--- name: "Bill Paterson" canonical: "https://film.one/person/bill-paterson" fi1m_id: "bill-paterson" imdb_id: "nm0665473" tmdb_id: 104795 wikidata_id: "Q862358" roles: ["Actor"] born: "3 June 1945" reviewed_on_fi1m: 14 average_fi1m_score: 75 average_as: "actor" average_over: 14 updated: "2026-10-22T03:31:12.351680+00:00" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Bill Paterson ## Identity Bill Paterson - **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/bill-paterson - **Type:** Person - **Fi1m ID:** bill-paterson - **IMDb ID:** nm0665473 - **TMDB ID:** 104795 - **Wikidata ID:** Q862358 - **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Paterson_(actor), https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q862358, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0665473/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/104795 Actor. Born 3 June 1945 in Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland, UK. ## Details - **Work:** Actor - **Born:** 3 June 1945, Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland, UK - **Active:** 1981–present - **Frequently works with:** [Keeley Hawes](https://film.one/person/keeley-hawes.md), [Andrew Davies](https://film.one/person/andrew-davies.md), [Lindsay Duncan](https://film.one/person/lindsay-duncan.md), [Roland Joffé](https://film.one/person/roland-joffe.md) - **Average Fi1m score:** 75, as actor, over 14 titles - **Fi1m score by decade:** 1980s 83 (3), 1990s 75 (3), 2000s 77 (4), 2010s 74 (3), 2020s 49 (1) - **Fi1m against the critics:** 71 to 66 across 7 titles - **Score spread:** 8 at 80+, 4 at 60–79, 2 under 60 - **Lead roles:** 0 of 7 acting credits billed first or second - **Genres:** Drama 13, Comedy 4, Fantasy 3, Mystery 3, Crime 2, Romance 2 - **Screen time:** 11 hours of reviewed films - **Box office:** $154m across 4 films with figures - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Paterson_(actor), https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q862358, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0665473/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/104795 ## Streaming the US now - **Tubi:** [*Criminal Justice*](https://film.one/tv/criminal-justice.md) (85) - **Peacock:** [*The Witches*](https://film.one/film/the-witches.md) (82) - **The Roku Channel:** [*The Killing Fields*](https://film.one/film/the-killing-fields.md) (82) - **Netflix:** [*Rebecca*](https://film.one/film/rebecca-2020.md) (49) For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country. ## Biography Bill Paterson is a Scottish actor born on 3 June 1945 in Glasgow. He trained at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama after initially working as a quantity surveyor's apprentice. Paterson has appeared regularly in radio drama and narrated numerous documentaries. His film and television credits include *Truly, Madly, Deeply* (1990) as Sandy, *The Witches* (1990), *Chaplin* (1992), *Outlander* (2014), *Fleabag* (2016–2019), *Good Omens* (2019) and *House of the Dragon* (2022). He received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Scottish BAFTAs. *Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.