David John Bradley (born 17 April 1942) is an English actor. He is known for playing

Argus Filch The following fictional characters are staff members and denizens of Hogwarts in the '' Harry Potter'' books written by J. K. Rowling. The staff and their positions Teachers and staff members The following teachers and staff members do not ...

in the ''Harry Potter'' film series, Walder Frey in the HBO fantasy series ''

Game of Thrones ''Game of Thrones'' is an American fantasy drama television series created by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss for HBO. It is an adaptation of '' A Song of Ice and Fire'', a series of fantasy novels by George R. R. Martin, the fir ...

'', Abraham Setrakian in the FX horror series ''

The Strain ''The Strain'' is a 2009 vampire horror novel by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan. It is the first installment in ''The Strain Trilogy'', and was followed by '' The Fall'' (2010) and ''The Night Eternal'' (2011). Plot synopsis A Boeing 777 ...

'', and for voicing

Merlin Merlin ( cy, Myrddin, kw, Marzhin, br, Merzhin) is a mythical figure prominently featured in the legend of King Arthur and best known as a mage, with several other main roles. His usual depiction, based on an amalgamation of historic and leg ...

Guillermo del Toro Guillermo del Toro Gómez (; born October 9, 1964) is a Mexican filmmaker, author, and actor. He directed the Academy Award–winning fantasy films ''Pan's Labyrinth'' (2006) and '' The Shape of Water'' (2017), winning the Academy Awards for ...

’s animated

Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a ...

series ''

Tales of Arcadia ''Tales of Arcadia'' is a trilogy of computer-animated science fantasy television series created for Netflix by Guillermo del Toro and produced by DreamWorks Animation and Double Dare You. The series comprising the trilogy follows the inhabitants ...

'' (for which he won an

Annie Award The Annie Awards are accolades which the Los Angeles branch of the International Animated Film Association, ASIFA-Hollywood, has presented each year since 1972 to recognize excellence in animation shown in cinema and television. Originally de ...

for Best Voice Actor in a Television Series). A

character actor A character actor is a supporting actor who plays unusual, interesting, or eccentric characters.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrieved 7 August 2014, "..a breed of actor who has the ability to b ...

, Bradley's screen roles include parts in '' Our Friends in the North'' (1996), the '' Three Flavours Cornetto'' trilogy and '' After Life'' (2019–2022). He has made several appearances as the

First Doctor The First Doctor is an incarnation of the Doctor, the protagonist of the BBC science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. He was portrayed by actor William Hartnell. Within the series' narrative, the Doctor is a centuries-old alien Time ...

in ''

Doctor Who ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the ...

'' (2017–2022), having portrayed the role's originator,

William Hartnell William Henry Hartnell (8 January 1908 – 23 April 1975) was an English actor. He is best remembered for his portrayal of the first incarnation of the Doctor in ''Doctor Who'' from 1963 to 1966. In film, Hartnell notably appeared in '' Brig ...

, in the docudrama '' An Adventure in Space and Time'' (2013). An alumnus of the

Royal Shakespeare Company The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs over 1,000 staff and produces around 20 productions a year. The RSC plays regularly in London, St ...

, Bradley is also an established stage actor, with a career that includes a

Laurence Olivier Award The Laurence Olivier Awards, or simply the Olivier Awards, are presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognise excellence in professional theatre in London at an annual ceremony in the capital. The awards were originally known a ...

for his role in a production of ''

King Lear ''King Lear'' is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare. It is based on the mythological Leir of Britain. King Lear, in preparation for his old age, divides his power and land between two of his daughters. He becomes destitute and insane a ...

'' and appearing in the

Harold Pinter Harold Pinter (; 10 October 1930 – 24 December 2008) was a British playwright, screenwriter, director and actor. A Nobel Prize winner, Pinter was one of the most influential modern British dramatists with a writing career that span ...

play ''

No Man's Land No man's land is waste or unowned land or an uninhabited or desolate area that may be under dispute between parties who leave it unoccupied out of fear or uncertainty. The term was originally used to define a contested territory or a dump ...

