Known For
Acting
Known Credits
181
Gender
Male
Birthday
December 12, 1944 (81 years old)
Place of Birth
Dunfermline - Scotland - UK
Scottish born actor Kenneth Cranham is one of the most recognisable character actors in Britain. Having trained at the National Youth Theatre and RADA, Cranham first came to prominence as Noah Claypole in the 1968 Carol Reed musical Oliver! In the late '70s, Cranham memorably played Sapper Salt in Euston Films' Danger UXB, before taking the title role in the popular postwar set period comedy drama Shine on Harvey Moon. His most famous film role from around this time was Dr. Philip Channard in Hellraiser II. In more recent years he has starred in the HBO series Rome, as well as the films Hot Fuzz, Layer Cake, Valkyrie, Made in Dagenham, Maleficent and Film Stars Don't Die In Liverpool. Among many stage credits are West End productions of Entertaining Mr Sloane, Loot, An Inspector Calls (both transferring to Broadway), The Ruffian on the Stair, The Birthday Party and Gaslight (at the Old Vic). For his role as Inspector Goole in An Inspector Calls, he was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award. In 2016, Cranham won the Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Play for his role as Andre in Florian Zeller's The Father. The play originated at the Theatre Royal Bath's Ustinov Studio in the Autumn of 2014, before touring the country and transferring to the West End in the Summer of 2015, and returning to the Duke of York's Theatre in Spring 2016. The play received an unprecedented five star review from every leading national press publication, and Cranham's performance was described as "the performance of his life" His first wife was actress Diana Quick. He has two daughters: Nancy Cranham with actress Charlotte Cornwell, and Kathleen Cranham with his second wife, actress Fiona Victory, whom he met on the set of Shine on Harvey Moon.
| 2021 | Finding Aliceas Gerry | |
| 2020 | Tryingas Barry | |
| 2019 | Mr. Jonesas Lloyd George | |
| 2019 | Official Secretsas Judge Hyam | |
| 2019 | Hatton Gardenas Brian Reader | |
| 2019 | The Spanish Princessas John Morton | |
| 2019 | Born a Kingas Lord Curzon | |
| 2018 | Egon Schiele: Dangerous Desiresas Leopold Czihaczek | |
| 2017 | Bancroftas Charlie Haverstock | |
| 2017 | Joe Orton Laid Bareas Himself | |
| 2017 | Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpoolas Joe Turner | |
| 2017 | Strikeas Dennis Creed | |
| 2017 | Dark Ditties Presents: The Offeras The Host | |
| 2017 | The White Princessas John Morton | |
| 2016 | Neil Gaiman's Likely Storiesas Dean Smith | |
| 2016 | War and Peaceas Uncle Mikhail | |
| 2015 | Leviathan: The Story of Hellraiser and Hellbound: Hellraiser IIas Self | |
| 2014 | Maleficentas King Henry | |
| 2014 | 37 Daysas John Burns | |
| 2014 | Inside No. 9as Rupert | |
| 2014 | The Legend of Herculesas Lucius | |
| 2013 | Closed Circuitas Cameron Fischer | |
| 2013 | Flying Blindas Victor | |
| 2013 | In the Fleshas Vicar Oddie | |
| 2012 | Panto!as Jerry | |
| 2012 | Suspension of Disbeliefas Bullock | |
| 2011 | Death in Paradiseas Father John | |
| 2011 | Graffiti Warsas Narrator (Voice) | |
| 2011 | National Theatre Live: The Cherry Orchardas Firs | |
| 2011 | 5 Days of Waras Michael Stilton | |
| 2011 | The Night Watchas Horace Mundy | |
