Sean Pertwee

Sean Carl Roland Pertwee (born 4 June 1964) is an English actor, narrator and producer. His credits include Chancer (1990), Leon the Pig Farmer (1992), Cadfael (1994), Bodyguards (1997), Event Horizon (1997), Stiff Upper Lips (1998), Soldier (1998), Cleopatra (1999), Love, Honour and Obey (2000), Dog Soldiers (2002), Julius Caesar (2003), Ancient Rome: The Rise And Fall of an Empire – Caesar (2006), Doomsday (2008), Honest (2008), Devil's Playground (2010), Four (2011), Wild Bill (2011), Elementary (2013–2014), Howl (2015), Gotham (2014–2019), Agatha Christie's The Pale Horse (2020), You (2023), Silent Witness (2024), and The Night Caller (2024).

Early life

Pertwee was born on 4 June 1964 in Hammersmith, London<ref name="night"/> to actor Jon Pertwee, who played the Third Doctor in Doctor Who,<ref name="night"/> and his German second wife, Ingeborg Rhoesa. Playwright and screenwriter Roland Pertwee was his grandfather;<ref name="night"/> his sister is actress Dariel Pertwee.<ref name="night"/>

Pertwee was educated at Teddington Boys' School,<ref name="night"/> in Richmond upon Thames, and then Sunbury College, Surrey.<ref name="night">Template:Cite web</ref> He later studied acting at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, graduating in 1986.<ref name="night"/><ref name="bristol">Template:Cite web</ref>

Career

Theatre

Pertwee joined the Royal Shakespeare Company and toured with them for three years.<ref name="theatre">Template:Cite web</ref> During this time, he appeared in Titus Andronicus at the Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon (1987),<ref name="theatre"/> and The New Inn at the People's Theatre, Newcastle upon Tyne (1988).<ref name="theatre"/>

TV and film

He appeared in Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot – The King of Clubs alongside David Suchet (12 March 1989). In 1992, he starred as Keith Chadwick in Leon the Pig Farmer.<ref name="leon">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 1994, he appeared as Hugh Beringar alongside Derek Jacobi in the first series of the television series Cadfael. In 1997, he starred alongside Laurence Fishburne, Sam Neill, Joely Richardson, and Jason Isaacs in the space based science fiction horror film Event Horizon (1997).<ref name="world numbers">Template:Cite web</ref> In 1998, he starred alongside Kurt Russell in the science fiction action film Soldier (1998).<ref name="tomato"/>

In 1999 he portrayed Brutus in the Hallmark Channel film Cleopatra. He co-owned the Natural Nylon film production company along with Sadie Frost, Jude Law, Jonny Lee Miller, and Ewan McGregor.<ref>Boehm, Erich (18 February 2002). "Natural Nylon to go public".Variety. Retrieved 1 July 2009.</ref> and starred alongside them in Love, Honour and Obey (2000).<ref name="love">Template:Cite news</ref> Pertwee became known for his portrayal of grimacing death, particularly in the Neil Marshall Werewolf film Dog Soldiers (2002),Template:Citation needed a skill which led to him being awarded 'Best Death Face' at Bristol Old Vic.Template:Citation needed

He appeared in the film Devil's Playground (2010),<ref name="tomato">Template:Cite web</ref> a horror film directed by Mark McQueen, starring alongside Danny Dyer, Jaime Murray, and Craig Fairbrass. Pertwee appeared in the Nazi zombie film The 4th Reich<ref name="Reich">Template:Cite web</ref> which he filmed in 2010, directed by Shaun Smith.<ref name="Smith">Template:Cite web Template:Dead link</ref>

In 2014, he was cast in Fox's TV series Gotham, a series presenting an origin for the characters of the Batman franchise. Pertwee portrays Alfred Pennyworth, an ex-special forces soldier from London who works as the Wayne family's loyal butler. After Thomas and Martha Wayne are murdered, he becomes guardian and mentor to the future Batman.<ref name="VarietyFeb2014">Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2024, he played Detective Inspector John Flynn in Silent Witness in the episodes "Death by a Thousand Hits" Part 1 and 2.<ref name="silent">Template:Cite web</ref> He played a late night disc jockey in Channel 5's four part mini-series The Night Caller, broadcast in 2024.<ref name="night"/>

Voice

He appeared in the 2008 film Doomsday as Doctor Talbot. His voice is frequently heard in a variety of television commercials, documentaries and video games, including the medieval empire-building computer game Medieval: Total War and futuristic war games Killzone (as Colonel Gregor Hakha),<ref name="behindthevoiceactors"/> Killzone 2 (as Colonel Mael Radec),<ref name="behindthevoiceactors"/> and Fire Warrior (as Governor Severus). He is also the voice behind the Northeast's tourism advertisement which started broadcasting at the start of 2009. He replaced India Fisher from the fourth series onwards, as the narrator of Masterchef: The Professionals.<ref name="chef">Template:Cite web</ref> He starred alongside John Hurt as Brother Proteus in the animated film Ultramarines: The Movie (2010) a Warhammer 40,000 Movie.<ref name="warhammer">Template:Cite web</ref>