'' at the

Duke of York's Theatre The Duke of York's Theatre is a West End theatre in St Martin's Lane, in the City of Westminster, London. It was built for Frank Wyatt and his wife, Violet Melnotte, who retained ownership of the theatre until her death in 1935. Designed by th ...

in the West End.

Early life

Bradley was born in

York York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a ...

, where he attended the

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

St George's Secondary Modern School, where he was a member of the choir. He first performed on stage in musical productions, as a member of a youth club and with the Rowntree Youth Theatre. Upon leaving school, he completed a five-year apprenticeship with the optical instruments maker Cooke, Troughton & Simms and remained with the firm until 1966, when he moved to

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

to train as an actor at the

Royal Academy of Dramatic Art The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA; ) is a drama school in London, England, that provides vocational conservatoire training for theatre, film, television, and radio. It is based in the Bloomsbury area of Central London, close to the Senat ...

Career

Bradley joined the

and performed at

Laurence Olivier Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier (; 22 May 1907 – 11 July 1989) was an English actor and director who, along with his contemporaries Ralph Richardson and John Gielgud, was one of a trio of male actors who dominated the British stage ...

's National Theatre Company in the early 1970s. He first appeared on television in 1971, as a police officer in the comedy '' Nearest and Dearest''. He was awarded a

in 1991 for his supporting role as the Fool in ''

'' at the Royal National Theatre. He appeared in the Royal National Theatre's 1997 production of ''

The Homecoming ''The Homecoming'' is a two-act play written in 1964 by Harold Pinter and first published in 1965. Its premières in London (1965) and New York (1967) were both directed by Sir Peter Hall. The original Broadway production won the 1967 Tony A ...

'', as well as productions of ''

The Caretaker ''The Caretaker'' is a play in three acts by Harold Pinter. Although it was the sixth of his major works for stage and television, this psychological study of the confluence of power, allegiance, innocence, and corruption among two brothers a ...

'' at Sheffield Theatres and the Tricycle Theatre from 2006 to 2007. In 2005 he played the title role in

Nicholas Hytner Sir Nicholas Robert Hytner (; born 7 May 1956) is an English theatre director, film director, and film producer. He was previously the Artistic Director of London's National Theatre. His major successes as director include '' Miss Saigon'', ''T ...

's production of Henry IV Parts One and Two at the Olivier Theatre, London. Bradley played fictional Labour Member of Parliament Eddie Wells in the 1996

BBC Two BBC Two is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It covers a wide range of subject matter, with a remit "to broadcast programmes of depth and substance" in contrast to the more mainstream a ...

serial '' Our Friends in the North''. Also in 1996, he appeared as gangster Alf Black in '' Band of Gold''. In 1998, he appeared in the BBC adaptation of ''

Vanity Fair Vanity Fair may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Literature * Vanity Fair, a location in '' The Pilgrim's Progress'' (1678), by John Bunyan * ''Vanity Fair'' (novel), 1848, by William Makepeace Thackeray * ''Vanity Fair'' (magazines), the ...

'' as the miserly Sir Pitt Crawley, and ''

Our Mutual Friend ''Our Mutual Friend'', written in 1864–1865, is the last novel completed by Charles Dickens and is one of his most sophisticated works, combining savage satire with social analysis. It centres on, in the words of critic J. Hillis Miller, quo ...

'' as the villainous Rogue Riderhood. Other television appearances include the 2001 series '' The Way We Live Now'', directed by

David Yates David Yates (born 8 October 1963) is an English film director, producer and screenwriter, who has directed feature films, short films, and television productions. He is best known for directing the final four films in the ''Harry Potter'' ser ...

