---
name: "Roger Allam"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/roger-allam"
fi1m_id: "roger-allam"
imdb_id: "nm0019885"
tmdb_id: 11279
wikidata_id: "Q2424994"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "26 October 1953"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 15
average_fi1m_score: 69
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 15
updated: "2026-10-07T13:56:37.520387+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."
---

# Roger Allam

## Identity

Roger Allam

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/roger-allam
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** roger-allam
- **IMDb ID:** nm0019885
- **TMDB ID:** 11279
- **Wikidata ID:** Q2424994
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Allam, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2424994, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0019885/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/11279

Actor. Born 26 October 1953 in London, England, UK.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 26 October 1953, London, England, UK
- **Active:** 2002–present
- **Frequently works with:** [Alan Bennett](https://film.one/person/alan-bennett.md), [Damian Jones](https://film.one/person/damian-jones.md), [Nicholas Hytner](https://film.one/person/nicholas-hytner.md), [Alex Jennings](https://film.one/person/alex-jennings.md), [Dominic Cooper](https://film.one/person/dominic-cooper.md), [Kevin Loader](https://film.one/person/kevin-loader.md), [Simon Russell Beale](https://film.one/person/simon-russell-beale.md)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 69, as actor, over 15 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 2000s 79 (5), 2010s 65 (8), 2020s 62 (2)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 69 to 64 across 14 titles
- **Score spread:** 6 at 80+, 5 at 60–79, 4 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 2 of 12 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 12, Crime 4, Comedy 3, Mystery 3, Action 2, History 2
- **Screen time:** 17 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $1,668m across 7 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Allam, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2424994, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0019885/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/11279

## Streaming the US now

- **Apple TV:** [*The Thick of It*](https://film.one/tv/the-thick-of-it.md) (94), [*The Missing*](https://film.one/tv/the-missing-2014.md) (83), [*The Woman in Black*](https://film.one/film/the-woman-in-black.md) (65)
- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Endeavour*](https://film.one/tv/endeavour.md) (82), [*The Iron Lady*](https://film.one/film/the-iron-lady.md) (52)
- **Netflix:** [*Steve*](https://film.one/film/steve.md) (68), [*The Choral*](https://film.one/film/the-choral.md) (57)
- **HBO Max:** [*Parade's End*](https://film.one/tv/parades-end.md) (80)
- **The Roku Channel:** [*The Lady in the Van*](https://film.one/film/the-lady-in-the-van.md) (64)

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

## Fi1m on Roger Allam

> Roger Allam's voice gets to a scene before he does: a deep, unhurried baritone that makes whatever it says sound settled. He has spent four decades lending it to men in charge, and the pleasure is in how differently he can mean it.

Listen to a scene with Roger Allam in it and you will usually hear him before you see him. The voice is a deep baritone, pitched low and taken slowly, and it does one thing reliably: it makes the man attached to it sound as though he has been there longer than anyone else. Directors have noticed. He is cast, over and over, as detectives, politicians, officers and comfortable professionals, the men the others defer to or wish they did not have to.

The screen came late. He began in 1976 with Monstrous Regiment, a feminist theatre company, joined the RSC in 1981 and was London's first Javert when *Les Misérables* opened in 1985. Captain Terri Dennis in *Privates on Parade* at the Donmar Warehouse and Falstaff at Shakespeare's Globe in 2010 belong to the stage, and we cannot send you to them. Wider recognition waited until the mid-2000s, with *The Thick of It* (2005–2012) and then eleven years as DI Fred Thursday, Morse's mentor, in *Endeavour* (2012–2023). The one criticism anyone seems able to raise is that he was good at too many things for the public to file him under one.

