Kenneth Cranham (born 12 December 1944) is a British actor. He won the Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Play for his performance in The Father in 2016, after being nominated for An Inspector Calls in 1993.
His notable screen roles were in Oliver! (1968), Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988), Chocolat (1988), Layer Cake (2004), Gangster No. 1 (2000), Hot Fuzz (2007), Maleficent (2014) and Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool (2017). On television he has appeared in Budgie (1972), Shine on Harvey Moon (1982-1985) as the titular lead, Boon (1989), Minder (1993), Rome (2005), War & Peace (2016) and The White Princess (2017).
On stage, Cranham appeared in three Joe Orton plays including the radio and stage premieres of The Ruffian on the Stair and the first successful revival of Loot.
Early life Cranham was born in Dunfermline, Fife, the son of Lochgelly-born Margaret McKay Cranham (née Ferguson) and Ronald Cranham, a London-born civil servant. Cranham trained at the National Youth Theatre and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, graduating in 1966 with a RADA Diploma.
Career Television and film He starred in the title role in the popular 1980s comedy drama Shine on Harvey Moon, prior to which he had appeared as Charlie Collins in A Family at War (1971). He also appeared in Oliver! (1968), Up Pompeii (1971), Brother Sun, Sister Moon (1972), Danger UXB (1979) Chocolat (1988), Gangster No. 1 (2000), Layer Cake (2004), Hot Fuzz (2007), Maleficent (2014) and Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool (2017). He was cast as the deranged Philip Channard and his Cenobitic alter-ego in the Horror film Hellbound: Hellraiser II.
On television he has appeared in Budgie (1972), Boon (1989), Minder (1993), Rome (2007), Merlin (2008), Death in Paradise (2013), War & Peace (2016) and The White Princess (2017).
Theatre Among many stage credits are West End productions of Entertaining Mr Sloane, Loot, An Inspector Calls (both transferring to Broadway), The Ruffian on the Stair, The Birthday Party and Gaslight (at the Old Vic). For his role as Inspector Goole in An Inspector Calls, he was nominated for a Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Play. It took another 23 years before winning the award when in 2016, Cranham won the Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Play for his role as Andre in Florian Zeller's The Father. Cranham's performance was described as "the performance of his life" by Michael Coveney of WhatsOnStage.com.
Radio For BBC Radio 4's Afternoon Play, Cranham has played DS Max Matthews in The Interrogation by Roy Williams (2012–present) and starred as Thomas Gradgrind in BBC Radio's 2007 adaptation of Dickens' Hard Times.
Honours Cranham was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2023 Birthday Honours for services to drama.
Personal life His first wife was actress Diana Quick. He has two daughters: one from a relationship with actress Charlotte Cornwell, and one with his second wife, to whom he is still married, actress Fiona Victory.
Filmography Film
Oliver! (1968) as Noah Claypole Otley (1968) as Kid #3 Fragment of Fear (1970) as Joe All the Way Up (1970) as Tom Midway Up Pompeii (1971) as First Christian Brother Sun, Sister Moon (1972) as Paolo Vampira (1974) as Paddy, the Delinquent Robin and Marian (1976) as Jack's Apprentice Peer Gynt (1976) Joseph Andrews (1977) as The Wicked Squire Chocolat (1988) as Boothby Stealing Heaven (1988) as Suger Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988) as Dr. Philip Channard / Channard Cenobite Frederick Forsyth Presents: Just Another Secret (1989) as Brosch A Little Bit Of Lippy (1989) as Reggie Titherington Prospero's Books (1991) as Sebastian Under Suspicion (1991) as Frank Tale of a Vampire (1992) as Edgar Bed of Roses (1996) as Simon Deep in the Heart (1996) as Robert Flaherty The Boxer (1997) as Matt MaGuire RPM (1998) as Biggerman