Bill Paterson
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
Born: 03 June 1945
Played In
Movie
May 2026
Ladies First
Louis
Movie
Dec 2025
Being Stanley Baxter
Self
Movie
Mar 2025
The House Was Not Hungry Then
Father
TV Show
Jan 2025
The Repair Shop on the Road
Self - Narrator
Movie
Sep 2024
Arthur's Whisky
Henry
Movie
Aug 2024
Children of the Wicker Man
Self
Movie
Aug 2023
A Bear Named Wojtek
Zoo Director (voice)
Movie
Nov 2022
The Spirit of 1926
Family Lawyer
TV Show
Aug 2022
House of the Dragon
Lord Lyman Beesbury
TV Show
Aug 2022
The Sandman
Dr. John Hathaway
TV Show
Mar 2022
Halo
Ackerson's Dad
Movie
Nov 2021
The Colour Room
Gordon Forsythe
TV Show
Nov 2021
Britain’s Scenic Railways
Narrator
Movie
Oct 2020
Rebecca
Dr. Baker
TV Show
Oct 2020
Between the Covers
Self
Movie
Sep 2020
Marionette
Dr. Mandelbaum
Movie
Jul 2020
Love Sarah
Felix
TV Show
Oct 2019
Guilt
Roy Lynch
TV Show
Aug 2019
Brassic
Tony Tillerton
Movie
Aug 2019
The Day Mountbatten Died
Narrator (voice)
TV Show
May 2019
Good Omens
Tadfield Neighbourhood Watch
Movie
Oct 2018
Happy New Year, Colin Burstead
Gordon Burstead
Movie
Sep 2018
Wonderdate
Kolodon
Movie
Oct 2017
The Man Who Invented Christmas
Mr. Grimsby
TV Show
Mar 2017
The Repair Shop
Narrator (voice)
TV Show
Jan 2017
Urban Myths
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
TV Show
Jul 2016
Fleabag
Dad
TV Show
Jul 2016
The Rebel
Charles
Movie
Feb 2016
Churchill's Secret
Lord Moran
Movie
Feb 2016
Dad's Army
Private Frazer
Movie
Nov 2015
High-Rise
Mercer
Movie
Sep 2015
Hitler on Trial: The Truth Behind the Story
Movie
May 2015
The Vote
Simon Featherstone
TV Show
Nov 2014
Scot Squad
Sir Neville Archibald
TV Show
Aug 2014
Outlander
Ned Gowan
TV Show
Mar 2014
37 Days
Lord Morley
Movie
Feb 2014
Documenting John Grierson
Narrator
TV Show
Feb 2014
Inside No. 9
Mr. Green
Movie
Jul 2013
The List
Reg Troughton
TV Show
Mar 2013
Shetland
James Perez
TV Show
Aug 2012
Them From That Thing
Various
Movie
Jul 2012
Scotland's Finest: The Story of the Highland Games
Narrator
TV Show
Mar 2012
Dirk Gently
Professor Jericho
Movie
Dec 2011
Fast Freddie, the Widow and Me
Judge Underwood
Movie
Aug 2011
The Man who Crossed Hitler
Kurt Ohnesorge
Movie
Jan 2011
The Phoenix: A Century of Cinema
Narrator (Voice)
TV Show
Nov 2010
Birds Britannia
TV Show
Aug 2010
The Michael Ball Show
Self
Movie
Oct 2009
Ghosts in the Machine
Himself
Movie
Sep 2009
Creation
Dr. Gully
Movie
Aug 2009
Spanish Flu: The Forgotten Fallen
Dr James Niven
Movie
May 2009
Into the Storm
Clement Attlee
TV Show
Feb 2009
Law & Order: UK
George Castle
Movie
Jan 2009
1929: The Great Crash
Narrator
Movie
Nov 2008
Gone Fishing
Old Bill
TV Show
Oct 2008
Little Dorrit
Mr. Meagles
Movie
Oct 2008
How to Lose Friends & Alienate People
Richard Young
TV Show
Jun 2008
Criminal Justice
Harry Box