Pertwee has been in several dramatic works for BBC Radio 4, including playing the actor Oliver Reed in the play Burning Both Ends by Matthew Broughton in 2011.<ref name="BBC">Template:Cite web</ref>

Personal life

Pertwee married Jacqueline Jane "Jacqui" Hamilton-Smith, a make-up artist, daughter of Anthony Hamilton-Smith, on 12 June 1999 at the House of Lords. His wife gave birth to twins, in 2001. They were born prematurely; one died four days later.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Politics

Pertwee presented a television party political broadcast on behalf of the Labour Party in the 2010 UK general election.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="labourbroadcast">Archived at GhostarchiveTemplate:Cbignore and the Wayback MachineTemplate:Cbignore: Template:Cite webTemplate:Cbignore</ref>

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes/Template:Abbr
1991	Coping with Cupid	Peter	Short<ref name="cupid">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="coping">Template:Cite web</ref>
1992	Leon the Pig Farmer	Keith Chadwick	<ref name="leon"/>
1993	Dirty Weekend	The Quiet One
	Swing Kids		Uncredited
1994	Shopping	Tommy	<ref name="shopping">Template:Cite web</ref>
1995	Blue Juice	J.C.
	ID	Martin
1997	Event Horizon	Pilot Smith	<ref name="world numbers"/><ref name="horizon">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="event">Template:Cite web</ref>
1998	Soldier	Mace	<ref name="tomato"/>
	Tale of the Mummy	Bradley Cortese
	Stiff Upper Lips	George	<ref name="stiff">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="lips">Template:Cite news</ref>
1999	Cleopatra	Brutus
2000	Five Seconds to Spare	Piers
	Love, Honour and Obey	Sean	<ref name="love"/>
	Template:Ill	Martin Shaw
2001	The 51st State	Detective Virgil Kane	<ref name="bfi-ftv">Template:Cite web</ref>
2002	Equilibrium	Father	<ref name="tomato"/>
	Dog Soldiers	Sergeant Harry G. Wells	<ref name="tomato"/>
2005	Goal!	Barry Rankin	<ref name="tomato"/>
	The Adventures of Greyfriars Bobby	Duncan Smithie	<ref name="tomato"/>
	The Prophecy: Uprising	Dani Simionescu	<ref name="tomato"/>
	The Last Drop	Sgt Bill McMillan	<ref name="tomato"/>
2006	Renaissance	Montoya	<ref name="tomato"/>
	Wilderness	Jed	<ref name="tomato"/>
2007	Dangerous Parking	Ray Molina	<ref name="tomato"/>
	Goal! 2: Living the Dream...	Barry Rankin	<ref name="tomato"/>
	Botched	Mr. Groznyi	<ref name="tomato"/>
2008	Doomsday	Dr. Talbot	<ref name="tomato"/>
	Mutant Chronicles	Nathan Rooker
2010	4.3.2.1.	Mr. Richards
	Just for the Record	Sensei	<ref name="tomato"/>
	Ultramarines: The Movie	Brother Proteus	<ref name="warhammer"/>
	Devil's Playground	Rob	<ref name="tomato"/>
2011	Four	Detective	<ref name="tomato"/>
	Wild Bill	Jack
2012	The Seasoning House	Goran
	Naked Harbour	Robert
	St George's Day	Proctor	<ref name="tomato"/>
2013	UFO	Tramp	<ref name="jean">Template:Cite news</ref>
	The Magnificent Eleven	Pete
	Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa	SFO Steve Stubbs	<ref name="coogan">Template:Cite web</ref>
2015	Howl	Train Driver Tony
2020	The Reckoning	Moorcroft
2022	The Invitation	Mr. Fields
2024	Duchess	Danny Oswald

