Shrapnel, John 1942-

PERSONAL

Full name, John Morley Shrapnel; born April 27, 1942, in Birmingham, England; son of Norman Shrapnel and Mary Lillian (maiden name, Edwards) Myfanwy; son-in-law of Deborah Kerr (an actress); married Francesca Anne Bartley, 1975; children: Joe Sebastian (a writer), Alexander "Lex" Carey (an actor), Thomas "Tom" Heydon (an actor). Education: St. Catharine's College, Cambridge, M.A. Avocational Interests: Mountaineering, walking, skiing, music, reading.

Addresses:

Agent—Independent Talent Group, Oxford House, 76 Oxford St., London W1D 1BS, England.

Career:

Actor. Performer with the Nottingham Playhouse Company, Nottingham, England; Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford-upon-Avon, England; Prospect Theatre Company; and National Theatre Company, London. Founding member of the National Youth Theatre and Granada Television Stables. Narrator for promotional trailers.

Awards, Honors:

Merit Award for narration, International Wildlife Film Festival, 1997.

CREDITS

Television Appearances; Series:

Sussex, Elizabeth R, BBC Two, 1971, broadcast on Masterpiece Theatre (also known as ExxonMobilMasterpiece Theatre and Mobil Masterpiece Theatre), PBS, c. 1972.

Major Alexander Hardinge, Edward and Mrs. Simpson, Thames Television, 1978, syndicated, 1980.

Thomas Roland, Sorrell and Son, Yorkshire Television (England), 1984, broadcast on Masterpiece Theatre (also known as ExxonMobil Masterpiece Theatre and Mobil Masterpiece Theatre), PBS, 1987.

Lord Steyne, Vanity Fair, BBC and Arts and Entertainment, 1987.

Dr. Jacobs, GBH (also known as G.B.H.), Channel 4 (England), 1991.

Deputy assistant commissioner (later Deputy chief constable) Trevor Dunning, Between the Lines (also known as Inside the Line), BBC, beginning 1992.

Commander Alan MacIntyre, Bodyguards, Independent Television (England), 1997.

Reverend Glasson, True Tilda, BBC, 1997.

Voice of storyteller, Creatures Fantastic, beginning 1997.

Narrator, Timewatch (also known as BBC History: Timewatch), BBC Two, beginning 2003.

Narrator, I Am Not an Animal (animated), BBC Two, 2004.

Prime minister Edward Shaw, The Palace, Independent Television (England), beginning 2008.

Narrator of Killing for a Living, BBC and Animal Planet.

Television Appearances; Miniseries:

Sir Percival Glyde, The Woman in White, BBC, 1982, broadcast on Mystery!, PBS, c. 1985, also broadcast on Arts and Entertainment.

Semper, Wagner, multiple networks, 1983, broadcast on Great Performances, PBS, 1983.

Ambrose Ashley, My Cousin Rachel, BBC, 1983, broadcast on Mystery!, PBS, c. 1985.

Detective Blake, Blackeyes (also known as Black-Eyes), BBC Two, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, and Television New Zealand (TVNZ), 1989, also released as a feature film.

Claud Wareing, Centrepoint, Channel 4 (England), 1990.

Archimandrite Todorsky, Young Catherine, TNT, 1991.

Gerd Schulte-Hillen, Selling Hitler, Euston Films, 1991.

Norman May-Boys (member of Parliament), For the Greater Good, BBC, 1991.

Downtown Lagos, BBC, 1991.

Narrator, Alien Empire (documentary), BBC and PBS, 1996.

Air marshal Bentley, Invasion: Earth, BBC Scotland and Sci-Fi Channel, 1998.

Governor of prison, The 10th Kingdom (also known as The Tenth Kingdom, Das 10te Koenigreich, and Das Zehnte Koenigreich), NBC, 2000.

Narrator, Mountain Men (documentary), BBC, 2001.

Voice, Empires: Egypt's Golden Empire (documentary), BBC Two and PBS, 2002.

Television Appearances; Movies:

The Three Hostages, BBC, 1977.

