
Person
Brian Pettifer
Acting · Born 1953-01-01 · Durban, Natal, South Africa
Biography
Brian Pettifer (born January 1, 1953) is a South African actor who has appeared in many television shows, and also on stage and in film. He is the younger brother of folk musician Linda Thompson. He intended to become a photographer, but pursued a career as an actor. He appeared as a child in the BBC's This Man Craig and Dr Finlay's Casebook, and Madame Bovary (with his friend Alex Norton) which gave him an avid interest in acting on television. His first film role was in Lindsay Anderson's film if.... (1968). He also appeared in Anderson's O Lucky Man! (1973) and Britannia Hospital (1982) playing the same character in all three Anderson films, that of Biles. His other film credits include roles in Amadeus (1984), A Christmas Carol (1984), Gulag (1985), Heavenly Pursuits (1986), Little Dorrit (1987), The Great Escape II: The Untold Story (1988), Loch Ness (1996), The House of Mirth (2000), Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (2002), The Rocket Post (2004), Vanity Fair (2004) and Lassie (2005). Pettifer was a regular in Rab C. Nesbitt mainly propping up a bar, but was also known as aircraftman Bruce Leckie in Get Some In!, where he was constantly the butt of jokes directed at him by Corporal Marsh. He also played cousin Hughie in the long running Liverpool based 70s sitcom The Liver Birds. He also played Alfred Meyer in the BBC/HBO film Conspiracy and the part of Dr. Cameron in the Radio 4 series entitled Adventures of a Black Bag, after appearing in several episodes of Dr. Finlay's Casebook. He appeared in Hamish Macbeth, as well as guest starring in Still Game. In 2005, he also appeared in the first episode of the BBC drama Bleak House. In 2011 and 2013, he played Father Richards in The Field of Blood. He had the role of Poupart in the BBC One series The Musketeers. In 2012, Brian Pettifer appeared as Archie Milgrow in the episode Old School Ties in the series New Tricks. He has worked extensively in the theatre: writing, directing and acting. He has been in a production of The Fairy-Queen at Glyndebourne, which went to Paris and New York in 2010. In 2015, Pettifer appeared in the crime comedy The Legend of Barney Thomson along with his Hamish Macbeth co-star Robert Carlyle. In 2019, he appeared in an episode of Holby City playing patient Laurie Stocks.
Known for

Outlander
Old Charlie

Black Mirror
William Grange, Dentist

Play for Today
Boy in Grounds

Heartbeat
Andrew McIntyre

Endeavour
Jephthah Claypole

Last of the Summer Wine
The Best Man

Hustle
Tip Jones

New Tricks
Archie Milgrow

Grace
Hector Hegarty

ITV Saturday Night Theatre
Adam Armour
Filmography
- 2024DamagedVillage Man
- 2021The Last BusBilly (Drunk)
- 2021GraceHector Hegarty
- 2021Go HomeMike
- 2019Memories of Lindsay AndersonSelf
- 2019Get Duked!PC Dougie
- 2018The Flu That Killed 50 MillionVictor Vaughan
- 2017Darkest HourLord Kingsley Wood
- 2016Whisky GaloreAngus
- 2015The Legend of Barney ThomsonCharlie
- 2015Jonathan Strange & Mr NorrellHoneyfoot
- 2014OutlanderOld Charlie
- 2013EndeavourJephthah Claypole
- 2011Black MirrorWilliam Grange, Dentist
- 2011The Field of BloodFather Richards
- 2011HattieRon
- 2010DonkeysBrian Colburn
- 2009Garrow's LawRobert Boycott
- 2009Terror! Robespierre and the French RevolutionCouthon
- 2008A Risk Worth TakingMaxwell Borthwick
- 2005LassieO'Donnell
- 2005The Strange Case of Sherlock Holmes & Arthur Conan DoyleHarry How
- 2005To the Ends of the EarthWheeler
- 2004Lindsay Anderson: Lucky Man?Self
- 2004Vanity FairMr. Raggles
- 2004The Rocket PostReverend Shand
- 2004One Last ChanceMacgregor
- 2004HustleTip Jones
- 2004New TricksArchie Milgrow
- 2003The Key
- 2003Dr. Jekyll and Mr. HydePoole
- 2002SnoddyProfessor Baxter
- 2002RockfaceBrother Thomas
- 2001ConspiracyAlfred Meyer
- 2000The House of MirthMr. Bry
- 2000Monarch of the GlenEric Morton
- 1999The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arcthe executioner / the torturer of the trial
- 1999Life SupportGordon Travers
- 1998VigoFatman
- 1997The History of Tom Jones: A FoundlingParson Supple
- 1997The James GangSpanner
- 1996Loch NessRepairman
- 1995The Ghostbusters of East FinchleyHoward Heights
- 1995In the Bleak MidwinterVentriloquist
- 1995Eleven Men Against ElevenCliff Tutley
- 1995Hamish MacbethRory Campbell
- 1992In DreamsJournalist/Dave
- 1992Is That All There Is?Self
- 1992HeartbeatAndrew McIntyre
- 1988The Great Escape II: The Untold StoryKirby-Green
- 1988Lucky SunilCyril
- 1987Little DorritClarence Barnacle
- 1986City LightsAlisdair
- 1986Happy the ManAndy
- 1986Heavenly PursuitsFather Cobb
- 1986Farrington of the F.O.Billy Murdoch
- 1986LovejoyWilly Kinross
- 1985GulagVlasov
- 1984A Christmas CarolBen
- 1984AmadeusHospital Attendant
- 1982Cloud HoweDite Peat
- 1982Britannia HospitalBiles
- 1978Return of the SaintBartender
- 1976ClayhangerStifford
- 1975Get Some In!Bruce Leckie
- 1974Bedtime StoriesAlan
- 1973Last of the Summer WineThe Best Man
- 1972Just Your LuckYouth at Wedding
- 1972Peer GyntAdditional cast
- 1972VillainsYouth
- 1970Play for TodayBoy in Grounds
- 1970Warm Feet, Warm HeartNigel Purvis
- 1970Is That Your Body, BoySpratt
- 1970Let There Be LightPupil Teacher
- 1970The Right ProspectusBoy in Grounds
- 1969ITV Saturday Night TheatreAdam Armour
- 1968if....Biles
- 1966This Man Craig
- 1965The Vital Spark
- 1956Armchair TheatreNigel Purvis
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