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Geoffrey McGivern
ActorBorn January 1, 1952 (73 years)
Geoffrey M. McGivern is a British actor in film, television, radio and stage, as well as a comedian. He is best known for originating the role of Ford Prefect in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
He played Ford Prefect in the radio series (1978–80) and subsequent LP releases of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams whom he knew from Cambridge University, and reprised the role for the four new series broadcast on BBC Radio 4 between 2004 and 2018. A more recent radio broadcast was in The Ape That Got Lucky and he has appeared in TV shows such as Noel's House Party, Press Gang, Chef!, Big Train, Blackadder the Third ("Dish and Dishonesty") as Ivor Biggun, Chelmsford 123, Jonathan Creek, 15 Storeys High, Armstrong and Miller, Toast of London and series three of Peep Show.
McGivern appeared in the first series of the comedy show Big Train in 1998, and later that year for the 1998 radio SciFi drama Paradise Lost in Cyberspace (Colin Swash, BBC) McGivern teamed up with old Hitchhiker's colleague Stephen Moore and Lorelei King (member of cast in the 2005 Hitchhiker's radio show sequel). He later played the Supreme Ruler in BBC2's sci-fi comedy Hyperdrive (2006–2007). In 2007, he appeared in the BBC Radio 4 comedy Peacefully in their Sleeps and in 2008 he appeared as Professor John Mycroft in the BBC2 science sitcom Lab Rats and in the 2008 BBC series Little Dorrit where he played Mr Rugg. He also appeared in episode 5 of series 3 of the TV series A Bit of Fry and Laurie. In 2015, he guest-starred in EastEnders as Dickie Ticker, the crude comic brought in by Mick Carter for Kush Kazemi's stag night. In 2016, he appeared in four episodes of the Disney Channel musical drama The Lodge, as Patrick. McGivern played the narrator Charlie Swinburne in the BBC Radio's 2013 six part dramatisation of G. K. Chesterton's The Club of Queer Trades.
In 2017, he appeared in the Channel 4 sitcom Back, written by Simon Blackwell, alongside David Mitchell and Robert Webb. Later that year, he began portraying the recurring role of Frank in the Netflix series Free Rein.
Since 2019, he has appeared as recurring character Barclay Beg-Chetwynde in the BBC comedy Ghosts. In 2022, he appeared as the main character Russ, in Radio 4 comedy No-Platformed. The show's episode guide contains a humorous note about McGivern's extensive credit list, by starting a list of his credits and then adding "oh, hundreds of things".
In 2024, he appeared as recurring character Lord Rookwood in the Apple TV+ series The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin.
He played Ford Prefect in the radio series (1978–80) and subsequent LP releases of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams whom he knew from Cambridge University, and reprised the role for the four new series broadcast on BBC Radio 4 between 2004 and 2018. A more recent radio broadcast was in The Ape That Got Lucky and he has appeared in TV shows such as Noel's House Party, Press Gang, Chef!, Big Train, Blackadder the Third ("Dish and Dishonesty") as Ivor Biggun, Chelmsford 123, Jonathan Creek, 15 Storeys High, Armstrong and Miller, Toast of London and series three of Peep Show.
McGivern appeared in the first series of the comedy show Big Train in 1998, and later that year for the 1998 radio SciFi drama Paradise Lost in Cyberspace (Colin Swash, BBC) McGivern teamed up with old Hitchhiker's colleague Stephen Moore and Lorelei King (member of cast in the 2005 Hitchhiker's radio show sequel). He later played the Supreme Ruler in BBC2's sci-fi comedy Hyperdrive (2006–2007). In 2007, he appeared in the BBC Radio 4 comedy Peacefully in their Sleeps and in 2008 he appeared as Professor John Mycroft in the BBC2 science sitcom Lab Rats and in the 2008 BBC series Little Dorrit where he played Mr Rugg. He also appeared in episode 5 of series 3 of the TV series A Bit of Fry and Laurie. In 2015, he guest-starred in EastEnders as Dickie Ticker, the crude comic brought in by Mick Carter for Kush Kazemi's stag night. In 2016, he appeared in four episodes of the Disney Channel musical drama The Lodge, as Patrick. McGivern played the narrator Charlie Swinburne in the BBC Radio's 2013 six part dramatisation of G. K. Chesterton's The Club of Queer Trades.
