# Ron Donachie

Ronald Eaglesham Porter (born 26 April 1956), known professionally as Ron Donachie, is a Scottish character actor. He has appeared in supporting roles in films The Jungle Book (1994), Titanic and television series Game of Thrones, in which he recurred as Ser Rodrik Cassel. He is however perhaps best known for portraying DI John Rebus in the BBC Radio 4 dramatisations of Sir Ian Rankin's Rebus detective novels, a role he reprised for the stage play Rebus: Long Shadows.

## Biography
### Early life and career

Ronald Porter was born in Dundee, Scotland and educated at Madras College, St Andrews where he performed in three school plays: Serjeant Musgrave's Dance in 1972, A Man For All Seasons in 1973 for which the newspaper review said "Ron Porter was impressive from start to finish, handling a mammoth part with apparent ease, giving a sensitive, subtle and well-controlled performance, especially in the second act", and Taming of the Shrew in 1974 for which the newspaper review said "Ron Porter's affability shines out like the proverbial beacon ... as the most experienced member of the cast, he has the confidence to be able to establish an immediate rapport with the audience. ... [He] turned in his usual high standard of performance as the enormously arrogant Petruchio".
His education continued at the University of Glasgow where he was President of the Glasgow University Students' Representative Council (1976–1977) and graduated MA (Hons) in English Literature and Drama in 1979.
He joined John McGrath's 7:84 theatre group for their 1980–1981 touring production, John Burrows' One Big Blow, in which the cast mimicked a traditional colliery band by singing in six part harmony. Following the success of this play members of the cast founded the a cappella vocal group The Flying Pickets in 1982, but Donachie left before their 1983 Christmas number one hit.

### Acclaim

Although Donachie has been prolific in television and films, these have all been ensemble or supporting parts. His leading roles on radio and the theatre have achieved acclaim:
   "Ron Donachie plays [Rebus] in the BBC radio versions and he's really got the voice" — Ian Rankin, author of the Rebus novels
   Ron Donachie plays her father with an authority that makes his role as a sexual predator even more creepy. — Six Characters in Search of an Author – Mark Fisher, The Guardian
   When Ron Donachie takes the stage as Deputy Governor Danforth in the second half of Arthur Miller's classic, it's as if this 17th century parable of superstition and intolerance has a new centre of gravity. It's partly that Donachie seems three times bigger than everyone else, a bullish figure, no less fearsome for his legal attire. It's partly that his charismatic stillness commands attention and defies contradiction. But it's also that, in presenting himself as reasonable, considerate and fair, he puts you in mind of every leader who gets his way by masking ruthless force with politeness. — The Crucible review – Mark Fisher, The Guardian

## Personal life

Donachie married Fiona Biggar, a complementary therapist, in 1989; the couple have two children: the actor Daniel Portman and Naomi Porter, a linguist. His brother, Stewart Porter, is also an actor and his sister-in-law is Scottish film costume designer Trisha Biggar.

