Given the question: Facts: - yearsactive: 1971 -- present - spouse: sue - children: tom joe dan - birth date: 17 july 1946 - name: alun armstrong - image: alun armstrong.jpg - birth place: annfield plain , county durham , england , uk - occupation: actor Based on these bullet points, write a short biography describing the life of alun armstrong .
The answer is:
alun armstrong -lrb- born 17 july 1946 -rrb- is an english character actor .armstrong grew up in county durham in north east england .he first became interested in acting through shakespeare productions at his grammar school .since his career began in the early 1970s , he has played , in his words , '' the full spectrum of characters from the grotesque to musicals ... i always play very colourful characters , often a bit crazy , despotic , psychotic . ''his numerous credits include several different charles dickens adaptations and the eccentric ex-detective brian lane in '' new tricks '' .armstrong is also an accomplished stage actor who spent nine years with the royal shakespeare company .he originated the role of thenardier in the london production of '' les miserables '' and he won an olivier award for playing the title role in '' '' .