Clive Russell (born 7 December 1945) is a Scottish actor. He is known for his roles as Chief Inspector Frederick Abberline in Ripper Street, Angus O'Connor in Happiness, Lord Lovat in Outlander, and Brynden Tully in the HBO series Game of Thrones.
Russell also appeared in the Scottish sitcoms Still Game and Rab C Nesbitt, teen drama Hollyoaks as Jack Osborne's brother Billy Brodie and British crime drama Cracker as Danny Fitzgerald. He appears in video game Still Wakes the Deep as oil rig manager Davey Rennick, and in Soulframe as Doyen, the player's grandfather figure.
Early life Russell was born on 7 December 1945 in Winchester, but brought up in Leven in Fife, Scotland.Faith – Cast Profiles & Interviews Clive Russell
He studied at Parkhill Primary then Buckhaven High School.
Career Russell’s first acting job was as the police superintendent in Dario Fo's satire Accidental Death of an Anarchist at Wyndham’s Theatre in 1980. The reviews were good, and he reprised that role for television in 1983. After further honing his skills in various British TV productions and a handful of films – including Jute City, The Power of One, The Hawk and Seconds Out – Russell received exposure before international audiences as Caleb Garth in the celebrated BBC miniseries Middlemarch, based on the George Eliot novel of the same name. A year later, he fell in love on the movie screen with Helena Bonham Carter in Margaret's Museum, for which he earned a Genie nomination at the 16th Genie Awards for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role. After more TV roles and another film, Russell played Ralph Fiennes' father in another critically acclaimed film, Oscar and Lucinda. Growing recognition of his acting skills then brought him major roles in four major TV miniseries: Great Expectations, Oliver Twist, The Railway Children and The Mists of Avalon.
Television Russell has appeared in numerous television series including Boys from the Blackstuff,"Boys from the Blackstuff" (April 23, 2013) Wonders in the Dark Hope and Glory, Neverwhere, Great Expectations, The Mists of Avalon, Heartburn Hotel, Roughnecks, Monarch of the Glen, Midsomer Murders, Waking the Dead, Silent Witness, Rockface, and Spaced. Russell has also made appearances in Still Game, Happiness, Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, Cracker and The Railway Children. From 2005 to 2006, Russell played Phil Nail in ITV's Coronation Street. Russell made an appearance in Waterloo Road as Lisa and Lenny Brown's grandfather for one episode, also playing Billy Wilson for two in Shameless. He also appeared as a doctor in the 2006 My Family Christmas special.
He has appeared as Jock in the third series of the BBC's Jam & Jerusalem, as "Bayard, King of Mercia" in Merlin and in Hotel Babylon as an artist forced to fake his own death when he is in debt. In 2012, he joined the cast of the HBO fantasy drama Game of Thrones as Brynden "The Blackfish" Tully.
In 2016, he joined the cast of Hollyoaks as Billy, brother of established character Jack Osborne.
In January 2017, he had a small role in the BBC Three comedy Uncle, portraying Sam and Andy's father and later in the year appeared in Doc Martin. He played Ken Hollister.
In 2020, he appeared as Wroth, Chief of a Fey tribe called the Tusks, a recurring character for five episodes in the Netflix series Cursed.
Films In Margaret's Museum, he starred opposite Helena Bonham Carter as the Gaelic-speaking Neil Currie. Russell's other film credits include Festival, Ladies in Lavender, King Arthur, Made of Honour, Lecture 21, The 13th Warrior and The Wolfman.
He made an appearance in the 2009 film Sherlock Holmes as Captain Tanner, and reprised the role in the film's 2011 sequel, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. He appeared in the 2010 film The Wolfman as MacQueen. Russell also appeared in Robin Hardy's The Wicker Tree, which was released in the first quarter of 2012, playing the character of Beame alongside the Hobbit star Graham McTavish.
He played Inspector Frederick Abberline in BBC One's Ripper Street. He played Tyr in the live-action film Thor: The Dark World (2013).
Edinburgh Fringe 2010 In 2010, Russell made his debut one-man show Touching the Blue."Edinburgh 2010: Touching the Blue" (July 5, 2010) Broadway World
Video games Russell made his video game debut with Still Wakes the Deep in June 2024 as the voice of Davey Rennick, the cantankerous manager of an oil rig.
In July 2024, Russell appeared as the voice of Doyen, often referred to as Grandfa', in the playable pre-alpha version of the upcoming video game Soulframe.
