kids encyclopedia robot

Timothy Spall facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Timothy Spall

Timothy Spall World Premiere The Party Berlinale 2017 02.jpg
Spall at the world premiere of The Party in Berlin in 2017
Born
Timothy Leonard Spall

(1957-02-27) 27 February 1957 (age 67)
London, England
Education Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (BA)
Occupation
  • Actor
  • presenter
Years active 1978–present
Spouse(s)
Shane Spall
(m. 1981)
Children 3, including Rafe Spall

Timothy Leonard Spall OBE (born 27 February 1957) is an English actor and presenter. Spall gained recognition for his character actor roles on stage and screen. He is known for his collaborations with director Mike Leigh, acting in six of his films: Home Sweet Home (1982), Life is Sweet (1990), Secrets & Lies (1996), Topsy-Turvy (1999), All or Nothing (2002), and Mr. Turner (2014). He was nominated for the BAFTA for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his role in Secrets and Lies, and received the Cannes Film Festival Best Actor Award for his portrayal of J. M. W. Turner in Mr. Turner. In 2000, he was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Queen Elizabeth II. He won the 2024 BAFTA TV Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role, for his performance as Peter Farquhar in The Sixth Commandment.

He has appeared in many films, including Hamlet (1996), Still Crazy (1998), Nicholas Nickleby (2002), The Last Samurai (2003), Enchanted (2007), Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007), The Damned United (2009), The King's Speech (2010), Ginger and Rosa (2012), Denial (2016), The Party (2017), and Spencer (2021). He voiced Nick (a cynical, portly rat) in Chicken Run (2000). He also starred as Peter Pettigrew in five Harry Potter films, from Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) to Deathly Hallows – Part 1 (2010).

Spall gained prominence in the UK playing Barry Spencer Taylor in the ITV comedy drama series Auf Wiedersehen, Pet (1983–2004). His other television work includes the documentary series Timothy Spall: ...at Sea (2010–2012) and the BBC Cold War drama Summer of Rockets (2019).

Early life

Spall, the third of four sons, was born on 27 February 1957 in Battersea, London. His mother, Sylvia R. (née Leonard), was a hairdresser, and his father, Joseph L. Spall, was a postal worker. He trained at the National Youth Theatre and RADA, where he was awarded the Bancroft Gold Medal as the most promising actor in his year.

Career

Spall initially made his mark in theatre performing in productions for Birmingham Rep, including the UK premier of Arnold Wesker's The Merchant, and, later, the Royal Shakespeare Company, including The Merry Wives of Windsor, Three Sisters, Nicholas Nickleby and The Knight of the Burning Pestle. At The National Theatre Spall played the Dauphin in George Bernard Shaw's St Joan.

Following a film debut in Quadrophenia and wider TV exposure playing, as Wayne says, "the gormless radish" [awkward] Barry Taylor in all four series of Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, Kevin in Outside Edge and Aubrey the appalling chef in Mike Leigh's Life is Sweet, Spall has since appeared in the films Crusoe, Secrets & Lies, Shooting the Past, Topsy-Turvy, Vanilla Sky, Rock Star, All or Nothing, The Last Samurai, Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events and The King's Speech. He performed as Peter Pettigrew ("Wormtail") in the Harry Potter film series. In 1991 he guest starred in the series 5 Red Dwarf episode "Back to Reality". In 1993, Spall was a guest in the Scottish comedy series Rab C. Nesbitt.

He was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2000 New Year Honours.

Spall performed lead vocals on the song "The Devil is an Englishman" from the Ken Russell film Gothic (1986), in which Spall portrayed John William Polidori. Spall played the starring role of Albert Pierrepoint in the 2005 film Pierrepoint, which was released as The Last Hangman in the United States. In the 2006 video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories, Spall voiced Phil Collins' manager, Barry Mickelthwaite. In 2007, he starred as Nathaniel in Disney's Enchanted and Beadle Bamford in Tim Burton's production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. He also starred as Georgie Godwin in a one-off television drama The Fattest Man in Britain on ITV1 which aired on 20 December 2009. The drama also featured Bobby Ball, Frances Barber, Aisling Loftus and Jeremy Kyle.

In 2010, he portrayed Winston Churchill in the film The King's Speech, for which, as a member of the ensemble, he was jointly awarded the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture. Spall reprised the role at the 2012 Summer Olympics closing ceremony.

In 2012, Spall filmed Wasteland (known as The Rise in Britain), with actors Matthew Lewis and Vanessa Kirby. The Newport Beach Film Festival in Newport Beach, California, screened Wasteland in April 2013. Also in 2012 Spall played Charlie Morgan in the edgy film Comes a Bright Day.

In 2014, he won the Best Actor Award at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival for Mr. Turner, a biographical film on J. M. W. Turner directed by Mike Leigh. Spall has mentioned that this role is his personal favourite as it inspired him to take on painting. In 2016, Spall portrayed Holocaust denier David Irving in the film Denial, directed by Mick Jackson.

From 29 March to 14 May 2016, Spall played the title role of Davies in Harold Pinter's play The Caretaker, directed by Matthew Warchus at the Old Vic theatre in London opposite George MacKay and Daniel Mays.

In 2018 he played Terry Perkins, one of the robbers, in the ITV mini series Hatton Garden.

Spall went on to play Major Alistair Gregory in the acclaimed dramatic film Spencer (2021). He shared several psychologically charged scenes with Kristen Stewart who portrayed Princess Diana.

Spall received the 2024 BAFTA TV Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role, for his performance as Peter Farquhar in the BBC's true life drama series The Sixth Commandment, which aired in 2023.

Personal life

TimSpall
Spall filming Enchanted in New York City in 2006

Spall and his wife Shane have three children: Pascale (born 1976), Rafe (born 1983), who is also an actor, and Mercedes (born 1985). He lives in Forest Hill, South East London.

In 1996, Spall was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia, but has since been in remission.

He is the owner of a Dutch barge, in which he and his wife sailed around the British Isles as part of a BBC Four TV series Timothy Spall: Back at Sea.

Filmography

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Nominated work Result
1996 British Academy Film Awards Best Actor in a Leading Role Secrets & Lies Nominated
2000 Best Actor in a Supporting Role Topsy-Turvy Nominated
1999 British Academy Television Awards Best Actor Our Mutual Friend Nominated
2000 Shooting the Past Nominated
2002 Vacuuming Completely ... in Paradise Nominated
2024 The Sixth Commandment Won
2001 British Independent Film Awards Best Actor Lucky Break Nominated
2002 All or Nothing Nominated
2014 Mr. Turner Nominated
2014 Cannes Film Festival Best Actor Won
2008 Critics' Choice Awards Best Acting Ensemble Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Nominated
2002 European Film Awards Best Actor All or Nothing Nominated
2014 Mr. Turner Won
1997 London Film Critics' Circle Awards British Actor of the Year Secrets & Lies Nominated
2001 Supporting Actor of the Year Topsy-Turvy Nominated
2007 British Actor of the Year Pierrepoint: The Last Hangman Nominated
2010 Supporting Actor of the Year The Damned United Nominated
2015 Actor of the Year Mr. Turner Nominated
British Actor of the Year Won
2002 National Board of Review Awards Best Cast Nicholas Nickleby Won
2014 National Society of Film Critics Awards Best Actor Mr. Turner Won
2014 New York Film Critics Circle Awards Best Actor Won
2009 Satellite Awards Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture The Damned United Nominated
2010 Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture The King's Speech Won

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Timothy Spall para niños Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Timothy Spall para niños

kids search engine
Timothy Spall Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.