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Bill Paterson

Bill Paterson

Acting

Born: June 3, 1945Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland, UK

William Tulloch Paterson (born 3 June 1945) is a Scottish actor. Throughout his career he has appeared regularly in radio drama and provided the narration for a large number of documentaries. Paterson has appeared in films and television series including Comfort and Joy (1984), Traffik (1989), Auf Wiedersehen, Pet (1986), Truly, Madly, Deeply (1990), The Witches (1990), Wives and Daughters (1999), Sea of Souls (2004–2007), Amazing Grace (2006), Miss Potter (2006), Little Dorrit (2008), Doctor Who (2010), Outlander (2014), Fleabag (2016–2019), Inside No. 9 (2018), Good Omens (2019), Brassic (2020) and House of the Dragon (2022). He is a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Scottish BAFTAs. William Tulloch Paterson was born in Glasgow on 3 June 1945. Paterson was raised in Dennistoun by his father, a plumber, and his mother, a hairdresser. He states that his interest in acting began with a school trip to the Citizens Theatre in the Gorbals in 1961. However, after school he chose to initially pursue a career based on an interest in architecture and spent three years as a quantity surveyor's apprentice before deciding to attend the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama

Known For
Filmography
Being Stanley Baxter

Being Stanley Baxter

Self

2025
The House Was Not Hungry Then

The House Was Not Hungry Then

Father

2025
Arthur's Whisky

Arthur's Whisky

Henry

2024
Children of the Wicker Man

Children of the Wicker Man

Self

2024
A Bear Named Wojtek

A Bear Named Wojtek

Zoo Director (voice)

2023
The Spirit of 1926

The Spirit of 1926

Family Lawyer

2022
The Colour Room

The Colour Room

Gordon Forsythe

2021
Rebecca

Rebecca

Dr. Baker

2020
Marionette

Marionette

Dr. Mandelbaum

2020
Love Sarah

Love Sarah

Felix

2020
The Day Mountbatten Died

The Day Mountbatten Died

Narrator (voice)

2019
Happy New Year, Colin Burstead

Happy New Year, Colin Burstead

Gordon Burstead

2018
Wonderdate

Wonderdate

Kolodon

2018
The Man Who Invented Christmas

The Man Who Invented Christmas

Mr. Grimsby

2017
Churchill's Secret

Churchill's Secret

Lord Moran

2016
Dad's Army

Dad's Army

Private Frazer

2016
High-Rise

High-Rise

Mercer

2015

Hitler on Trial: The Truth Behind the Story

2015
The Vote

The Vote

Simon Featherstone

2015

Documenting John Grierson

Narrator

2014
The List

The List

Reg Troughton

2013
Scotland's Finest: The Story of the Highland Games

Scotland's Finest: The Story of the Highland Games

Narrator

2012
Fast Freddie, the Widow and Me

Fast Freddie, the Widow and Me

Judge Underwood

2011
The Man who Crossed Hitler

The Man who Crossed Hitler

Kurt Ohnesorge

2011

The Phoenix: A Century of Cinema

Narrator (Voice)

2011

Ghosts in the Machine

Himself

2009
Creation

Creation

Dr. Gully

2009
Spanish Flu: The Forgotten Fallen

Spanish Flu: The Forgotten Fallen

Dr James Niven

2009
Into the Storm

Into the Storm

Clement Attlee

2009
1929: The Great Crash

1929: The Great Crash

Narrator

2009
Gone Fishing

Gone Fishing

Old Bill

2008
How to Lose Friends & Alienate People

How to Lose Friends & Alienate People

Richard Young

2008
The Madness and Misadventures of Munchausen

The Madness and Misadventures of Munchausen

Self - 'Henry Salt'

2008
The Man Who Lives with Bears

The Man Who Lives with Bears

Self - Narrator (voice)

2008
Sherlock Holmes and the Baker Street Irregulars

Sherlock Holmes and the Baker Street Irregulars

Dr Watson

2007
The 50 Greatest Television Dramas

The 50 Greatest Television Dramas

Self

2007
Intervention

Intervention

Dr. Martin

2007
Miss Potter

Miss Potter

Rupert Potter

2006
Amazing Grace

Amazing Grace

Lord Dundas

2006
A War on Science

A War on Science

Narrator (voice)

2006
Fascism in Colour

Fascism in Colour

Narrator (voice)