*The Thick of It* is where we would send you first. Armando Iannucci's programme runs on panic, and Allam's Peter Mannion is a welcome change of pace from it. Everyone else shouts; he sighs, and the sigh is funnier than the shouting because it takes longer. We found ourselves waiting for his scenes the way you wait for the one adult at a party to arrive, and we were surprised how much we needed him, because the series is exhausting without somebody in it who can be bothered to be tired. It is the baritone doing comedy, and it is why John Finnemore's radio series *Cabin Pressure* is right to hand him Douglas Richardson.

In the cinema he is mostly a few feet from the star. Stephen Frears has cast him twice, and as Robin Janvrin in *The Queen* (2006) he is part of the household against which Helen Mirren's control shows as effort. *V for Vendetta* (2006) gives him Lewis Prothero, and gives the voice a job in a film already full of speeches. Neither is his film, and he does not try to make it one.

*Endeavour* is the other kind of man. Thursday is working class, weary and decent, and Allam has explained the attraction himself: "Having played a lot of sneery middle-class bastards, I was immediately attracted to the character because this was more from my actual family background – working class." We have not reviewed the series and will not judge it here, beyond noting that it is the part most people now know him by, and that it arrived when he was nearly sixty. The men in charge will keep coming, because the voice will keep making them sound right. The pleasure is in noticing how often he is letting you hear that they are wrong.

## Biography

Roger Allam is an English actor born on 26 October 1953 in Bow, London. He trained at Manchester University after attending Christ's Hospital school and began his career in theatre in 1976.

Allam is known primarily for his extensive stage work. He originated the role of Inspector Javert in the original London production of the musical *Les Misérables* (1985). He has won three Laurence Olivier Awards, including for Best Actor as Captain Terri Dennis in *Privates on Parade* (2001) and as Falstaff in *Henry IV, Parts 1 and 2* (2010).

On screen, he played Peter Mannion MP in the BBC series *The Thick of It* (2007–2012). Other notable television roles include DCI Fred Thursday in *Endeavour* (2012–2023) and Illyrio Mopatis in *Game of Thrones* (2011). He is married to actress Rebecca Saire.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, all-allam.com.*

## On Fi1m (15)

- *Steve* (2025), Fi1m 68, as Sir Hugh Montague Powell — [page](https://film.one/film/steve.md)
- *The Choral* (2025), Fi1m 57, as Alderman Bernard Duxbury — [page](https://film.one/film/the-choral.md)
- *The Lady in the Van* (2015), Fi1m 64, as Rufus — [page](https://film.one/film/the-lady-in-the-van.md)
- *The Missing* (2014), Fi1m 83, as Adrian Stone — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-missing-2014.md)
- *Endeavour* (2013), Fi1m 82, as DI Fred Thursday — [page](https://film.one/tv/endeavour.md)
- *The Book Thief* (2013), Fi1m 49, as Narrator / Death (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/the-book-thief.md)
- *Parade's End* (2012), Fi1m 80, as General Campion — [page](https://film.one/tv/parades-end.md)
- *The Woman in Black* (2012), Fi1m 65, as Mr. Bentley — [page](https://film.one/film/the-woman-in-black.md)
- *Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides* (2011), Fi1m 45, as Prime Minister Henry Pelham — [page](https://film.one/film/pirates-of-the-caribbean-on-stranger-tides.md)
- *The Iron Lady* (2011), Fi1m 52, as Gordon Reece — [page](https://film.one/film/the-iron-lady.md)
- *Ashes to Ashes* (2008), Fi1m 64, as Charlie Mackintosh — [page](https://film.one/tv/ashes-to-ashes.md)
- *The Queen* (2006), Fi1m 84, as Robin Janvrin — [page](https://film.one/film/the-queen.md)
- *V for Vendetta* (2006), Fi1m 73, as Lewis Prothero — [page](https://film.one/film/v-for-vendetta.md)
- *The Thick of It* (2005), Fi1m 94, as Peter Mannion — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-thick-of-it.md)
- *Foyle's War* (2002), Fi1m 81, as Alastair Graeme — [page](https://film.one/tv/foyles-war.md)

