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Michael Bryant
Actor

Michael Bryant

5 Apr 1928Born
25 Apr 2002Died
74Age at death
77Credits

Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Michael Dennis Bryant (5 April 1928 – 25 April 2002) was a British stage and television actor.

Bryant attended Battersea Grammar School and after service in the Merchant Navy and Army, he attended drama school and appeared in many productions on the London stage. He made his film debut in 1955. His greatest role was Mathieu in BBC2's 1970 adaptation of Jean-Paul Sartre's Roads to Freedom trilogy.

Read the full biography

His guest star appearance as Wing Commander Marsh, who feigns insanity in the 'Tweedledum' episode of the BBC drama series, Colditz (1972), is still widely remembered.

Bryant was chosen by Orson Welles to play the lead role in The Deep, Welles's adaptation of the Charles Williams novel Dead Calm. The production frequently ran out of money, and following the death of actor Laurence Harvey in 1973, Welles stopped production and announced the movie - which had been completed except for one special effects shot of a ship exploding - would not be released. (The novel was finally adapted to film in 1989.)

In 1969 Bryant took his love of the stage on a strange trip into the realm of cult films, playing a clever male prostitute who outwits a delusional family of killers in the dark comedy Mumsy, Nanny, Sonny and Girly, an adaptation of a play by Maisie Mosco. Due to poor marketing and a lack of faith in the film by the distributor, the film quickly sank into obscurity even before it could develop a cult following.

One of Bryant's most memorable performances was in the classic BBC television play The Stone Tape (1972), in which he plays the leader of a team of scientists who investigate ghost sightings in a brooding gothic mansion.

Bryant also had a supporting role as a sadistic psychiatrist in the cult classic black comedy The Ruling Class, with Peter O'Toole and Alastair Sim. He also appeared in Richard Attenborough's Gandhi (1982) as a British diplomat.

Having played Lenin in the film Nicholas and Alexandria, Bryant would later reprise the role in Robert Bolt's play State of Revolution (1977). He had previously co-starred in Bolt's unsuccessful Gentle Jack. The 1977 production of a Bolt play though was significant for featuring the first role he performed at the National Theatre where he was a constant presence for a quarter of a century. Bryant, described by Michael Billington as "rock-solid company man", had earlier performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company from 1964, including the premiere production of Harold Pinter's The Homecoming (1965), in which he played Teddy, the returning academic.

In 1980, Michael Bryant won the London Drama Critics Circle Theatre Award for Best Actor, and his other theatrical performances were equally well thought of. Bryant won Laurence Olivier Awards in 1988 and 1990 and was nominated twice more.

Description above from the Wikipedia article Michael Bryant (actor), licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia

