Rupert Vansittart

Rupert Vansittart
Rupert Nicholas Vansittart (born 10 February 1958) is an English character actor. He has appeared in a variety of roles in film, television, stage and radio, often playing comic characters. He is best known for his role as Lord Ashfordly in the ITV drama Heartbeat and for playing Lord Yohn Royce in the HBO series Game of Thrones (2014–2019).
Early Life and education
Vansittart was raised in Cranleigh Surrey, and is of partial Dutch ancestry. He trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama.
Career
Vansittart started his acting career in an episode of Bulman in 1985. In 1995, he starred in the serial Pride and Prejudice, as Mr Hurst, the brother-in-law of Charles and Caroline Bingley. He has also worked with Rowan Atkinson on a number of occasions, appearing as a guest star in two episodes of Mr. Bean in addition to The Thin Blue Line, and Johnny English Reborn.
In 1993, he appeared in Remains of the Day as Sir Geoffrey Wren, a character based on the 1930s British fascist Sir Oswald Mosley. In 1994, he appeared in the film Braveheart as Lord Bottoms. He worked in Four Weddings and a Funeral, as George the Boor at the Boatman in 1995.
In 2002, he appeared in the Midsomer Murders episode "Market for Murder". He also portrayed General Asquith in the Doctor Who episodes "Aliens of London" and "World War Three". In 2003, he appeared in the West End adaptation of Arsenic and Old Lace. In 2006, Vansittart portrayed Thomas J. Dodd in the BBC three-part drama documentary Nuremberg: Nazis on Trial. In 2007, he appeared in another episode of Midsomer Murders, "The Axeman Cometh". He also appeared in the 2008 BBC serial Spartacus as Consul Lentulus.
In 2009, he was asked to play Peter Morrison in Margaret. Two years later in the critically acclaimed The Iron Lady with Meryl Streep he played Cabinet minister John Biffen. He has also played political characters on stage: in 2014 he was one of the main actors in the cast of Great Britain at the National Theatre.
2009 also saw his third appearance in Midsomer Murders, in the episode "The Dogleg Murders". In 2010, he appeared in Doctors as Anthony Chippington, a friend of Charlie's. He played Harrison Ashton Lard, the "posh girl's father", in How Not to Live Your Life. He provided additional voice-over for World's Craziest Fools. He appeared in the final two seasons of Foyle's War as Sir Alec Myerson, the title character's boss at MI5. Vansittart also appeared in the BBC Three comedy Bad Education, playing Mr. Humpage. In 2014, Vansittart started playing Lord Yohn Royce in the HBO series Game of Thrones, making recurring appearances in season 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8.
In 2016, he appears in the BBC TV series Father Brown as Arthur Le Broc in episode 4.7 "The Missing Man". In January 2016, he played Peter Jennings in an episode of the BBC series Casualty.
Personal life
Vansittart has been married to Emma Kate, daughter of the actors Moray Watson and Pamela Marmont, since 1987. They have two children. When Emma Watson was cast for Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Emma Kate Watson changed her name to Emma Vansittart, adopting her husband's surname as her new stage name, to avoid being confused with the young actress.
Theatre
The Revengers' Comedies (1989)
Taking Steps (1990)
The Revengers' Comedies (1991)
A Westwood Diary (1996)
Arsenic and Old Lace (2003)
This House (2013)
Great Britain (2014)
Filmography
Bulman (1985, TV Series) .... Jack
Plenty (1985) .... Client's Asst.
The Comic Strip Presents... (1986, TV Series) .... Jeremy
Half Moon Street (1986) .... Alan Platts-Williams
Eat the Rich (1987) .... Rupert
Buster (1988) .... Fairclough
Ticket to Ride (1989)
Wish Me Luck (1988–1989, TV Series) .... Guard in Factory / German Soldier at Station
The Saint: The Brazilian Connection (1989, TV Movie) .... Wyatt
The Piglet Files (1990–1991, TV Series) .... Zemskov / KGB Officer
Heartbeat (1992–2009, TV Series) .... Lord Ashfordly
Love Hurts (1993, TV Series) .... Richard Hollis
Chef! (1993, TV Series) .... Diner
Frank Stubbs (1993, TV Series) .... Businessman
The Remains of the Day (1993) .... Sir Geoffrey Wren
Headhunters (1994, TV Series) .... Michael Best
Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994) .... George the boor at The Boatman - Wedding One
Braveheart (1994) .... Lord Bottoms
Mr. Bean (1994–1995, TV Series) .... Police Officer / Guardsman
