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.
Early life
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.
Career
1967–1977: Theatre debut and early roles
Paterson made his professional acting debut in 1967, and then in BAFTA award winning drama Licking Hitler. He then played King James in the UK television serial Will Shakespeare the same year. Paterson would later recall that the biggest regret of his career was during this period, when in 1978 he failed to attend an audition for a role in the film Alien. He played Lopakhin in the BBC production of The Cherry Orchard in 1981. Paterson did not, however, entirely neglect the theatre, and in 1982, he was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award for his performance as Schweyk in another Brecht play, Schweik in the Second World War at the National Theatre. He was in the original National Theatre production of Guys and Dolls (1982). and A Private Function (all 1984). He also performed in The Crow Road (1996), a miniseries from the novel by Iain Banks In television, much of his later work has been for the BBC, starring as Dr Douglas Monaghan in three seasons of the supernatural drama series Sea of Souls (2004–2007). He also played the key role of SIS Chief Percy Alleline in the 2009 BBC Radio 4 version of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.
In 2010, Paterson starred in Doctor Who as Professor Edwin Bracewell, in the episode "Victory of the Daleks", with his character making a second appearance in the opening half of the season finale, "The Pandorica Opens". Later in the year, Paterson narrated the BBC Four wildlife documentary Birds Britannia.
2011–2022: TV, film and radio
In 2011, Paterson starred in Fast Freddie, The Widow and Me. His most recent theatre is Earthquakes in London at the National Theatre in the summer of 2010. He also narrated the BBC's annual coverage of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo and in 2013 appeared as Adam Smith in The Low Road at the Royal Court.
Paterson played lawyer Ned Gowan in the 2014 Starz period TV series, Outlander. In 2014, Paterson landed a part as Douglas Henshall's father in TV series Shetland. He also narrated "Now Westlin' Winds", originally called "Composed in August" in a recording for Robert Burns 250 years, for the BBC.
In 2015, he starred alongside Brian Cox in a performance of Waiting for Godot at the Royal Lyceum Theatre.
In 2016, he narrated The Farmers' Country Showdown, a series for the BBC following the agricultural show season and broadcast early in 2017. In 2016, Paterson performed with his friend Simon Callow in The Rebel. He also appeared as the Scottish character Private Frazer in the remake film Dad's Army.
Beginning with the first season in 2016 and ending with the second season in 2019, Paterson played the father of the main character and her sister in the British TV show Fleabag. In 2019, Paterson also performed in the four-part BBC drama Guilt. He is the narrator of the British TV show The Repair Shop.
Personal life
In 1980, while filming The Lost Tribe, Paterson purchased a holiday home in Fordyce with fellow actor Miriam Margolyes.
In 1984, Paterson married German stage designer Hildegard Bechtler. They have a son and daughter.
Paterson has published a series of book stories, based on his childhood in Glasgow, entitled Tales From The Back Green.