Matthias Erzberger, "Gossip from the Forest," Screenplay, Granada Television, 1979.

"The Sound of the Guns," Screenplay, Granada Television, 1979.

Sakharov, People from the Forest, BBC, 1981.

Reverend Charles Tucker Eland, "The Burston Rebellion, " Screen Two, BBC Two, 1985.

"Poppyland," Screen Two, BBC Two, 1985.

BKA police chief, Why Lockerbie? (also known as Lockerbie, Terminal Flight, and The Tragedy of Flight 103: The Inside Story), Granada Television, HBO, and Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen (Germany), 1990.

Odilo "Globus" Globocznik, Fatherland, HBO, 1994.

Heiger, "Black Easter" (also known as "No Man's Land"), Screen Two, BBC Two, 1995, also released theatrically, BBC Films, c. 1994.

General Charette, Hornblower: The Frogs and the Lobsters (also known as Horatio Hornblower: The Wrong War and Hornblower), Independent Television (England) and Arts and Entertainment, 1999.

Simon, Mary, Mother of Jesus (also known as Mary and Jesus, Mary & Jesus, Fecioara Maria, Maria—Die heilige Mutter Gottes, Maria, em nome da fe, Maria madre de Jesus, Maria, madre de Jesus, Maria, mae de Jesus, Maria, i mitera tou lisou, and Marie, mere de Jesus), NBC, 1999.

Monty Sinclair, The Gentleman Thief, BBC, 2001.

Challenger: Countdown to Disaster, Channel 4 (England) and National Geographic Channel, 2006.

Narrator, Hindenburg: Titanic of the Skies (also known as Hindenburg), Channel 4 (England), 2007.

Television Appearances; Specials:

Schoner, "The Stories of D. H. Lawrence: The Prussian Officer," ITV Playhouse, Independent Television (England), 1967.

Jamie, "The Ha-Ha," The Stables Theatre Company, Granada Television, 1969.

Wally Zuckerman, "It's Called the Sugar Plum," ITV Saturday Night Theatre (also known as ITV Sunday Night Theatre and Saturday Night Theatre), Independent Television (England), 1969.

"King Lear," Play of the Month, BBC, 1975.

Voice of Leonard Brazil, "Hitting Town," Plays for Britain, Thames Television, 1976.

McKendrick, Professional Foul, broadcast on BBC2 Play of the Week, BBC Two, 1977, broadcast on PBS, 1978.

Robert, "Flayed," Play of the Week, BBC, 1978.

Alcibiades, "Timon of Athens," The BBC Television Shakespeare (also known as BBC Shakespeare Series, The Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare, and The Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare: "Timon of Athens"), BBC Two, 1981, also broadcast on PBS.

Hector, "Troilus & Cressida," The BBC Television Shakespeare (also known as BBC Shakespeare Series, The Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare, and The Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare: "Troilus & Cressida"), BBC Two, 1981, also broadcast on PBS.

Kent, "King Lear," The BBC Television Shakespeare (also known as BBC Shakespeare Series, The Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare, and The Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare: "King Lear"), BBC Two and PBS, 1982.

Viktor Myshlaevsky, "The White Guard," Play of the Month, BBC, 1982.

Creon, "Oedipus the King," The Theban Plays (also known as The Theban Plays by Sophocles), BBC, 1984.

Creon, "Oedipus at Colonus," The Theban Plays (also known as The Theban Plays by Sophocles), BBC, 1984.

Creon, "Antigone," The Theban Plays (also known as The Theban Plays by Sophocles), BBC, 1984.

Prosecutor, The Deliberate Death of a Polish Priest, [Great Britain], c. 1985.

R (also known as "R": Rembrandt), BBC, 1992.

Roger, "Calling the Wild" (also known as "Calling the World"), Western Lights, Harlech Television West, 2000.

Narrator, 29 Glimpses at the Ghazi, [Europe], 2000.

Narrator, Top Cat, National Geographic Channel, 2000.

Narrator, "Jaguar: Eater of Souls," Survival Special, Independent Television (England), 2001.

