The filmography of English actor Robert Bathurst comprises both film and television roles spanning almost 30 years. Bathurst made his acting debut for television in 1982 in the never-broadcast pilot episode for the BBC sitcom Blackadder, though his character Prince Henry was recast when the Black Adder series was commissioned. Throughout the rest of the 1980s, Bathurst appeared in episodes of The Lenny Henry Show, Who Dares Wins, The District Nurse, Red Dwarf, and Chelmsford 123, before starring alongside his Cambridge Footlights colleague Stephen Fry in the short-run series Anything More Would Be Greedy. He also appeared in the films Whoops Apocalypse (1986) and Just Ask for Diamond (1988).
Into the 1990s, Bathurst gained wider recognition from television audiences, first as writer Mark Taylor in Joking Apart from 1991 to 1995, then as David Marsden in Cold Feet from 1997 to 2003 and again from 2016.[1][2] The decade also saw him appear in the television series The House of Eliott, The Detectives, and Hornblower, and the films Twenty-One (1991) and Terry Jones's The Wind in the Willows (1996).
In the early 2000s, Bathurst starred in a succession of one-off television dramas before taking the role of British prime minister Michael Phillips in the sitcom My Dad's the Prime Minister. Throughout the rest of the decade, he appeared in episodes of New Tricks, Agatha Christie's Poirot, and Kingdom, played Mark Thatcher in the fact-based drama Coup!, had a recurring role in the sitcom My Family, and starred in the costume drama Emma. He starred as John Le Mesurier in the Hattie Jacques television biopic Hattie and returned to a weekly TV series role in Wild at Heart in 2012.
Alongside his television and film roles, Bathurst has developed a theatre career. He appeared in several Cambridge Footlights Revues between 1977 and 1981, and co-directed the 1978 Footlights pantomime with Martin Bergman.[3][n 1] From his first professional stage role playing Tim Allgood in Michael Frayn's Noises Off (1983),[2] Bathurst has starred in Judgement (1987), Getting Married (1993), The Nose (1995), The Rover (1996), Alarms and Excursions (1998–1999), The Three Sisters (2003), Whipping it Up (2006, 2007), Present Laughter (2010), and Blithe Spirit (2010, 2011).
Filmography
editTelevision
edit| Year(s) | Title | Role(s) | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | The Black Adder | Prince Henry | Unaired pilot episode |
| 1984 | The Lenny Henry Show | Various | Television series |
| 1986 | New World | Cast member | Television film |
| 1986 | Who Dares Wins | Various | 1 episode |
| 1987 | The District Nurse | Christian | 1 episode |
| 1988 | Red Dwarf | Frank Todhunter | 1 episode ("The End") |
| 1988 | All in Good Faith | Father Cary | 1 episode ("The Spirit Is Willing") |
| 1988 | Chelmsford 123 | Gaius | 1 episode |
| 1989 | Mr Christie | Larry Craig | Television film |
| 1989 | Anything More Would Be Greedy | Dennis Medlam | 6-part television serial |
| 1990 | Up Yer News | Various | Live television sketch series |
| 1991 | About Face | Dave | 1 episode |
| 1991 | Lazarus & Dingwall | Justin De Jong | 1 episode |
| 1991 | Comic Asides: Joking Apart | Mark Taylor | Television pilot |
| 1992 | No Job for a Lady | Tony | 1 episode |
| 1992 | Early Travellers in North America | William Makepeace Thackeray | 2 episodes |
| 1992 | The House of Eliott | Hector Furneux | 1 episode |
| 1993–1995 | Joking Apart | Mark Taylor | 2 series |
| 1994 | The Detectives | Thomas | 1 episode |
