# Allan Corduner

Allan Corduner (/kɔːrˈdjuːnər/; born 2 April 1950) is a British actor. Born in Stockholm to a German mother and a Russo-Finnish father, Corduner grew up in a secular Jewish home in London. After earning a BA (Hons) in English and Drama at Bristol University he trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. He has worked extensively on stage, TV, and film, both in the UK and in the United States. His voice is familiar from many BBC radio plays, audio books and TV documentaries.
Corduner made his feature film debut in Yentl, with Barbra Streisand and Mandy Patinkin. Of his 44 films, he is perhaps best known for his portrayal of Sir Arthur Sullivan in Mike Leigh's Topsy-Turvy. He also voiced Gehrman the first hunter in the 2015 video game Bloodborne.

## Early life

Corduner grew up in a secular Jewish home in North London with his parents and younger brother. His mother had escaped to Great Britain from Nazi Germany with her family in 1938. His father was born in Helsinki, Finland, of a Finnish-born mother and a Ukrainian-born father. Corduner's parents first settled in Stockholm, where he was born, but the family moved to London when he was one year old.
Interest in arts and music was always encouraged at home, and Corduner's early ambition was to become either an orchestra conductor or a concert pianist. He attended University College School in Hampstead, London. Although Corduner developed into a skilled jazz and classical pianist, musical aspirations had taken second place by the time he went to study at Bristol University and the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.

## Career

Corduner has worked extensively in theatre in London's West End and on Broadway, television as well as in film. He has also appeared in several BBC Radio plays including The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, Insignificance, and Fanny and Alexander.
His voice is familiar to listeners of audio books including The Book Thief. TV appearances include Exile, ITV's Midsomer Murders, Stephen Poliakoff's Dancing on the Edge, and as Andrea Verrocchio in seasons 1 and 2 of the Starz original series Da Vinci's Demons. He appears on seasons 5 and 6 of the Showtime TV series Homeland.
After drama school, Corduner's first two years as a professional actor were spent playing a wide variety of parts at Newcastle Repertory Theatre. Spells at the Birmingham Rep and the Actors' Company followed, until Corduner returned to London to make his West End debut in Mary O'Malley's Once a Catholic at the Wyndham's Theatre. Corduner has appeared several times at the Royal Court Theatre, in plays such as Three Birds Alighting on a Field, Fucking Games, Ice Cream, and most notably Caryl Churchill's satirical Serious Money, which subsequently transferred to London's West End and Broadway in New York City.
He garnered acclaim on Broadway for the role of Etches in the musical Titanic. In February 2014, he played Etches again in a one-off concert version of Titanic at Avery Fisher Hall (now David Geffen Hall) in New York City, re-uniting him with the original cast of the musical. He played Fritz Litten in Mark Hayhurst's Taken at Midnight, first at Chichester Festival Theatre, and subsequently at Theatre Royal Haymarket in West End.
One of his first film roles was in Yentl in 1982, with Barbra Streisand. He is probably best known for his portrayal of Sir Arthur Sullivan in Mike Leigh's Topsy-Turvy (1999), his first leading role in a feature film. Corduner's film work spans a variety of genres, such as action-adventure film Defiance, horror comedy film Burke and Hare, and western Medicine Men. Recent films include Woman in Gold (2015) and Tár (2022).

### Voice acting

Corduner's voice is familiar to listeners of BBC radio plays such as Insignificance, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui and Fanny and Alexander. He was also the subject of BBC Radio 3 Private Passions.
Corduner has provided voices for various video game characters, notably the first, second, third and fifth Harry Potter video games (namely as, among others, Severus Snape, Lucius Malfoy, Fillius Flitwick and Argus Filch). He also voiced Apus, the pet parrot belonging to Queen Cassiopeia, the primary antagonist, for the English version of Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White White which was released in February 2013. In 2015, Corduner voiced Gehrman, the First Hunter in Bloodborne.

### Audiobooks and narration

Corduner is also known for solo narration of TV documentaries such as Fish Warrior for the National Geographic Channel, and various audiobooks for Simply Audiobooks, notably The Book Thief and Inkdeath. He also narrated Magyk written by Angie Sage and produced by Harper Audio. He has received two Earphones Awards by AudioFile His narration of "Anna and the Swallow Man" earned the Odyssey Award in 2017.