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Filmography
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+
|-
! Year !! Title !! Role !! class="unsortable"|Notes
|-
|1978
| The Odd Job || Sergeant Mull ||
|-
|1982 || Scotch Myths || Samuel Johnson / Harry Lauder || written and directed by Murray Grigor and financed by Channel 4
|-
|1983 || The Ploughman's Lunch|| Lecturer ||
|-
| rowspan="3" |1984 || Comfort and Joy|| Alan "Dickie" Bird ||
|-
| The Killing Fields || Dr. MacEntire ||
|-
| A Private Function || Morris Wormold the Meat Inspector ||
|-
|1986
| Defence of the Realm || Jack MacLeod ||
|-
| rowspan="2" |1987
| Friendship's Death || Sullivan ||
|-
| Coming Up Roses || Mr. Valentine ||
|-
| rowspan="2" |1988
| Hidden City || Anthony ||
|-
| The Adventures of Baron Munchausen || Henry Salt ||
|-
| rowspan="2" |1989 || The Return of the Musketeers || Charles I ||
|-
| The Rachel Papers || Gordon Highway ||
|-
| rowspan="4" |1990
| The Witches || Mr. Herbert Jenkins ||
|-
| Bearskin: An Urban Fairytale || Jordan ||
|-
| Truly, Madly, Deeply || Sandy ||
|-
| Just Ask for Diamond || Chief Inspector Snape ||
|-
|1991
| The Object of Beauty || Victor Swayle ||
|-
|1992
| Chaplin || Stage Manager ||
|-
| rowspan="2" |1995
| The Turnaround || James Webb ||
|-
| Richard III || Sir Richard Ratcliff ||
|-
|1996
| Victory || Captain Davidson ||
|-
|1997
| Spice World || Brian ||
|-
|1998 || Hilary and Jackie|| Cello Teacher ||
|-
| rowspan="4" |1999 || Chrono-Perambulator|| Professor Teddy Knox || Short film
|-
| Heart || Mr. Kreitman ||
|-
| The Match || Tommy ||
|-
| Sunshine || Minister of Justice ||
|-
|2000 || Complicity|| Wallace Byatt ||
|-
| 2005 || Kingdom of Heaven ||Bishop || Director's cut only ||
|-
| 2005 || Rag Tale ||Lucky Lloyd ||
|-
| rowspan=2|2006 || Amazing Grace || Henry Dundas ||
|-
|Miss Potter
|Rupert Potter
|
|-
| rowspan=2|2009 || Creation ||Dr. Gully ||
|-
|| Into the Storm ||Clement Attlee ||
|-
|2010 || The Gruffalo|| The Gruffalo (voice) || Short film, Gaelic version
|-
| 2015 || The Vote || Simon Weatherstone ||
|-
|2016 || Dad's Army || Private Frazer || Film adaptation of original BBC sitcom
|-
| |2017 || The Man Who Invented Christmas|| Mr. Grimsby ||
|-
|2020
|| Rebecca || Dr. Baker ||
|-
|2025
|The House Was Not Hungry Then
|Dad (voice)
|
|}
Television
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Year
!Title
!Role
!Notes
|-
|1974/1977<br />1978/1980<br />1981/1983
|Play for Today
|7:48/Luke<br />Archie MacLean/Actor<br />Tony/Ron Brackett
|5 episodes
|-
|1976
|The Flight of the Heron
|Sergeant
|
|-
|1977
|Backs to the Land
|Forbes
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |1978
|ITV Playhouse
|Gary
|
|-
|Life of Shakespeare
|King James I
|
|-
| rowspan="3" |1979
|One Fine Day
|Second Man in Lift
|TV Film
|-
|Telford's Change
|Kevin
|
|-
|Scottish Playbill
|
|
|-
|1979–1981
|Crown Court
|Dr. Rutherford
|2 episodes
|-
|1980
|The Lost Tribe
|Moshe Kaydan
|
|-
|1981
|The Cherry Orchard
|Lopakhin
|TV Film
|-
|1982
|Smiley's People
|Lauder Strickland
|4 episodes
|-
|1983
|One of Ourselves
|Mr. Daly
|
|-
|1984
|Scotland's Story
|David Kirkwood/Thomas Muir
|2 episodes
|-
|1985
|Dutch Girls
|Mole
|TV Film
|-
| rowspan="3" |1986
|Auf Wiedersehen, Pet
|Ally Fraser
|13 episodes
|-
|God's Chosen Car Park