2006
Rag Tale

Rag Tale

Tulloch 'Lucky' Lloyd

2005
Lie with Me

Lie with Me

DCI Collman

2004
Bright Young Things

Bright Young Things

Sir James Brown

2003
Danielle Cable: Eyewitness

Danielle Cable: Eyewitness

DI Nick Biddiss

2003

Home Road Movies

Father

2002
Crush

Crush

Gerald

2002
The Entity

The Entity

2002
Othello

Othello

Sinclair Carver

2001
The Whistle-Blower

The Whistle-Blower

D.I. Neil Sleightholme

2001
Behind Bars

Behind Bars

Narrator

2001
Complicity

Complicity

Wallace Byatt

2000

Chrono-Perambulator

Professor Teddy Knox

1999
Sunshine

Sunshine

Minister of Justice

1999
The Match

The Match

Tommy

1999
Heart

Heart

Mr. Kreitman

1999
Hilary and Jackie

Hilary and Jackie

Cello Teacher

1998
The Animal Train

The Animal Train

Walrus

1998
Mr White Goes To Westminster

Mr White Goes To Westminster

Ben White

1997
Spice World

Spice World

Brian

1997
Victory

Victory

Capt. Davidson

1996
The Writing on the Wall

The Writing on the Wall

Bull

1996
Chaplin's Goliath

Chaplin's Goliath

Narrator (voice)

1996
Richard III

Richard III

Sir Richard Ratcliffe

1995

The Pen

1995
The Turnaround

The Turnaround

James Webb

1995
The Riddle of the Sands

The Riddle of the Sands

Narrator

1995
Hard Times

Hard Times

Stephen Blackpool

1994
Wall of Silence

Wall of Silence

Howard Mullen

1993
God on the Rocks

God on the Rocks

Kenneth Marsh

1992

In Dreams

Dr Gold

1992
Chaplin

Chaplin

Stage Manager

1992

Tell Tale Hearts

Anthony Steadman

1992
Truly Madly Deeply

Truly Madly Deeply

Sandy

1991
The Object of Beauty

The Object of Beauty

Victor Swayle

1991
Yellowbacks

Yellowbacks

Alex McPherson

1990
The Witches

The Witches

Mr Jenkins

1990
Bearskin: An Urban Fairytale

Bearskin: An Urban Fairytale

Jordan

1989
The Rachel Papers

The Rachel Papers

Gordon Highway

1989
The Return of the Musketeers

The Return of the Musketeers

Charles I

1989
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen

The Adventures of Baron Munchausen

Henry Salt

1988
Franz Kafka's 'The Trial'

Franz Kafka's 'The Trial'

Titorelli

1988
Just Ask for Diamond

Just Ask for Diamond

Chief Inspector Snape

1988
Byrne About Byrne

Byrne About Byrne

Father/F.S. McDade

1988
The Interrogation of John

The Interrogation of John

Det. Supt. Chase

1987
Friendship's Death

Friendship's Death

Sullivan

1987
Lily My Love

Lily My Love

Colin

1987
Hidden City

Hidden City

Anthony

1987
Coming Up Roses

Coming Up Roses

Mr. Valentine

1987

God's Chosen Car Park

Victor Rosen

1986
Defence of the Realm

Defence of the Realm

Jack Macleod

1986
Shooting from the Heart: Chris Menges, Cameraman

Shooting from the Heart: Chris Menges, Cameraman

Self

1985
Dutch Girls

Dutch Girls

Mr Mole

1985
The Killing Fields

The Killing Fields

Dr. MacEntire

1984
A Private Function

A Private Function

Wormold

1984
Comfort and Joy

Comfort and Joy

Alan

1984
The Ploughman's Lunch

The Ploughman's Lunch

Lecturer

1983
United Kingdom

United Kingdom

Tony

1981
The Cherry Orchard

The Cherry Orchard

Lopakhin

1981
One Fine Day

One Fine Day

Third Man in Lift

1979
The Vanishing Army

The Vanishing Army

Girling

1978
Jackie McCafferty's Romance

Jackie McCafferty's Romance

Bus Conductor

1978
The Odd Job

The Odd Job

Sergeant Mull

1978
Licking Hitler

Licking Hitler

Archie MacLean

1978
The Thin End of the Wedge

The Thin End of the Wedge

Luke

1977

The Garden Beyond

Jim Finlayson

1977
The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil

The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil

Various

1974

Suilven Spring

1974
Clydescope

Clydescope

Model Boat Show Commentator (voice) (uncredited)

1974

Passing Places

1973