![]() |
Ralph Brown | |
---|---|
![]() Brown on 26 March 2009 | |
Born | Ralph William John Brown 18 June 1957 |
Occupations |
|
Years active | 1982–present |
Spouse | |
Website | twitter |
Ralph William John Brown [1] (born 18 June 1957) [1] is an English actor and writer, known for playing Danny the drug dealer in Withnail and I , [2] the security guard Aaron (a.k.a. "85") in Alien 3 , DJ Bob Silver in The Boat That Rocked aka Pirate Radio , super-roadie Del Preston in Wayne's World 2 , the pilot Ric Olié in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace , [3] and Henry Clinton in Turn: Washington's Spies . He won the Samuel Beckett Award for his first play Sanctuary written for Joint Stock Theatre Company in 1987, and the Raindance and Sapporo Film Festival awards for his first screenplay for the British film New Year's Day in 2001.
Brown was born in Cambridge, the son of Heather R. and John F. W. Brown. He has 2 younger brothers, Paul and Andrew. He lived in Portsmouth, Hampshire until the age of seven, then moved to East Sussex where he attended Lewes Priory School. He graduated from the London School of Economics and Political Science with a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) in 1979.
His film roles include Dil's on-off boyfriend Dave in the Academy Award-winning film The Crying Game , Danny the drug dealer in Withnail & I , Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs in Buster , roadie Del Preston in Wayne's World 2 , teacher and rugby league player Phil in Up 'n' Under , prison guard captain Mr Burton in Mean Machine , Sgt Major Harris in the Paul Schrader film Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist , and CIA renegade Mr Collins alongside Wesley Snipes in The Contractor . In 1997, Brown appeared in Steven Spielberg's slavery epic Amistad . In 2007, he was cast in Caught in the Act, an independent British film. Brown starred as DJ Bob Silver in The Boat That Rocked aka Pirate Radio (2009), written and directed by Richard Curtis, Huge directed by Ben Miller (2009), The Kid (2010), directed by Nick Moran, Mission: London, a Bulgarian comedy directed by Dimitar Mitoviski which premiered in Sofia on 13 April 2010, and Sus (2010), written by Barrie Keeffe and directed by Robert Heath. He worked on the film Killing Bono (2010) and the feature film Dark Tide (2010) in Cape Town, opposite Halle Berry, I, Anna (2011) with Gabriel Byrne and Charlotte Rampling, then went on to work on Tower Block (2012) in London, Jack the Giant Slayer (2013) directed by Bryan Singer, and Stoker (2013) in Nashville, directed by Park Chan-wook. In 2018 he appeared in Final Score with Dave Bautista, directed by Scott Mann, about West Ham United's now-abandoned Boleyn Ground. He worked with Will Smith in Ang Lee's Gemini Man (2019).
Among TV appearances, Brown appeared as PC Pete Muswell in The Bill from 1985 to 1986; [4] guest starred as Captain Carlisle in A Touch of Frost in 1996; appeared in Dennis Potter's Karaoke in 1995; portrayed Prince John in the BBC's adaptation of Sir Walter Scott's Ivanhoe in 1997; appeared as John Geddes in the ITV post-apocalyptic drama serial The Last Train ; appeared as the moustachioed policeman Wintersgill in the Channel 4/Showtime series Cape Wrath ; and did a memorable turn as shaven-headed gang-boss "Miami Vice" in the 2000 series Lock, Stock...The Series .