| 2010 | Upstairs Downstairsas Sgt Ashworth | |
| 2010 | Made in Dagenhamas Monty Taylor | |
| 2010 | Harold Pinter: A Celebrationas Self | |
| 2009 | Spanish Flu: The Forgotten Fallenas MJ O'Loughlin | |
| 2009 | Moving Onas Mike | |
| 2009 | The Addictions of Sin: WH Auden in His Own Wordsas W H Auden | |
| 2008 | Valkyrieas Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel | |
| 2008 | Merlinas Aulfric | |
| 2008 | Tess of the D'Urbervillesas Mr Clare | |
| 2007 | Heroes & Villains: Napoleonas General Carteaux | |
| 2007 | Heroes and Villainsas | |
| 2007 | The Man from Montevideoas Gary Solway | |
| 2007 | Sinking of the Lusitania: Terror at Seaas Captain Turner | |
| 2007 | Hot Fuzzas James Reaper | |
| 2007 | Liliesas | |
| 2007 | Liliesas Health Inspector | |
| 2006 | A Good Yearas Sir Nigel | |
| 2006 | The Line of Beautyas Sir Maurice Tipper | |
| 2006 | Hannibal: Rome's Worst Nightmareas Narrator | |
| 2006 | The Chatterley Affairas Older Keith | |
| 2006 | The Lavender Listas Harold Wilson | |
| 2005 | Romeas Gnaeus Pompey Magnus | |
| 2005 | Mangal Pandey - The Risingas Mr. Kent | |
| 2004 | Agatha Christie's Marpleas Rex Fortescue | |
| 2004 | Layer Cakeas Jimmy Price | |
| 2004 | Traumaas DC Jackson | |
| 2004 | Hannibal: The Man Who Hated Romeas Narrator | |
| 2004 | The Genius of Mozartas Leopold Mozart | |
| 2004 | Hustleas Francis Owen | |
| 2004 | Man Dancin'as D.I. Walter 'Pancho' Villers | |
| 2004 | New Tricksas | |
| 2003 | Sparkling Cyanideas George Barton | |
| 2003 | Blackballas Chairman Collins | |
| 2003 | Murder Investigation Teamas Ray Morgan | |
| 2003 | Killing Hitleras Brigadier Sir Stewart Menzies | |
| 2003 | Pollyannaas Mr. Pendleton | |
| 2002 | Two Men Went To Waras Sgt. Peter King | |
| 2002 | Believe Nothingas DI Aldiss | |
| 2002 | Dickensas John Forster | |
| 2002 | Night Flightas Ted Atwell | |
| 2002 | The Voynich Mysteryas Narrator | |
| 2001 | Women Talking Dirtyas George | |
| 2000 | Without Motiveas DCS Derek Henderson | |
| 2000 | Shineras Gibson | |
| 2000 | Born Romanticas Barney | |
| 2000 | The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Espionage Escapadesas Colonel Schmidt | |
| 2000 | Gangster No. 1as Tommy | |
| 2000 | The Most Fertile Man in Irelandas Da | |
| 2000 | Lady Audley's Secretas Sir Michael Audley | |
| 2000 | Kevin & Perry Go Largeas Vicar | |
| 1999 | The Murder of Stephen Lawrenceas Michael Mansfield QC | |
| 1999 | The Last Yellowas Len | |
| 1998 | Vigoas The Producer | |
| 1998 | RPMas Biggerman | |
| 1998 | Our Mutual Friendas Silas Wegg | |
| 1997 | The Boxeras Matt MaGuire | |
| 1997 | Midnight Manas Brigadier Charles Ferguson | |
| 1997 | Midsomer Murdersas Jude Langham | |
| 1996 | The Tenant of Wildfell Hallas Reverend Michael Millward | |
| 1996 | Deep in the Heartas Robert Flaherty | |
| 1996 | On Dangerous Groundas Brigadier Charles Ferguson | |
| 1996 | Bed of Rosesas Simon | |
| 1995 | Kavanagh Q.C.as Roy Lawrence | |
| 1994 | Requiem Apacheas Tony | |
| 1993 | The Vision Thingas Dick Naughton | |
| 1993 | Royal Celebrationas Douglas | |
| 1993 | Tale of a Vampireas Edgar | |
| 1992 | Monkey Boyas Hennessey | |
| 1992 | A Little Bit of Lippyas Reggie Titherington | |
| 1992 | Between the Linesas DCI Stubbs | |
| 1992 | Heartbeatas Charlie Wallace | |
| 1992 | The Young Indiana Jones Chroniclesas Colonel Schmidt | |
