---
name: "John Arthur"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/john-arthur"
fi1m_id: "john-arthur"
imdb_id: "nm0037782"
tmdb_id: 1220580
roles: ["Actor"]
reviewed_on_fi1m: 2
average_fi1m_score: 77
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 2
updated: "2026-10-02T08:34:01.634749+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."
---

# John Arthur

## Identity

John Arthur

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/john-arthur
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** john-arthur
- **IMDb ID:** nm0037782
- **TMDB ID:** 1220580
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0037782/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1220580

Actor.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Active:** 2000–2015
- **Average Fi1m score:** 77, as actor, over 2 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 2000s 82 (1), 2010s 72 (1)
- **Elsewhere:** https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0037782/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1220580

## Streaming the US now

- **Netflix:** [*Beasts of No Nation*](https://film.one/film/beasts-of-no-nation.md) (72)

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

## Biography

John Arthur is a British actor. After leaving drama school in Birmingham in 1970, he spent around ten years working in repertory theatre across England, including seasons at the Derby Playhouse, the Lyceum Theatre in Crewe, the Swan Theatre in Worcester and three years with the EMMA Theatre Company in Loughborough.

On television he has appeared in numerous series over more than thirty years, including roles in *Fresh Fields*, *Pilgrims Rest* (1997) and *Barbara* (1995). Film credits include *Thunderpants* (2002) and *The Abduction Club* (2002). He has worked several times with Mark Gatiss, notably as Bill Wilson in the BBC Four film *The Worst Journey in the World* and as Coil in *The Crooked House*.

Since 2017 he has played Bishop Barry in the soap opera *Emmerdale*. In 2016–2017 he appeared with the Royal Shakespeare Company in productions of *Love's Labour's Lost* and *Much Ado About Nothing* at the Theatre Royal Haymarket. In 2021 he won awards for his performance in the short film *Fearfully Made*.

*Sources: imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (2)

- *Beasts of No Nation* (2015), Fi1m 72, as Angry Bush Taxi Driver — [page](https://film.one/film/beasts-of-no-nation.md)
- *Black Books* (2000), Fi1m 82, as Customer — [page](https://film.one/tv/black-books.md)

## Complete filmography (26)

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

- *Renegade Nell* (2024), series, Actor
- *The Witchfinder* (2022), series, as Puritan Minister
- *Fearfully Made* (2020), as Arthur
- *Brexit: The Uncivil War* (2019), as Roger
- *Beasts of No Nation* (2015), as Angry Bush Taxi Driver — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/film/beasts-of-no-nation.md)
- *The Great European Disaster Movie* (2015), as Adam Smith
- *The Borgias* (2011), series, as Brother Bernardino
- *Crooked House* (2008), series, as Coil
- *The Worst Journey in the World* (2007), as Edward 'Bill' Wilson
- *Hustle* (2004), series, as Sergeant Eric Milverton
- *The Abduction Club* (2002), as Robert Kennedy
- *Thunderpants* (2002), as Prison Governor
- *Black Books* (2000), series, as Customer — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/tv/black-books.md)
- *Oliver's Travels* (1995), series, as PC Priest
- *A Touch of Frost* (1992), series, as Pub Landlord
- *Resnick: Lonely Hearts* (1992), as Pathologist
- *Nice Work* (1989), series, as Tom Rigby
- *Close to Home* (1989), series, as Tom
- *Andy Capp* (1988), series, as Jack
- *After Henry* (1988), series, as Giles
- *Tripper's Day* (1984), series, as Police Sergeant
- *The Lonelyhearts Kid* (1984), series, as Sergeant
- *Leaving* (1984), series, as Ray Huntingdon
- *Fresh Fields* (1984), series, as John
- *Shine on Harvey Moon* (1982), series, as Derrick
- *Terry and June* (1979), series, as Ron

---
© 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/john-arthur