* ## On Fi1m (14) - *Rebecca* (2020), Fi1m 49, as Dr. Baker — [page](https://film.one/film/rebecca-2020.md) - *Fleabag* (2016), Fi1m 90, as Dad — [page](https://film.one/tv/fleabag.md) - *High-Rise* (2015), Fi1m 58, as Mercer — [page](https://film.one/film/high-rise.md) - *Outlander* (2014), Fi1m 74, as Ned Gowan — [page](https://film.one/tv/outlander.md) - *Criminal Justice* (2008), Fi1m 85, as Harry Box — [page](https://film.one/tv/criminal-justice.md) - *Little Dorrit* (2008), Fi1m 76, as Mr. Meagles — [page](https://film.one/tv/little-dorrit.md) - *ShakespeaRe-Told* (2005), Fi1m 66, Actor — [page](https://film.one/tv/shakespeare-told.md) - *Foyle's War* (2002), Fi1m 81, as Patrick Jamieson — [page](https://film.one/tv/foyles-war.md) - *Spice World* (1997), Fi1m 62, as Brian — [page](https://film.one/film/spice-world.md) - *Truly Madly Deeply* (1991), Fi1m 80, as Sandy — [page](https://film.one/film/truly-madly-deeply.md) - *The Witches* (1990), Fi1m 82, as Mr Jenkins — [page](https://film.one/film/the-witches.md) - *The Killing Fields* (1984), Fi1m 82, as Dr. MacEntire — [page](https://film.one/film/the-killing-fields.md) - *Auf Wiedersehen, Pet* (1983), Fi1m 84, as Ally Fraser — [page](https://film.one/tv/auf-wiedersehen-pet.md) - *Smiley's People* (1982), Fi1m 82, as Lauder Strickland — [page](https://film.one/tv/smileys-people.md) ## Complete filmography (165) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *Ladies First* (2026), as Louis - *The House Was Not Hungry Then* (2025), as Father - *Arthur's Whisky* (2024), as Henry - *A Bear Named Wojtek* (2023), as Zoo Director (voice) - *The Spirit of 1926* (2022), as Family Lawyer - *House of the Dragon* (2022), series, as Lord Lyman Beesbury - *The Sandman* (2022), series, as Dr. John Hathaway - *Halo* (2022), series, as Ackerson's Dad — Fi1m 52, [page](https://film.one/tv/halo.md) - *The Colour Room* (2021), as Gordon Forsythe - *Britain’s Scenic Railways* (2021), series, as Narrator - *Rebecca* (2020), as Dr. Baker — Fi1m 49, [page](https://film.one/film/rebecca-2020.md) - *Marionette* (2020), as Dr. Mandelbaum - *Love Sarah* (2020), as Felix - *Guilt* (2019), series, as Roy Lynch - *Brassic* (2019), series, as Tony Tillerton — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/tv/brassic.md) - *The Day Mountbatten Died* (2019), as Narrator (voice) - *Good Omens* (2019), series, as Tadfield Neighbourhood Watch - *Happy New Year, Colin Burstead* (2018), as Gordon Burstead - *Wonderdate* (2018), as Kolodon - *Zanzibar* (2018), as Mr Green - *The Man Who Invented Christmas* (2017), as Mr. Grimsby - *Urban Myths* (2017), series, as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - *Fleabag* (2016), series, as Dad — Fi1m 90, [page](https://film.one/tv/fleabag.md) - *The Rebel* (2016), series, as Charles - *Churchill's Secret* (2016), as Lord Moran - *Dad's Army* (2016), as Private Frazer - *High-Rise* (2015), as Mercer — Fi1m 58, [page](https://film.one/film/high-rise.md) - *Hitler on Trial: The Truth Behind the Story* (2015), Actor - *The Vote* (2015), as Simon Featherstone - *Scot Squad* (2014), series, as Sir Neville Archibald - *Outlander* (2014), series, as Ned Gowan — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/tv/outlander.md) - *37 Days* (2014), series, as Lord Morley - *Documenting John Grierson* (2014), as Narrator - *Inside No. 9* (2014), series, as Mr. Green — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/inside-no-9.md) - *The List* (2013), as Reg Troughton - *Shetland* (2013), series, as James Perez — Fi1m 62, [page](https://film.one/tv/shetland.md) - *Them From That Thing* (2012), series, as Various - *Scotland's Finest: The Story of the Highland Games* (2012), as Narrator - *Dirk Gently* (2012), series, as Professor Jericho - *Fast Freddie, the Widow and Me* (2011), as Judge Underwood - *The Man who Crossed Hitler* (2011), as Kurt Ohnesorge - *The Phoenix: A Century of Cinema* (2011), as Narrator (Voice) - *Birds Britannia* (2010), series, Actor - *Creation* (2009), as Dr. Gully - *Spanish Flu: The Forgotten Fallen* (2009), as Dr James Niven - *Into the Storm* (2009), as Clement Attlee - *Law & Order: UK* (2009), series, as George Castle - *1929: The Great Crash* (2009), as Narrator - *Gone Fishing* (2008), as Old Bill - *Little Dorrit* (2008), series, as Mr. Meagles — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/tv/little-dorrit.md) - *How to Lose Friends & Alienate People* (2008), as Richard Young - *Criminal Justice* (2008), series, as Harry Box — Fi1m 85, [page](https://film.one/tv/criminal-justice.md) - *Sherlock Holmes and the Baker Street Irregulars* (2007), as Dr Watson - *Sherlock Holmes and the Baker Street Irregulars* (2007), series, as Dr Watson - *Intervention* (2007), as Dr. Martin - *Miss Potter* (2006), as Rupert Potter - *Amazing Grace* (2006), as Lord Dundas - *A War on Science* (2006), as Narrator (voice) - *Fascism in Colour* (2006), as Narrator (voice) - *A Passion for Churches* (2005), series, as Narrator - *ShakespeaRe-Told* (2005), series, Actor — Fi1m 66, [page](https://film.one/tv/shakespeare-told.md) - *Rag Tale* (2005), as Tulloch 'Lucky' Lloyd - *Doctor Who* (2005), series, as Edwin Bracewell — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/doctor-who-2005.md) - *Agatha Christie's Marple* (2004), series, as Bradley - *Lie with Me* (2004), series, as DCI Collman - *Shoebox Zoo* (2004), series, as The Storyteller (voice) - *Sea of Souls* (2004), series, as Dr. Douglas Monaghan - *Bright Young Things* (2003), as Sir James Brown - *Canterbury Tales* (2003), series, as Theo - *Danielle Cable: Eyewitness* (2003), as DI Nick Biddiss - *Trust* (2003), series, as John Tilson - *Doctor Zhivago* (2002), series, as Alexander Maximovich Gromeko - *Foyle's War* (2002), series, as Patrick Jamieson — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/tv/foyles-war.md) - *Crush* (2002), as Gerald - *Home Road Movies* (2002), as Father - *Born and Bred* (2002), series, as Harry Woolf - *The Entity* (2002), Actor - *Othello* (2001), as Sinclair Carver - *The Whistle-Blower* (2001), as D.I. Neil Sleightholme - *Behind Bars* (2001), as Narrator - *Rebel Heart* (2001), series, as James Connolly - *The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne* (2000), series, Actor - *Complicity* (2000), as Wallace Byatt - *Chrono-Perambulator* (1999), as Professor Teddy Knox - *Wives and Daughters* (1999), series, as Mr Gibson - *Sunshine* (1999), as Minister of Justice - *The Match* (1999), as Tommy - *Heart* (1999), as Mr. Kreitman - *Hilary and Jackie* (1998), as Cello Teacher - *The Animal Train* (1998), as Walrus - *Mr White Goes To Westminster* (1997), as Ben White - *Spice World* (1997), as Brian — Fi1m 62, [page](https://film.one/film/spice-world.md) - *Melissa* (1997), series, as DCI Cameron - *Victory* (1996), as Capt. Davidson - *The Crow Road* (1996), series, as Kenneth McHoan - *The Writing on the Wall* (1996), as Bull - *Chaplin's Goliath* (1996), as Narrator (voice) - *Richard III* (1995), as Sir Richard Ratcliffe - *The Ghostbusters of East Finchley* (1995), series, as Joe Small - *The Pen* (1995), Actor - *Oliver's Travels* (1995), series, as Baxter - *The Turnaround* (1995), as James Webb - *Sharman* (1995), series, as James Webb - *The Riddle of the Sands* (1995), as Narrator - *Hard Times* (1994), series, as Stephen Blackpool - *Funky Black Shorts* (1994), series, as Teacher - *Wall of Silence* (1993), as Howard Mullen - *God on the Rocks* (1992), as Kenneth Marsh - *In Dreams* (1992), as Dr Gold - *Chaplin* (1992), as Stage Manager - *Tell Tale Hearts* (1992), as Anthony Steadman - *Murder Most Horrid* (1991), series, as Chief Inspector - *Truly Madly Deeply* (1991), as Sandy — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/truly-madly-deeply.md) - *The Object of Beauty* (1991), as Victor Swayle - *Shrinks* (1991), series, as