In 2005, he appeared in Coronation Street as Barney, roadie to Status Quo, and with Julia Davis in the cult TV sitcom Nighty Night as perverted new-age sex therapist Jacques. In 2007, he appeared in the final two episodes of Life on Mars as Frank Morgan, an interim DCI in 1973 sequences, and Sam's (John Simm's) surgeon in 2006 sequences. [5]
Brown played Sarah Solemani's father in Him & Her , which began airing in 2010 and continued through 2014 for BBC Three comedy, winning a BAFTA for the final series, "The Wedding." In 2012, he worked on Inspector George Gently with Martin Shaw, The Poison Tree for ITV, and The Mimic for C4. In 2013, he worked on the aborted Marvin Gaye film Sexual Healing directed by Julian Temple, and the ABC series The Assets in Vilnius, Lithuania. In 2014, he was cast in Babylon for C4 and Elementary for CBS, followed by TURN: Washington's Spies for AMC, playing General Sir Henry Clinton, leader of the redcoats. Brown returned for seasons 3 and 4 of the series. He also played Johann Fennhoff / Ivchenko, in Agent Carter for Marvel, [6] and guest starred on Blacklist .
In 2015 Brown starred in all ten episodes of Legends [7] with Sean Bean, with whom he had worked on Extremely Dangerous in the early 1990s. In 2016-17 he returned to Prague with showrunner Ken Biller to shoot Genius: Einstein for Nat Geo, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in April 2017.
In June 2016, Brown played the role of Bob Clay in the BBC film Reg . [8]
In September 2017 Brown travelled to Guadeloupe for a guest role in the BBC show Death In Paradise .
In 2021, Brown portrayed former U.S. President Lyndon Johnson in two episodes of Godfather of Harlem , a series on EPIX which explores the intersection between the criminal underworld and civil rights movement in the 1960s. [9]
In his early years, Brown was involved with the Moving Parts Theatre Company with Rachel Feldberg, Ruth Mackenzie, Anita Lewton, and Saffron Myers. John Godber adapted A Clockwork Orange for Man In The Moon, King's Road, then Brown appeared in West written & directed by Steven Berkoff at the Donmar for five months (also shot for C4), followed by Royal Court Theatre's Panic, Joint Stock's Deadlines, The RSC's Earwig by Paula Milne, and The Everyman in Liverpool playing the title role in Macbeth . He retired from the stage shortly thereafter, and returned briefly 20 years later at The Bush Theatre to play guitar in punk play The Dysfunkshonalz by writer Mike Packer. After only appearing in one play in 30 years Brown joined the company of The Ferryman on Broadway in February 2019 [10] which won four Tony Awards for Best Play, Best Director, Best Set Design and Best Costume. Brown starred as IRA Commander Jimmy Muldoon in The Ferryman, which played at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre from 19 February until 7 July 2019.
Ralph Brown wrote the play Sanctuary for Joint Stock Theatre Company in 1987 which toured the UK and won the Samuel Beckett Award in 1987 for best first play.
The No-Neck Monsters Theatre Company brought the playwright and actor to Washington, D.C. from London to adapt his 1987 Samuel Beckett Award-winning new play Sanctuary. [11] Re-written as a rap musical for the "No Necks", the show became a successful and controversial production capturing homelessness, runaways and crack hitting the streets of D.C. Scott Davenport Richards wrote the music for the rap musical and it was directed by Gwendolyn Wynne. [11] The first rap musical in the region The Washington Post, NPR, American Theatre Magazine and McNeil/Lehrer Newshour amongst others reported on the production. [12] The production was nominated for three Helen Hayes Awards: [13] Outstanding Resident Musical, Outstanding Lead Actress (Deidre L. Johnson) in a Resident Musical, and Outstanding Sound Design. Performers featured were Teagle F. Bougere, Erik Todd Dellums, Paul G. Griffin, Deidra L. Johnson, Helen Patton and Barbara Robinson.
Brown has written two plays, both rap musicals: Sanctuary for Joint Stock Theatre Company (Samuel Beckett Award 1987), adapted for the stage in Washington, D.C., as Sanctuary D.C. produced by No-Neck Monsters Theatre Company (three nominations for Helen Hayes Award 1988). His second play The House That Crack Built has never been produced.
Brown wrote the screenplay for the film New Year's Day directed by Suri Krishnamma in 1999, released in 2001 after screening at Sundance Film Festival and winning Raindance Film Festival award in 2001 and Sapporo Film Festival in the same year.
