Brian Blessed
About
Biography
Filmography
Family & Companions
Notes
Blessed holds a black belt in judo.
Biography
Hefty, incisive character player, often bearded, an able roisterer who has mastered a pleasing variety of stalwart sidekicks, blustery authority figures and scheming rapscallions. After repertory experience which doubtless helped develop his booming, distinctive line delivery, Blessed gained fame when he joined the cast of British TV's gritty, long-running police drama, "Z Cars." Although that series would remain among Blessed's best-known work in his native land, his performances only began to garner notice in the U.S. later in the 1970s. His most fondly remembered work in this country may still be his ripely played Caesar Augustus, by turns commanding, villainous, hilarious and touching, in the acclaimed historical miniseries "I, Claudius" (1977-78). Blessed did, however, also delight as the hero's kingly father in the uproarious English comedy series, "Blackadder."
Blessed's feature career, meanwhile, included prominent parts in historical epics ranging from "The Trojan Women" (1971) to "Man of La Mancha" (1972) and "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves" (1991). He was also a boisterously likable Prince Vultan in the campy "Flash Gordon" (1980) and Kenneth Branagh put his rich bravado to good use in "Henry V" (1989, as a memorable Exeter), "Much Ado About Nothing" (1993, as Antonio) and "Hamlet" (1996, as the Ghost).
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Cast (Special)
Cast (TV Mini-Series)
Life Events
1962
Acted for four years in repertory before hitting it big on TV as PC 'Fancy' Smith on "Z Cars" (BBC)
1966
Earliest feature film appearances include a role in "The Christmas Tree"
1971
Earliest appearances on U.S. TV include a role in the PBS dramatic presentation "Cold Comfort Farm"
1976
Played Caesar Augustus in the miniseries "I, Claudius" (BBC)
1983
First American film, "High Road to China"
1989
Returned to features after six years to play Exeter in Kenneth Branagh's adaptation of Shakespeare's "Henry V"
1998
Made stage directing debut with a British revival of "The Glass Menagerie", starring his wife Hildegard Neil
1999
Appeared in "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace" as the voice of Boss Nass
2004
Cast in minor role as a wrestling trainer in Oliver Stone's "Alexander"
2006
Co-starred in Kenneth Branagh's adaptation of "As You Like It"
2012
Voiced the Pirate King in the animated adventure "Pirates! Band of Misfits"
Videos
Movie Clip
Trailer
Family
Companions
Bibliography
Notes
Blessed holds a black belt in judo.