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes/Template:Abbr
1989	Poirot: The King of Clubs	Ronnie Oglander
	Casualty	Nick	"Chain Reaction"
	Hard Cases	Dominic Lutovski	7 episodes
1990	Chancer	Jamie Douglas	Recurring - 8 episodes
	Cluedo	Richard Forrest	Episode: "Christmas Past, Christmas Present"
1991	The Chief	Det. Sgt. Kevin Powers	"Episode 2"
	Clarissa	John Belford	4 episodes
1992	Virtual Murder	Matt Andries	Episode: "Dreams Imagic"
	The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles	Captain Heinz	Episode: "Trenches of Hell, Part 2"
	Boon	David Kennedy	Episode: "Whispering Grass"
	The Ruth Rendell Mysteries	Det Sgt Barry Vine	4 episodes
	A Touch of Frost	Dazza Scott	S3 Episode 2: "Quarry"
1993	Peak Practice	Francis Barrat	Episode: "Hope to Die"
1994	Cadfael	Sheriff Hugh Beringar	Series 1
1996	Deadly Voyage	Ion Plesin	TV film directed by John Mackenzie and written by Stuart Urban
1997	Bodyguards	Ian Worell	Main cast
1998	Macbeth	Macbeth	UK TV
2000	Operation Good Guys	The Leader	Episode: "The Leader"
	In the Beginning	Isaac	Two-part biblical TV Mini-series directed by Kevin Connor
2001	Cold Feet (2001)	Mark Cubitt	Guest star; Series 4 - 4 episodes
2003	Cold Feet (2003)	Mark Cubitt	Guest star; Series 5 - 2 episodes
	Waking The Dead	Carl Mackenzie	Episodes: Template:Plain list
	Julius Caesar	Titus Labienus	Two-part Miniseries directed by Uli Edel
2004	Bo' Selecta!	Himself	"Episode Five"
2004–2005	A Bear's Tail	Richard Head	Series 4 – 7 episodes
2006	Agatha Christie's Marple	Dr. Owen Griffith	Episode: "The Moving Finger"
	Ancient Rome–The Rise And Fall of an Empire: Caesar	Julius Caesar	S1 E2 - "Caesar"
2007	Nuclear Secrets	Narrator	5 episodes
	The Tudors	English ambassador in the Italian Duchy of Urbino	Episode: "In Cold Blood"
	When Evil Calls	The Janitor	Miniseries - 2 episodes
2008	Honest	DS. Ed Bain	6 episodes
	The Wrong Door		4 episodes
	Skins	Soldier on the Train and Simon the Lecturer	Episode: "Tony"
	Journey to the Edge of the Universe	Narrator	Documentary
2009	Law & Order: UK	Josh Pritchard	Episode: "Vice"
2010	Luther	Terry Lynch	"Episode 2"
2011	National Geographic: Islands Series	Narrator	Cyprus
	Camelot	Sir Ector	Recurring; Series 1 - 3 episodes
2013	Jo	Charlie	8 episodes
	The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot	Himself	TV film
	Agatha Christie's Poirot	Sir George Stubbs	Episode: "Dead Man's Folly"
	Death in Paradise	Malcolm Powell	Episode: "A Deadly Party"<ref name="death">Template:Cite web</ref>
2013–2014	Elementary	Inspector Lestrade	3 episodes
2014–2019	Gotham	Alfred Pennyworth	Main cast - 99 episodes<ref name="VarietyFeb2014" />
2014	The Musketeers	Sarazin	Episode: "Musketeers Don't Die Easily"
2019	Prodigal Son	Owen Shannon	Episode: "Silent Night"
2020	Agatha Christie's The Pale Horse	Inspector Lejeune	2 episodes
	Two Weeks to Live	Jimmy	2 episodes
2023	You	Vic	3 episodes
2023–	Naked, Alone and Racing to Get Home	Narrator
2024–2025	Silent Witness	Detective Inspector John Flynn	4 episodes
2024	The Night Caller	Lawrence Brightway	4 episodes<ref name="night"/>
2025	NCIS: Tony & Ziva	Aaron Graves
TBA	Agatha Christie's Tommy & Tuppence

Theatre

Year	Title	Role	Notes	Template:Abbr
1997	Tom Jones	Captain Fitzpatrick	A BBC adaptation for the stage by playwright Joan Macalpine.	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Radio

Year	Title	Role	Template:Abbr
2011	Burning Both Ends	Oliver Reed	<ref name="BBC"/>

Video games

Year	Title	Role/!Template:Abbr
1996	The Gene Machine	Piers Featherstonehaugh
2001	Shadowman: Second Coming	Asmodeus & additional voices
2002	Medieval: Total War	Narrator
2003	Primal	Jared
	Warhammer 40,000: Fire Warrior	Governor Severus<ref name="warhammer"/>
	Gladiator: Sword of Vengeance	Invictus Thrax
2004	Killzone	Colonel Gregor Hakha<ref name="behindthevoiceactors">Template:Cite web</ref>
2008	Fable II	Additional Voices<ref name="behindthevoiceactors"/>
2009	Killzone 2	Colonel Mael Radec<ref name="behindthevoiceactors"/>
2010	Fable III	Captain Saker<ref name="behindthevoiceactors"/>
2012	PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale	Colonel Mael Radec<ref name="behindthevoiceactors"/>
2013	Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag	Peter Chamberlaine

External links

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• Template:TV Guide person