Brian Pettifer

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Brian Pettifer (born 1 January 1953) is a South African actor who has appeared in many television shows, and also on stage and in film.[1][2] He is the younger brother of folk musician Linda Thompson.

Biography[edit]

He intended to become a photographer, but pursued a career as an actor. He appeared as a child in the BBC's This Man Craig and Dr Finlay's Casebook, and Madame Bovary (with his friend Alex Norton) which gave him an avid interest in acting on television.

His first film role was in Lindsay Anderson's film if.... (1968). He also appeared in Anderson's O Lucky Man! (1973) and Britannia Hospital (1982) playing the same character in all three Anderson films, that of Biles. His other film credits include roles in Amadeus (1984), A Christmas Carol (1984), Gulag (1985), Heavenly Pursuits (1986), Little Dorrit (1987), The Great Escape II: The Untold Story (1988), Loch Ness (1996), The House of Mirth (2000), Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (2002), The Rocket Post (2004), Vanity Fair (2004) and Lassie (2005).

Pettifer was a regular in Rab C. Nesbitt mainly propping up a bar, but was also known as aircraftman Bruce Leckie in Get Some In!, where he was constantly the butt of jokes directed at him by Corporal Marsh. He also played cousin Hughie in the long running Liverpool based 70s sitcom The Liver Birds.

He also played Alfred Meyer in the BBC/HBO film Conspiracy and the part of Dr. Cameron in the Radio 4 series entitled Adventures of a Black Bag, after appearing in several episodes of Dr. Finlay's Casebook.

He appeared in Hamish Macbeth, as well as guest starring in Still Game. In 2005, he also appeared in the first episode of the BBC drama Bleak House. In 2011 and 2013, he played Father Richards in The Field of Blood. He had the role of Poupart in the BBC One series The Musketeers.

In 2012, Brian Pettifer appeared as Archie Milgrow in the episode Old School Ties in the series New Tricks.

He has worked extensively in the theatre: writing, directing and acting. He has been in a production of The Fairy-Queen at Glyndebourne, which went to Paris and New York in 2010.

In 2015, Pettifer appeared in the crime comedy The Legend of Barney Thomson along with his Hamish Macbeth co-star Robert Carlyle.

In 2019, he appeared in an episode of Holby City playing patient Laurie Stocks.[3]

Theatre[edit]

Year Title Role Company Director Notes
1990 The Ship Pat The Ship's Company, Govan Bill Bryden play by Bill Bryden staged at Harland and Wolff, Govan

Filmography[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
1968 if.... Biles - Junior
1973 O Lucky Man! Laurence Biles
1982 Britannia Hospital Biles: Administration
1984 Amadeus Hospital Attendant
A Christmas Carol Ben
1985 Gulag Vlasov TV movie
1986 Heavenly Pursuits Father Cobb
1987 Little Dorrit Clarence Barnacle
1988 The Great Escape II: The Untold Story Kirby-Green TV movie
1995 In the Bleak Midwinter Ventriloquist
1996 Loch Ness Repairman
1997 The James Gang Spanner
1998 Vigo Fatman
1999 The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc The Executioner / Torturer at Process
2000 The House of Mirth Mr. Bry
2003 Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Poole TV movie
2004 One Last Chance Macgregor
The Rocket Post Reverend Shand
Vanity Fair Mr. Raggles
2005 Lassie O'Donnell
To the Ends of the Earth Wheeler TV miniseries
2010 Donkeys Brian Colburn
2014 New Tricks: Old School Ties Archie Milgrow TV movie
2015 The Legend of Barney Thomson Charlie Taylor
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell Mr Honeyfoot
2016 Whisky Galore! Angus
2017 Darkest Hour Lord Kingsley Wood
2019 Get Duked! PC Dougie
2021 The Last Bus Billy

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Brian Pettifer". Royal National Theatre. Retrieved 27 November 2019.
  2. ^ "Brian Pettifer". BFI. Archived from the original on 25 May 2016. Retrieved 27 November 2019.
  3. ^ "China Crisis". BBC Online. Retrieved 26 February 2019.

External links[edit]