--- name: "Brian Blessed" canonical: "https://film.one/person/brian-blessed" fi1m_id: "brian-blessed" imdb_id: "nm0000306" tmdb_id: 8318 wikidata_id: "Q449118" roles: ["Actor"] born: "9 October 1936" reviewed_on_fi1m: 13 average_fi1m_score: 75 average_as: "actor" average_over: 11 updated: "2026-10-07T16:30:31.398281+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." --- # Brian Blessed ## Identity Brian Blessed - **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/brian-blessed - **Type:** Person - **Fi1m ID:** brian-blessed - **IMDb ID:** nm0000306 - **TMDB ID:** 8318 - **Wikidata ID:** Q449118 - **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Blessed, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q449118, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000306/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/8318 Actor. Born 9 October 1936 in Mexborough, Yorkshire, England, UK. ## Details - **Work:** Actor - **Born:** 9 October 1936, Mexborough, Yorkshire, England, UK - **Active:** 1976–2011 - **Also known as:** B. Blessed, برایان بلسد - **Titles on Fi1m:** 13: 11 acting, 2 other - **Frequently works with:** [Derek Jacobi](https://film.one/person/derek-jacobi.md) - **Average Fi1m score:** 75, as actor, over 11 titles - **Fi1m score by decade:** 1970s 78 (2), 1980s 79 (3), 1990s 69 (6), 2000s 85 (1), 2010s 82 (1) - **Fi1m against the critics:** 73 to 68 across 7 titles - **Score spread:** 5 at 80+, 5 at 60–79, 1 under 60 - **Lead roles:** 0 of 7 acting credits billed first or second - **Genres:** Drama 5, Adventure 4, Comedy 4, Action 3, Animation 3, Family 3 - **Screen time:** 16 hours of reviewed films - **Box office:** $1,950m across 7 films with figures - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Blessed, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q449118, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000306/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/8318 ## Coming up - *Dudley & the Invasion of the Space Slugs* (2027-04-08), as Arthur (voice) ## Streaming the US now - **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Henry V*](https://film.one/film/henry-v.md) (84), [*Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves*](https://film.one/film/robin-hood-prince-of-thieves.md) (65) - **The Roku Channel:** [*I, Claudius*](https://film.one/tv/i-claudius.md) (90) - **BritBox:** [*Blackadder*](https://film.one/tv/blackadder.md) (84) - **Pluto TV:** [*Much Ado About Nothing*](https://film.one/film/much-ado-about-nothing.md) (78) - **Disney+:** [*Tarzan*](https://film.one/film/tarzan.md) (77) For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country. ## Fi1m on Brian Blessed > Brian Blessed’s booming voice suits men accustomed to being obeyed. We rate him most highly in *I, Claudius*, where his Augustus helps make a complicated family absorbing; elsewhere, that familiar force can become self-parody. In *I, Claudius* (1976), Brian Blessed’s Augustus has other strong personalities to contend with, and the company suits him. Derek Jacobi holds our attention as Claudius without needing to be the loudest presence, leaving room for Blessed’s Augustus, Margaret Tyzack’s Antonia and Patrick Stewart’s Sejanus to remain distinct. We were gripped by the family intrigue because the actors made those competing personalities so easy to recognise. This is a useful performance to watch for how Blessed works with the others. His early television breakthrough was PC ‘Fancy’ Smith in *Z-Cars* (1962–65), well before Prince Vultan in *Flash Gordon* (1980) made exuberance central to his screen identity. The booming voice can carry hearty warmth, rage or menace, which gives a director more to use than sheer loudness. But the performances after Vultan sometimes veered into self-parody. Once the familiar delivery becomes the attraction, there is less reason to attend to the particular man speaking. Kenneth Branagh’s Shakespeare films gave that authority a regular setting, beginning with Exeter in *Henry V* (1989). Blessed returned as Antonio in *Much Ado About Nothing* (1993), among the supporting players around Branagh and Emma Thompson’s sparring lovers. We recommend that film for its persuasive romance, while finding some of the physical comedy too insistent. It is worth seeing him in a production where the central pleasure belongs to other actors, rather than expecting every appearance to provide another demonstration of his volume. Later, animation and games made increasing use of his voice, with Clayton in *Tarzan* (1999) among the animation roles. That is a natural use of an actor whose vocal character is so readily recognisable, though recognition alone is a limited pleasure. We