Movie
Apr 2008
The Madness and Misadventures of Munchausen
Self - 'Henry Salt'
Movie
Jan 2008
The Man Who Lives with Bears
Self - Narrator (voice)
Movie
Mar 2007
Sherlock Holmes and the Baker Street Irregulars
Dr Watson
Movie
Feb 2007
The 50 Greatest Television Dramas
Self
Movie
Jan 2007
Intervention
Dr. Martin
Movie
Dec 2006
Miss Potter
Rupert Potter
Movie
Sep 2006
Amazing Grace
Lord Dundas
TV Show
Aug 2006
The One Show
Self - Guest
Movie
Jan 2006
A War on Science
Narrator (voice)
Movie
Jan 2006
Fascism in Colour
Narrator (voice)
TV Show
Dec 2005
A Passion for Churches
Narrator
TV Show
Nov 2005
ShakespeaRe-Told
Movie
Oct 2005
Rag Tale
Tulloch 'Lucky' Lloyd
TV Show
Mar 2005
Doctor Who
Edwin Bracewell
TV Show
Dec 2004
Agatha Christie's Marple
Bradley
Movie
Nov 2004
Lie with Me
DCI Collman
TV Show
Nov 2004
Lie with Me
DCI Collman
TV Show
Sep 2004
Shoebox Zoo
The Storyteller (voice)
TV Show
Feb 2004
Sea of Souls
Dr. Douglas Monaghan
Movie
Oct 2003
Bright Young Things
Sir James Brown
TV Show
Sep 2003
Canterbury Tales
Theo
Movie
Apr 2003
Danielle Cable: Eyewitness
DI Nick Biddiss
TV Show
Jan 2003
Trust
John Tilson
TV Show
Nov 2002
Doctor Zhivago
Alexander Maximovich Gromeko
TV Show
Oct 2002
Foyle's War
Patrick Jamieson
TV Show
Jul 2002
Battle of the Atlantic
Himself - Narrator
Movie
Jun 2002
Crush
Gerald
Movie
Jun 2002
Home Road Movies
Father
TV Show
Apr 2002
Born and Bred
Harry Woolf
Movie
Apr 2002
The Entity
Movie
Dec 2001
Othello
Sinclair Carver
Movie
Apr 2001
The Whistle-Blower
D.I. Neil Sleightholme
Movie
Mar 2001
Behind Bars
Narrator
TV Show
Jan 2001
Rebel Heart
James Connolly
TV Show
Jun 2000
The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne
Movie
May 2000
Complicity
Wallace Byatt
Movie
Dec 1999
Chrono-Perambulator
Professor Teddy Knox
TV Show
Nov 1999
Wives and Daughters
Mr Gibson
Movie
Sep 1999
Sunshine
Minister of Justice
Movie
Aug 1999
The Match
Tommy
Movie
Jan 1999
Heart
Mr. Kreitman
Movie
Dec 1998
Hilary and Jackie
Cello Teacher
Movie
Dec 1998
The Animal Train
Walrus
Movie
Dec 1997
Mr White Goes To Westminster
Ben White
Movie
Dec 1997
Spice World
Brian
TV Show
Oct 1997
Arthouse
Self
TV Show
May 1997
Melissa
DCI Cameron
Movie
Dec 1996
Victory
Capt. Davidson
TV Show
Nov 1996
The Crow Road
Kenneth McHoan
Movie
Jul 1996
The Writing on the Wall
Bull
Movie
Jan 1996
Chaplin's Goliath
Narrator (voice)
Movie
Dec 1995
Richard III
Sir Richard Ratcliffe
TV Show
Nov 1995
The Ghostbusters of East Finchley
Joe Small
Movie
Aug 1995
The Pen
TV Show
Jun 1995
Oliver's Travels
Baxter
Movie
Apr 1995
The Turnaround
James Webb
TV Show
Apr 1995
Sharman
James Webb
Movie
Mar 1995
The Riddle of the Sands
Narrator
TV Show
Aug 1994
Junior Masterchef
Movie
Apr 1994
Hard Times
Stephen Blackpool
TV Show
Apr 1994
Hard Times
Stephen Blackpool
Movie
Oct 1993
Wall of Silence