Narrator, Animals of the Ocean Desert (also known as Riders of the Storm), National Geographic Channel, 2001.

Narrator, Accidents in Space, BBC and Travel Channel, 2002.

Narrator, The Race for Everest, BBC, 2003.

Narrator, Krakatoa, BBC, The Discovery Channel, France 2, and RTL (Germany), 2005.

Television Appearances; Episodic:

Zborowski, "A Requiem for Modigliani," Omnibus, BBC, 1970.

John Wimbourne, "Eve and Rodney Spurling," The Organisation (also known as The Organization), Yorkshire Television, 1972.

Anderson, "The Price of Innocence," Justice, Yorkshire Television, 1974.

Christopher Wimple, "Be Good, Sweet Maid," Good Girl, Yorkshire Television, 1974.

Christopher Wimple, "Does the Road Wind Uphill?," Good Girl, Yorkshire Television, 1974.

Christopher Wimple, "How Doth the Little Busy Bee?," Good Girl, Yorkshire Television, 1974.

Christopher Wimple, "If You Can Dream," Good Girl, Yorkshire Television, 1974.

John Claudius, "South Tower: Parts 1-3," Crown Court, Independent Television (England), 1974.

Captain Jack Tanner, "Death's Other Dominion," Space: 1999 (also known as Spazio: 1999), syndicated, 1975.

Oscar Patterson, "No One Wants Any Trouble," You're on Your Own, BBC, 1975.

George Stonehouse, "Scot Free," Z Cars, BBC, 1976.

Narrator, "The Living Goddesses of Nepal," The World about Us, BBC, 1977.

"Scalped: Parts 1-3," Crown Court, Independent Television (England), 1978.

Narrator, "Bali and the Flames of Death," The World about Us, BBC, 1979.

Vincent Craig, "The Victim" (six parts), Armchair Thriller, Thames Television, 1980.

Voice of German newsreel commentator, Private Schulz, BBC and Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 1981 (multiple episodes).

Cyril Burt, "The Intelligence Man," Horizon, BBC, 1983.

Presenter, "The Good and the Quick," Great Little Railways, BBC, 1983.

Adrian Vyner, "Music of a Dead Prophet," Mr. Palfrey of Westminster, Thames Television, 1985.

Narrator, "The Birth of the Bees," Patterns of Life, Anglia Television, 1986.

Narrator, "The Future of the Rich," Fortune, London Weekend Television, 1986.

Narrator, "It's a Frog's Life," Patterns of Life, Anglia Television, 1986.

Thomas Mann, "Thomas Mann's ‘The Magic Mountain,’" The Modern World: Ten Great Writers, London Weekend Television, 1988.

Donald, "Mrs. Worthington's Daughter," About Face, Independent Television (England), 1989.

Di Sotto, "Previous Convictions," TECX, Thames Television, 1990.

Jerry Rushbridge, "Easier for a Camel," The Good Guys, Yorkshire Television, 1992.

Voices of Claudius and ghost, "Hamlet," Shakespeare: The Animated Tales (animated), HBO, 1992.

Narrator, "Another Ark," Survival, Independent Television (England), 1993.

Roy Hall, "The Ladies Man—Archibald Hall" (also known as "Lady's Man—Archibald Hall"), Crime Story, Independent Television (England), 1993.

Dan Cheyney, "Episode 5," The Chief, Independent Television (England), 1994.

Narrator, "Firebird," Savage Paradise, BBC Two, 1994.

Narrator, "The Fishers of Galilee," Survival, Independent Television (England), 1994.

Narrator, "Lion Pride of Africa," Savage Paradise, BBC Two, 1994.

Narrator, "Pandas of the Sleeping Dragon," The Natural World, BBC and PBS, 1994.

Narrator, "Race for Life: Africa's Great Migration," The Natural World, BBC and PBS, 1994.

Narrator, "Reflections on Elephants," Savage Paradise, BBC Two, 1994.

Douglas Crown, "Dearth of a Salesman," Coogan's Run, BBC, 1995.

Mr. Justice Griffin, "A Family Affair," Kavanagh QC (also known as Kavanagh Q.C.), Central Independent Television (England), 1995.

