Gerhard Klopfer in the 2001 BBC/HBO television film Conspiracy.[4]

Since then, he has been in Around the World in 80 Days (2004) and the 2005 supernatural thriller White Noise.[5] He also appeared as Potiphar in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.[citation needed]

McNeice gave his distinctive voice and accent to voice-acting roles like the Vogon character Kwaltz, director of the Vogon Constructor Fleet, in the 2005 film adaptation of Douglas Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. In 2007, he made his Doctor Who debut when he guest-starred as villain Zeus in the Big Finish BBC Digital Radio 7 drama Immortal Beloved. He had a cameo role as Joachim von Kortzfleisch, a German general who refused to put his troops under the command of officers plotting to depose Hitler's government, in Valkyrie.[6]

McNeice was initially cast in the role of Illyrio Mopatis in the HBO pilot of Game of Thrones, but because of scheduling conflicts the role was then given to Roger Allam.[7] McNeice appeared as Winston Churchill[8] in four episodes of Doctor Who in 2010 and 2011; he had previously played Churchill in the 2008 premiere production of the Howard Brenton play Never So Good, and later played him again in the 2012 stage version of The King's Speech.[9]

McNeice also starred as The Architect in the 2017 independent feature film, The House of Screaming Death.[10][11][12]

Personal life

McNeice has three children.[13]

Selected filmography

Television

More information Year, Title ...
Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1982The Life and Adventures of Nicholas NicklebyWackford Squeers / Scaley / Croupier3 episodes (TV mini-series)
1983The CleopatrasAlexander2 episodes (TV mini-series)
1984MinderEric MorganEpisode: "Rocky Eight and a Half"
1985The OptimistThugEpisode: "The Light Fantastic"
1985Edge of DarknessHarcourt5 episodes (TV mini series)
1987Sputniks, Bleeps and Mr.PerryGeoffrey PerryTV drama/ documentary
1987A Perfect SpySefton Boyd1 episode (TV mini-series)
1988Wipe OutPhillip Benton5 episodes (TV mini-series)
1989BoonGraham BarkerEpisode: "In For the Monet"
1989Around the World in 80 DaysBatcular3 Episodes (TV mini series)
1991LovejoyGervais RackhamEpisode: "The Italian Venus"
1991The Ruth Rendell MysteriesIvan Teal3 episodes
1992B&BHorace GilbertTV Movie
1992Miss Pym's Day OutVicar of FinstockTV Movie
1992The Cloning of Joanna MayDr. Holly2 episodes (TV mini-series)
1992The Blackheath PoisoningsGeorge Collard3 episodes (TV mini series)
1992An Ungentlemanly ActDick BakerTV Movie
1993WatchingMinisterEpisode: "Knotting"
1993Inspector MorsePathologistEpisode: "Deadly Slumber"
1993Stay LuckyFranklyn Bysouth10 episodes
1993Age of TreasonCascaTV Movie
1994Ain't Misbehavin'Chuck PervisSeries 1, Episode 4
1994MinderHargreavesEpisode: "All Quiet on the West End Front"
1994Chef!Gustave LaRoche3 episodes
1994 - 1995Pie in the SkyBarry Wilkes2 episodes
1995Sharpe's BattleWagonmaster-General Colonel RuncimanTV Movie
1995BugsDoctor Peter HunterEpisode: "A Sporting Chance"
1996CadfaelCanon EluardEpisode: "The Devil's Notice"
1997Have Your Cake and Eat ItZief4 episodes (TV mini-series)
1998HornblowerMr. TaplingEpisode: The Examination for Lieutenant
1998A Certain JusticeDesmond Ulrick3 episodes
1998Liverpool 1GeorgeEpisode: "Lead Balloon"
1999A Christmas CarolAlbert FezziwigTV Movie
1999Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor DreamcoatPotipharVideo
1999David CopperfieldMr. Dick2 episodes (TV mini-series)
2000LongitudeAstronomer Royal Doctor Nathanial BlissTV mini-series
2000Frank Herbert's DuneBaron Vladimir Harkonnen3 episodes (TV mini-series)
2000The Sleeper Mr. Tarburck1 episode (TV mini-series)
2000Midsomer MurdersVillage doctorEpisode: "Who Killed Cock Robin"
2001ArmadilloIvan2 episodes (TV mini-series)
2002Relic HunterHarry KaneEpisode: "Fountain of Youth"
2003Frank Herbert's Children of DuneBaron Vladimir Harkonnen3 episodes (TV mini-series)
2004SpartacusLentulus Batiatus2 episodes (TV mini-series)
2004SpooksJudgeEpisode: "Persephone"
2004–2022Doc MartinBert Large78 episodes
2005The Last DetectiveRaymond PriceEpisode: "Three Steps to Hendon"
2005–2007RomeThe Newsreader20 episodes
2007New TricksMichael MeadowcroftEpisode: "Big Topped"
2008LewisReverend Francis KingEpisode: "Life Born of Fire"
2009Cleopatra: Portrait of a KillerCassius Dio (Historian)TV film
20102011Doctor WhoWinston Churchill4 episodes
2010Jonathan CreekFather Roderick AlbericEpisode: "The Judas Tree"
2012The Mystery of Edwin DroodMayor Sapsea2 episodes (TV mini-series)
2021FoundationMaster Statistician TivoleEpisode: "Barbarian at the Gate"
2022The SandmanBartenderEpisode: "The Sound of Her Wings"
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Film