| 1994 | Screen One: A Breed of Heroes | Major Edward Lumley | Television film |
| 1997 | Get Well Soon | Squadron Leader Fielding | 1 series |
| 1997 | Comedy Premieres: Cold Feet | David Marsden | Television pilot |
| 1998 | Hornblower | Lt. Eccleston | 1 episode ("The Even Chance") |
| 1998–2003, 2016–2020 | Cold Feet | David Marsden | 9 series |
| 1999 | The Nearly Complete and Utter History of Everything | English Ambassador Sir Francis Drake |
Television film |
| 2001 | Goodbye, Mr Steadman | Alan Steadman | Television film |
| 2002 | The Secret | Alex Faraday | 2-part television film |
| 2002 | White Teeth | Marcus Malfen | 4-part television serial |
| 2002 | The Safe House | Dr Adam Daley | Television film |
| 2003–2004 | My Dad's the Prime Minister | Prime Minister Michael Phillips | 2 series |
| 2004 | New Tricks | Martin Lombard | 1 episode |
| 2004 | The Three Sisters | Vershinin | Televised play |
| 2005 | The Stepfather | Christopher Veazey | Television film |
| 2005 | The Comic Strip Presents... | Charles | 1 episode |
| 2006 | Agatha Christie's Poirot: After the Funeral | Gilbert Entwhistle | 1 episode |
| 2006 | Coup! | Mark Thatcher | Television film |
| 2006–2009 | My Family | James Garrett | 3 episodes |
| 2007 | Kingdom | Philip Collins | 1 episode |
| 2009 | Emma | Mr Weston | 4-part television serial |
| 2009 | The Queen | Anthony Eden | 1 episode |
| 2010 | The Pillars of the Earth | Percy Hamleigh | 4 episodes |
| 2010–2011 | Downton Abbey | Sir Anthony Strallan | 6 episodes |
| 2011 | Hattie | John Le Mesurier | Television film |
| 2012 | Wild at Heart | Ed Lynch | Television series |
| 2012–2015 | Toast of London | Ed Howzer-Black | 3 series |
| 2013 | Dracula | Lord Thomas Davenport | |
| 2013–2014 | Blandings | Sir Gregory Parsloe-Parsloe | 5 episodes |
| 2014 | Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death | Andy Cummings Brown | Television film |
| 2015 | Mrs. Brown's Boys | William Hunt | 1 episode |
| 2017 | Gap Year | Bertie | 1 episode |
| 2019 | Dad's Army: The Lost Episodes | Sergeant Wilson | 3 episodes |
| 2020 | Luck on Sunday | Guest | 1 episode |
| 2021 | Doctor Who | Farquhar | 1 episode |
| 2021 | The Larkins | Johnny Delamere | |
| 2021 | The Mezzotint | Garwood | Television film |
| 2022 | Toast of Tinseltown | Ed Howzer-Black | Television series |
Film
edit| Year | Title | Role | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Whoops Apocalypse | Damien | Feature film (debut) |
| 1988 | Just Ask For Diamond | Vicar | Feature film |
| 1991 | Twenty-One | Mr Metcalfe | Feature film |
| 1993 | The Euphoric Scale | Raymond Tanner | Short film |
| 1996 | The Wind in the Willows | St John Weasel | Feature film |
| 2005 | Heidi | Mr Sessemann | Feature film |
| 2006 | The Thief Lord | Dottore Massimo | Feature film (Minor antagonist) |
| 2006 | Talk | Afghan Hound Owner | Short film |
| 2006 | Scoop | Strombel's Co-worker | Feature film |
| 2007 | Life:XP | Dr Eckhart | Short film |
| 2009 | A Family Portrait | Robert | Short film |
| 2014 | Mrs. Brown's Boys D'Movie | Maydo Archer | Feature film |
| 2015 | Absolutely Anything | James Cleverill | Feature film |
| 2015 | Narcopolis | Kim Nolan | Feature film |
| 2021 | The Fall | Michael Hamilton | Short film |
| 2021 | Munich: The Edge of War | Sir Nevile Henderson | Feature film |
Theatre