## Film

| Year | Title | Role | Director |
| 1983 | Ill Fares the Land | | Bill Bryden |
| 1984 | Comfort and Joy | George | Bill Forsyth |
| 1986 | Heavenly Pursuits (The Gospel According to Vic) | Big Man in Bar | Charles Gormley |
| 1987 | White Mischief | Club Manager | Michael Radford |
| 1988 | The Zip | Biker | Jo Ann Kaplan |
| 1994 | The Jungle Book | Sergeant Harley | Stephen Sommers |
| 1996 | Lucky Suit | Failed comedian | Caroline Patterson |
| 1997 | Fierce Creatures | Sergeant Scott | Robert Young Fred Schepisi |
| 1997 | Titanic | Master at Arms | James Cameron |
| 1999 | The Match | Happy Feet | Mick Davis |
| 2000 | Beautiful Creatures | Police Pathologist | Bill Eagles |
| 2002 | A Shot at Glory | Sportscaster | Michael Corrente |
| 2002 | Al's Lads | Birch | Richard Standeven |
| 2003 | Man Dancin' | Billy Maddison | Norman Stone |
| 2005 | Man to Man | Sir Walter Stephenson | Régis Wargnier |
| 2005 | The Adventures of Greyfriars Bobby | Laurie | John Henderson |
| 2006 | The Flying Scotsman | Scobie | Douglas Mackinnon |
| 2008 | Made of Honour | Horse Owner | Paul Weiland |
| 2008 | Stone of Destiny | Night Watchman | Charles Martin Smith |
| 2008 | The Daisy Chain | Doctor Ferguson | Aisling Walsh |
| 2008 | Max Manus | Colonel J.S. Wilson | Joachim Rønning Espen Sandberg |
| 2011 | Blitz | Cross | Elliott Lester |
| 2012 | Filth | Hector | Jon S. Baird |
| 2014 | What We Did on Our Holiday | Sergeant Murdoch | Andy Hamilton Guy Jenkin |
| 2015 | Sunset Song | Uncle Tam | Terence Davies |
| 2017 | Steel Rain | Michael Dobbs, US Secretary of State | Yang Woo-suk |
| 2018 | Outlaw King | Robert Wishart, Bishop of Glasgow | David Mackenzie |
| 2022 | Rocketry: The Nambi Effect | Val Cleaver | Ranganathan Madhavan |

## Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1983 | Goodnight and God Bless | Bouncer | Episode: "Ronnie's Wonderful Day" |
| 1983 | Grey Granite | Provost James Speight | Episodes: "Duncalm" & "Stone Circle" |
| 1983 | Those Glory Glory Days | 1961 Spurs Team Member | Television film |
| 1984 | Sakharov | | Television film |
| 1984 | Play for Today | Big Lick | Episode: "It Could Happen to Anybody" |
| 1984 | Coronation Street | Joe Schofield | Episode: 2461 |
| 1985 | Bulman | Bill Allison | Episode: "A Man of Conviction" |
| 1986 | The Monocled Mutineer | Strachan | Episodes: "Before the Shambles" & "When the Hurly-Burly's Done" |
| 1986 | Blood Red Roses | Charles Riggins | |
| 1987 | Tutti Frutti | Dennis Sproul | All 6 episodes |
| 1987 | Taggart | Pat Connolly | Episode: "Funeral Rites" |
| 1987 | Bust | Willie McGraw | Episode: "Family Business" |
| 1988 | Down Where the Buffalo Go | Drunk on ferry | Television film |
| 1988 | The Great Escape II: The Untold Story | Al Hake | Television film |
| 1988 | City Lights | Shughie McGlinchey | Episode: "Catch 23" |
| 1988 | God's Frontiersmen | Allen | Television dramatised documentary |
| 1989 | The Justice Game | Alex Patterson | All 4 episodes, series 1 |
| 1989 | Snakes and Ladders | Mr Pym | Episodes 1, 2 & 6 |
| 1989 | Mornin' Sarge | Stanley the Knife | Episode: "Stan the Knife" |
| 1989 | The Pied Piper (Crossing to Freedom) | RAF corporal | Television film |
| 1990 | The Gravy Train | Hatted Man | All 4 episodes |
| 1990 | Screen One | Big Mac | Episode: "Sweet Nothing" |
| 1990 | Stay Lucky | Jock | Episode: "Burning Your Boats" |
| 1990 | Rab C Nesbitt | James Balloon McSwaggerty | Episode: "Rat" |
| 1990 | The Bill | Sgt. Willis | Episode: "Effective Persuaders" |
| 1990 | Coasting | Frank | Episode: "Another Fine Mess" |
| 1991 | Jute City | Ginger McCrindle | |
| 1991 | Boon | Dougie | Episode: "Stamp Duty" |
| 1991 | Specials | Special Constable Freddy Calder | All 12 episodes |
| 1992 | Me, You and Him | Todd | All 6 episodes |
| 1992 | Casualty | PC Pewsey | Episode: "Rates of Exchange" |
| 1992 – 1993 | Take the High Road | Duncan Strachan | Recurring, 15 episodes |
| 1993 | Taggart | Marco Cellini | Episode: "Death Benefits" |
| 1993 | Strathblair | Bob Scott | Episode: "2.1" |
| 1994 | Lie Down with Lions | Kelly | Television film |
| 1995 | The Gambling Man | Alec McLean | Television serial |
| 1995 | Cracker | Barney, the psychologically damaged war veteran | Episode: "Brotherly Love" |
| 1996 | The Bill | William Hall | Episode: "Pointing the Finger" |
| 1995 – 1996 | Hamish Macbeth | Zoot McPherrin | Episodes: "West Coast Story" & "A Perfectly Simple Explanation" |
| 1995 – 1996 | The Governor | Prison Officer Russell Morgan | Main cast, both series |
| 1996 | Casualty | Ralph Sutcliffe | Episode: "Mother's Little Helper" |
| 1997 | Ivanhoe | Friar Tuck | Episodes 3, 4 & 6 |
| 1997 | Supply & Demand | Supt. Brent | Episode: "Supply & Demand" |
| 1997 | The Bill | Mike Shearon | Episode: "Strange Meeting" |
| 1997 | Ain't Misbehavin' | Billy the Book | All 3 episodes |
| 1998 | Looking After Jo Jo | Des | Episodes: "Working Week" & "Sink the Belgrano" |
| 1998 | Magic with Everything | Police sergeant | Episode: "Imagine the Unimaginable" |
| 1998 | Taggart | Hamish Baird | Episode: "Dead Reckoning" |
| 1998 | The Life and Crimes of William Palmer | Leonard Bladon | Television film |
| 1999 | The Scarlet Pimpernel | Mazarini | 4 episodes |
| 1999 | Rab C Nesbitt | Huggett | Episode: "Commons" |
| 1999 | Extremely Dangerous | Gebbert | All 4 episodes |
| 2000 – 2001 | Starhunter | McDuff | Episodes: "The Divinity Cluster" & "Dark and Stormy Night" |
| 2000 | Too Much Sun | Arnold Wyckoff | Episode: "Hollywood Phonies" |
| 2001 | Taggart | Peter Jenkins | Episode: "Falling in Love" |
| 2001 | Rebus | CS Wilson | Episode: "Dead Souls" |
| 2001 | Murder Rooms: Mysteries of the Real Sherlock Holmes | Fergusson | Episode: "The White Knight Stratagem" |
| 2001 | 'Orrible | DI Chris Dodds | Episodes: "Dirty Dozen" & "New Best Friend" |