want the warmth or the threat to tell us something about the person speaking. Start with *I, Claudius*, and give Jacobi just as much attention. ## Biography Brian Blessed is an English actor. He trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and began his career in the 1950s. He played Augustus in the 1976 BBC series *I, Claudius* and King Richard IV in the 1983 series *Blackadder*. Other credits include Prince Vultan in *Flash Gordon* (1980), Boss Nass in *Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace* (1999), and Clayton in *Tarzan* (1999). He has also appeared in stage productions including the original London run of *Cats* (1981). Blessed was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2016 for services to the arts and charity. *Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.* ## On Fi1m (13) ### Performed in (11) — the average rests on these - *The Amazing World of Gumball* (2011), Fi1m 82, as Santa Claus (voice) — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-amazing-world-of-gumball.md) - *Family Guy* (1999), Fi1m 63, as Prince Vultan (voice) — [page](https://film.one/tv/family-guy.md) - *Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace* (1999), Fi1m 52, as Boss Nass (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/star-wars-episode-i-the-phantom-menace.md) - *Tarzan* (1999), Fi1m 77, as Clayton (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/tarzan.md) - *Hamlet* (1996), Fi1m 81, as Ghost of Hamlet's Father — [page](https://film.one/film/hamlet.md) - *Much Ado About Nothing* (1993), Fi1m 78, as Antonio — [page](https://film.one/film/much-ado-about-nothing.md) - *Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves* (1991), Fi1m 65, as Lord Locksley — [page](https://film.one/film/robin-hood-prince-of-thieves.md) - *Henry V* (1989), Fi1m 84, as Exeter — [page](https://film.one/film/henry-v.md) - *Blackadder* (1983), Fi1m 84, as King Richard IV — [page](https://film.one/tv/blackadder.md) - *Flash Gordon* (1980), Fi1m 70, as Prince Vultan — [page](https://film.one/film/flash-gordon.md) - *I, Claudius* (1976), Fi1m 90, as Augustus — [page](https://film.one/tv/i-claudius.md) ### Also credited (2) — thanks, archive footage, uncredited - *Would I Lie to You?* (2007), Fi1m 85, as Self — [page](https://film.one/tv/would-i-lie-to-you.md) - *The Eagle Has Landed* (1976), Fi1m 65, as Arthur Seymour (voice) (uncredited) — [page](https://film.one/film/the-eagle-has-landed.md) ## Complete filmography (150) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *Dudley & the Invasion of the Space Slugs* (2027), as Arthur (voice) - *Space: 1999 4K Double Bill - Breakaway and The Metamorph* (2026), as Mentor - *Time Travel Is Dangerous!* (2025), as Gavin the Octopus (voice) - *Peppa Pig: Wedding Party!* (2024), as Grampy Rabbit (voice) - *Peppa's Cinema Party* (2024), as Grampy Rabbit (voice) - *Bug-Eyed Monsters Invade the Earth!* (2022), as Narrator - *Best & Bester* (2022), series, as Shouty Shirt (Voice) - *Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans* (2021), as Charlemagne (voice) - *Dear Mr. Burton* (2020), as Narrator - *Close Enough* (2020), series, as Sir Jack Kleghorn (voice) - *Eugenius!* (2020), as Space Lord - *Shed of the Dead* (2019), as Narrator (voice) - *Robin Hood: The Rebellion* (2018), as Friar Tuck - *Danger Mouse* (2015), series, as Santa Claus (voice) - *Peppa Pig: The Golden Boots* (2015), as Grampy Rabbit (voice) - *The Seventeenth Kind* (2014), as The Voice (voice) - *Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Return* (2014), as Judge Jawbreaker (voice) - *Wizards vs Aliens* (2012), series, as The Nekross King (voice) - *LEGO Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Out* (2012), as Boss Nass (voice) - *So You Want To Be A Pirate!* (2012), as The Pirate King - *The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists!* (2012), as The Pirate King (voice) - *Wojtek: The Bear That Went to War* (2011), as Narrator - *Sooty* (2011), series, as Father Christmas - *The Amazing World of Gumball* (2011), series, as Santa Claus (voice) — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-amazing-world-of-gumball.md) - *Fee Fi Fo Yum* (2010), series, as GTV Announcer - *Mr. Bojagi* (2010), as Mr. Bojagi - *The Making of The Trial of a Time Lord* (2008), Actor - *The Underdog Show* (2008), series, Actor - *All Star Mr & Mrs* (2008), series, Actor - *Agent Crush* (2008), as Boris Goudphater (voice) - *Back in Business* (2007), as Trevor Pilkington - *The Conclave* (2006), as Aeneas Sylvius Piccolomin - *As You Like It* (2006), as Duke Senior/Duke Frederick - *Mist: The Tale of a Sheepdog Puppy* (2006), as Sir Gregory (voice) - *Day