Peter Egan

Biography

Peter was born in London, England, the son of Doris and Michael Thomas Egan. He attended St. George's Secondary school in Maida Vale. His first television role was as the sex-and-cinema-obsessed Seth Starkadder in the BBC serialisation of Cold Comfort Farm in 1968. In 1969 he played the acid-throwing gangster Hogarth in the controversial Granada TV series Big Breadwinner Hog. This was followed by starring roles as Oscar Wilde in the 1978 series Lillie, starring Francesca Annis as Lillie Langtry, in the John le Carré dramatisation A Perfect Spy and the BBC sitcom Joint Account. He also starred in four series of the BBC series Ever Decreasing Circles, with Richard Briers and Penelope Wilton. He played the title-role as the future King George IV in the 1979 BBC series Prince Regent, and was a sinister immortal Knight Templar in Michael J. Bird's BBC series The Dark Side of the Sun (1983). Other roles include Michael Cochrane in the 1998 programme The Ambassador, and on film as the suave secret agent Toby Meres in the film version of TV's Callan (1974), and the Duke of Sutherland in Chariots of Fire (1981), Academy Award Best Picture winner. Other film roles have included The Hireling, Bean, The I Inside, The Wedding Date and Man to Man. He has also received a BATFA award. His extensive stage roles have included Trevor Nunn's production of Hamlet, Journey's End at London's Cambridge Theatre (for which he received the Best Actor accolade at the London Theatre Critics' Award), Arms and the Man, You Never Can Tell, which received a Royal Gala Opening at the Lyric Hammersmith, M Butterfly at the Shaftesbury Theatre, John Osborne's last play, Déjà Vu, at the Comedy Theatre, Art at the Wyndham's, Noises Off and The Secret Rapture. As a theatre director, his work includes Uncle Vanya for the Renaissance Theatre Company, A Midsummer Night's Dream at Mills College, San Francisco, as well as productions at the Lyric Hammersmith and London's Savoy Theatre. He is married to Myra Frances and lives in London. Filmography as Actor: 2012 Downton Abbey (TV series) – Christmas Special 2012 (2012) … Hugh 'Shrimpie' MacClare, Marquess of Flintshire 2012 When the Lights Went Out Peter 2011 Wiedzmin 2: Zabójcy królów (Video Game) King Henselt (voice: English version) 2011 Midsomer Murders (TV series) Norman Swanscombe – Not in My Back Yard (2011) … Norman Swanscombe 2010 Dante's Inferno (Video Game) King Richard I (voice) / The Bishop of Florence (voice) / Background Shade (voice) / … 2009 Forza Motorsport 3 (Video Game) Narrator (voice) 2007 Death at a Funeral Victor 2006 Home Again (TV series) – Horn of Plenty (2006) … Graham – Protection (2006) … Graham – Solitary Pleasures (2006) … Graham – Too Much Inflammation (2006) … Graham – Refuse (2006) … Graham 6 episodes » 2005 Whatever Love Means (TV movie) Prince Phillip 2005 Jericho (TV series) – The Hollow Men (2005) … Philip Pickering 2005 Man to Man Gyllenhaal 2005 The Wedding Date Victor Ellis 2004 My Family (TV series) – Going Dental (2004) … Geoffrey Dutton 2004 The I Inside Doctor Truman 2003 The Inspector Lynley Mysteries (TV series) – A Suitable Vengeance (2003) … Dr. Trenarrow 2002 The King's Beard King Cuthbert (voice) 2000 2001: A Space Travesty Dr. Griffin Pratt 2000 Cry Wolf (TV series) – Episode #1.5 (2000) … Dr. Anthony Hook 1999 The Ambassador (TV series) – Cost Price (1999) … Michael Cochrane – Vacant Possession (1999) … Michael Cochrane – The Road to Nowhere (1999) … Michael Cochrane 1999 A Touch of Frost (TV series) – Private Lives (1999) … Richard Darrow 1998 The Cater Street Hangman (TV movie) Edward Ellison 1997 Bean Lord Walton 1997 Gobble (TV movie) Peter Villiers, new Minister 1996 The Peacock Spring (TV movie) Edward 1995 Chiller (TV series) – The Man Who Didn't Believe in Ghosts (1995) … Richard Cramer 1991-1995 Ruth Rendell Mysteries (TV series) – Vanity Dies Hard: Part 3 (1995) … Harry Blunden – Vanity Dies Hard: Part 2 (1995) … Harry Blunden – Vanity Dies Hard: Part 1 (1995) … Harry Blunden – A New Lease of Death: Part Three (1991) … Rev. Henry Archery – A New Lease of Death: Part Two (1991) … Rev. Henry Archery 6 episodes » 1994 MacGyver: Trail to Doomsday (TV movie) Frederick Moran 1994 The Chief (TV series) – Episode #4.10 (1994) … Simon Duval 1989-1990 Joint Account (TV series) – Episode #2.10 (1990) … David Braithwaite – Episode #2.9 (1990) … David Braithwaite – Episode #2.8 (1990) … David Braithwaite – Episode #2.7 (1990) … David