edit| Year(s) | Title | Role | Director(s) | Performance history |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Tag! | Various | Griff Rhys Jones | Arts Theatre, Cambridge, 7–18 June 1977 Oxford Playhouse, 20–25 June 1977 Robin Hood Theatre, Averham, 4–9 July 1977 St Mary's Street Hall, Edinburgh (Edinburgh Festival), 19 August–10 September 1977[n 2] |
| 1978 | Stage Fright | Various | Martin Bergman | Arts Theatre, Cambridge, 6–17 June 1978. St Mary's Street Hall, Edinburgh (Edinburgh Festival), 18 August–3 September 1978 |
| 1978 | Aladdin | Widow Twankey | Robert Bathurst & Martin Bergman | ADC Theatre, Cambridge, 21 November–2 December 1978 |
| 1979 | Nightcap | Various | Clive Anderson | Arts Theatre, Cambridge, 5–16 June 1979 St Mary's Street Hall, Edinburgh (Edinburgh Festival), 17 August–1 September 1979 |
| 1979 | Brown Rice with Everything | Various | Charles McFarland | St Mary's Street Hall, Edinburgh (Edinburgh Festival), 21 August–1 September 1979 |
| 1981 | Botham: The Musical | Various | —[n 3] | Tour of Australia: Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney, Brisbane, Hobart, Launceston, Burnie, Albury-Wodonga[9] |
| 1982 | Beyond the Footlights | Various | Jon Plowman | Lyric, Hammersmith, 5–10 April 1982 |
| 1983 | Noises Off | Tim Allgood | Michael Blakemore | Savoy Theatre, from 3 January 1983 (second cast) |
| 1984 | Saint Joan | Sentry | Ronald Eyre | Olivier (National), 16 February–24 July 1984 |
| 1984 | Mandragola | Cast member[n 3] | David Gilmore | Olivier (National), from 14 June–20 October 1984 |
| 1984 | A Little Hotel on the Side | Cast member[n 3] | Jonathan Lynn | Olivier (National), from 10 August 1984 |
| 1986 | The Swap | Roger | Mark McCrum | Boulevard, Soho, from 9 September–October 1986 |
| 1987 | Judgement | Andrei Vukhov | Paul Jepson | Man in the Moon, 18 August–15 September 1987 |
| 1987–1988 | Ubu | Cast member[n 3] | Paul Jepson | Latchmere, Battersea, 28 December 1987 – 15 January 1988 |
| 1988 | Dry Rot | Cast member[n 3] | Christopher Renshaw | Theatre Royal, Bath for three weeks Lyric Theatre, from 28 September 1988 – 7 January 1989 |
| 1990 | The Next Best Thing | Steve | Patrick Sandford | Nuffield, Southampton, February–March 1990 |
| 1990 | The Importance of Being Earnest | Jack | Pip Broughton | Nottingham Playhouse, 3–20 October 1990 |
| 1991 | Lady Audley's Secret | Cast member[n 3] | Annie Castledine | Lyric Hammersmith, 21 October–30 November 1991 |
| 1992 | The Choice | Consultant | Annie Castledine | Salisbury Playhouse (Salberg Studio), 12–28 March 1992 |
| 1993 | Getting Married | Hotchkis | Frank Hauser | Chichester Festival, 30 April–24 June 1993 |
| 1994 | A Comedy of Errors | Cast member[n 3] | Paul Clayton | Nottingham Playhouse, 1 September–1 October 1994 |
| 1995 | The Nose | Kovalyov | Martin Duncan | Nottingham Playhouse, 25 March–15 April 1995 |
| 1996 | The Rover | Willmore | Jonathan Church | Salisbury Playhouse, 29 April–25 May 1996 |
| 1997 | Good Copy | Cast member[n 3] | Topher Campbell | West Yorkshire Playhouse, 1–5 July 1997 |
| 1998–1999 | Alarms and Excursions | Various | Michael Blakemore | Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford, 14–25 July 1998 Gielgud Theatre, 14 September 1998 – 6 March 1999 |
| 1999 | Hedda Gabler | Tesman | Annie Castledine | Theatre Royal, Plymouth, 18–27 November 1999 Richmond Theatre, 29 November–4 December 1999 Theatre Royal, Brighton, 6–11 December 1999 |
| 2003 | The Three Sisters | Vershinin | Michael Blakemore | Playhouse Theatre, 30 March–18 May 2003 |
| 2005 | David Blunkett: The Musical | Boris Johnson | Mary-Jo Paranzino | One night only preview, Soho Theatre, 14 April 2005 |