| 2002 | Shackleton | Keltie | Television serial / film |
| 2002 | Nova | Chippy McNeish | Episode: "Shackleton's Voyage of Endurance" |
| 2002 | The Inspector Lynley Mysteries | John Ross | Episode: "Payment in Blood" |
| 2002 | Auf Wiedersehen, Pet | Dan Calhoun | Episodes: "Heavy Metal", "Bridge Over Troubled Water" & "A Bridge Too Far" |
| 2002 | Silent Witness | DCI Luke Telford | Episode: "Tell No Tales" |
| 2002 – 2004 | The Bill | DCI Andrew Ross | Recurring, 15 episodes |
| 2003 | The Key | MacKaveny | All 3 episodes |
| 2003 | Monarch of the Glen | Alec McTavish | Episode: "Series 5, episode 10" |
| 2004 | The Genius of Mozart | Joseph Haydn | Episode: "The First Romantic" |
| 2005 | Uncle Adolf | Martin Bormann | Television film |
| 2005 | The Commander | George Hart | Episodes: "Virus" & "Blackdog" |
| 2005 | Heartbeat | Mr Gordon | Episode: "Services Rendered" |
| 2005 | Where the Heart Is | Gavin Morley | Episode: "Legacy" |
| 2005 | The Golden Hour | David Tremaine | Episode: "Episode 3" |
| 2005 | Summer Solstice | Macgregor | Television film |
| 2006 | Taggart | Harry Stein | Episode: "Law" |
| 2006 | Doctor Who | Steward | Episode: "Tooth and Claw" |
| 2006 | The Chatterley Affair | Mr Allen Lane | Television film |
| 2001 – 2007 | Rebus | DCS Wilson/DCS Jack Gunner | Episodes: "Dead Souls", "Let It Bleed", "Resurrection Men" & "The Naming of the Dead" |
| 2007 | Party Animals | Roger Brenton | Episode: "Episode 1" |
| 2007 | Recovery | Len Hamilton | Television film |
| 2007 | Sea of Souls | Minister | Episode: "The Prayer Tree: Part 1" |
| 2007 | Still Game | Cameron | Episode: "Fly Society" |
| 2007 | Heartbeat | Ken Dekin | Episode: "Where There's Smoke" |
| 2008 | Love Soup | Inspector Harbin | Episode: "The Menaced Assassin" |
| 2009 | No Holds Bard | Prison Officer | Television film |
| 2010 | Lewis | Professor Angus Rawbone | Episode: "Falling Darkness" |
| 2010 | The Deep | Sturridge | Television serial |
| 2011 | Doctors | John Harold Doric | Episode: "Doric's Column" |
| 2011 | Garrow's Law | Sir Alexander Lamb | Episode: "Episode 3" |
| 2011 – 2012 | Game of Thrones | Ser Rodrik Cassel | Recurring, 13 episodes Screen Actors Guild Award – nominated |
| 2012 | Waterloo Road | Billy Byrne | Recurring, 7 episodes |
| 2012 | Silk | Alasdair McKinley QC | Episode: "Wooden Overcoat" |
| 2012 | Downton Abbey | Mr McCree | Episode: "A Journey to the Highlands" |
| 2013 | Bob Servant Independent | Medical Director | Episode: "A Local Man" |
| 2013 | Shameless | 'Biddy' Baxter | Episode: "Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang" |
| 2013 | The Field of Blood | DCI Sullivan | Episode: "The Dead Hour" |
| 2013 | Atlantis | Theos | Episode: "The Earth Bull" |
| 2013 | The Beautiful Spy | Major Bloomberg | Television film |
| 2013 – 2014 | Blandings | Angus McAllister | Episodes: "Lord Emsworth and the Girlfriend", "Throwing Eggs", "Sticky Wicket at Blandings" & "Custody of the Pumpkin" |
| 2014 | Bob Servant | Medical Director | Episode: "Court" |
| 2015 | Father Brown | Jock Hamilton | Episode: "The Owl of Minerva" |
| 2015 | Casualty | DI John Hartley | Episode: "The Rita Supremacy" |
| 2016 | Doctors | Jack Rayburn | Episode: "Play Date" |
| 2016 | Agatha Raisin | Ron Allen | Episode: "The Wellspring of Death" |
| 2017 | River City | Dr Michael ‘Mikey’ Rosenburg | Recurring, 4 episodes |
| 2017 | The Loch | Iain Sutherland | Television serial |
| 2018 | Vera | Jesse Hennings | Episode: "Blood and Bone" |
| 2018 | Starhunter ReduX | McDuff | Episodes: "The Divinity Cluster" & "Dark and Stormy Night" |
| 2018 | Casualty | Ben Loksley | Episode: "Episode 39" |
| 2019 | Holby City | Richard MacDonagh | Episode: "Mothers and Their Daughters" |
| 2020 | Deadwater Fell | Callum McKenzie | Episodes: "Episode 1" & "Episode 2" |
| 2022 | Screw | Don Carpenter | 12 episodes |
| 2022 | Karen Pirie | Archie Duff | In this series his son Daniel Portman plays his character's son Colin Duff. |
| 2022 | Granite Harbour | Clellan Coburn | |