| 1991 | Murder Most Horridas Insp Salford | |
| 1991 | Under Suspicionas Frank Vance | |
| 1991 | Prospero's Booksas Sebastian | |
| 1991 | Chimeraas Hennessey | |
| 1990 | Oranges Are Not the Only Fruitas Pastor Finch | |
| 1989 | Rules of Engagementas Martin Goodman | |
| 1989 | A Master of the Marionettesas Teddy | |
| 1989 | Just Another Secretas Brosch | |
| 1988 | Hellbound: Hellraiser IIas Dr. Philip Channard / Channard Cenobite | |
| 1988 | The Black and Blue Lampas Supt. Cherry | |
| 1988 | Stealing Heavenas Vice Chancellor Suger | |
| 1988 | Chocolatas Jonathan Boothby | |
| 1988 | The Partyas Joe Shawcross | |
| 1988 | Normal Serviceas Peter | |
| 1988 | The Play on Oneas Joe Shawcross | |
| 1988 | The Play on Oneas Peter | |
| 1988 | The Play on Oneas Teddy Rose | |
| 1987 | The Birthday Partyas Stanley Webber | |
| 1987 | Inspector Morseas Cedric Downes | |
| 1987 | Making Wavesas Joe Nash | |
| 1986 | A Sort of Innocenceas | |
| 1986 | Casualtyas James Lawrence | |
| 1986 | ScreenPlayas Dick Naughton | |
| 1986 | ScreenPlayas Reggie Titherington | |
| 1986 | ScreenPlayas Supt. Cherry | |
| 1986 | Lovejoyas Litvak | |
| 1986 | Dead Man's Follyas Insp. Bland | |
| 1985 | Lady Windermere's Fanas Lord Darlington | |
| 1985 | Theatre Nightas Stanley | |
| 1985 | The Dumb Waiteras Gus | |
| 1983 | Natural Worldas | |
| 1983 | Reilly: Ace of Spiesas Lenin | |
| 1982 | A Genius Like Us: A Portrait of Joe Ortonas Self | |
| 1982 | The Bellas Nick Fawley | |
| 1982 | Shine on Harvey Moonas Harvey Moon | |
| 1981 | Brideshead Revisitedas Sergeant Block | |
| 1981 | The Caretakeras Aston | |
| 1981 | The Sin Binas Alan Grieves | |
| 1980 | The Merchant of Veniceas Gratiano | |
| 1980 | 'Tis Pity She's a Whoreas Giovanni | |
| 1980 | Cribbas Francis Mostyn-Smith | |
| 1980 | Therese Raquinas Camille Raquin | |
| 1980 | Donkeys' Yearsas Bill Taylor | |
| 1979 | Minderas Walter | |
| 1979 | Danger UXBas L / Corporal Salt | |
| 1979 | Danger UXBas Sapper Salt | |
| 1978 | Butterflies Don't Countas Tom | |
| 1978 | Strangersas DCI Jim Lennard | |
| 1978 | Strangersas Willie Bruce | |
| 1978 | Enemy at the Dooras Jack Foster | |
| 1977 | Joseph Andrewsas The Wicked Squire | |
| 1976 | Robin and Marianas Jack's Apprentice | |
| 1975 | Against the Crowdas Geoff Smailes | |
| 1974 | Vampiraas Paddy | |
| 1974 | The Changelingas Antonio | |
| 1973 | Achilles Heelas Gordon | |
| 1972 | Crown Courtas John Tucker | |
| 1972 | Van der Valkas Dirk Boutsen | |
| 1972 | New Scotland Yardas David Collins | |
| 1972 | Brother Sun, Sister Moonas Paolo | |
| 1971 | Budgieas Inky Ballantine | |
| 1971 | Up Pompeiias Christian | |
| 1970 | Play for Todayas Alan Grieves | |
| 1970 | Play for Todayas Tom | |
| 1970 | From a Bird's Eye Viewas Tim O'Donovan | |
| 1970 | Fragment of Fearas Joe | |
| 1970 | All the Way Upas Tom Midway | |
| 1969 | Sling Your Hookas Roland | |
| 1969 | Otleyas Kid | |
| 1969 | ITV Saturday Night Theatreas Terry | |
| 1968 | Oliver!as Noah Claypole | |
| 1967 | Death of a Privateas Young intellectual | |
| 1967 | ITV Playhouseas Private Seaton | |
| 1967 | Boy Meets Girlas Tom Last | |
| 1965 | BBC Play of the Monthas Antonio | |
| 1965 | Thirty-Minute Theatreas Barry | |
| 1965 | Thirty-Minute Theatreas Charlie | |
| 1960 | Coronation Streetas Roy |