| 2006 | Members Only | Adrien | Marianne Badrichani | Trafalgar Studios, 28 March–22 April 2006 |
| 2006–2007 | Whipping it Up | Alistair | Terry Johnson | West End run, 2006 and 2007 Bush Theatre, 10 November–23 December 2006 Ambassadors Theatre, 1 March–16 June 2007 National tour, 2007 New Victoria Theatre, Woking, 4–8 September 2007 Palace, Southend-on-Sea, 10–15 September 2007 Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham, 17–22 September 2007 Richmond Theatre, 1–6 October 2007 Theatre Royal, Brighton, 8–13 October 2007 Theatre Royal, Bath, 15–20 October 2007 Churchill Theatre, Bromley, 12–17 November 2007 |
| 2007–2009 | Alex | Alex | Phelim McDermott | West End run, 2007 Arts Theatre, 18 October–8 December 2007 International tour, 2008 National tour, 2008 Devonshire Park Theatre, Eastbourne, 21–25 October 2008 Theatre Royal, Windsor, 27 October–1 November 2008 Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford, 4–8 November 2008 Derngate Theatre, Northampton, 10–15 November 2008 Mercury Theatre, Colchester, 17–22 November West End run Leicester Square Theatre, 21 November 2008 – 11 January 2009 Nominated, What's on Stage Award for Best Solo Performance |
| 2010 | Present Laughter | Garry Essendine | Belinda Lang | National tour, 2010 Richmond Theatre, 18–21 January 2010 Cambridge Arts Theatre, 8–13 February 2010 Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham, 15–20 February 2010 Theatre Royal, Nottingham, 1–6 March 2010 Theatre Royal, Bath, 29 March–3 April 2010 |
| 2010–2011 | Blithe Spirit | Charles Condomine | Thea Sharrock | National tour, 2010–2011[10] Theatre Royal, Bath, 3–13 November 2010 Theatre Royal, Brighton, 16–21 November 2010 Cambridge Arts Theatre, 22–27 November 2010 Milton Keynes Theatre, 14–19 February 2011 Richmond Theatre, 21–26 February 2011 West End run, 2011[10] Apollo Theatre, 2 March–18 June 2011 |
| 2012 | Blue/Orange | Christopher Luscombe | National tour, 2012[11] | |
| 2014 | An Ideal Husband | Sir Robert Chiltern | Rachel Kavanaugh | Chichester Festival, 20 November-13 December 2014[12] |
| 2015 | Love, Loss and Chianti | Christopher Reid | Jason Morell | Minerva Theatre in association with Chichester Festival, 27–31 January 2015[13] |
| 2015 | Who Cares | Multiple roles | Debbie Hannan, Lucy Morrison and Hamish Pirie | Royal Court Theatre, London, 10 April–16 May 2015[14] |
| 2016–2017 | King Charles III | King Charles III | Gary Griffin | Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Chicago, 5 November 2016–15 January 2017[15] |
| 2019 | Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell | Jeffrey Bernard | James Hillier | Norman's Coach and Horses, London, 7 May–1 June 2019[16] |
| 2020 & 2022 | Love, Loss and Chianti | Christopher Reid | Jason Morell | Riverside Studios, Hammersmith, 25 February–March 2020 Edinburgh Assembly Rooms, 3–23 August 2022[17] |
| 2022–2023 | Dolly Parton's Smoky Mountain Christmas Carol | Ebenezer Scrooge | Andrew Hilton | Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre, London, 8 December 2022–8 January 2023[18] |
| 2023 | Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell | Jeffrey Bernard | James Hillier | Norman's Coach and Horses, London, 29 October–21 November 2023[19] |
Music video
edit| Title | Year | Performer | Album | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Uptown Girl" | 2001 | Westlife | World of Our Own | [20] |
Footnotes
edit- ^ Bathurst's acting credit for this role was "Bob Bathurst".