Brown also wrote the screenplays for the abandoned films Red Light Runners, High Times and In God's Footsteps.
He was a regular contributor to the Readers Recommend music blog in The Guardian , now at Song-Bar.com
Brown joined Twitter in November 2008. [14] His blog is titled My Pop Life.
Brown has been married to actress Jenny Jules since 1992.[ citation needed ] He lives in New York City and is a lifelong fan of Brighton and Hove Albion. When Attila the Stockbroker was the club's DJ at the Withdean Stadium, he put together a version of Sussex by the Sea which featured Brown on saxophone and was played at home matches. [15]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1982 | The Merry Wives of Windsor | John | TV film |
1984 | The Hit | Second Man | |
1985-1986 | The Bill | P.C. Pete Muswell | 11 episodes |
1986 | London's Burning: The Movie | Second Policeman | TV film |
1987 | Withnail & I | Danny | |
1988 | Screenplay | Insp. Drury | 1 episode |
Buster | Ronnie Biggs | ||
Christabel | Lange | TV mini-series 1 episode | |
1989 | Scandal | Paul Mann | |
Rules of Engagement | Mick Rendall | TV mini-series 5 episodes | |
Diamond Skulls | Jack | ||
1990 | Mistress of Suspense | Detective Inspector Rollason | 1 episode |
1991 | 4 Play | Archie Heckle | 1 episode |
Impromptu | Eugène Delacroix | ||
The Pope Must Die | Doctor | ||
1992 | Van der Valk | Inspector Rep | 1 episode |
Alien 3 | Francis Aaron ("85") | ||
The Crying Game | Dave | ||
The Ruth Rendell Mysteries | Peter Mullin | 1 episode | |
1993 | Undercover Blues | Leamington | |
Between the Lines | D.A.C. John Convey | 1 episode | |
Wayne's World 2 | Del Preston | ||
1994 | Don't Get Me Started | Larry Swift | |
Requiem Apache | Mick | TV film | |
1995 | Devil's Advocate | Demagio | TV film |
1996 | A Touch of Frost | Captain Carlisle | 1 episode |
Dalziel and Pascoe | Sam Connon | 1 episode | |
Karaoke | Peter Beasley | 1 episode | |
Cold Lazarus | Peter Beasley | 1 episode | |
1997 | The Place of the Dead | Sgt Bob Mann | TV film |
Ivanhoe | Prince John | TV mini-series 6 episodes | |
Jonathan Creek | Roy Pilgrim | 1 episode | |
Amistad | Lieutenant Gedney | ||
1998 | Up 'n' Under | Phil | |
A Respectable Trade | Dr. Hadley | TV mini-series 2 episodes | |
1999 | Peak Practice | Stephen Westwood | 1 episode |
The Last Train | Jonathan Geddes | 2 episodes | |
Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace | Ric Olié | ||
Cleopatra | Guevarius | TV mini-series 2 episodes | |
Extremely Dangerous | Joe Connor | 4 episodes | |
2000 | Lexx | Duke | 4 episodes |
New Year's Day | Mr. Diamond | Also writer | |
Lock, Stock... | Miami Vice | 7 episodes | |
2001 | NCS: Manhunt | Ray du Barriatte | TV film |
The Grimleys | Frankie Fate | 1 episode | |
Waking the Dead | Mike Coleman | 2 episodes | |
Last Run | Simon | ||
Mean Machine | Burton | ||
2002 | Julius Caesar | Xanthus | |
NCS: Manhunt | Ray du Barriatte | 5 episodes | |
A Tribute to the Likely Lads | Gary | TV film | |
The Final Curtain | Timothy (Channel Controller) | ||
2003 | The Agency | Andrei Kachan | 1 episode |
I'll Be There | Digger | ||
2004 | Exorcist: The Beginning | Sergeant Major | |
Lawless | Phil Howell | TV film | |
2005 | Big Dippers | Dave | TV film |
Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist | Sergeant Major | ||
Puritan | Mickey Conway | ||
Stoned | Gysin | ||
Nighty Night | Jacques | 6 episodes | |
Spooks | Paul Seymour | 1 episode | |
Coronation Street | Barney | 6 episodes | |
2006 | Cattle Drive | Truesdale | 4 episodes |