Narrator, "King Arthur: His Life and Legends," Biography (also known as A&E Biography: King Arthur), Arts and Entertainment, c. 1995.

Dr. Sam Malvern, "Crazy for You," Wycliffe, Independent Television (England), 1996.

Narrator, "Himalaya," The Natural World, BBC and PBS, 1996.

Narrator, "Last Feast of the Crocodiles," The Natural World, BBC and PBS, 1996.

Narrator, "Komodo Dragon," The Natural World, BBC and PBS, 1997.

Julian Storrs, "Death Is Now My Neighbour," Inspector Morse (also known as Inspector Morse, Series II and Morse), Central Television, 1997, broadcast on Mystery!, PBS, 2000.

Max Jennings, "Written in Blood," Midsomer Murders, Independent Television (England), BBC, and Arts and Entertainment, 1998.

Narrator, "Borneo—Island in the Clouds," The Natural World, BBC and PBS, 1998.

Narrator, "Desert Foxes," Wild Tales from National Geographic (also known as Wild Tales), Channel 4 (England), 1998.

Narrator, "Sea Monsters," Wild Tales from National Geographic (also known as Wild Tales), Channel 4 (England), 1998.

Professor Lance Graumann, "The Omega Man," Jonathan Creek, BBC and PBS, 1999.

Narrator, "Supermassive Black Holes," Horizon, BBC Two, 2000.

Narrator, "The Death Star," Horizon, BBC Two, 2001.

Narrator, "The Missing Link," Horizon, BBC Two, 2001.

Narrator, "The Lost Pyramids of Caral," Horizon, BBC Two, 2002.

Raymond Brooks, "A Lesson in Murder," Foyle's War, Independent Television (England), 2002, broadcast on Masterpiece Theatre (also known as ExxonMobil Masterpiece Theatre and Mobil Masterpiece Theatre), PBS, 2003.

Narrator, "The Mystery of Easter Island," Horizon, BBC Two, 2003.

Nick, "Fairy Godfather," Spine Chillers, BBC, 2003.

Reader of the poem "Eternity" in the episode "Talking in Bed," Essential Poems, BBC Two, 2003.

Reader of the poems "Joys That Sting" and "Love Poem" in the episode "Love in a Life," Essential Poems, BBC Two, 2003.

Himself, "Actresses," Britain's Finest, Channel 5 (England), 2005.

Leo Clarke, "Death in Chorus," Midsomer Murders, Independent Television (England), BBC, and Arts and Entertainment, 2006.

Pompey, "Caesar," Ancient Rome: The Rise and Fall of an Empire, BBC, 2006, series broadcast in the United States as The Battle for Rome, The Discovery Channel, 2006.

Billy Palmer, "Once upon a Time on the Westway," The Last Detective, Independent Television (England), 2007.

Sergeant Mike McCaffrey, "Limbo," The Inspector Lynley Mysteries (also known as Inspector Lynley and Lynley), BBC and Seven Network (Australia), 2007.

Film Appearances:

Duet, [Great Britain], 1963.

Petya, Nicholas and Alexandra, Columbia, 1971.

Father James, Pope Joan (also known as The Devil's Imposter), Warner Bros., 1972.

John Clare, A Journey out of Hell, National Film School, 1974.

Tipaldi, Hennessy, Orion, 1975.

Commentator, Fashion Sense, White Swan Films, 1978.

The Tom Machine, National Film School, 1980.

Lionel, Personal Services, New Yorker Films, 1987.

Andre Zhdanov, Testimony (also known as Die Zeugenaussage), RM Associates, 1988.

General John Flood, Partition, Channel Four Films, 1988.

Dr. Mandelbaum (a psychiatrist), How to Get Ahead in Advertising, Warner Bros., 1989.

Detective Blake, Blackeyes (also known as Black-Eyes), c. 1989, broadcast as a miniseries on BBC Two, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, and Television New Zealand (TVNZ), 1989.

Heiger, Black Easter (also known as No Man's Land), BBC Films, c. 1994, broadcast on Screen Two, BBC Two, 1995.