## Personal life

Corduner was born in Stockholm but grew up in London. His mother was from Germany and his father from Finland.
Corduner and his partner Juha Leppäjärvi met in 2006 in London, forming their civil partnership in December 2009 and marrying in New York City in August 2013.
Corduner is a trustee of the children's arts charity Anno's Africa.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1972 | Savage Messiah | Newspaper Vendor | Uncredited |
| 1979 | Phoelix | | |
| 1981 | Sredni Vashtar | Mortimer | Short film |
| 1982 | The Return of the Soldier | Pianist | |
| 1983 | Yentl | Shimmele | |
| 1985 | Bad Medicine | Dr. Diaz the Bus Driver | |
| 1986 | Valhalla | Loke | English version, Voice only |
| 1987 | Hearts of Fire | Music Executive | |
| 1988 | Talk Radio | Vince | |
| 1989 | Fat Man and Little Boy | Franz Goethe | |
| 1991 | Edward II | Poet | |
| 1992 | Carry On Columbus | Sam | |
| 1994 | A Business Affair | Dinner Guest | |
| 1995 | Voices | Oscar Butterworth | |
| 1996 | Indian Summer | Therapist | |
| 1996 | Soup | Einstein | Short film |
| 1998 | The Impostors | Captain | |
| 1999 | Topsy-Turvy | Arthur Sullivan | |
| 2000 | Joe Gould's Secret | Francis McCrudden | |
| 2000 | Gladiator | Trainer | |
| 2001 | Zoe | Rupert | |
| 2001 | Kiss Kiss (Bang Bang) | Big Bob | |
| 2001 | Me Without You | Max | |
| 2001 | The Grey Zone | Miklós Nyiszli | |
| 2001 | The Search for John Gissing | Francois "Fuller" Feulliere | |
| 2002 | Food of Love | Joseph Mansourian | |
| 2002 | Moonlight Mile | Stan Michaels | |
| 2002 | The King's Beard | | Voice role |
| 2004 | De-Lovely | Monty Woolley | |
| 2004 | The Merchant of Venice | Tubal | |
| 2004 | Vera Drake | Psychiatrist | |
| 2005 | Bigger Than the Sky | Kippy Newberg | |
| 2005 | A Higher Agency | Manager | Short film |
| 2005 | Against Nature | Des Esseintes | Short film |
| 2005 | The White Countess | Samuel Feinstein | |
| 2007 | The Waiting Room | Fiona's Dad | |
| 2007 | Fred Claus | Dr. Goldfarb | |
| 2008 | Defiance | Shimon Haretz | |
| 2009 | Mr. Nobody | Dr. Feldheim | |
| 2010 | Burke & Hare | Nicéphore Niépce | |
| 2011 | A Thousand Kisses Deep | Buddy | |
| 2012 | An Enemy To Die For | Martin | |
| 2012 | 47 Orchard Street | Hirsch | Short film |
| 2012 | The Sweeney | Doctor | |
| 2013 | The Funeral | Rabbi Stephen | Short film |
| 2013 | Closer to the Moon | Flaviu | |
| 2014 | Amendment | Anthony | Short film |
| 2015 | Woman in Gold | Gustav Bloch-Bauer | |
| 2016 | Florence Foster Jenkins | John Totten | |
| 2016 | The Book of Gabrielle | Saul | |
| 2017 | Disobedience | Moshe Hartog | |
| 2018 | Miss Dalí | Captain Moore | |
| 2018 | Operation Finale | Gideon Hausner | |
| 2022 | Mosquito | Ozwald Godfrey | |
| 2022 | Tár | Sebastian Brix | |
| 2023 | The Offering | Saul | |
| TBA | Christmas Karma | | Filming |
| TBA | The Entertainment System Is Down | | Filming |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1977 | Wings | Harris | Episode: "Never Turn Back" |
| 1977 | Poldark | Manservant | Episode: "Series 2, Episode 9" |
| 1979 | Follow the Star | Shepherd | Television film |
| 1980 | Tales of the Unexpected | Store Assistant | Episode: "Mr Botibol's First Love" |
| 1980 | Buccaneer | Monty Bateman | Recurring role; 4 episodes |
| 1980 | The Onedin Line | Auctioneer | Episode: "Jonah's Luck" |
| 1981 | Roots | Melvin Solomons | |
| 1981 | Diamonds | Roger Marker | Recurring role; 4 episodes |
| 1983 | Maybury | Dr. Walker | Episode: "New Gods for Old: Part 1" |
| 1984 | Cold Warrior | Joachim | Episode: "Bright Sting" |
| 1984 | Freud | Oscar Rie | Miniseries; 2 episodes |
| 1985 | Girls on Top | Benny | Episode: "Hark" |
| 1986 | The Collectors | Joe Kalman | Episode: "Go for Gold" |
| 1987 | Mandela | Benny | Television film |
| 1987 | C.A.T.S. Eyes | Morrish | Episode: "Carrier Pigeon" |
| 1988 | Tales of the Unexpected | Hatchard's Bookshop Assistant | Episode: "The Colonel's Lady" |
| 1989 | The Fairy Queen | Quince | Television film |