|Victor Rosen
|TV Film
|-
|The Singing Detective
|Dr. Gibbon
|4 episodes
|-
|1987
|Screenplay
|Colin/Det. Sup. Chase
|2 episodes
|-
|1988
|The Modern World: Ten Great Writers
|Titorelli
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |1989
|Traffik
|Jack Lithgow
|
|-
|Boon
|Peter Mortan
|Episode: "Arms and the Dog"
|-
| rowspan="2" |1990
|God on the Rocks
|Mr. Marsh
|TV Film
|-
|The Play on One
|Alex McPherson
|Episode: Yellowbacks
|-
| rowspan="2" |1991
|Shrinks
|Matt Hennessey
|
|-
|Murder Most Horrid
|Chief Inspector
|Episode: "The Case of the Missing"
|-
|1992
|Tell Tale Hearts
|Anthony Steadman
|3 episodes
|-
| rowspan="2" |1993
|In Dreams
|Dr. Gold
|TV Film
|-
|Screen One
|PC Howard Mullen
|Episode: "Wall of Silence"
|-
|1994
|Hard Times
|Stephen Blackpool
|4 episodes
|-
| rowspan="3" |1995
|Jackanory
|Storyteller
|Episode: The Dreamfighter and Other Creation Tales
|-
|Oliver's Travels
|Baxter
|4 episodes
|-
|The Ghostbusters of East Finchley
|Mr. Small
| rowspan="2" |TV Film
|-
| rowspan="3" |1996
|The Writing on the Wall
|Bull
|-
|The Crow Road
|Kenneth McHoan
|4 episodes
|-
|Sharman
|
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |1997
|Melissa
|DCI Cameron
|4 episodes
|-
|Mr. White Goes to Westminster
|Ben White
|TV Film
|-
| rowspan="2" |1998
|Out of Sight
|Marcus Mildew
|Episode: "Appearances Can Be Deceptive"
|-
|Oi! Get Off Our Train
|Walrus (Voice)
|Television Short
|-
|1999
|Wives and Daughters
|Mr. Gibson
|4 episodes
|-
|2000
|The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne
|Sir Nicol McLean
|Episode: "The Victorian Candidate"
|-
|2002
|Doctor Zhivago
|Alexander Gromyko
|2 episodes
|-
|2004
|Foyle's War
|Patrick Jamieson
|Episode: "Enemy Fire"
|-
|2004–2005
|Shoebox Zoo
|Narrator
|
|-
|2004–2006
|Sea of Souls
|Dr. Douglas Monaghan
|
|-
|2008
|Little Dorrit
|Mr. Meagles
|9 episodes
|-
|2009–2011
|Law & Order: UK
|George Castle
|26 episodes
|-
| rowspan="2" |2010
|Doctor Who
|Professor Edwin Bracewell
|"Victory of the Daleks"<br />"The Pandorica Opens"
|-
|Agatha Christie's Marple
|Mr. Bradley
|Episode: "The Pale Horse"
|-
| rowspan="2" |2011
|The Man Who Crossed Hitler
|Kurt Ohnesorge
| rowspan="2" |TV Movie
|-
|Fast Freddie, The Widow and Me
|Judge
|-
| rowspan="2" |2012
|Dirk Gently
|Professor Jericho
|1 episode
|-
|Falcón
|Ignacio Ortega
|Episode: "The Silent and the Damned"
|-
|2014
|37 Days
|Lord Morley
|3 episodes
|-
|2014–2015; 2017
|Outlander
|Ned Gowan
|TV series; Main role; 8 episodes (Seasons 1 & 3)
|-
|2014
|Shetland
|James Perez
|Episode: "Blue Lightning" (Parts 1 & 2)
|-
|2016–2017
|The Rebel
|Charles
|9 episodes
|-
|2016
|Churchill's Secret
|Lord Moran
|TV Film
|-
|2016–2019
|Fleabag
|Dad
|9 episodes
|-
|2018, 2024
|Inside No. 9
|Party Guest/Mr. Green
|2 episodes
|-
| rowspan="2" |2019
|Good Omens
|R.P. Tyler
|3 episodes
|-
|Guilt
|Roy Lynch
|2 episodes
|-
|2020
|Brassic
|Tom Tillerton
|2 episodes
|-
|2021
|Ted Lasso
|Richard Cole (voice) (uncredited)
|Episode: "Do the Right-est Thing"
|-
| rowspan="2" |2022
|The Sandman
|Dr. John Hathaway
|Episode: "Sleep of the Just"
|-
|House of the Dragon
|Lyman Beesbury
|8 episodes
|-
|2024
|Halo
|Ackerson's Father
|Episode: "Visegrad"
|-
|TBA
|Tomb Raider
|Winston
|Filming
|}
Notes
References
External links
- Playback/Law & Order Images of Bill Paterson