Matt Hennessey - *Yellowbacks* (1990), as Alex McPherson - *The Witches* (1990), as Mr Jenkins — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/the-witches.md) - *Bearskin: An Urban Fairytale* (1989), as Jordan - *Screen One* (1989), series, as PC Howard Mullen - *Traffik* (1989), series, as Jack Lithgow - *The Rachel Papers* (1989), as Gordon Highway - *The Return of the Musketeers* (1989), as Charles I - *The Adventures of Baron Munchausen* (1988), as Henry Salt - *Franz Kafka's 'The Trial'* (1988), as Titorelli - *Just Ask for Diamond* (1988), as Chief Inspector Snape - *Byrne About Byrne* (1988), as Father/F.S. McDade - *The Play on One* (1988), series, as Alex McPherson - *The Modern World: Ten Great Writers* (1988), series, as Titorelli - *The Story of a Recluse* (1987), as The Producer - *The Interrogation of John* (1987), as Det. Supt. Chase - *Friendship's Death* (1987), as Sullivan - *Lily My Love* (1987), as Colin - *Hidden City* (1987), as Anthony - *Coming Up Roses* (1987), as Mr. Valentine - *God's Chosen Car Park* (1986), as Victor Rosen - *The Singing Detective* (1986), series, as Dr Gibbon - *ScreenPlay* (1986), series, as Colin, Det. Supt. Chase - *Defence of the Realm* (1986), as Jack Macleod - *Dutch Girls* (1985), as Mr Mole - *The Killing Fields* (1984), as Dr. MacEntire — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/the-killing-fields.md) - *A Private Function* (1984), as Wormold - *Comfort and Joy* (1984), as Alan - *Auf Wiedersehen, Pet* (1983), series, as Ally Fraser — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/auf-wiedersehen-pet.md) - *The Ploughman's Lunch* (1983), as Lecturer - *Smiley's People* (1982), series, as Lauder Strickland — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/tv/smileys-people.md) - *United Kingdom* (1981), as Tony - *The Cherry Orchard* (1981), as Lopakhin - *One Fine Day* (1979), as Third Man in Lift - *The Vanishing Army* (1978), as Girling - *Jackie McCafferty's Romance* (1978), as Bus Conductor - *The Odd Job* (1978), as Sergeant Mull - *Scottish Playbill* (1978), series, as Cannavan - *Licking Hitler* (1978), as Archie MacLean - *The Thin End of the Wedge* (1977), as Luke - *BBC2 Play of the Week* (1977), series, as Girling - *The Garden Beyond* (1977), as Jim Finlayson - *The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil* (1974), as Various - *Clydescope* (1974), as Model Boat Show Commentator (voice) (uncredited) - *Suilven Spring* (1974), Actor - *Passing Places* (1973), Actor - *Play for Today* (1970), series, as Luke, Archie MacLean, McChuckemup / Texas Jim etc - *Omnibus* (1967), series, Actor - *Horizon* (1964), series, Actor - *Tomb Raider*, series, as Winston - *The White Room*, as Jackie Jordan ## Gallery - ![Bill Paterson](https://film.one/media/person/78135/gallery-bbeb0cdd3232.jpg) Bill Paterson — S Pakhrin, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/15/Bill_Paterson.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Bill Paterson](https://film.one/media/person/78135/gallery-4b34bfda89b2.jpg) Bill Paterson — S Pakhrin from DC, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fc/Miss_Potter_Premiere_%28313229621%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Bill Paterson (2006)](https://film.one/media/person/78135/gallery-183037bbddeb.jpg) Bill Paterson (2006) — S Pakhrin from DC, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1e/Miss_Potter_Premiere_%28313230053%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Bill Paterson](https://film.one/media/person/78135/gallery-d85c574f33b7.jpg) Bill Paterson — Image via TMDB --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/bill-paterson