---
name: "Martyn Sanderson"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/martyn-sanderson"
fi1m_id: "martyn-sanderson"
imdb_id: "nm0761809"
tmdb_id: 173370
wikidata_id: "Q539895"
roles: []
born: "24 February 1938"
died: "14 October 2009"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 2
average_fi1m_score: 82
average_over: 2
updated: "2026-09-26T01:12:34.253655+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."
---

# Martyn Sanderson

## Identity

Martyn Sanderson

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/martyn-sanderson
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** martyn-sanderson
- **IMDb ID:** nm0761809
- **TMDB ID:** 173370
- **Wikidata ID:** Q539895
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martyn_Sanderson, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q539895, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0761809/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/173370

Actor. Born 24 February 1938 in Granity, New Zealand. Died 14 October 2009.

## Details

- **Born:** 24 February 1938, Granity, New Zealand
- **Died:** 14 October 2009
- **Active:** 1983–2001
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1980s 74 (1), 2000s 90 (1)
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martyn_Sanderson, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q539895, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0761809/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/173370

## Biography

Martyn Sanderson (1938–2009) was a New Zealand actor, writer and director. He co-founded Wellington’s Downstage Theatre in 1964 and was a member of the Blerta theatre and music collective in the 1970s. He appeared in 26 feature films and numerous television productions over three decades.

Sanderson played the Vicar in Geoff Murphy’s *Utu* (1983). His other screen credits include Frank Sargeson in *An Angel at My Table* (1990), the Gate Keeper in *The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring* (2001), and roles in the *Hercules* television series. He also directed the feature *Flying Fox in a Freedom Tree* (1990).

In 2005 he was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to literature and theatre. He received a New Zealand Film Award for best supporting actor for *An Angel at My Table* and a Tokyo International Film Festival screenplay award for *Flying Fox in a Freedom Tree*.

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

## On Fi1m (2)

- *The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring* (2001), Fi1m 90, as Gate Keeper — [page](https://film.one/film/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-fellowship-of-the-ring.md)
- *Utu* (1983), Fi1m 74, as Vicar — [page](https://film.one/film/utu.md)

## Complete filmography (40)

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

- *Barry Barclay: The Camera on the Shore* (2009), Actor
- *The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring* (2001), as Gate Keeper — Fi1m 90, [page](https://film.one/film/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-fellowship-of-the-ring.md)
- *Cow* (2001), as Long
- *Christmas Oratorio* (1996), Actor
- *Chicken* (1996), as Bryce Tilfer
- *Dirty Creature* (1995), as Mr. Lasalles
- *Hercules: The Legendary Journeys* (1995), series, as Thoas, Ancient Priest, King Menelaos
- *Savage Play* (1995), as Henry
- *Hercules in the Underworld* (1994), as Thespus
- *The Last Tattoo* (1994), as Ralph Simpson
- *Desperate Remedies* (1993), as Maori Warrior
- *Drag* (1993), as Steven
- *Shortland Street* (1992), series, as Noel Sturgess
- *Old Scores* (1991), as Acid Aitken
- *An Angel at My Table* (1990), as Frank Sargeson — Fi1m 87, [page](https://film.one/film/an-angel-at-my-table.md)
- *Flying Fox in a Freedom Tree* (1990), Director, Screenplay
- *Never Say Die* (1988), as Farmer
- *The Tale of Ruby Rose* (1988), as Bennett
- *The Harp in the South* (1987), series, as Hughie Darcy
- *Poor Man's Orange* (1987), as Hughie
- *The Harp in the South* (1987), as Hughie Darcy
- *Pallet on the Floor* (1986), Screenplay
- *Sylvia* (1986), as Inspector Gulland
- *Trial Run* (1985), as Alan West
- *My First Suit* (1985), as Dad
- *Heart of the Stag* (1984), Writer
- *Wild Horses* (1984), as Jones
- *The Lost Tribe* (1983), as Bill Thorne
- *Utu* (1983), as Vicar — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/film/utu.md)
- *Bad Blood* (1982), as Les North
- *The Scarecrow* (1982), as Ned as Adult (voice)
- *Children of Fire Mountain* (1981), series, as Doomy Dwyer
- *Squeeze* (1980), Actor
- *Beyond Reasonable Doubt* (1980), as Len Demler
- *Keskidee Aroha* (1979), Narrator, Director, Screenplay, Producer
- *Solo* (1977), as Jules Catweazle · Screenplay
- *The Governor* (1977), series, as General Sir Duncan Cameron
- *Autumn Fires* (1977), Writer
- *Wild Man* (1977), as Snake · Writer
- *The Hum* (1974), Writer

---
© 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/martyn-sanderson