## Complete filmography (81)

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

- *Frank and Percy* (2026), as Frank
- *Secret Service* (2026), series, as Sir Alan Brabazon
- *The Choral* (2025), as Alderman Bernard Duxbury — Fi1m 57, [page](https://film.one/film/the-choral.md)
- *In the Blackout* (2025), as Mentor
- *Steve* (2025), as Sir Hugh Montague Powell — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/film/steve.md)
- *Brighton Storeys* (2025), Actor
- *Sarah & Duck On The Big Screen* (2025), as Narrator (voice)
- *Learners* (2024), as David
- *Tetris* (2023), as Robert Maxwell
- *Sarah & Duck: New Challenges* (2023), as Narrator (voice)
- *The Sandman* (2022), series, as Azazel (voice)
- *Murder in Provence* (2022), series, as Antoine Verlaque
- *Say Your Prayers* (2021), as Professor Huxley
- *Uncle Vanya* (2020), as Serebryakov
- *The Hippopotamus* (2017), as Ted Wallace
- *Ethel & Ernest* (2016), as Middle Aged Doctor (voice)
- *The Truth Commissioner* (2016), as Henry Stanfield
- *The Lady in the Van* (2015), as Rufus — Fi1m 64, [page](https://film.one/film/the-lady-in-the-van.md)
- *Mr. Holmes* (2015), as Dr. Barrie
- *A Royal Night Out* (2015), as Gangster
- *The Missing* (2014), series, as Adrian Stone — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-missing-2014.md)
- *The Tempest - Live at Shakespeare's Globe* (2014), as Prospero
- *The Book Thief* (2013), as Narrator / Death (voice) — Fi1m 49, [page](https://film.one/film/the-book-thief.md)
- *National Theatre Live: 50 Years on Stage* (2013), Actor
- *The Politician's Husband* (2013), series, as Marcus Brock
- *Endeavour* (2013), series, as DI Fred Thursday — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/tv/endeavour.md)
- *Sarah & Duck* (2013), series, as Narrator (voice)
- *Parade's End* (2012), series, as General Campion — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/tv/parades-end.md)
- *Bad Education* (2012), series, as Maurice Hewston
- *Henry IV, Part 2 - Live at Shakespeare's Globe* (2012), as Sir John Falstaff
- *The Angels' Share* (2012), as Thaddeus
- *Henry IV, Part 1 - Live at Shakespeare's Globe* (2012), as Sir John Falstaff
- *The Woman in Black* (2012), as Mr. Bentley — Fi1m 65, [page](https://film.one/film/the-woman-in-black.md)
- *The Iron Lady* (2011), as Gordon Reece — Fi1m 52, [page](https://film.one/film/the-iron-lady.md)
- *Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides* (2011), as Prime Minister Henry Pelham — Fi1m 45, [page](https://film.one/film/pirates-of-the-caribbean-on-stranger-tides.md)
- *Game of Thrones* (2011), series, as Illyrio Mopatis — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/tv/game-of-thrones.md)
- *Les Misérables: 25th Anniversary in Concert* (2010), as Javert (1985 Cast)
- *Tamara Drewe* (2010), as Nicholas Hardiment
- *Krod Mandoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire* (2009), series, Actor
- *Margaret* (2009), as John Wakeham
- *The Old Guys* (2009), series, as Ned
- *Inkheart* (2008), as Narrator (voice)
- *Speed Racer* (2008), as Royalton
- *Speed Racer: Wonderful World of Racing - The Amazing Racer Family* (2008), as Mr. Royalton
- *The Curse of Steptoe* (2008), as Tom Sloan
- *Ashes to Ashes* (2008), series, as Charlie Mackintosh — Fi1m 64, [page](https://film.one/tv/ashes-to-ashes.md)
- *A Class Apart* (2007), series, as Charles
- *A Class Apart* (2007), as Charles - Deputy Headmaster
- *The Rise of the Nutters* (2007), as Peter Mannion
- *The Queen* (2006), as Robin Janvrin — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/the-queen.md)
- *The Wind That Shakes the Barley* (2006), as Sir John Hamilton
- *V for Vendetta* (2006), as Lewis Prothero — Fi1m 73, [page](https://film.one/film/v-for-vendetta.md)
- *A Cock and Bull Story* (2005), as Adrian
- *The Thick of It* (2005), series, as Peter Mannion — Fi1m 94, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-thick-of-it.md)
- *The Robinsons* (2005), series, as Moogo
- *The Catherine Tate Show* (2004), series, Actor
- *The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone* (2003), as Christopher
- *Foyle's War* (2002), series, as Alastair Graeme — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/tv/foyles-war.md)
- *Stranded* (2002), series, as Thomas Blunt
- *Spooks* (2002), series, as Paul Millington — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/tv/spooks.md)
- *The Inspector Lynley Mysteries* (2002), series, as Simon Featherstonehaugh
- *Manchild* (2002), series, Actor
- *The Jury* (2002), series, as John Mallory Q.C.
- *Stranded* (2002), as Thomas Blunt
- *Waking the Dead* (2001), series, as Benjamin Gold
- *RKO 281* (1999), as Walt Disney
- *The Creatives* (1998), series, Actor
- *Midsomer Murders* (1997), series, as Alan Hollingsworth — Fi1m 66, [page](https://film.one/tv/midsomer-murders.md)
- *Testament: The Bible in Animation* (1996), series, as Chief Magus (voice)
- *Henry IV* (1995), as King Richard II
- *A Landing on the Sun* (1994), Actor
- *Shakespeare: The Animated Tales* (1992), series, as Narrator (voice), Duke Orsino (voice)
- *Twelfth Night* (1992), as Duke Orsino (voice)
- *Between the Lines* (1992), series, Actor
- *Heartbeat* (1992), series, as Graham Hayes
- *Who Bombed Birmingham?* (1990), as Charles Tremayne
- *Wilt* (1989), as Dave
- *Ending Up* (1989), as Dr. Mainwaring
- *Screen Two* (1985), series, as Summerchild
- *ITV Playhouse* (1967), series, as Keith, John
- *About A Bell*, as Powell