of Wrath* (2006), as Lord Francisco del Ruiz - *Mist: The Tale of a Sheepdog Puppy* (2005), as Sir Gregory(voice) - *The Funny Blokes of British Comedy* (2005), as King Richard IV (archive footage) (uncredited) - *448 BC: Olympiad of Ancient Hellas* (2004), as Narrator - *Alexander* (2004), as Wrestling Trainer - *Peppa Pig* (2004), series, as Grampy Rabbit (voice) - *The Legend of the Tamworth Two* (2004), as Wild Boar (voice) - *The Royal* (2003), series, as Sir Edward Fawcett - *Devil's Harvest* (2003), as Father Gabriel Norton - *Fun at the Funeral Parlour* (2001), series, Actor - *The Mumbo Jumbo* (2000), as Lucifer Bounder - *The Nearly Complete and Utter History of Everything* (2000), series, Actor - *The Greatest Store in the World* (1999), as Mr. Scottley - *The Big Knights* (1999), series, as Sir Morris - *Tarzan* (1999), as Clayton (voice) — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/film/tarzan.md) - *Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace* (1999), as Boss Nass (voice) — Fi1m 52, [page](https://film.one/film/star-wars-episode-i-the-phantom-menace.md) - *Family Guy* (1999), series, as Prince Vultan (voice) — Fi1m 63, [page](https://film.one/tv/family-guy.md) - *King Lear* (1999), as King Lear · Director - *Hey, Mr. Producer! The Musical World of Cameron Mackintosh* (1998), as Old Deuteronomy - *The History of Tom Jones: A Foundling* (1997), series, as Squire Western - *Macbeth* (1997), as Edward the Confessor - *Hamlet* (1996), as Ghost of Hamlet's Father — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/film/hamlet.md) - *Catherine the Great* (1996), as Bestuzhev - *The Bruce* (1996), as Edward I - *Dennis the Menace and Gnasher* (1996), series, as Captain (voice) - *Kidnapped* (1995), as Cluny MacPherson - *The Doctors: 30 Years of Time Travel and Beyond* (1995), Actor - *Johnny and the Dead* (1995), series, as William Stickers - *Chasing the Deer* (1994), as Maj. Elliot - *MacGyver: Lost Treasure of Atlantis* (1994), as Atticus - *David Macaulay: Roman City* (1994), as Gaius Valerius (voice) - *Sooty & Co.* (1993), series, as Santa Claus - *Lady Chatterley* (1993), series, as Petty Officer - *Much Ado About Nothing* (1993), as Antonio — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/film/much-ado-about-nothing.md) - *Blood and Dust* (1992), as Chatillon - *Freddie As F.R.O.7.* (1992), as El Supremo (voice) - *Exam Conditions* (1992), as Mr. Carksdale - *Back in the USSR* (1992), as Chazov - *Old Rococo: The Life of Gioacchino Rossini* (1992), as Voice of Rossini - *Galahad of Everest* (1991), as George Mallory/Self - *Prisoner of Honor* (1991), as Gen. Gonse - *Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves* (1991), as Lord Locksley — Fi1m 65, [page](https://film.one/film/robin-hood-prince-of-thieves.md) - *The Castle of Adventure* (1990), as Sam - *The Castle of Adventure* (1990), series, as Sam - *Henry V* (1989), as Exeter — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/henry-v.md) - *David Macaulay: Pyramid* (1989), as Ankhaf (voice) - *The Old Man Of The Mountain* (1989), as Narrator - *War and Remembrance* (1988), series, as Yevlenko - *My Family and Other Animals* (1987), series, as Spiro - *Crossbow* (1987), series, Actor - *The Gnostics* (1987), series, as Guilhabert De Castres - *Doctor Who: Mindwarp* (1986), as King Yrcanos - *David Macaulay: Cathedral* (1986), as Master Guillaume (voice) - *John Silver's Return to Treasure Island* (1986), series, as Long John Silver - *Lovejoy* (1986), series, as Harry Catapodis - *Blake's 7: The Beginning* (1985), as Vargas - *The Last Days of Pompeii* (1984), series, as Olinthus - *The Master of Ballantrae* (1984), as Captain Teach - *The Hound of the Baskervilles* (1983), as Geoffrey Lyons - *Natural World* (1983), series, Actor - *Blackadder* (1983), series, as King Richard IV — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/blackadder.md) - *High Road to China* (1983), as Suleman Khan - *David Macaulay: Castle* (1983), as Voice - *Cosmic Princess* (1982), as Mentor - *The Little World of Don Camillo* (1981), series, as Peppone - *Flash Gordon* (1980), as Prince Vultan — Fi1m 70, [page](https://film.one/film/flash-gordon.md) - *Minder* (1979), series, as Freddie Dyer — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/minder.md) - *Tales of the Unexpected: Lamb to the Slaughter* (1979), as Detective Jack Noonan - *Tales of the Unexpected* (1979), series, as Detective Sergeant Jack Nolan - *The Aphrodite Inheritance* (1979), series, as Basileos - *Blake's 7* (1978), series, as Vargas - *A Christmas Carol* (1977), as Narrator (voice) - *The Eagle Has Landed* (1976), as Arthur Seymour (voice) (uncredited) — Fi1m 