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Douglas Reith
ActorBorn July 16, 1953 (71 years)
Douglas Reith is a British actor and teacher. He is best known for his role as Lord Merton in the television series Downton Abbey (2010–2015), as well as its two follow-up films.
Reith was born in Melton, Suffolk. He studied acting at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art. He began acting in the late 1970s, beginning with an appearance in International Velvet (1978) alongside Tatum O'Neal and Christopher Plummer.
He worked as an announcer and presenter at BBC Radio 3 for five years before leaving to study Greats at Christ Church, Oxford for four years beginning in 1989. He worked as a teacher, including at Westminster School, before resuming his acting career.
Reith joined the cast of Downton Abbey as Lord Merton in 2012, and alongside the cast was nominated for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series at the 23rd Screen Actors Guild Awards. He reprised the role in the films Downton Abbey (2019) and Downton Abbey: A New Era (2022). In 2017, Reith was cast in Tim Burton's live-action remake Dumbo (2019). In 2019, he was cast in SAS: Red Notice (2021).
Reith was born in Melton, Suffolk. He studied acting at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art. He began acting in the late 1970s, beginning with an appearance in International Velvet (1978) alongside Tatum O'Neal and Christopher Plummer.
He worked as an announcer and presenter at BBC Radio 3 for five years before leaving to study Greats at Christ Church, Oxford for four years beginning in 1989. He worked as a teacher, including at Westminster School, before resuming his acting career.
Reith joined the cast of Downton Abbey as Lord Merton in 2012, and alongside the cast was nominated for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series at the 23rd Screen Actors Guild Awards. He reprised the role in the films Downton Abbey (2019) and Downton Abbey: A New Era (2022). In 2017, Reith was cast in Tim Burton's live-action remake Dumbo (2019). In 2019, he was cast in SAS: Red Notice (2021).
Filmography
| 2025 | Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale · as Richard Grey |
| 2022 | Downton Abbey: A New Era · as Lord Merton |
| 2021 | Professor T (UK) (TV Series) · as Dean |
| 2021 | The War Below · as Field Marshal Haig |
| 2021 | SAS: Rise of the Black Swan · as Sir Charles Whiteside |
| 2019 | Downton Abbey · as Lord Merton |
| 2019 | Pandora (2019) (TV Series) · as Prescott Fleming |
| 2019 | Dumbo · as Sotheby |
| 2017 | 55 Steps · as Chief Judge Justice Wilson |
| 2017 | Valentine's Again · as Donald |
| 2017 | Fearless (2017) (TV Series) · as Justice Angus Hill |
| 2016 | The Crown (TV Series) · as Admiral Leach |
| 2015 | Serial Teachers 2 · as Le Chef De La Sécurité |
| 2015 | Sense8 (TV Series) · as Fischer The Consigliere |
| 2014 | Agatha Raisin (TV Series) · as Lord Pendlebury |
| 2014 | Outlander (TV Series) · as Professor Brown |
| 2013 | Rush · as Awards Presenter |
| 2012 | Tezz · as Railway Minister |
| 2011 | W.E. · as Lord Brownlow |
| 2010 | Downton Abbey (TV Series) · as Lord Merton |
| 2009 | Enid · as Bbc Interviewer |
| 2006 | Ancient Rome: The Rise and Fall of an Empire (TV Series) · as Metellus |
| 2006 | The Queen · as Lord Airlie |
| 2005 | The Queen's Sister · as Horace Featherstonehaugh |
| 2005 | Elizabeth I (TV Series) · as Jude |
| 2004 | When Hitler Invaded Britain · as Bbc Announcer |
| 2002 | Rose and Maloney (TV Series) |
| 2001 | Real Crime (TV Series) · as Royal Courtier |
| 1998 | CI5: The New Professionals (TV Series) · as Newscaster |
| 1998 | |
| 1996 | The Prince and the Pauper (TV Series) · as Chamberlain |
| 1989 | Agatha Christie's Poirot (TV Series) · as Serge Mureau |
| 1984 | The Bill (TV Series) · as Clifford Peers |
| 1984 | Amy · as Jimmy Martin |
| 1983 | An Englishman Abroad · as Toby |
| 1983 | The Nation's Health (TV Series) · as Doctor Lawson |
| 1980 | Juliet Bravo (TV Series) · as Dr. Benson |
| 1979 | Minder (TV Series) · as Bellars |
| 1979 | Grandad (TV Series) · as Police Sergeant |
| 1978 | International Velvet · as Howard |
| 1978 | Rumpole of the Bailey (TV Series) · as Sergeant Downs |
| 1976 | Rentaghost (TV Series) · as Auctioneer |
| 1975 | Angels (TV Series) · as Simon Lloyd-Smith |
| 1973 | Playhouse (TV Series) · as Fitzgeorge |