## Gallery

- ![Core cast of the film V for Vendetta: Hugo Weaving, Natalie Portman, Stephen Rea, John Hurt, Stephen Fry and Roger Allam. (2014)](https://film.one/media/person/60200/gallery-c52773509165.jpg) Core cast of the film V for Vendetta: Hugo Weaving, Natalie Portman, Stephen Rea, John Hurt, Stephen Fry and Roger Allam. (2014) — Kigsz, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/29/Principal_cast_of_V_for_Vendetta.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Roger Allam et John Jencks au Festival du film Britannique de Dinard 2016](https://film.one/media/person/60200/gallery-cebcc81d5aba.jpg) Roger Allam et John Jencks au Festival du film Britannique de Dinard 2016 — Eric HOUDAS, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fe/Roger_Allam.jpg/1280px-Roger_Allam.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Roger Allam](https://film.one/media/person/60200/gallery-dc05b44d0494.jpg) Roger Allam — Sonnenuntergang, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c4/Roger_Allam_La_Cage_120909_DSCF1622.JPG?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Roger Allam au Festival du Film Britannique de Dinard 2016](https://film.one/media/person/60200/gallery-7f500addf559.jpg) Roger Allam au Festival du Film Britannique de Dinard 2016 — Eric HOUDAS, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5e/Roger_Allam_%C3%A0_dinard.jpg/1280px-Roger_Allam_%C3%A0_dinard.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Roger Allam](https://film.one/media/person/60200/gallery-8dfa80465f0e.jpg) Roger Allam — Image via TMDB

## Awards

### Other awards — 1 won

- Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role 2000: Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (won)

*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/roger-allam