| 1990 | ScreenPlay | Stephen Carlinsky | Episode: "Antonia and Jane" |
| 1991 | Spatz | Rex | Episode: "Talent Contest" |
| 1992 | The Bill | George Quigley | Recurring role; 2 episodes |
| 1992 | Boon | Dennis | Episode: "Whispering Grass" |
| 1993 | Minder | Marty | Episode: "I'll Never Forget Whats'ername" |
| 1993 | Inspector Morse | Gentile Bellocchio | Episode: "Twilight of the Gods" |
| 1993 | Teenage Health Freak | Dr. Lime | Recurring role; 2 episodes |
| 1993 | Heart of Darkness | Verme | Television film |
| 1994 | Headhunters | Saul Karkoff | Episode: "The Golden Hello" |
| 1994 | Birdland | Chip Rafferty | Episode: "Plan B" |
| 1994 | The Bill | Defence Barrister | Episode: "Backlash" |
| 1994 | Paris | Minotti | Series regular; 6 episodes |
| 1994 | Nobody's Children | Ion | Television film |
| 1995 | An Independent Man | Robert Flower | Episode: "Market Forces" |
| 1996 | Norma Jean & Marilyn | Billy Wilder | Television film |
| 1996 | Gadgetman | Professor McNeil | Television film |
| 1996 | No Bananas | Benjamin Marks | Episode: "Escape" |
| 1996 | Mad About You | Osofsky | Episode: "Burt's Building" |
| 1996–1997 | Nostromo | Hirsch | Miniseries; 4 episodes |
| 1997 | Love in the Ancient World | Member at Platon's Guest Meal | Television film |
| 1998 | Drop the Dead Donkey | Art Critic | Recurring role; 2 episodes |
| 1999 | Liverpool 1 | Alan Pollock | Episode: "Sweet Dreams" |
| 2000–2005 | Fat Friends | Leonard Harris | Recurring role; 4 episodes |
| 2001 | The Way We Live Now | Croll | Miniseries; 4 episodes |
| 2002 | Foyle's War | Carlo Lucciano | Episode: "A Lesson in Murder" |
| 2002 | Daniel Deronda | Herr Klesmer | Miniseries; 3 episodes |
| 2003 | Trust | Michael Cohen | Miniseries; 1 episode |
| 2004 | Heartbeat | Gerard Lowe | Episode: "In the Bleak Midwinter" |
| 2004 | The Last Detective | Maurice Leyman | Episode: "Christine" |
| 2004 | La Femme Musketeer | Aramis | Television film |
| 2005 | The Strange Case of Sherlock Holmes & Arthur Conan Doyle | Herbert Greenhough Smith | Television film |
| 2005 | Friends and Crocodiles | Marcus | Television film |
| 2006 | Simon Schama's Power of Art | Mark Rothko | Episode: "Rothko" |
| 2007 | Rome | Clerk | Episode: "These Being the Words of Marcus Tullius Cicero" |
| 2007 | Heartbeat | Tristram Johnstone | Episode: "Seeds of Destruction" |
| 2007 | The Whistleblowers | Daniel Black | Episode: "Ghosts" |
| 2007 | The Last Days of the Raj | Lord Ismay | Television film |
| 2008 | No Heroics | Shopkeeper | Episode: "Supergroupie" |
| 2010 | A Passionate Woman | Mr Solomon | Miniseries; 1 episodes |
| 2010 | Grandma's House | Richard | Episode: "The Day Simon Felt the Family Was Ready to Be Healed" |
| 2010 | Lennon Naked | Arthur Janov | Television film |
| 2011 | Zen | Michelangelo Gattuso | Episode: "Cabal" |
| 2011 | Exile | Geller | Miniseries; 1 episode |
| 2011 | Nazi Underworld | Narrator | Episode: "Hitler's Family" |
| 2012 | Midsomer Murders | Michael Hipsman | Episode: "A Rare Bird" |
| 2012 | We'll Take Manhattan | Alex Liberman | Television film |
| 2013 | Spies of Warsaw | Viktor Rosen | Miniseries; 4 episodes |
| 2013 | Dancing on the Edge | Mr. Wax | Miniseries; 5 episodes |
| 2013–2014 | Da Vinci's Demons | Andrea Verrocchio | Recurring role; 11 episodes |
| 2014 | Utopia | Ross | Recurring role; 2 episodes |
| 2015–2017 | Homeland | Etai Luskin | Recurring role; 7 episodes |
| 2016 | The Musketeers | Van Laar | Recurring role; 2 episodes |
| 2016 | The Collection | Inspector Bompard | Recurring role; 4 episodes |
| 2017 | Fearless | Monty Berman | Miniseries; 5 episodes |
| 2018 | Call the Midwife | Arnold Gelin | Episode: "Series 7, Episode 1" |
| 2018 | FBI | Victor Beniov | Episode: "This Land Is Your Land" |
| 2019 | The Blacklist | Aaron Meyers | Episode: "The Corsican (No. 20)" |
| 2021 | Ridley Road | Rabbi Leslie Lehrer | Miniseries; 4 episodes |
| 2022 | Count Magnus | Deacon | Television film |
| 2024 | Dinner with the Parents | Irv Langer | 3 episodes |

