Although mention of his name may not turn heads in the States, Brian Blessed's booming, authoritative voice will. A brute actor from Mexborough, Yorkshire, with the stature to back his vocal chords, Blessed's unique ability to inject his characters with a quick wit and cunning guile helped him thrive in both film and television since his small-screen debut in 1962. A lifelong adventurer who spent his childhood days enthralled by the wonders of BBC radio's The Lost World, Blessed was frequently tardy for classes due to his unyielding desire to learn the secrets of the farthest corners of the world. He endeared himself to British audiences with his role as PC "Fancy" Smith in the popular BBC crime series Z Cars, and followed that up a few years later as Porthos in the 1966 U.K. miniseries The Three Musketeers. Blessed progressed into feature films with a role in The Christmas Tree that same year, and though he frequently returned to television for roles in such hits as The Avengers and Doctor Who, impressive performances in The Trojan Women (1971) and Man of La Mancha (1972) showed his diversity and effectiveness on the big screen, as well. In 1976 alone, Blessed appeared in no less than six made-for-TV efforts, and, by the '80s, he began to attract attention overseas. Perhaps the actor's most widely seen performance was that of the heroic Prince Vultan in Mike Hodges' 1980 comic-book, sci-fi adventure Flash Gordon, and a subsequent performance as King Richard IV in the hit 1983 BBC comedy Black Adder reinforced his status in Britain. Blessed next stole the show as Long John Silver in the 1985 miniseries Return to Treasure Island. His Shakespearean skills took center stage for Kenneth Branagh's Henry V (1989), Much Ado About Nothing (1993), and Hamlet (1996), and, in 1999, Blessed directed himself in a U.K. version of King Lear. That same year, he gained even more international exposure when he essayed a small role in Star Wars: Episode 1 -- The Phantom Menace and provided vocal work for Disney's Tarzan. As video-game producers began courting actors to provide vocal work for their interactive adventures, they tapped Blessed to appear in such titles as Kingdom Hearts and Warhammer 40,000: Fire Warrior. After taking the lead in the 2003 horror film Devil's Harvest, Blessed once again traveled back in time for a role in Oliver Stone's Alexander (2004).
| Title | Year | Editors' Rating | User Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | ||||
| 2009 | ||||
| 2009 | ||||
| 2009 | ||||
| 2009 | ||||
| 2009 | ||||
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As You Like It
Actor |
2007 | |||
| 2006 | ||||
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Back in Business
Actor |
2005 | |||
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Day of Wrath
Actor |
2005 | |||
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Alexander
Actor |
2004 | |||
| 1999 | ||||
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Tarzan
Voice |
1999 | |||
|
The Big Knights
Actor |
1999 | |||
| 1999 | ||||
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Tom Jones
Actor |
1997 | |||
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Hamlet
Actor |
1996 | |||
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Catherine the Great
Actor |
1995 | |||
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Chasing the Deer
Actor |
1995 | |||
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Johnny and the Dead
Actor |
1995 | |||
|
Kidnapped
Actor |
1995 | |||
| 1994 | ||||
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Much Ado About Nothing
Actor |
1993 | |||
|
Freddie as F.R.O.7
Voice |
1992 | |||
|
Lady Chatterley
Actor |
1992 | |||
| 1992 | ||||
|
Back in the USSR
Actor |
1991 | |||
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Prisoner of Honor
Actor |
1991 | |||
| 1991 | ||||
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Castle of Adventure
Actor |
1990 | |||
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Henry V
Actor |
1989 | |||
| 1989 | ||||
| 1986 | ||||
| 1986 | ||||
| 1986 | ||||
| 1986 | ||||
| 1985 | ||||
| 1985 | ||||
| 1985 | ||||
| 1985 | ||||
| 1985 | ||||
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The Master of Ballantrae
Actor |
1984 | |||
| 1983 | ||||
| 1983 | ||||
| 1983 | ||||
| 1983 | ||||
| 1983 | ||||
| 1983 | ||||
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High Road to China
Actor |
1983 | |||
| 1983 | ||||
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Flash Gordon
Actor |
1980 | |||
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The Joy of Bach
Actor |
1980 | |||
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Blakes 7: Cygnus Alpha
Actor |
1978 | |||
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The Story of David
Actor |
1976 | |||
| 1975 | ||||
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I, Claudius
Actor |
1975 | |||
| 1975 | ||||
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The Young Warlord
Actor |
1975 | |||
| 1972 | ||||
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Man of La Mancha
Actor |
1972 | |||
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Cold Comfort Farm
Actor |
1971 | |||
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The Last Valley
Actor |
1971 | |||
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The Trojan Women
Actor |
1971 | |||
|
Brotherly Love
Actor |
1970 | |||
| 1969 | ||||
|
Alf 'n' Family
Actor |
1968 | |||
|
Till Death Us Do Part
Actor |
1968 | |||
| 1967 | ||||
|
The Christmas Tree
Actor |
1966 | |||
|
The Three Musketeers
Actor |
1966 | |||
|
Z Cars [TV Series]
Actor |
1962 |