Braithwaite – Episode #2.6 (1990) … David Braithwaite 16 episodes » 1990 The Price of the Bride (TV movie) Dennis Guant 1984-1989 Ever Decreasing Circles (TV series) – Moving On (1989) … Paul Ryman – Half an Office (1987) … Paul Ryman – Jumping to Conclusions (1987) … Paul Ryman – The Footpath (1987) … Paul Ryman – Neighbourhood Watch (1987) … Paul Ryman 27 episodes » 1989 A Day in Summer (TV movie) Jack Ruskin 1987 A Perfect Spy (TV mini-series) Magnus Pym 1986 Paradise Postponed (TV mini-series) – The Simcox Inheritance (1986) … Henry Simcox – The Gods of the Copy Book Headings (1986) … Henry Simcox – Enigma Variations (1986) … Henry Simcox – And a Happy New Year to You, Too! (1986) … Henry Simcox – The Lost Leader (1986) … Henry Simcox 10 episodes » 1985 A Woman of Substance (TV mini-series) – Episode #1.3 (1985) … Adam Fairley – Episode #1.2 (1985) … Adam Fairley – Episode #1.1 (1985) … Adam Fairley 1978-1984 Crown Court (TV series) – Love and War: Part 1 (1984) … Nigel Steed QC – Black and Blue: Part 1 (1978) … Nigel Steed QC 1984 To Catch a King (TV movie) Reinhard Heydrich 1983 The Dark Side of the Sun (TV mini-series) – Harvest of Fear (1983) … Raoul Lavalliere – Into the Shadows (1983) … Raoul Lavalliere 1983 Reilly: Ace of Spies (TV mini-series) – Dreadnoughts and Crosses (1983) … Fothergill – Anna (1983) … Fothergill – The Visiting Fireman (1983) … Fothergill – An Affair with a Married Woman (1983) … Fothergill 1983 Arms and the Man (TV movie) Sergius 1982 Saturday Night Thriller (TV series) – Strangled (1982) 1982 Tales of the Unexpected (TV series) – Pattern of Guilt (1982) … Keith 1981 Chariots of Fire Duke of Sutherland 1981 Play for Today (TV series) – Dear Brutus (1981) … Purdie 1979 Prince Regent (TV mini-series) – Defeat and Victory (1979) … George, Prince of Wales – Milk and Honey (1979) … George, Prince of Wales – God Save the King (1979) … George, Prince of Wales – Father and Son (1979) … George, Prince of Wales – The Trouble with Women (1979) … George, Prince of Wales 8 episodes » 1978 Lillie (TV mini-series) – Mr. Jersey (1978) … Oscar Wilde – Home on the Range (1978) … Oscar Wilde – America (1978) … Oscar Wilde – Going on the Stage (1978) … Oscar Wilde – The Sailor Prince (1978) … Oscar Wilde 9 episodes » 1977-1978 BBC2 Play of the Week (TV series) – The Copyist (1978) – The Kitchen (1977) 1977 The Velvet Glove (TV series) – Happy in War (1977) 1977 Leap in the Dark (TV series) – Dream Me a Winner (1977) … John Godley 1976 Victorian Scandals (TV series) – Beloved (1976) … Henry James Prince 1976 Time and Time Again (TV movie) Peter 1976 Plays for Britain (TV series) – The Life-Swappers (1976) … Bunny/Trevor/Miss Trevor/Dinah 1975 Hennessy Williams 1975 The Love School (TV series) – Seeking the Bubbles (1975) … Millais – An Impeccable Elopement (1975) … Millais – The Brotherhood (1975) … John Everett Millais 1974 The Inheritors (TV series) – Double, Double... (1974) … Michael Gethin – The Axeman Cometh (1974) … Michael Gethin – Far Be It for Me (1974) … Michael Gethin – Episode #1.1 (1974) … Michael Gethin 1974 Zodiac (TV series) – The Horns of the Moon (1974) … Tony Weston 1970-1974 BBC Play of the Month (TV series) – The Deep Blue Sea (1974) … Freddie – The Rivals (1970) … Faulkland 1974 Bellamira (TV movie) Lionel 1974 Callan Toby Meres 1973 The Hireling Captain Hugh Cantrip 1972 The Pathfinders (TV series) – Our Daffodils Are Better Than Your Daffodils (1972) … F / O Mike O'Farrell 1972 The Organization (TV series) – Mr Pulman and Mr Pershore (1972) … Richard Pershore – Veronica and Mr Pulman (1972) … Richard Pershore – Peter Frame and Veronica (1972) … Richard Pershore – Rodney Spurling and Peter Frame (1972) … Richard Pershore – Eve and Rodney Spurling (1972) … Richard Pershore 7 episodes » 1971 Elizabeth R (TV mini-series) – Sweet England's Pride (1971) … Earl of Southampton 1970 One Brief Summer Bill Denton 1969 W. Somerset Maugham (TV series) – Mother Love (1969) … Tito 1969 Big Breadwinner Hog (TV series) – A Credit to Us All (1969) … Hog – Hogarth Cannot Rest on His Laurels (1969) … Hog – Self-Discipline Is Its Own Reward (1969) … Hog – Hogarth Accepts Responsibility (1969) … Hog – Immature, Unsatisfactory Work... (1969) … Hog 8 episodes » 1968 Cold Comfort Farm (TV mini-series) – Doom (1968) … Seth Starkadder – Folk (1968) … Seth Starkadder 1968 ITV Playhouse (TV series) – Murder: An Even Chance (1968) … Peter Morris 1967 The Troubleshooters (TV series) – Who Buys Who? (1967) … Reporter