In 2017, he appeared in the Channel 4 sitcom Back, written by Simon Blackwell, alongside David Mitchell and Robert Webb. Later that year, he began portraying the recurring role of Frank in the Netflix series Free Rein.
Since 2019, he has appeared as recurring character Barclay Beg-Chetwynde in the BBC comedy Ghosts. In 2022, he appeared as the main character Russ, in Radio 4 comedy No-Platformed. The show's episode guide contains a humorous note about McGivern's extensive credit list, by starting a list of his credits and then adding "oh, hundreds of things".
In 2024, he appeared as recurring character Lord Rookwood in the Apple TV+ series The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin.
Movies & Shows on Plex
Filmography
2024 | The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin (TV Series) · as Lord Rookwood |
2022 | Sister Boniface Mysteries (TV Series) · as Malise Bonham Crane |
2021 | The Larkins (2021) (TV Series) · as Station Master Fox |
2020 | Stardust · as Mr. Jones |
2020 | Quiz (TV Series) · as Lieutenant Colonel Village |
2020 | Hapless (TV Series) · as Ronnie |
2020 | COBRA (2020) (TV Series) · as Gerald Kendrick |
2019 | Cold Call (TV Series) · as Simon Zima |
2019 | Ghosts (2019) (TV Series) · as Barclay Beg-Chetwynde |
2019 | This Time with Alan Partridge (TV Series) · as Old Lady |
2019 | Semi-Detached (TV Series) · as Barry |
2018 | Free Rein: The Twelve Neighs of Christmas · as Frank |
2018 | Hard Sun (TV Series) · as Alan Beeny |
2017 | Back (TV Series) · as Uncle Geoff |
2017 | Quacks (TV Series) · as The Pub Landlord |
2017 | Free Rein (TV Series) · as Frank |
2017 | Decline and Fall (TV Series) · as Mr. Wilson |
2017 | SS-GB (TV Series) · as Headmaster |
2017 | The Halcyon (TV Series) · as Lord Ambrose |
2016 | The Ghoul · as Morland |
2016 | The Lodge (TV Series) · as Patrick |
2016 | Brief Encounters (TV Series) · as Donald |
2016 | Upstart Crow (TV Series) · as Sir Thomas |
2016 | Here Boy · as Des |
2016 | Tracey Ullman's Show (TV Series) · as Peter |
2015 | Together (2015) (TV Series) · as Douglas The Neighbour |
2015 | Midwinter of the Spirit (TV Series) · as Tim Purefoy |
2015 | Valentine's Kiss (TV Series) · as Lucas Gardener |
2015 | The Royals (2015) (TV Series) · as Winston Moody |
2015 | Mr Bean: Funeral · as Priest |
2015 | Roald Dahl's Esio Trot · as Shop Keeper |
2014 | Grantchester (TV Series) · as Archdeacon |
2014 | |
2014 | Outlander (TV Series) · as Dr. Simms |
2014 | Siblings (TV Series) · as Frank |
2014 | The Widower (TV Series) · as Harbour Master |
2014 | Suspects (TV Series) · as Dr. Philip Cleaving |
2013 | Nixon's The One (TV Series) · as John Mitchell |
2013 | Still Open All Hours (TV Series) · as Jordan |
2013 | Drifters (TV Series) · as Hugh |
2013 | You, Me & Them (TV Series) · as Mervin Pegg |
2013 | Vicious (TV Series) · as Antonio St. Alexis |
2013 | |
2013 | The Mimic (TV Series) · as Kingsley |
2013 | Heading Out (TV Series) · as Humphrey |
2013 | Jo (TV Series) · as Jean Pelletier |
2013 | |
2012 | A Young Doctor's Notebook (TV Series) · as Pharmacist |
2012 | Some Girls (TV Series) · as Mr. Jefferies |
2012 | A Touch of Cloth (TV Series) · as Andy Preacherman |
2012 | Toast of London (TV Series) · as Acker Herron |
2012 | Dead Boss (TV Series) · as Tony |
2012 | Endeavour (TV Series) · as Lefty Townsend |
2011 | Holy Flying Circus · as Dog Walker /petitioner /man Whose Wife Malcolm Muggeridge Said Made A Lovely Breakfast |
2011 | Dark Matters (TV Series) · as Dr. Cameron |
2011 | Episodes (TV Series) · as Bob |