### Video games

| Year | Game | Role | Notes |
| 2001 | Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone | Argus Filch / Filius Flitwick / Gringotts Goblin / Quirinus Quirrell / Severus Snape | Voice only |
| 2002 | Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets | Filius Flitwick / Lucius Malfoy / Severus Snape / Argus Filch | Voice only |
| 2004 | Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban | Filius Flitwick / Severus Snape | Voice only |
| 2007 | Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix | Argus Filch / Severus Snape / Basil Fronsac / Reginald Oddpick | Voice only |
| 2007 | Dragon Quest Swords: The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors | Xiphos | English version, voice only |
| 2009 | Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince | Argus Filch | Voice only |
| 2011 | Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch | Apus | English version, voice only |
| 2014 | Transformers Universe | Ironhide | Voice only |
| 2015 | Bloodborne | Old Hunter Gehrman | Voice only |
| 2015 | Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward | Eynzahr Slafyrsyn / Midgardsormr | English version, voice only |
| 2018 | Call of Cthulhu | James Fitzroy / Additional Voices | Voice only |
| 2020 | Assassin's Creed Valhalla | Trygve | Voice only |
| 2021 | Bravely Default II | Gwydion | English version, voice only |
| 2021 | Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker | Quintus Cinna | Voice only |

## Theatre

* Once a Catholic as Cuthbert; Wyndham's Theatre (1977)
* No End of Blame as Grigor; Oxford Playhouse, Oxford & Royal Court Theatre (1981)
* A Midsummer Night's Dream as Puck; Regent's Park Open Air Theatre (1984)
* Serious Money as Durkfeld/Freville Todd/Duckett/Soat/Gleason; Royal Court Theatre & Wyndham's Theatre (1987); Broadway, New York City (1988)
* The Beaux' Stratagem as Scrub; Royal National Theatre (1989)
* Ice Cream as Man in Devon / Shrink / Fellow Guest / Hitcher / Professor; Royal Court Theatre (1989)
* Marya; Old Vic (1989)
* The Boys Next Door; Comedy Theatre (1990)
* Three Birds Alighting on a Field; Royal Court Theatre (1991)
* Rosmersholm as Headmaster Kroll; Young Vic (1992)
* Titanic as Henry Etches; Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, Broadway, New York City (1997)
* The Heart of Art as Arthur Dick; Off-Broadway, New York City (1999)
* Fucking Games as Terence; Royal Court Theatre (2001)
* Comedians as Sammy Samuels; Samuel Beckett Theatre, New York City (2003)
* Two Thousand Years as Danny; Royal National Theatre (2005)
* The Birthday Party as Goldberg; McCarter Theatre, Princeton, United States (2006)
* The Grouch as Alan; West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds (2008)
* Born in the Gardens as Maurice; Theatre Royal, Bath (2008)
* Hello, Dolly! as Horace Vandergelder; Regent's Park Open Air Theatre (2009)
* A View from the Bridge as Alfieri; Duke of York's Theatre (2009)
* Passion as Doctor Tambourri; Donmar Warehouse (2010)
* Taken at Midnight as Fritz Litten; Chichester Festival Theatre (2014), Theatre Royal Haymarket (2015)
* Show Boat as Cap'n Andy Hawks; Sheffield Crucible (2015)
* Murder on the Orient Express as Hercule Poirot; McCarter Theatre (2017)
* My Fair Lady as Colonel Pickering; Vivian Beaumont Theater, Broadway, New York City (2018)
* The Motive and the Cue as Hume Cronyn; Noel Coward Theatre, London's West End (2023)
* Misalliance; Birmingham Rep
* The Amazons; Actor's Company
* The Entertainer; Actor's Company

## Audiobooks

* Inkdeath
* Magyk
* The Book Thief
* The Castle
* The Keys to the Kingdom
* Smoke
* The Vorrh
* Magpie Murders
* Moonflower Murders