- ^ Also broadcast on BBC2 on 16 December 1977 as The 1977 Cambridge Footlights Revue.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Some information relating to Bathurst's early theatrical career is not held in nationally published works, though may exist in individual theatre company archives or smaller, local publications.
References
edit- ^ Sturges, Fiona (30 November 2001). "Robert Bathurst: Thingy out of Cold Feet Archived 2010-07-26 at the Wayback Machine". The Independent (Independent News & Media).
- ^ a b Smurthwaite, Nick (11 October 2006). "Filling in the blanks". The Stage: p. 35.
- ^ Staff (18 January 1979). "Aladdin". The Stage and Television Today: p. 15.
- ^ a b "Filmography: Bathurst, Robert". British Film Institute. Retrieved on 23 July 2010.
- ^ "1970 Archived 2012-02-23 at the Wayback Machine". Footlights website. Retrieved on 29 June 2009.
- ^ "Archives of the Footlights Dramatic Club Archived 2010-10-09 at the Wayback Machine". Retrieved on 31 July 2010.
- ^ "Scottish Theatre Archive Catalogue Archived 2010-05-04 at the Wayback Machine". University of Glasgow. Retrieved on 31 July 2010.
- ^ "The Stage Archive Archived 2012-07-08 at archive.today". The Stage Newspaper Limited. Retrieved on 4 August 2010.
- ^ Fry, Stephen (2010). The Fry Chronicles. London: Michael Joseph. p. 204. ISBN 978-0-7181-5483-7.
- ^ a b BWW News Desk (16 July 2010). "Hermione Norris and Robert Bathurst Join Cast of Blithe Spirit, Opens 3/2 Archived 2010-07-26 at the Wayback Machine". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved on 16 July 2010.
- ^ Caird, Jo (29 June 2012). "Robert Bathurst stars in pre-West End tour of Penhall's Blue/Orange Archived 2012-07-01 at the Wayback Machine". Whatsonstage.com. URL retrieved on 1 July 2012.
- ^ Snow, Georgia. "Full casting announced for Chichester Festival Theatre's An Ideal Husband". www.thestage.co.uk. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
- ^ Connor, Sheila (27 January 2015). "Love, Loss and Chianti". www.britishtheatreguide.info. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
- ^ Hitchings, Henry (12 June 2015). "Who Cares theatre review: Michael Wynne's NHS play 'genuinely illuminating' at Royal Court". www.standard.co.uk/. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
- ^ "Plays and Events". www.chicagoshakes.com/. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
- ^ "Robert Bathurst in Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell | Norman's Coach & Horses Soho | London's first vegan and vegetarian pub". coachsoho.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2019-05-24. Retrieved 2019-05-24.
- ^ Harrison, Daniella (2 March 2020). "Christopher Reid's poems are staged in the newly reopened venue". www.whatsonstage.com/. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
- ^ Staff writer (12 December 2022). "First Look: Dolly Parton's Smoky Mountain Christmas Carol at Southbank Centre's Queen Elizabeth Hall". www.theatreweekly.com. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
- ^ "Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell revival to return to Soho starring Robert Bathurst". www.westendtheatre.com/. 5 October 2023. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
- ^ "Ioan Gruffudd - Biography". Imdb. 21 February 2018. Archived from the original on 12 March 2018. Retrieved 21 July 2018.