, who would work with Bradley five years later on the ''Harry Potter'' films. From 2002–04, Bradley starred as Jake in the BBC comedy series ''

Wild West The American frontier, also known as the Old West or the Wild West, encompasses the geography, history, folklore, and culture associated with the forward wave of American expansion in mainland North America that began with European colonial ...

''. Bradley acted in the 2004 musical drama serial ''

Blackpool Blackpool is a seaside resort in Lancashire, England. Located on the northwest coast of England, it is the main settlement within the borough also called Blackpool. The town is by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre rivers, and is ...

'' on

BBC One BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, ...

. He appeared in the 2005 BBC drama '' Mr. Harvey Lights a Candle'', playing the role of a morose coach driver who takes an unruly party of pupils on a trip to

Salisbury Cathedral Salisbury Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is an Anglican cathedral in Salisbury, England. The cathedral is the mother church of the Diocese of Salisbury and is the seat of the Bishop of Salisbury. The buil ...

, and the 2006 BBC drama '' Sweeney Todd''. He had a small role in a 2005 episode of the series '' Taggart''. In 2003, he played Tom in the ''

Midsomer Murders ''Midsomer Murders'' is a British crime drama television series, adapted by Anthony Horowitz and Douglas Watkinson from the novels in the '' Chief Inspector Barnaby'' book series (created by Caroline Graham), and broadcast on two channels of ...

'' episode "The Green Man". He appeared as the electrolarynx-using gangster Stemroach in the BBC comedy series ''

Ideal Ideal may refer to: Philosophy * Ideal (ethics), values that one actively pursues as goals * Platonic ideal, a philosophical idea of trueness of form, associated with Plato Mathematics * Ideal (ring theory), special subsets of a ring considered ...

'' and as Electric in the BBC's '' Thieves Like Us'', as well as the BBC One series ''

True Dare Kiss ''True Dare Kiss'' is a six-part British television drama series, created by screenwriter Debbie Horsfield, that first broadcast on BBC One on 28 June 2007. The series follows the reunion of four sisters and a brother following the death of th ...

'' in 2007–08. No Mans Land Harold Pinter Duke of Yorks Theatre London

Bradley appeared in the 2002 film '' Nicholas Nickleby'' which was based on '' The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby'' by

Charles Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian er ...

, and had a small role in the 2007 comedy film ''

Hot Fuzz ''Hot Fuzz'' is a 2007 action comedy film directed by Edgar Wright and written by Wright and Simon Pegg. Starring Pegg, Nick Frost, Timothy Dalton, and Jim Broadbent, the film centres on two police officers investigating a series of mysteriou ...

'' as a farmer who illegally hoards weapons. He played

Cohen the Barbarian This article contains brief biographies for characters from Terry Pratchett's ''Discworld'' series. This list consists of human characters. For biographies of noted members of the Discworld's "ethnic minorities" (dwarfs, trolls, undead, etc.), ...

in a

Sky One Sky One was a British pay television channel operated and owned by Sky Group (a division of Comcast). Originally launched on 26 April 1982 as Satellite Television, it was Europe's first satellite and non- terrestrial channel. From 31 July 1989, ...

adaptation of '' The Colour of Magic'' in 2008. That same year he appeared as Spooner in a production of

’s ''

'' at the Gate Theatre, Dublin, which later transferred to London's West End. In 2009, Bradley appeared in '' Ashes to Ashes'', playing an animal rights activist, and in '' The Street'', both on BBC. Bradley portrayed

Will Somers William Sommers (or Somers; died 15 June 1560) was the best-known court jester of Henry VIII of England. Early life He was said to have been born in Shropshire, and came to the attention of Richard Fermor, a merchant of the Staple at Calais, ...

Henry VIII Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disa ...

's court fool, in an episode of the Showtime series ''

The Tudors ''The Tudors'' is a historical fiction television series set primarily in 16th-century England, created and written by Michael Hirst and produced for the American premium cable television channel Showtime. The series was a collaboration among ...