Eragon | Psychic Twins | Additional Scene | |
Modern Toss | Various | 6 episodes | |
2007 | Cold Blood | Bob Massum | 7 episodes |
Flood | Mel's Dad | ||
Life on Mars | Frank Morgan | 2 episodes | |
Straightheads | Jamie | ||
The Contractor | Jeremy Collins | Direct-to-Video Film | |
Cape Wrath | Wintersgill | 8 episodes | |
Nearly Famous | Dominic Soloman | 5 episodes | |
2008 | Caught in the Act | Joep | |
2009 | The Boat That Rocked | DJ Bob | |
2010 | The Guards | Sutton | TV film |
Mission London | Detective Collway | ||
The Kid | Gordon Peters | ||
Sus | Karn | ||
Huge | Neil | ||
Copelia | Hathaway | Short | |
2010–2013 | Him & Her | Nigel | 8 episodes |
2011 | The Trigger | Gamekeeper | Short |
Killing Bono | Leo | ||
2012 | I, Anna | George Stone | |
Dark Tide | Brady | ||
Tower Block | Neville | ||
2013 | Stoker | Sheriff Howard | |
Jack the Giant Slayer | General Entin | ||
All Things to All Men | McDeer | ||
Walking with the Enemy | Grudez | ||
2014 | Elementary | Tim Sherrington | 2 episodes |
2015 | Agent Carter | Johann Fennhoff / Ivchenko | 4 episodes |
The Blacklist | Roger Hobbs | Episode: "Vanessa Cruz (No. 117)" | |
Legends | Terrence Graves | 10 episodes | |
Hard Tide | Gaz | ||
2015–2017 | Turn: Washington's Spies | General Henry Clinton | 12 episodes |
2016 | Reg | Bob Clay | TV movie |
Jackie | Dave Powers | ||
2017 | Genius: Einstein | Max Planck | 6 episodes |
2018 | Death in Paradise | Charlie Blake | S7E7 |
Final Score | Steed | ||
2019 | Gemini Man | Del Patterson | |
2021–2023 | Godfather of Harlem | President Lyndon Johnson | 4 episodes |
2022 | New Amsterdam | Sid Chiltern | Episode: "The Crossover" |
2023 | Leverage: Redemption | Ramsey | Episode: "The Museum Makeover Job" |
Genie | Sorcerer |
Year | Title | Role |
---|---|---|
2018 | Red Dead Redemption II | The Local Pedestrian Population |
2022 | Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga | Ric Olié |
Waiting for Godot is a play by Irish playwright Samuel Beckett in which two characters, Vladimir (Didi) and Estragon (Gogo), engage in a variety of discussions and encounters while awaiting the titular Godot, who never arrives. Waiting for Godot is Beckett's reworking of his own original French-language play, En attendant Godot, and is subtitled "a tragicomedy in two acts".
Sir Michael John Gambon was an Irish-English actor. Gambon started his acting career with Laurence Olivier as one of the original members of the Royal National Theatre. Over his six-decade-long career, he received three Olivier Awards and four BAFTA TV Awards. In 1998, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for services to drama.
Simon Phillip Hugh Callow is an English actor. Known as a character actor on stage and screen, he has received numerous accolades including an Olivier Award and Screen Actors Guild Award as well as nominations for two BAFTA Awards. He was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for his services to acting by Queen Elizabeth II in 1999.
Ralph Nathaniel Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes is an English actor, film producer, and director. He graduated from RADA in 1985. A Shakespeare interpreter, Fiennes excelled onstage at the Royal National Theatre before having further success at the Royal Shakespeare Company. Widely regarded as one of Britain's most well-known and popular actors, he has received various accolades, including a BAFTA Award and a Tony Award, as well as nominations for two Academy Awards and an Emmy Award.