More information Year, Title ...
Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1983Grizzly II: The ConcertBernie
1983Voice Over"Fats" Bannerman
1984Top Secret!Blind souvenir salesman
1986Whoops ApocalypseThrush
1987Personal ServicesHarry
198784 Charing Cross RoadBill Humphries
1987Cry FreedomUncredited
1987The Lonely Passion of Judith HearneBernard Rice
1988The Raggedy RawneyFarmer
1989ValmontAzolan
19901871Prince of Wales
1990The Russia HouseMerrydew
1991Secret FriendsFirst Businessman
1992Year of the CometIan
1993Don't Leave Me This WayOscar Ghilardi
1994No EscapeKing
1995Funny BonesStanley Sharkey
1995The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a MountainGeorge Garrad
1995Ace Ventura: When Nature CallsFulton Greenwall
1997The Beautician and the BeastIva Grushinsky
1997A Life Less OrdinaryMayhew
1998How to Make the Cruelest MonthPeggy Asks
1999The Auteur TheorySir Maximilian Fair Brown
1999The Cherry OrchardPishchik
2000The Nine Lives of Tomas KatzInspector
2001AnazaptaBishop
2001The BodyDr. Sproul
2001Town & CountryPeter Principal
2001The Fourth AngelMI5 officer Lewison
2001From HellDr. Robert Drudge
2002AmnèsiaDoug Chandler
2002Man and BoyNigel Batty
2002The Final CurtainPriest
2003Chaos and CadaversHarry Kane
2003I'll Be ThereGraham
2003BlackballHugh the Sideburns
2004Freeze FrameForensic Profiler Saul Seger
2004Around the World in 80 DaysColonel Kitchener
2004The Rocket PostAlex Miln
2004Bridget Jones: The Edge of ReasonQuizmaster
2005White NoiseRaymond Price
2005The Hitchhiker's Guide to the GalaxyKwaltzVoice only
2005Oliver TwistLimbkins
2006The Black DahliaCoroner
2008Day of the DeadDJ Paul
2008ValkyrieJoachim von Kortzfleisch
2008Just Because You’re Paranoid…The TherapistShort film
2012Nativity 2: Danger in the MangerMr. Peterson Senior
2017The Man Who Invented ChristmasEdward Chapman
2017The House of Screaming DeathThe Architect
2023NapoleonLouis XVIII
2024We Are TouristsHarry
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References

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