'' in 2009. In 2010, he appeared in the film '' Another Year'', which earned him a nomination for Best Supporting Actor from the

London Film Critics Circle Awards The London Film Critics' Circle is the name by which the Film Section of The Critics' Circle is known internationally. The word London was added because it was thought the term Critics' Circle Film Awards did not convey the full context of the ...

. From 2011 to 2017, Bradley appeared as Lord Walder Frey in the HBO series ''

''. Bradley played Solomon, a ruthless buccaneer, in the 2012 ''

'' episode "

Dinosaurs on a Spaceship "Dinosaurs on a Spaceship" is the second episode of the seventh series of the British science fiction television programme ''Doctor Who''. It first aired on BBC One in the UK on 8 September 2012 and on BBC America on the same date in the Unit ...

". He previously provided voice work for '' The Sarah Jane Adventures'' serial '' Death of the Doctor''. It was announced in January 2013, that Bradley had been cast as actor

in '' An Adventure in Space and Time'', a BBC

docudrama Docudrama (or documentary drama) is a genre of television and film, which features dramatized re-enactments of actual events. It is described as a hybrid of documentary and drama and "a fact-based representation of real event". Docudramas typic ...

about the creation of ''Doctor Who'' in 1963. The special aired in November 2013, adding to the buildup to the 50th anniversary episode of ''Doctor Who'' later that month. In 2013, he also appeared in '' The World's End'', a follow-up to ''Hot Fuzz'' in the '' Three Flavours Cornetto'' trilogy, this time portraying "Mad" Basil, an eccentric local man from the fictional English town Newton Haven. From 2014, Bradley plays Professor Abraham Setrakian, a Holocaust survivor turned vampire hunter in

's TV series ''

''. In 2015, Bradley became a public supporter of Chapel Lane Theatre Company based in

Stratford-Upon-Avon Stratford-upon-Avon (), commonly known as just Stratford, is a market town and civil parish in the Stratford-on-Avon district, in the county of Warwickshire, in the West Midlands region of England. It is situated on the River Avon, north-we ...

. In 2017, Bradley joined the cast of

’s animated Netflix series '' Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia'' playing the role of Merlin. In 2021, he received an

for Best Voice Actor in a Television Role for his role in the final chapter of the trilogy, '' Wizards: Tales of Arcadia'' as the wizard Merlin. In 2017, in the final episode of the tenth series of ''Doctor Who'', " The Doctor Falls", Bradley returned to portray the

, having previously portrayed Hartnell, who originally played the character. He reprised the role in the 2017 Christmas special, " Twice Upon a Time", in an audio series for

Big Finish Productions Big Finish Productions is a British company that produces books and audio plays (released straight to compact disc and for download in MP3 and m4b format) based, primarily, on cult science fiction properties. These include '' Doctor Who'', th ...

titled '' Doctor Who: The First Doctor Adventures'' alongside his ''An Adventure in Space and Time'' cast, and in the

Immersive Theatre Immersive theater differentiates itself from traditional theater by removing the stage and Audience immersion, immersing audiences within the performance itself. Often, this is accomplished by using a specific location (''Site-specific theatre, sit ...

show ''Doctor Who: Time Fracture''. This makes him the third actor to play the role in the television programme, after William Hartnell and Richard Hurndall since the premiere of ''Doctor Who'' in 1963, and at the age of 75, he is the also the oldest actor to play the role of the Doctor. He again played the First Doctor in the final episode of the 2022 specials, "

The Power of the Doctor "The Power of the Doctor" is the third and final of the 2022 specials of the British science fiction television programme ''Doctor Who'', and was broadcast on BBC One on 23 October 2022. The episode was ordered for the occasion of the 100th anni ...

". From 2019 to 2022, Bradley played Ray Johnson, the demented father of Tony (

Ricky Gervais Ricky Dene Gervais ( ; born 25 June 1961) is an English comedian, actor, writer, and director. He co-created, co-wrote, and acted in the British television sitcoms ''The Office'' (2001–2003), '' Extras'' (2005–2007), and ''An Idiot Abroad'' ...