Vigo (1998) as The Producer Women Talking Dirty (1999) as George The Last Yellow (1999) as Len Kevin & Perry Go Large (2000) as Vicar Gangster No. 1 (2000) as Tommy Born Romantic (2000) as Barney The Most Fertile Man in Ireland (2000) as Da Shiner (2000) as Gibson Two Men Went to War (2002) as Sgt. Peter King Man Dancin' (2003) as D.I. Pancho Villers Blackball (2003) as Chairman Collins Trauma (2004) as Detective Constable Jackson Layer Cake (2004) as Jimmy Price Mangal Pandey: The Rising (2005) as Kent A Good Year (2006) as Sir Nigel Hot Fuzz (2007) as James Reaper Valkyrie (2008) as Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel Running in Traffic (2009) as Bill Cullen Made in Dagenham (2010) as Monty Taylor 5 Days of War (2011) as Michael Stilton National Theatre Live: The Cherry Orchard (2011) as Firs Flying Blind (2012) as Victor Suspension of Disbelief (2012) as Bullock Closed Circuit (2013) as Cameron Fischer The Legend of Hercules (2014) as Lucius Maleficent (2014) as King Henry Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool (2017) as Joe Turner Mr. Jones (2019) as David Lloyd George Born a King (2019) as Lord Curzon Official Secrets (2019) as Judge Hyam
Television
City '68 (1967) as Len Ways with Words (1967) Boy Meets Girl (1969) as Tom Last Z-Cars (1970) as Togo Millington Softly, Softly: Task Force (1970–1972) as Ken Buckley / Ashley A Family at War (1971) as Charlie Collins Hadleigh (1971) as Andrew Matlock From a Bird's Eye View (1971) as Tim O'Donovan New Scotland Yard (1972) as David Collins Budgie (1972) as Inky Ballantine Achilles Heel (1973) as Gordon Crown Court (1973–1981) as John Tucker / Clive Jessup QC Village Hall (1975) as Lop Against the Crowd (1975) as Geoff Smailes Holding On (1977) as Ted Wheelwright The Velvet Glove (1977) as Townie Danger UXB (1979) as Sapper Salt / L / Corporal Salt Donkeys' Years (1980) as Bill Taylor Thérèse Raquin (1980) as Camille Raquin Enemy at the Door (1980) as Jack Foster Cribb (1980) as Francis Mostyn-Smith 'Tis Pity She's a Whore (1980) as Giovanni The Merchant of Venice (1980) as Gratiano Strangers (1980–1982) as Det. Chief Insp. Jim Lennard / Willie Bruce Brideshead Revisited (1981) as Sergeant Block The Bell (1982) as Nick Fawley Shine on Harvey Moon (1982–1985) as Harvey Moon Reilly: Ace of Spies (1983) as Lenin Heart of the High Country (1985) as Calvin Laird Dead Man's Folly (1986) as Detective Inspector Bland A Sort of Innocence (1987) as Eric Palmer Inspector Morse (1987) as Cedric Downes The Play on One: Normal Service (1988) as Peter Just Another Secret (1989) as Brosch Boon (1989) as Aiden Curtis Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit (1990) as Pastor Finch TECX (1990) as Colonel Braum Casualty (1990) as James Lawrence Dunrulin (1990) as Mr. Kneecap El C.I.D. (1990–1992) as Gus Mercer Chimera (1991) as Hennessey Bergerac (1990) as Gascoigne Van der Valk (1991) as Dirk Boutsen Murder Most Horrid (1991) as Inspector Salford The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles (1992) as Colonel Schmidt Between the Lines (1992) as D.C.I. Stubbs Minder (1993) as Walter Screen One (1993) as Douglas Lovejoy (1993) as Litvak Requiem Apache (1994) as Tony On Dangerous Ground (1996) as Brig. Charles Ferguson Heartbeat (1996) as Charlie Wallace The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (1996) as Reverend Millward Midnight Man (1997) as Brig. Charles Ferguson Get Well Soon (1997) as Inspector Trussler Our Mutual Friend (1998) as Silas Wegg Kavanagh QC (1998) as Roy Lawrence The Murder of Stephen Lawrence (1999) as Michael Mansfield QC Justice in Wonderland (2000) as George Carman Lady Audley's Secret (2000) as Sir Michael Audley The Ancients (2000) as William Blake The Sins (2000) as Gilbert Without Motive (2000) as DCS Derek Henderson NCS: Manhunt (2001) as Ricky Valesi Dalziel and Pascoe (2001) as Tommy Collingwood Night Flight (2002) as Ted Atwell Dickens (2002) as John Forster Believe