## Theatre

Tour :
| Date | Title | Role | Director | Company / Theatre |
| Easter 1972 | Serjeant Musgrave's Dance | Pte. Attercliffe | Ann & Bob Bridges | Madras College The Byre |
| Easter 1973 | A Man For All Seasons | Sir Thomas More | Ann & Bob Bridges | Madras College The Byre |
| Easter 1974 | Taming of the Shrew | Petruchio | Ann & Bob Bridges | Madras College The Byre |
| 1980 – 1981 | One Big Blow | | John Burrows | 7:84 theatre group tour |
| 1981 – | Civilians | | Bill Bryden | Scottish Theatre Company Theatre Royal, Glasgow |
| 18 August 1981 – 26 September 1981 | The Threepenny Opera | MacHeath | Alan J. Wands | Borderline Theatre Company Tour 18–29 AugRoxy Art House, Edinburgh 2–5 SepCraigie College Theatre, Ayr 8–9 SepBonar Hall, Dundee 10–12 SepMagnum Theatre, Irvine 14–15 SepEast Kilbride Village Theatre 16–17 SepPark Mains Theatre, Erskine 18–19 SepStanwix Arts Theatre, Carlisle 22–26 Sep Mitchell Theatre, Glasgow |
| – | Death of a Salesman | Willy Loman | Giles Havergal | Glasgow Citizens Theatre |
| – | 'Tis Pity She's a Whore | Soranzo | Philip Prowse | Glasgow Citizens Theatre |
| – | The Merchant of Venice | Shylock | Philip Prowse | Glasgow Citizens Theatre |
| January 1989 – | The Alchemist | Sir Epicure Mammon | Robert David MacDonald | Glasgow Citizens Theatre |
| – | Douglas | Lord Randolph | Robert David MacDonald | Glasgow Citizens Theatre |
| – | A Tale of Two Cities | Etienne Defarge | Philip Prowse | Glasgow Citizens Theatre |
| 30 August 1984 – 22 September 1984 | Submariners | Housey | Philip Partridge | Gateway Theatre, Chester |
| 27 September 1984 – 20 October 1984 | Trafford Tanzi | Dad | Noreen Kershaw | Gateway Theatre, Chester |
| 1 November 1984 – 24 November 1984 | Macbeth | Macduff | Phil Partridge | Gateway Theatre, Chester |
| – | A View from the Bridge | Eddie Carbone | Phil Partridge | Gateway Theatre, Chester |
| 26 February 1985 – 30 March 1985 | Scrap | Mulligan | Chris Bond | Half Moon Theatre, London |
| 11 July 1985 – 10 August 1985 | Destiny | Major Rolfe | Chris Bond | Half Moon Theatre, London |
| November 1985 – 11 January 1986 | Dracula | Sir Robert Heward | Chris Bond | Half Moon Theatre, London |
| 21 February 1986 – 15 March 1986 | A Streetcar Named Desire | Stanley Kowalski | Ian Wooldridge | Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh |
| 6 October 1987 – 7 November 1987 | Macbeth | Macbeth | Chris Bond | Half Moon Theatre, London |
| May 1990 – | Mother Courage | | Philip Prowse | Mermaid Theatre, London |
| 31 October 1990 – 24 November 1990 | The Price | Victor Franz | Caroline Smith | Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough |
| 11 April 2003 – 21 June 2003 | Scenes from the Big Picture | Bobby | Nicholas Hytner | National Theatre, London |
| 26 October 2007 – 17 November 2007 | Living Quarters | Commandant Frank Butler | John Dove | Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh |
| 15 February 2008 – 8 March 2008 | Six Characters in Search of an Author | Father | Mark Thomson | Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh |
| 16 January 2009 – 14 February 2009 | The Man Who Had All the Luck | Patterson Beeves | John Dove | Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh |
| 4 May 2009 – 9 May 2009 | The Oddest Couple | Ken | Eleanor Yule | Òran Mór, Glasgow |
| 22 June 2009 – 4 July 2009 | Everything Must Go! | Various | Lisa Goldman & Esther Richardson | Soho Theatre, London |
| 25 September 2013 – 19 October 2013 | Dark Road | Black Fergus McLintock | Mark Thomson | Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh |
| 6 April 2015 – 11 April 2015 | Broth | Jimmy | Andy McNamme | Òran Mór, Glasgow |
| 14 April 2015 – 18 April 2015 | Broth | Jimmy | Andy McNamme | Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh |
| 18 February 2016 – 19 March 2016 | The Crucible | Deputy Governor Danforth | John Dove | Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh |
| 20 April 2016 – 14 May 2016 | The Iliad | Agamemnon / Priam | Mark Thomson | Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh |
| 6 March 2017 – 11 March 2017 | The Beaches of St Valery | Callum / McGregor / McLean | Stuart Hepburn | Òran Mór, Glasgow |
| 11 August 2017 – 26 August 2017 | Stand By | | Joe Douglas | Summerhall, Edinburgh |
| 12 November 2018 – 17 November 2018 | Oscar Slater – The Trial That Shamed a City | Arthur Conan Doyle | Stuart Hepburn | Òran Mór, Glasgow |
| 29 January 2019 – 1 February 2019 | Rebus: Long Shadows | Inspector Rebus | Robin Lefevre | Theatre Royal, Glasgow |
| 4 February 2019 – 9 February 2019 | Rebus: Long Shadows | Inspector Rebus | Robin Lefevre | New Theatre, Cardiff |
| 11 February 2019 – 18 February 2019 | Rebus: Long Shadows | Inspector Rebus | Robin Lefevre | Cambridge Arts Theatre |
| 25 February 2019 – 2 March 2019 | Rebus: Long Shadows | Inspector Rebus | Robin Lefevre | Theatre Royal, Newcastle |
| 4 March 2019 – 9 March 2019 | Rebus: Long Shadows | Inspector Rebus | Robin Lefevre | Theatre Royal, Bath |
| 12 March 2019 – 16 March 2019 | Rebus: Long Shadows | Inspector Rebus | Robin Lefevre | Rose Theatre, Kingston |
| 16 March 2020 – 17 March 2020 | The Beaches of St Valery | Callum / McGregor / McLean | Stuart Hepburn | Òran Mór, Glasgow |
| Notes: ↑ Closed early because of COVID-19 restrictions |||||