Cinca, Two Deaths, Castle Hill Productions, 1995.

Samuel Pepys, England, My England, Channel Four Films/Ladbroke Films, 1995.

Skinner, 101 Dalmatians, Buena Vista, 1996.

Cain, Solo Shuttle, 1998.

Narrator, London—The Key Port (documentary), Port of London Authority, 1998.

Jeremy (public relations chief), Notting Hill (also known as The Notting Hill Project), Universal, 1999.

Gaius, Gladiator (also known as The Gladiators), Universal, 2000.

Admiral Bratyeev, K-19: The Widowmaker (also known as K*19: The Widowmaker, K-19—Showdown in der Tiefe, and K-19: Terreur sous la mer), Paramount, 2001.

Daukes, Sideshow, 2001.

Detective Hannah, Alone, Bedford Entertainment, 2001.

Moshe Cohen, The Body (also known as Das Geheimnisvolle Grab), TriStar, 2001.

Dr. Bloom, Shrink, 2002.

Lex Vandenberg, Claim, Buena Vista, 2002.

Whistle (short film), Short Film Bureau, 2002.

General, Mathilde, Zephyr Films, 2004.

Nestor, Troy (also known as Untitled "The Iliad" Project, Troia, Troie, Troija, Troja, Trooja, and Troya), Warner Bros., 2004.

Archbishop, The Headsman (also known as The Hangman's Tale, Henker, and Shadow of the Sword), Allegro Film, 2005.

Pickled old man, My Tumour & I (short film), New Myths, 2005.

Michael Kuhn, Alien Autopsy, Warner Bros., 2006.

Bernie, Sparkle, Vertigo Films, 2007.

Lord Howard, Elizabeth: The Golden Age (also known as The Golden Age, Elizabeth—Das goldene Koenigreich, and Elizabeth—L'age d'or), Universal, 2007.

Crowley, Chemical Wedding, Warner Bros., 2008.

Lorenzo Sapelli, Mirrors, Twentieth Century-Fox, 2008.

Stage Appearances:

Title role, Hamlet, City of London School, London, 1960.

Claudio, Measure for Measure, Nottingham Playhouse, Nottingham, England, 1965.

Balthasar, Much Ado about Nothing, Royal Shakespeare Company, Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, England, 1968.

Charles, As You Like It, Royal Shakespeare Company, Royal Shakespeare Theatre, 1968.

Gentleman, King Lear, Royal Shakespeare Company, Royal Shakespeare Theatre, 1968.

Patroclus, Troilus and Cressida, Royal Shakespeare Company, Royal Shakespeare Theatre, 1968.

Charles Surface, The School for Scandal, National Theatre, Old Vic Theatre, London, 1972.

Claudius, Hamlet, Donmar Warehouse and Piccadilly Theatre, both London, 1972.

Banquo, Macbeth, National Theatre, Old Vic Theatre, beginning 1972.

Endicott, The Front Page, National Theatre, Old Vic Theatre, beginning 1972.

Eddie, The Party, National Theatre, Old Vic Theatre, 1973.

Orsino, Twelfth Night (also known as Twelfth Night, or What You Will), National Theatre, Old Vic Theatre, beginning 1973.

Pentheus, The Bacchae of Euripides: A Communion Rite (also known as The Bacchae), National Theatre, Old Vic Theatre, beginning 1973.

Leonard Brazil, City Sugar, Bush Theatre, London, 1975.

Andrey, Three Sisters, Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford, England, and Cambridge Theatre, London, both 1976.

Tessman, Hedda Gabler, Duke of York's Theatre, London, 1977.

Dmitri Vaguin, The Children of the Sun, Royal Shakespeare Company, Aldwych Theatre, London, 1979.

Title role, Timon of Athens, Bristol Old Vic Theatre, Bristol, England, 1979.

Agamemnon, The Greeks: The Murders, Royal Shakespeare Company, Aldwych Theatre, 1980.

Agamemnon, The Greeks: The Wars, Royal Shakespeare Company, Aldwych Theatre, 1980.