2010 | This is Jinsy (TV Series) · as Trince |
2009 | Kröd Mändoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire (TV Series) · as Old Man In Hood |
2009 | Law & Order: UK (TV Series) · as Geoffrey Sykes |
2009 | Cowards (TV Series) · as Narrator |
2008 | Little Dorrit (TV Series) · as Rugg |
2008 | Lab Rats (2008) (TV Series) · as Professor John Mycroft |
2008 | Margaret Thatcher: The Long Walk to Finchley · as Dartford Returning Officer |
2008 | Hancock & Joan · as Billy Marsh |
2008 | Freezing (TV Series) · as Cheese Man |
2008 | The Revenge Files of Alistair Fury (TV Series) · as Tommy |
2007 | Half Broken Things · as Jack |
2007 | The Armstrong & Miller Show (TV Series) · as Various Characters |
2007 | Magicians · as Magic Shop Manager |
2007 | Benidorm (2007) (TV Series) · as Beverley Westwood |
2006 | Hyperdrive (TV Series) · as Supreme Ruler |
2004 | The Worst Week of My Life (TV Series) · as Santa |
2003 | |
2003 | Blackball · as Brian Cronk |
2002 | 15 Storeys High (TV Series) · as Neville |
2002 | Look Around You (TV Series) · as Schoolmaster |
2002 | Believe Nothing (TV Series) · as Richard Nixon |
2002 | Thunderpants · as Metallurgist |
2001 | World of Pub (TV Series) · as Tribute Tom |
2000 | |
2000 | Doctors (TV Series) · as Charlie Burn |
1999 | |
1999 | All Along the Watchtower (TV Series) · as Greg |
1999 | Holby City (TV Series) · as Ed Cuthbert |
1998 | Big Train (TV Series) · as Policeman |
1998 | In The Red (TV Series) · as Clarence Twist |
1998 | The Very Thought of You · as Travel Agent |
1998 | Stressed Eric (TV Series) |
1998 | Playing the Field (TV Series) · as Mr Barratt |
1997 | Underworld (TV Series) · as Farmer |
1997 | Wing and a Prayer (TV Series) · as Don Gittings |
1997 | Jonathan Creek (TV Series) · as Barry Opper |
1997 | Bremner, Bird and Fortune (TV Series) · as Cast |
1996 | Annie's Bar (TV Series) · as Stiggy Bedford-Bounds |
1996 | Paul Merton in Galton & Simpson's... (TV Series) · as Sergeant |
1994 | Nice Day at the Office (TV Series) · as Gary Buston |
1993 | To Play the King (TV Series) · as Bill Rochester |
1993 | The Young Americans · as Brian Carver |
1993 | Chef! (TV Series) · as Bank Manager |
1992 | Absolutely Fabulous (TV Series) · as Customs Officer |
1992 | |
1992 | The Pall Bearer's Revue (TV Series) · as Cast |
1991 | Noel's House Party (TV Series) · as Actor In Gotcha Sketch |
1991 | Murder Most Horrid (TV Series) · as Mason |
1991 | Paul Merton: The Series (TV Series) · as David Murray |
1991 | Joking Apart (TV Series) · as Dave |
1991 | Lazarus and Dingwall (TV Series) · as Film Director |
1990 | Freddie and Max (TV Series) · as Neville |
1990 | Drop The Dead Donkey (TV Series) · as Repeat Introductions (voice) (uncredited) |
1990 | Ben Elton, the Man from Auntie (TV Series) |
1989 | The Misadventures of Mr. Wilt · as Mr. Yeo |
1989 | Birds Of A Feather (TV Series) · as Mr Blair |
1989 | KYTV (TV Series) · as Clifford Halliwell |
1989 | Press Gang (TV Series) · as Man In Restaurant |
1988 | Colin's Sandwich (TV Series) · as The 1st Writer |
1988 | Chelmsford 123 (TV Series) · as Wolfbane |
1987 | A Bit of Fry & Laurie (TV Series) · as Mr. Tollerby |
1987 | The New Statesman (1987) (TV Series) · as Producer |
1986 | Mr Pye (TV Series) · as Harry Portiner |
1986 | Mr. Pye · as Harry Portiner |
1985 | EastEnders (TV Series) · as Dickie Ticker |
1984 | The Bill (TV Series) · as Det. Sup. Hodges |
1984 | Alas Smith and Jones (TV Series) · as (various) |
1982 | Blackadder (TV Series) · as Ivor Biggun |
1977 | Rosie (TV Series) · as Arnold |