## Radio

| Date | Title | Role | Director | Station |
| 22 December 1987 – 8 September 1988 | Citizens | Alec Kelly | Marilyn Imrie | BBC Radio 4 |
| 25 January 2003 – 1 February 2003 | The Falls | DI Rebus | Bruce Young | BBC Radio 4 The Saturday Play |
| 26 June 2004 – 3 July 2004 | Resurrection Men | DI Rebus | Bruce Young | BBC Radio 4 The Saturday Play |
| 17 April 2006 | McLevy: Sins of the Fathers | Bellamy | Patrick Rayner | BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play |
| 28 June 2008 – 5 July 2008 | Black and Blue | DI Rebus | Bruce Young | BBC Radio 4 The Saturday Play |
| 28 February 2009 | Salmonella Men on Planet Porno | | | BBC Radio 3 The Wire |
| 17 February 2010 | Fags, Mags and Bags: Mr Majhu Goes to Lenzie | Bob Shandy MP | | BBC Radio 4 |
| 7 August 2010 – 14 August 2010 | Strip Jack | DI Rebus | Bruce Young | BBC Radio 4 The Saturday Play |
| 11 November 2012 – 18 November 2012 | The Black Book | DI Rebus | Bruce Young | BBC Radio 4 Classic Serial |
| 28 September 2014 – 5 October 2014 | Set in Darkness | DI Rebus | Bruce Young | BBC Radio 4 Classic Serial |
| 13 February 2016 – 20 February 2016 | A Question of Blood | DI Rebus | Bruce Young | BBC Radio 4 The Saturday Play |
| 12 July 2018 | The Trial of Joseph Knight | Sir John Wedderburn | Bruce Young | BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Drama |