65, [page](https://film.one/film/the-eagle-has-landed.md) - *I, Claudius* (1976), series, as Augustus — Fi1m 90, [page](https://film.one/tv/i-claudius.md) - *Nobody's House* (1976), series, as Jack Treadful - *The Day After Tomorrow: Into Infinity* (1975), as Dr. Tom Bowen - *The Day After Tomorrow* (1975), series, as Dr. Tom Bowen - *A Midsummer Nightmare* (1975), as Det Sgt George Briggs - *Space: 1999* (1975), series, as Mentor, Cabot Rowland - *Survivors* (1975), series, as Brod - *The Sweeney* (1975), series, as Frank Kemble — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-sweeney.md) - *King Arthur, the Young Warlord* (1975), as Mark of Cornwall - *Churchill's People* (1974), series, as Guthrum - *Notorious Woman* (1974), series, as Albert Grzymala - *Boy Dominic* (1974), series, as William Woodcock - *European Heritage* (1973), series, as Narrator (voice) - *Thriller* (1973), series, as Det Sgt George Briggs - *Man of La Mancha* (1972), as Pedro - *Arthur of the Britons* (1972), series, as Mark of Cornwall - *Henry VIII and His Six Wives* (1972), as Suffolk - *Shirley's World* (1972), series, Actor - *The Bristol Entertainment* (1971), as Cabot / Wolstan / Pocock / Colston / Pope Gregory / Dr. Beddoes - *Justice* (1971), series, as Tiger Lawson - *The Trojan Women* (1971), as Talthybius - *The Last Valley* (1971), as Korski - *Wine of India* (1970), as Will - *Brotherly Love* (1970), as Jack Baird - *Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)* (1969), series, as Jim Lawsey - *The Double Agent* (1969), as Reg Sugden - *Son of Man* (1969), as Peter - *ITV Saturday Night Theatre* (1969), series, as Ted Gissing - *Till Death Us Do Part* (1969), as Sergeant - *The Expert* (1968), series, as Hubert Innes - *Cold Comfort Farm* (1968), series, as Reuben Starkadder - *ITV Playhouse* (1967), series, as Reg Sugden, Jim Carter - *The Further Adventures of the Musketeers* (1967), series, as Porthos - *The Christmas Tree* (1966), Actor - *The Three Musketeers* (1966), series, as Porthos - *BBC Play of the Month* (1965), series, as Sgt. Kite - *The Troubleshooters* (1965), series, as Eddie Barnaby - *Public Eye* (1965), series, as Rev. William Pratt - *The Wednesday Play* (1964), series, as Peter, Will - *Doctor Who* (1963), series, as King Yrcanos — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/tv/doctor-who.md) - *Z-Cars* (1962), series, as PC Smith, PC Fancy Smith, PC William "Fancy" Smith - *The Avengers* (1961), series, as Sergeant Hearn, Mark Dayton — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-avengers-1961.md) - *Hallmark Hall of Fame* (1951), series, as Captain Teach ## Gallery - ![Brian Blessed at the SFX Weekender 3 in 2012 Other information: Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0) license](https://film.one/media/person/60108/gallery-142d6075d224.jpg) Brian Blessed at the SFX Weekender 3 in 2012 Other information: Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0) license — Calum Gilchrist, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f3/Brian_Blessed_2012.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Brian Blessed at the SFX Weekender 3 in 2012 Other information Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0) license](https://film.one/media/person/60108/gallery-8bc7a265076e.jpg) Brian Blessed at the SFX Weekender 3 in 2012 Other information Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0) license — Calum Gilchrist, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a7/Brian_Blessed_2012_%28cropped%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Brian Blessed](https://film.one/media/person/60108/gallery-5c20c72af08e.jpg) Brian Blessed — Kevin Paul, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bb/Brian_Blessed_at_Fan_Expo_Anaheim_2026-1.jpg/1280px-Brian_Blessed_at_Fan_Expo_Anaheim_2026-1.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Brian Blessed at Fan Expo Anaheim 2026](https://film.one/media/person/60108/gallery-84dd59e252a2.jpg) Brian Blessed at Fan Expo Anaheim 2026 — Kevin Paul, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/40/Brian_Blessed_at_Fan_Expo_Anaheim_2026-2.jpg/1280px-Brian_Blessed_at_Fan_Expo_Anaheim_2026-2.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Brian Blessed at Cambridge Film Festival, cropped version of photo (2007)](https://film.one/media/person/60108/gallery-ab3443787981.jpg) Brian Blessed at Cambridge Film Festival, cropped version of photo (2007) — Chris Walsh from Cambridge, UK, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dc/Brian_Blessed_by_Offwhitehouse.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) --- © 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/brian-blessed