Pride and Prejudice (1995, TV Mini-Series) .... Mr Hurst
The Thin Blue Line (1995, TV Series) .... Commander Crow
Cutthroat Island (1995) .... Captain Perkins
Wilderness (1996, TV Mini-Series) .... Jeremy
Supply and Demand (1997, TV Movie) .... Police Personnel
Noah's Ark (1997, TV Series) .... Mark Villiers
A Dance to the Music of Time (1997, TV Mini-Series) .... Soper
Diana & Me (1997) .... Chef
Painted Lady (1997, TV Movie) .... Henry Fellows
Perfect Blue (1997) .... Flashback Date #2
Berkeley Square (1998, TV Mini-Series) .... Lord Percy Wilton
Monk Dawson (1998) .... Fr Timothy
Vanity Fair (1998, TV Mini-Series) .... Smith
Frenchman's Creek (1998, TV Movie) .... Lord Godolphin
Birds of a Feather (1998–2014, TV Series) .... Counsel / Wayne
CI5: The New Professionals (1999, TV Series) .... Chairman
Eviction (1999, Short) .... The Landlord
Kevin & Perry Go Large (2000) .... Bank manager
The Bill (2000, TV Series) .... Solicitor
Harry Enfield's Brand Spanking New Show (2000, TV Series)
Black Books (2000, TV Series) .... Rich Guy
Take a Girl Like You (2000, TV Series) .... Headmaster
Sword of Honour (2001, TV Movie) .... Commander-in-Chief
Sam's Game (2001, TV Series) .... Robert
My Family (2000–2001, TV Series) .... Mr. Davis / Mr. Quince
Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) (2001, TV Series) .... Brian Babbacombe
The Way We Live Now (2001, TV Mini-Series) .... Sir Damask Monogram
The Falklands Play (2002, TV Movie) .... Sir Robert Armstrong
Celeb (2002, TV Series) .... Johnson
Menace (2002, TV Mini-Series) .... Ray Hutchens
Midsomer Murders (2002–2009, TV Series) .... Alistair Kingslake / Desmond Harcourt / Selwyn Proctor
My Dad's the Prime Minister (2003–2004, TV Series) .... Chancellor / Ballon
One Last Chance (2004) .... Alisdair Robb
The Brief (2004, TV Mini-Series) .... Prettyman
Roman Road (2004, TV Movie) .... Farmer
Twisted Tales (2005, TV Series) .... Dr. Mantle
Doctor Who (2005, TV Series) .... General Asquith
Wallis & Edward (2005, TV Movie) .... Chief Whip
Coup! (2006, TV Movie) .... Roddy Hamilton
Nuremberg: Nazis on Trial (2006, TV Mini-Series documentary) .... Thomas Dodd
Hustle (2007, TV Series) .... Jonathan Mortimer-Howe
Sensitive Skin (2007, TV Series) .... Interview Guest
The Bank Job (2008) .... Sir Leonard Plugge
Heroes and Villains (2008, TV Series documentary) .... Lentulus
Caught in a Trap (2008, TV Movie) .... Judge
Margaret (2009, TV Movie) .... Peter Morrison
How Not to Live Your Life (2010, TV Series) .... Harrison
Any Human Heart (2010, TV Mini-Series) .... The Earl
Doctors (2010–2014, TV Series) .... Benedict 'Bennie' Harley / Mr. Graham Fitch / Anthony Chippington
Comedy Showcase (2011, TV Series) .... Headmaster
Johnny English Reborn (2011) .... Derek
Holy Flying Circus (2011, TV Movie) .... Bernard Barnard QC
The Iron Lady (2011) .... Cabinet Minister
The Royal Bodyguard (2012, TV Mini-Series) .... Roderick Finch
Bad Education (2012, TV Series) .... Mr. Humpage
Foyle's War (2013–2015, TV Series, 5 episodes) .... Sir Alec Meyerson / Sir Alec Myerson
Austenland (2013) .... Mr. Wattlesbrook
National Theatre Live: This House (2013) .... Esher / Ensemble
The Midnight Beast (2014, TV Series) .... Headmaster
Death in Paradise (2014, TV Series) .... Colin Campbell
Game of Thrones (2014–2019, TV Series, 13 episodes) .... Yohn Royce
Chewing Gum (2015, TV Series) .... Big Boss
Versailles (2015, TV Series, 2 episodes) .... Throckmorton
Father Brown (2016, TV Series) .... Arthur Le Broc
Casualty (2016-2021 TV Series) .... Peter Jennings/Kenneth Stair
Plebs (2016, TV Series) .... Tarquin
A United Kingdom (2016) .... Sir Ian Fraser
Tutankhamun (2016, TV Mini-Series) .... Flinders Petrie
King Charles III (2017, TV Movie) .... Sir Matthew
The Children Act (2017) .... Sherwood Runcie
Outlander (2017, TV Series) .... Lord William Dunsany
Doc Martin (2017-2022, TV Series) .... Professor Langan
Gentleman Jack (2019, TV Series, 3 episodes) .... Charles Lawton
The Crown (2019, TV Series, 1 episode) .... Cecil Harmsworth King
Spy City (2020, TV series) .... Ian Stuart-Hay
The Nevers (2021-2023, TV series) .... Lord Broughton
Kleo (2022, TV Netflix series) .... Otto Straub English Voiceover
Andor (2022, TV series, 2 episodes) .... Chief Hyne
Video games
References
External links
1958 births
English male stage actors
English male television actors
English people of Dutch descent
Living people
People from Cranleigh
Male actors from Surrey
20th-century English male actors
21st-century English male actors
Rupert