Nothing (2002) as DI Aldiss Pollyanna (2003) as Mr. Pendleton Killing Hitler (2003) as Brigadier Sir Stewart Menzies Sparkling Cyanide (2003) as George Barton Bible Mysteries (2003) The Genius of Mozart (2004, three-part dramatised documentary) as Leopold Mozart M.I.T.: Murder Investigation Team (2005) as Ray Morgan Genghis Khan (2005) as Genghis Khan (voice) Rome (2005) as Pompey Magnus The Lavender List (2006) as Harold Wilson The Chatterley Affair (2006) as Older Keith Hustle (2006) as Francis Owen Hannibal (2006) as Narrator (voice) New Tricks (2006) as Lord McCready The Line of Beauty (2006) as Sir Maurice Tipper Afterlife (2006) as Stan Mundy Victoria Cross Heroes (2006) as Narrator Doc Martin (2006, 2022) as Terry Glasson Lilies (2007) as Mr. Pritchard Sinking of the Lusitania: Terror at Sea (2007) as Captain Turner The Last Detective (2007) as Gary Solway The Curry Club (2007) as Bob Heroes and Villains (2007) as General Carteaux Tess of the D'Urbervilles (2008) as Mr Clare Merlin (2008) as Aulfric Agatha Christie's Marple 'A Pocketful of Rye' (2008) as Rex Fortescue Spanish Flu: The Forgotten Fallen (2009) as MJ O'Loughlin Midsomer Murders (2010) as Jude Langham The Night Watch (2011) as Horace Mundy Upstairs Downstairs (2012) as Sergeant Ashworth Falcón (2012) as Alberto Montes Panto! (2012) as Jerry Death in Paradise (2013) as Father John In the Flesh (2013–2014) as Vicar Oddie 37 Days (2014) as John Burns Moving On (2014) as Mike A.D. The Bible Continues (2015) as Tiberius Neil Gaiman's Likely Stories (2016) as Dean Smith War & Peace (2016) as Uncle Mikhail The White Princess (2017) as John Morton Bancroft (2017) as Charlie Baverstock Inside No. 9 (2018) as Rupert (episode "And the Winner Is...") The Good Karma Hospital (2019) as Edmund Dalrymple Hatton Garden (2019) as Brian Reader Finding Alice (2021) as Gerry Walsh Strike (2022) as Dennis Creed
Radio
The Legends of Robin Hood (2019) as Sheriff Hugh of Nottingham Grossman's War: Stalingrad (2019) as Stepan Spiridonov The Father (2016) as Andre The Interrogation (2012–present) as DS/DI Max Matthews The Moonstone (2011) as Sergeant Cuff The Hireling (2011) as the Narrator Grossman's War: Life and Fate (2011) as Stepan Spiridonov My Mad Grandad (2009) as Bernard Hill Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2009) as Inspector Mendel Call for the Dead (2009) as Inspector Mendel Left in Trust (2009) Hard Times (2007) as Thomas Gradgrind Answered Prayers (2004) as Walter The Winter's Tale (2004) as Polixenes The Chief Inspector Dover Mysteries (2003) as Chief Inspector Dover His Dark Materials: Northern Lights (2003) as Farder Coram Barry Lyndon (2003) as The Earl of Crabs Hopes and Desires: "The Non-Entity" (2003) as Dmitri Carmilla (2003) as Mountebank/General New Grub Street (2002) as Mr. Yule Little Dorrit (2001) as Mr. Merdle Hamlet (1999) as Claudius In the Chair (1998) as Jim Hardie The Barchester Chronicles (1997) as Crawley The Tin Drum (1996) as Matzerath Brighton Rock (1996) as Cubitt Cyrano de Bergerac (1996) as De Guiche Talking (1995) as The Judge It's Cold Outside (1995) as Ray Beau Geste (1994) as Sgt. Major LeJaune Only The Good Die Young (1992) as Stone Georgy Girl (1992) as James The Admirable Crichton (1986) as Crichton The White Devil (1986) as Duke Francisco Fear and Fear Again (1983) as Franz Kafka Busman's Honeymoon (1983) as Frank Crutchley The Dog It Was That Died (1982) as Hogben Loot as Hal Men of Violence (1979) as Blaze The Ruffian on the Stair (1964) as Wilson Boy Dudgeon (1963) as Boy Dudgeon
He has also performed a number of readings for BBC Radio.
Awards and nominations
Theatre YearAwardCategoryWorkResultRef.19931993 Laurence Olivier AwardsLaurence Olivier Award for Best ActorAn Inspector Calls2015Critics’ Circle Theatre AwardBest ActorThe Father 20162016 Laurence Olivier AwardsLaurence Olivier Award for Best Actor
References
External links
Kenneth Cranham Kenneth Cranham HBO Bio Kenneth Cranham on BBC Genome