Known for

Filmography

  1. 2025Mrs. Weekley's LoverFilm: Ernest Weekley
  2. 2007The DeepFilm: John Ingram
  3. 2000The Miracle MakerFilm: God/ The Doctor (voice)
  4. 1999Wives and DaughtersSeries: Dr Nichols (1 episode)
  5. 1998King LearFilm: Fool
  6. 1996HamletFilm: Priest
  7. 1995The Absence of WarFilm: Bryden Thomas
  8. 1993Anna Lee: HeadcaseFilm: Commander Martin Brierly
  9. 1991PerformanceSeries: Fool (1 episode)
  10. 1991Heading HomeFilm: Derek Green
  11. 1988Franz Kafka's 'The Trial'Film: Advocate
  12. 1988The Modern World: Ten Great WritersSeries: Advocate (1 episode)
  13. 1985A Crack in the IceFilm: Gen. Kokoshkin
  14. 1985Screen TwoSeries: Bryden Thomas (1 episode)
  15. 1984SakharovFilm: Syshchikov
  16. 1983Reilly: Ace of SpiesSeries: Narrator (voice) (12 episodes)
  17. 1983Shakespeare Lives!Series (12 episodes)
  18. 1982The Merry Wives of WindsorFilm: Doctor Caius
  19. 1982GandhiFilm: Principal Secretary
  20. 1976My HomelandFilm: Reader
  21. 1976The Daedalus EquationsFilm: Sam McInstrey
  22. 1975Three Comedies of MarriageSeries: Nigel (1 episode)
  23. 1975Private AffairsSeries: Ernest Weekley (1 episode)
  24. 1975Late CallSeries: Howard Calvert (4 episodes)
  25. 1974The Treasure of Abbot ThomasFilm: The Rev. Justin Somerton
  26. 1974Affairs of the HeartSeries: Herbert Dodd (1 episode)
  27. 1974Caravan to VaccarèsFilm: Zuger
  28. 1974Is It Something I Said?Film: Arthur
  29. 1974Mr. Axelford's AngelFilm: Mr Axelford
  30. 1974Fall of EaglesSeries: Ratchkowsky (1 episode)
  31. 1974PlayhouseSeries: Sam McInstrey (1 episode)
  32. 1974If There Weren't Any Blacks You'd Have to Invent ThemFilm
  33. 1973Centre PlaySeries: Arthur (1 episode)
  34. 1973The Ruffian on the StairFilm: Mike
  35. 1973Away from It AllSeries: Chris (1 episode)
  36. 1973The ProfessionalFilm: Duckworth
  37. 1972The Stone TapeFilm: Peter Brock
  38. 1972ColditzSeries: W / Cdr George Marsh (1 episode)
  39. 1972The Duchess of MalfiFilm: Bosola
  40. 1972The Greeks and Their GiftsFilm: Stuart Lindsay
  41. 1972The Ruling ClassFilm: Dr. Herder
  42. 1971A Ghost Story for ChristmasSeries: The Rev. Justin Somerton (1 episode)
  43. 1971Nicholas and AlexandraFilm: Lenin
  44. 1971Stage 2Series: Daniel de Bosola (1 episode)
  45. 1971The SwitchFilm: Henry Martin
  46. 1970The Roads to FreedomSeries: Mathieu Delarue (13 episodes)
  47. 1970Mumsy, Nanny, Sonny & GirlyFilm: New Friend
  48. 1970The Three SistersFilm: Vershinin
  49. 1969Goodbye, Mr. ChipsFilm: Max Staefel
  50. 1969W. Somerset MaughamSeries: Mr. Davidson (1 episode)
  51. 1969ITV Saturday Night TheatreSeries: Anthony Berridge, Mike (1 episode)
  52. 1968The ExplorerFilm: Erik Petterson
  53. 1968Mille MigliaFilm: Stirling Moss
  54. 1967Torture GardenFilm: Colin Williams (segment 1 "Enoch")
  55. 1967ITV PlayhouseSeries: Erik Petterson, Gen. Clarence Fitzallan, Stuart Lindsay, Duckworth, Boris J. Axelford, John Hardy (1 episode)
  56. 1967The Big MSeries: Johnny Treherne (6 episodes)
  57. 1967Easier in the DarkFilm: The Man
  58. 1967The Deadly AffairFilm: Gaveston (in Edward II)
  59. 1966Talking to a StrangerSeries (4 episodes)
  60. 1965BBC Play of the MonthSeries: Vershinin (1 episode)
  61. 1964Thursday TheatreSeries: Sir Henry Harcourt-Reilly (1 episode)
  62. 1964The Wednesday PlaySeries: Mr. Burch (1 episode)
  63. 1964Theatre 625Series: Gerard, Alan Stevens, Stirling Moss (3 episodes)
  64. 1963The Mind BendersFilm: Dr. Danny Tate
  65. 1962Life for RuthFilm: John's Counsel
  66. 1958A Night to RememberFilm: Sixth Officer James Moody
  67. 1957Harbor CommandSeries (1 episode)
  68. 1956Telephone TimeSeries (1 episode)
  69. 1956Uranium BoomFilm: Peterson
  70. 1956Jesus of NazarethSeries: John bar Zebedee (1 episode)
  71. 1955ITV Play of the WeekSeries: Walter Luke (1 episode)
  72. 1955The Life and Legend of Wyatt EarpSeries (1 episode)
  73. 1955Passage HomeFilm: Stebbings
  74. 1955Buffalo Bill Jr.Series (2 episodes)
  75. 1955The MillionaireSeries: McGinnis (1 episode)
  76. 1951Hallmark Hall of FameSeries: Britannus (1 episode)
  77. 1951The Adventures of Wild Bill HickokSeries (1 episode)

Biography and credits from TMDB. This website uses TMDB and the TMDB APIs but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise approved by TMDB.