Apollo, The Greeks: The Gods, Royal Shakespeare Company, Aldwych Theatre, 1980.

Hugh, No Limits to Love, Royal Shakespeare Company, The Warehouse, London, 1980.

Marcus Brutus, Julius Caesar, Riverside Studios, London, 1980.

Jeremy Crowther, Maydays, Royal Shakespeare Company, Barbican Theatre, London, 1985.

The Deliberate Death of a Polish Priest, Almeida Theatre Company, Almeida Theatre, London, c. 1985.

George Selincourt, A Penny for a Song, Royal Shakespeare Company, Barbican Theatre, 1986.

Sigmund, The Archbishop's Ceiling, Royal Shakespeare Company, The Pit, London, 1986.

Dr. Foustka, Temptation (also known as Havel's "Temptation"), Royal Shakespeare Company, The Other Place, Stratford-upon-Avon, England, beginning 1987, Gulbenkian Studio, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England, 1988, and The Pit, 1988.

Angelo, Measure for Measure, Royal Shakespeare Company, Barbican Theatre, 1988.

Title role, Oedipus, Royal Shakespeare Company, Almeida Theatre, 1988.

Dr. Hornby, A Kind of Alaska, Theatre Royal, London, 1989.

Creon, Oedipus Tyrannos [and] Oedipus at Colonus [and] Antigone, Royal Shakespeare Company, Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, England, beginning 1991, Newcastle Playhouse, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England, 1992, and Barbican Theatre, beginning 1992.

Reb Azriel, The Dybbuk, Royal Shakespeare Company, The Pit, 1992.

Claudius, Hamlet, Royal Shakespeare Company, Barbican Theatre, beginning 1992, then Royal Shakespeare Theatre, 1993.

Performer, Shakespeare's Language, Royal Shakespeare Company, The Pit, 1994.

Gibbs, The Hothouse, Chichester Festival Theatre, Minerva Studio Theatre, Chichester, England, 1995, then Comedy Theatre, London, beginning 1995.

Captain Bracken, South Pacific (musical), National Theatre, Olivier Theatre, London, 2001-2002.

Title role, Julius Caesar, Barbican Theatre, 2005, then Paris and Madrid, Spain.

Major Tours:

Reader, All the World's a Stage, Royal Shakespeare Company, English and Dutch cities, 1967.

Tolen, The Knack, Royal Shakespeare Company, English and Dutch cities, 1967.

Radio Appearances:

Voice of Inspector Morse, "The Wench Is Dead," Inspector Morse, BBC Radio Four, 1992.

Voice of Inspector Morse, "Last Seen Wearing," Inspector Morse, BBC Radio Four, 1994.

Voice of Inspector Morse, "The Silent World of Nicholas Quinn," Inspector Morse, BBC Radio Four, 1996.

Voice of Lord Minto, A Bequest to the Nation, BBC Radio Four, 2005.

Contributed the voice of Roberto Miranda to "Death and the Maiden," Soundstage. Performed in various other productions, including King Lear and Moonlight and celebrations honoring John Gielgud and Harold Pinter.

RECORDINGS

Videos:

(In archive footage) Narrator, I Am Not an Animal—I Am an Animation (short documentary), BBC, 2005.

Audiobooks:

Reader of "The Flower Seller" and "The Horn Flute," Part 14 of Story Teller 2 (audio cassette included with a magazine partwork; also known as Story Time), c. 1983.

(With others) Henrik Ibsen, A Doll's House (also known as Ibsen's "A Doll's House"), 1995.

Benedict Flynn, A Life of Dante, Naxos AudioBooks, 2001.

William Shakespeare, Richard III, New Cambridge Shakespeare Audio, Naxos AudioBooks, 2001.

(As Johann Sebastian Bach) Life and Works: Johann Sebastian Bach (also known as Life and Works of Bach), Naxos Educational Life and Works, 2002.

WRITINGS

Nonfiction; with Others:

(Contributor of an interview) Michael Romain, A Profile of Jonathan Miller, Cambridge University Press, 1992.