Withnail and I is a 1987 British black comedy film written and directed by Bruce Robinson. Loosely based on Robinson's life in London in the late 1960s, the plot follows two unemployed actors, Withnail and "I" who share a flat in Camden Town in 1969. Needing a holiday, they obtain the key to a country cottage in the Lake District belonging to Withnail's eccentric uncle Monty and drive there. The weekend holiday proves less recuperative than they expected.
Anthony Minghella, was a British film director, playwright, and screenwriter. He was chairman of the board of Governors at the British Film Institute between 2003 and 2007. He directed Truly, Madly, Deeply (1991), The English Patient (1996), The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999), and Cold Mountain (2003), and produced Iris (2001), The Quiet American (2002), Michael Clayton (2007), and The Reader (2008).
Keith Boak is a British film and television director, best known for his work on several popular continuing drama series. He currently resides and works in the United States.
Richard Thomas Griffiths was an English actor of film, television, and stage. He was known for his portrayals of Vernon Dursley in the Harry Potter films (2001–2010), Uncle Monty in Withnail and I (1987), and Henry Crabbe in Pie in the Sky (1994–1997). Over his career he received numerous accolades including a Tony Award and Olivier Award as well as a nomination for a BAFTA Award. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Queen Elizabeth II in 2008.
Mark Anthony McGann is an English actor.
Trevor Edward Peacock was an English actor and songwriter. He made his name as a theatre actor, including for his roles in Shakespeare. He later became known for playing Jim Trott in the BBC comedy series The Vicar of Dibley.
Forbes (Robertson) Masson is a Scottish actor and writer. He is an Associate Artist with the Royal Shakespeare Company. He is best known for his roles in classical theatre, musicals, comedies, and appearances in London's West End. He is also known for his comedy partnership with Alan Cumming. Masson and Cumming wrote The High Life, a Scottish situation comedy in which they play the lead characters, Steve McCracken and Sebastian Flight. Characters McCracken and Flight were heavily based on Victor and Barry, famous Scottish comedy alter-egos of Masson and Cumming. Masson also stars in the 2021 film The Road Dance, set on the Isle of Lewis as the Reverend MacIver.
Kenny Leon is an American director and producer. He is notable for his extensive work on Broadway, on television, and in regional theater. He has received a Tony Award and a Drama League Award as well as nominations for three Primetime Emmy Awards and a Drama Desk Award.
Gary Files is an Australian-Canadian actor, theatre director and radio writer who has worked in Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom. Resident in Australia since 1976, Files is noted for the accentual versatility of his radio-based voice acting.
Enda Walsh is an Irish playwright.
Sean Gerard Mathias is a Welsh actor, director, and writer. He is known for directing the film Bent and for directing highly acclaimed theatre productions in London, New York City, Cape Town, Los Angeles and Sydney.
Sean Foley is a British director, writer, comedian and actor. Following early success as part of the comedy double act The Right Size and their long-running stage show The Play What I Wrote, Foley has more recently become a director, including of several West End comedy productions. From 2019 to 2024, he was appointed as Artistic Director of the Birmingham Repertory Theatre.
Ken Bloom is a New York-based, Grammy Award-winning theatre historian, playwright, director, record producer, and author.
Peter Sullivan is an English film and television actor.
Michael Colgan, OBE is an Irish film and television producer who is former director of the Gate Theatre in Dublin.
Kathy Rose O'Brien is an actress from Dublin, Ireland, who has appeared in the Irish television drama Whistleblower, which dealt with the controversial events at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda relating to obstetrician/gynecologist Michael Neary, and in theatre productions including Leaves, The Burial at Thebes, The Birthday Party, The Fall of Herodias Hattigan and The Plough and the Stars. She holds a BA (Hons) in Drama and Theatre Studies from The Samuel Beckett Centre, Trinity College Dublin and graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in 2006.