) in the

series '' After Life''. In 2021, it was announced that Bradley would be joining the cast of '' Allelujah'', a

film adaptation A film adaptation is the transfer of a work or story, in whole or in part, to a feature film. Although often considered a type of derivative work, film adaptation has been conceptualized recently by academic scholars such as Robert Stam as a dia ...

of Alan Bennet's play of the same name directed by

Richard Eyre Sir Richard Charles Hastings Eyre (born 28 March 1943) is an English film, theatre, television and opera director. Biography Eyre was born in Barnstaple, Devon, England, the son of Richard Galfridus Hastings Giles Eyre and his wife, Minna Mar ...

, which will star Jennifer Saunders, Bally Gill, Russell Tovey,

Derek Jacobi Sir Derek George Jacobi (; born 22 October 1938) is an English actor. He has appeared in various stage productions of William Shakespeare such as '' Hamlet'', '' Much Ado About Nothing'', '' Macbeth'', '' Twelfth Night'', '' The Tempest'', ' ...

, and

Judi Dench Dame Judith Olivia Dench (born 9 December 1934) is an English actress. Regarded as one of Britain's best actresses, she is noted for her versatile work in various films and television programmes encompassing several genres, as well as for her ...

Personal life

Bradley married his wife Rosanna in 1978. They have three children. His eldest son, George, is an architect, who has featured on the ITV series ''Love Your Home and Garden'' alongside

Alan Titchmarsh Alan Fred Titchmarsh HonFSE (born 2 May 1949) is an English gardener, broadcaster, TV presenter, poet, and novelist. After working as a professional gardener and a gardening journalist, he established himself as a media personality through a ...

. His daughter, Francesca, works in casting, having worked on

Michael Bay Michael Benjamin Bay (born February 17, 1965) is an American film director and producer. He is best known for making big-budget, high-concept action films characterized by fast cutting, stylistic cinematography and visuals, and extensive use ...

's '' 6 Underground''. He has said that it was his daughter who turned his attention to the ''Harry Potter'' film franchise and coached him for the role of Argus Filch. Bradley is the president of Second Thoughts Drama Group, which performs in and around

Stratford-upon-Avon Stratford-upon-Avon (), commonly known as just Stratford, is a market town and civil parish in the Stratford-on-Avon district, in the county of Warwickshire, in the West Midlands region of England. It is situated on the River Avon, north-we ...

. He has received

honorary doctorate An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or ''ad hono ...

s from the

University of Warwick , mottoeng = Mind moves matter , established = , type = Public research university , endowment = £7.0 million (2021) , budget = £698.2 million (2020 ...

(17 July 2012) and

York St John University , mottoeng = They may have life and have it more abundantly , established = , type = Public , administrative_staff = 618 , chancellor = Reeta Chakrabarti , vice_chancellor = Professor Karen Bryan , student ...

(19 November 2015). He is an avid fan of football clubs

Aston Villa Aston Villa Football Club is a professional football club based in Aston, Birmingham, England. The club competes in the , the top tier of the English football league system. Founded in 1874, they have played at their home ground, Villa Park, ...

and York City. On 22 November 2014, he took part in a video paying tribute to Aston Villa on their 140th birthday.

Filmography

Film

Television

Attractions

References

External links

*
Podcast interview with David Bradley on his career
Interview with David Bradley on the occasion of receiving his honorary degree from the University of Warwick {{DEFAULTSORT:Bradley, David 1942 births Annie Award winners Audiobook narrators English male film actors English male television actors Living people Male actors from York Best Supporting Actor BAFTA Award (television) winners Laurence Olivier Award winners Clarence Derwent Award winners 20th-century English male actors 21st-century English male actors English male voice actors English male stage actors Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art English male Shakespearean actors Royal Shakespeare Company members