Brian Blessed (born October 9, 1936) is a respected English actor. He is a large, charismatic man with a booming voice who often plays powerful men in Shakespearian and medieval dramas. He is the son of a South Yorkshire miner and once lived in Goldthorpe.

He has been criticised for what his critics see as his use of shouting as an all-purpose characterization technique and was described by one magazine as "the loudest man alive".

Blessed is also an adventurer. On three occasions, he has tried to climb Mount Everest; climbing higher than any other man of his age, in 1993.

Blessed currently lives in Surrey. He is married to Hildegarde Neil and has a daughter, Rosalind .

Selected roles

• 1972 - Arthur of the Britons - Mark of Cornwall
• 1976 - I, Claudius - Caesar Augustus
• 1980 - Flash Gordon - Prince Vultan
• 1983 - Blackadder - Richard IV
• 1986 - Doctor Who - King Yrcanos in the serial The Trial of a Time Lord:Mindwarp.
• 1989 - Henry V (1989 film) - Exeter
• 1991 - Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves - Lord Locksley
• 1999 - Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace - Boss Nass (voice)
• 1999 - Tarzan - Clayton (voice)
• 2004 - Alexander - Leonidas
• 2005 - Weebl and Bob - Documentary - Narrator

External links

• Biography on agent's website