---
name: "Charles McKeown"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/charles-mckeown"
fi1m_id: "charles-mckeown"
imdb_id: "nm0571650"
tmdb_id: 374
wikidata_id: "Q2959794"
roles: ["Actor","Writer"]
born: "1 January 1946"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 7
average_fi1m_score: 66
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 7
updated: "2026-10-07T11:12:21.852194+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."
---

# Charles McKeown

## Identity

Charles McKeown

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/charles-mckeown
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** charles-mckeown
- **IMDb ID:** nm0571650
- **TMDB ID:** 374
- **Wikidata ID:** Q2959794
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_McKeown, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2959794, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0571650/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/374

Actor and writer. Born 1 January 1946 in Dudley, Worcestershire, England, UK.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor, Writer
- **Born:** 1 January 1946, Dudley, Worcestershire, England, UK
- **Active:** 1979–2009
- **Frequently works with:** [Terry Gilliam](https://film.one/person/terry-gilliam.md)
- **Academy Awards:** 1 Oscar nomination
- **Average Fi1m score:** 66, as actor, over 7 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1970s 88 (1), 1980s 62 (5), 2000s 65 (1)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 72 to 69 across 5 titles
- **Score spread:** 3 at 80+, 1 at 60–79, 3 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 0 of 4 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Comedy 6, Adventure 4, Fantasy 3, Science Fiction 2, Family 1, Mystery 1
- **Screen time:** 13 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $207m across 7 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_McKeown, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2959794, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0571650/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/374

## Streaming the US now

- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus*](https://film.one/film/the-imaginarium-of-doctor-parnassus.md) (65), [*Erik the Viking*](https://film.one/film/erik-the-viking.md) (43)
- **Peacock:** [*Life of Brian*](https://film.one/film/life-of-brian.md) (88)
- **The Roku Channel:** [*Spies Like Us*](https://film.one/film/spies-like-us.md) (47)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Charles McKeown is a British actor and screenwriter. He trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and began his career with small roles in British television, including appearances in *Ripping Yarns* (1977) and *Fawlty Towers* (1979).

He met director Terry Gilliam while playing minor parts in *Monty Python's Life of Brian* (1979) and went on to collaborate with him on several films, both acting and writing. McKeown played Harvey Lime in *Brazil* (1985), for which he also co-wrote the screenplay with Gilliam and Tom Stoppard; the trio received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay. Other acting credits include roles in *Time Bandits* (1981), *The Adventures of Baron Munchausen* (1988) and *The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus* (2009). He has additional screenwriting credits on *Plunkett & Macleane* (1999) and *Ripley's Game* (2002).

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (7)

- *The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus* (2009), Fi1m 65, as Fairground's Inspector — [page](https://film.one/film/the-imaginarium-of-doctor-parnassus.md)
- *Erik the Viking* (1989), Fi1m 43, as Sven's Dad — [page](https://film.one/film/erik-the-viking.md)
- *Brazil* (1985), Fi1m 83, as Lime — [page](https://film.one/film/brazil.md)
- *Spies Like Us* (1985), Fi1m 47, as Jerry Hadley — [page](https://film.one/film/spies-like-us.md)
- *The Missionary* (1982), Fi1m 57, as Friend of Raggy Masterson — [page](https://film.one/film/the-missionary.md)
- *Time Bandits* (1981), Fi1m 80, as Theatre Manager — [page](https://film.one/film/time-bandits.md)
- *Life of Brian* (1979), Fi1m 88, as False Prophet / Blind Man / Giggling Guard / Stig — [page](https://film.one/film/life-of-brian.md)

## Complete filmography (30)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus* (2009), as Fairground's Inspector · Screenplay — Fi1m 65, [page](https://film.one/film/the-imaginarium-of-doctor-parnassus.md)
- *Ripley's Game* (2002), Screenplay
- *The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Espionage Escapades* (2000), as Charles
- *Plunkett & Macleane* (1999), Writer
- *The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles* (1992), series, as Charles
- *American Friends* (1991), as Maynard
- *Erik the Viking* (1989), as Sven's Dad — Fi1m 43, [page](https://film.one/film/erik-the-viking.md)
- *The Adventures of Baron Munchausen* (1988), as Rupert / Adolphus · Screenplay
- *Prick Up Your Ears* (1987), as Mr Cunliffe
- *East of Ipswich* (1987), as Mr Hargreaves
- *Spies Like Us* (1985), as Jerry Hadley — Fi1m 47, [page](https://film.one/film/spies-like-us.md)
- *Family Ties Vacation* (1985), as Frederick Weiss
- *Brazil* (1985), as Lime · Screenplay — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/film/brazil.md)
- *Screen Two* (1985), series, as Mr. Hargreaves
- *A Private Function* (1984), as Medcalf
- *The Missionary* (1982), as Friend of Raggy Masterson — Fi1m 57, [page](https://film.one/film/the-missionary.md)
- *Time Bandits* (1981), as Theatre Manager — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/time-bandits.md)
- *The Box* (1981), as (voice)
- *Days at the Beach* (1981), as Mr Morgan
- *The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy* (1981), series, as Vroomfondel
- *Roger of the Raj* (1979), as Captain Morrison
- *Golden Gordon* (1979), as Goalkeeper
- *Whinfrey's Last Case* (1979), as Mr. Ferris
- *Life of Brian* (1979), as False Prophet / Blind Man / Giggling Guard / Stig — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/film/life-of-brian.md)
- *Across the Andes by Frog* (1977), as 2nd Native
- *The Sunday Drama* (1977), series, Actor
- *Fawlty Towers* (1975), series, as Mr. Ingrams — Fi1m 90, [page](https://film.one/tv/fawlty-towers.md)
- *Playhouse* (1974), series, as Mr. Morgan
- *The Death of Captain Doughty* (1973), as Captain Fletcher
- *Pipkins* (1973), series, Actor

## Awards

### Academy Awards — 0 won, 1 nominated

- 1986: Best Writing, Original Screenplay (nominated), for *Brazil*

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© 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/charles-mckeown