Howard Mullen
Movie
Dec 1992
God on the Rocks
Kenneth Marsh
Movie
Dec 1992
In Dreams
Dr Gold
Movie
Dec 1992
Chaplin
Stage Manager
Movie
Nov 1992
Tell Tale Hearts
Anthony Steadman
TV Show
Nov 1991
Murder Most Horrid
Chief Inspector
Movie
May 1991
Truly Madly Deeply
Sandy
Movie
Apr 1991
The Object of Beauty
Victor Swayle
Movie
Aug 1990
Yellowbacks
Alex McPherson
Movie
May 1990
The Witches
Mr Jenkins
Movie
Nov 1989
Bearskin: An Urban Fairytale
Jordan
TV Show
Sep 1989
Screen One
PC Howard Mullen
TV Show
Jun 1989
Traffik
John Lithgow
Movie
May 1989
The Rachel Papers
Gordon Highway
Movie
Apr 1989
The Return of the Musketeers
Charles I
Movie
Dec 1988
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
Henry Salt
Movie
Oct 1988
Franz Kafka's 'The Trial'
Titorelli
Movie
Sep 1988
Just Ask for Diamond
Chief Inspector Snape
Movie
Apr 1988
Byrne About Byrne
Father/F.S. McDade
TV Show
Jan 1988
The Play on One
Alex McPherson
TV Show
Jan 1988
The Modern World: Ten Great Writers
Titorelli
Movie
Dec 1987
The Story of a Recluse
The Producer
Movie
Sep 1987
The Interrogation of John
Det. Supt. Chase
Movie
Aug 1987
Friendship's Death
Sullivan
Movie
Jul 1987
Lily My Love
Colin
Movie
Jun 1987
Hidden City
Anthony
Movie
Feb 1987
Coming Up Roses
Mr. Valentine
Movie
Dec 1986
God's Chosen Car Park
Victor Rosen
TV Show
Nov 1986
The Singing Detective
Dr Gibbon
TV Show
Jul 1986
ScreenPlay
Colin
TV Show
Jul 1986
ScreenPlay
Det. Supt. Chase
Movie
May 1986
Defence of the Realm
Jack Macleod
Movie
Dec 1985
Shooting from the Heart: Chris Menges, Cameraman
Self
Movie
Oct 1985
Dutch Girls
Mr Mole
Movie
Nov 1984
The Killing Fields
Dr. MacEntire
Movie
Nov 1984
A Private Function
Wormold
Movie
Aug 1984
Comfort and Joy
Alan
TV Show
Nov 1983
Auf Wiedersehen, Pet
Ally Fraser
Movie
May 1983
The Ploughman's Lunch
Lecturer
TV Show
Sep 1982
Smiley's People
Lauder Strickland
Movie
Dec 1981
United Kingdom
Tony
Movie
Oct 1981
The Cherry Orchard
Lopakhin
Movie
Feb 1979
One Fine Day
Third Man in Lift
Movie
Nov 1978
The Vanishing Army
Girling
Movie
Oct 1978
Jackie McCafferty's Romance
Bus Conductor
Movie
Aug 1978
The Odd Job
Sergeant Mull
TV Show
Jun 1978
Life of Shakespeare
King James I
Movie
Jan 1978
Licking Hitler
Archie MacLean
Movie
Dec 1977
The Thin End of the Wedge
Luke
TV Show
Sep 1977
BBC2 Play of the Week
Girling
Movie
Jan 1977
The Garden Beyond
Jim Finlayson
Movie
Jun 1974
The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil
Various
Movie
Jan 1974
Clydescope
Model Boat Show Commentator (voice) (uncredited)
Movie
Jan 1974
Suilven Spring
Movie
Jan 1973
Passing Places
TV Show
Oct 1970
Play for Today
Luke
TV Show
Oct 1970
Play for Today
Archie MacLean
TV Show
Oct 1967
Omnibus
TV Show
Feb 1964
Horizon
Movie
The White Room
Jackie Jordan
TV Show
Tomb Raider
Winston
TV Show
Kill Jackie
Owain