Filmography Year Title Role Notes 1992 The Power of One Sgt. Bormann 1993 The Hawk 1994 Fatherland Krebs The Tales of Para Handy McVicar Series 1, episode 4: "A Night Alarm" 1995 Margaret's Museum Neil Currie 1996 Neverwhere Mr. Vandemar 1997 Oscar and Lucinda Theophilius 1998 Heartburn Hotel Duggie Strachan 1999 Great Expectations Joe The 13th Warrior Helfdane 2001 Spaced Damien Knox 2001–2003 Happiness Angus O'Connor Main cast 2002 Mad Dogs Thin man 2003 The Mayor of Casterbridge Newson TV film Silent Witness DCS Tom Leith Episode: "Answering Fire" 2004 Shameless Billy Wilson 2 episodes (season 1) Ladies in Lavender Adam Penruddocke King Arthur Lancelot's Father The Rocket Post Angus Mackay Still Game Big Innes Series 3, episode 4: "Big Yin" 2005 Faith Gordon TV film Heartless Ricky Monarch of the Glen Peter Finlay 2005–2006 Coronation Street Phil Nail Series regular 2006 Mist: The Tale of a Sheepdog Puppy McPherson TV film My Family Doctor 2007 The Yellow House Monsieur Roulin TV film Joe's Place Dave The Wild West: Billy the Kid Sheriff Brady Broadcast March 2007, BBC2, Part 2 of a 3-part docu-drama series on notable Wild West events 2008 Made of Honour Cousin Finlay Lecture 21 Hoffmeister Merlin Bayard Series 1, episode 4: "The Poisoned Chalice" 2009 Book of Blood Wyburd Sherlock Holmes Capt. Tanner The Bill Danny Travis 2 episodes 2010 The Wolfman Maqueen Cup Cake Mute McGill The Fighter's Ballad Father John 2011 The Wicker Tree Beame Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows Capt. Tanner 2012–2016 Ripper Street Chief Inspector Frederick Abberline 2013 Mary, Queen of Scots Douglas Thor: The Dark World Tyr The List Peter Waterloo Road Lawrence Brown Guest role; 1 episode (Series 9) 2013–2016 Game of Thrones Brynden Tully 7 episodes 2014 Shetland Adam Markham Series 2, Episodes 3 and 4: "Dead Water" Still Detective Penton 2014–2018 The Amazing World of Gumball Daniel Senicourt; Manly Warrior 4 episodes 2015 After Bannockburn Robert Bruce 2015Mountain GoatsMalton JenningsSeries 1, Episode 2: "Fitness" 2016 The Young Messiah Weer Stella Uncle Clem Outlander Lord Lovat 1 episode Hollyoaks Billy Brodie Guest role Barbarians Rising Cumelios Docudrama 2017 Uncle Neville Guest role 1066: A Year to Conquer England Harald Hardrada Docudrama Back Paul Guest role The Hatton Garden Job Kenny Collins Supporting 1745 David Andrews Supporting Rellik Henry Parides Recurring 2018 The Terror Sir John Ross 2 episodes Outlaw King Lord Mackinnon of Skye Supporting 2019 Curfew Mac 2 episodes Jocky Wilson Said Jocky Wilson Voice performance Supervized Jerry 2020 Cursed Wroth 5 episodes Dracula Valentin 1 episode 2021 The Last Duel King's Uncle Code 404 Clifford Major 4 episodes Queen of the New Year Various roles 1 episode 2022 The Peripheral Frank Derosa 1 episode Silent Witness Ezra Jarrett Episode: "History, Part 4" 2023 The Madame Blanc Mysteries Marco/Dura Season 2 episode 6 Tales of Babylon The Silver Dragon 2024 Casualty Callum Robertshaw Season 38 episode 16 2025 Dept. Q Jamie Lingard 3 episodes 2025 The Sandman Odin Season 2 2025 The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball Daniel Senicourt 1 episode 2025 The Guest Derek Abbott BBC 2025 Shetland Arthur Mair Series 102025The House Was Not Hungry ThenEstate Agent 2026 One Piece Crocus Season 2, Episode "Good Whale Hunting"
Video games Year Title Role Notes 2024 Still Wakes the Deep Davey Rennick TBD Soulframe Doyen (Grandfa') Whilst the game is yet to be formally released, Russell first appeared in its playable Pre-alpha in 2024.
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