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Paul Freeman (actor)

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Paul Freeman
Freeman in 2016
Born (1943-01-18) 18 January 1943 (age 81)
Barnet, Hertfordshire, England, United Kingdom
OccupationActor
Years active1967–present
Spouse(s)Judy Matheson
(m. 1967; div.)
Maggie Scott
Children1

Paul Freeman (born 18 January 1943) is an English actor who has appeared in theatre, television and film. Internationally, he is known for playing the rival archaeologist René Belloq in Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), evil wine baron Gustav Riebmann on season 4 of the soap opera Falcon Crest (1984–85), and supervillain Ivan Ooze in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie (1995). His other credits include Morlang (2001), When I'm 64 (2004), Hot Fuzz (2007) and Hard Boiled Sweets (2012). In the UK, he had a leading role in the television series Yesterday's Dreams (1987) as Martin Daniels.

Referring to Freeman's extensive theatre work, in 1995 the Los Angeles Times described him as "one of Britain's best-regarded actors, classically trained, with stints at the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre".[1]

Early life

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Freeman was born in Barnet, Hertfordshire, on 18 January 1943.[citation needed]

Career

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Freeman began his career in advertising and teaching, and gained small roles in the theatre, appearing in productions of A Midsummer Night's Dream and Hamlet. He had roles at the National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company.[1]

Freeman made his television debut in 1978 in the serial Will Shakespeare (1978).[2] He also acted in the docudrama Death of a Princess,[2] a film about the execution of Misha'al bint Fahd al Saud of Saudi Arabia. Freeman began his feature film career in 1980 when he appeared in The Long Good Friday,[2] and The Dogs of War.[2] In 1981, he starred in the TV show Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years.[2]

In the same year, Steven Spielberg and George Lucas chose Freeman to play archaeologist René Belloq, the archrival to Indiana Jones, in the adventure film Raiders of the Lost Ark,[2] opposite Harrison Ford. The film led to Freeman becoming typecast in villainous roles, especially Nazis.[3] He played the conniving wine baron Gustav Riebmann in the fourth season of Falcon Crest, airing in 1984–1985.[2]

Freeman starred as Martin Daniels in the series Yesterday's Dreams in 1987.[2]

In 1988, Freeman played Professor Moriarty in comedy film Without a Clue,[2] which starred Michael Caine as a mini-brained Sherlock Holmes and Ben Kingsley as Watson, who is secretly the real crime-solving genius. In 1995, Freeman was cast as the villain Ivan Ooze in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie.[1]

Freeman guest-starred in television shows such as Monarch of the Glen,[2] ER,[2] Falcon Crest,[2] and The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles.[2] He also played in several mini-series, including Murderers Among Us: The Simon Wiesenthal Story (1989),[2] and The Final Cut (1995).[2] In 2004, Freeman played Angus, Bobby Jones' caddie, in Bobby Jones: A Stroke of Genius.[2] During 2006 and 2007, he starred in the drama New Street Law.[2] Also in 2007, he played Rev. Philip Shooter of Sandford in Hot Fuzz.[2]

Among his television work, Freeman has appeared in an episode of Midsomer Murders,[2] titled "Down Among the Dead Men". He also appeared in the Waking the Dead,[2] in the episode "Straw Dog", and played Adam Kingsley in the BBC adaptation of Minette Walters' The Dark Room.[2] He was seen in the episode "Appointment with Death", as Colonel Carbury in Agatha Christie's Poirot.[2]

Freeman appeared as George Aaranow in the 2008 London revival of David Mamet's Glengarry Glen Ross.[2]

In 2012, Freeman played Thomas Erpingham in the BBC adaptation of William Shakespeare's Henry V from The Hollow Crown series.[2]

Personal life

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Freeman is married to Maggie Scott, who was his co-star in the 1980 film The Dogs of War.[4] They have one daughter.[4] Freeman was previously married to actress Judy Matheson.

Freeman and Scott are both co-founders of the charity UK Friends of Healing Focus (UKHF),[5] which works in partnership with Uganda NGO, Healing Focus Orphanage Centre.[6] Freeman is a regular visitor to the orphanage.[7]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1975 Feelings Paul Martin
1980 The Long Good Friday Colin
The Dogs of War Derek Godwin
1981 Raiders of the Lost Ark René Emile Belloq Nominated - Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor
1982 An Unsuitable Job for a Woman James Calendar
Who Dares Wins Sir Richard
The Sender Dr. Joseph Denman
1983 Si elle dit oui... je ne dis pas non Nick
1984 Flight to Berlin Nicholas
Sakharov Pavel Leontiev
1986 Shanghai Surprise Walter Faraday
1988 Prisoner of Rio Ronald Biggs
A World Apart Kruger
Without a Clue Professor Moriarty
1990 The Last Island Sean
Eminent Domain Ben
1992 Just Like a Woman Miles Millichamp
Aces: Iron Eagle III Gustav Kleiss
1993 Piccolo Grande Amore Otto Von Dix
1995 The Horseman on the Roof Laurent de Theus
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie Ivan Ooze
1996 Squillo Marco
1997 Double Team Alex Goldsmythe
2000 The 3 Kings Melchior
2001 Morlang Julius Morlang Cairo International Film Festival Award for Best Actor
2002 Mrs Caldicot's Cabbage War Jenkins
And Now... Ladies and Gentlemen English customer
The elephant and the snail Narrator Animated short film
Haker President of MIT
2003 George and the Dragon Sir Robert
2004 Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius Angus
2005 The Feast of the Goat Agustin
2007 Hot Fuzz Rev. Philip Shooter
A Girl and a Gun Eddie Video short
2010 Centurion Governor Agricola
2011 Viral Salvo Short film
2012 Hard Boiled Sweets Shrewd Eddie
A Fantastic Fear of Everything Dr. Friedkin
After Death The inventor
2013 Getaway The Man
Trimming Pablo Pablo Picasso Short film
Bad Day at the Office Narrator
2014 Promakhos Callum
2015 A Private Man Old man Short film
2016 High Strung Kramrovsky
The Gatehouse Evelyn Eldritch
2018 Viking Destiny Tarburn
2022 The Man from Rome Father Ferro
2023 Paris Christmas Waltz Henry Fontaine
2025 Whispers of Freedom Erich Honecker Post-production
TBA The Thursday Murder Club Post-production

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1967 Champion House Elwyn Episode: "The Saddest Words"
1972 The Last of the Baskets Bernard Rage Episode: "Since Then I Have Used No Other"
1972 Jason King Revolutionary Episode: "Zenia"
1972 The Protectors Mechanic Episode: "A Kind of Wild Justice"
1973 Coronation Street  Terry Slade Episode: "Terry Slade"
1974 Crown Court Leonard Tyler Episode: "Good and Faithful Friends: Pt. 1"
1976 Couples Douglas Broom 3 episodes
1976 The XYY Man Ray Lynch 3 episodes
1978 Scorpion Tales Oliver Benthall Episode: "The Great Albert"
1978 Crown Court John Bernard Episode: "The Song Not the Singer: Pt.1"
1978 Will Shakespeare Dick Burbage 6 episodes
1980 Death of a Princess Christopher Ryder Television film
1980 Play for Today Alexander Kutsov Episode: "A Walk in the Forest"
1981 Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years Ralph Wigram 3 episodes
1981 Play for Today Doctor Episode: "No Visible Scar"
1982 BBC2 Playhouse Max Episode: "The Workshop"
1982 Play for Today Willie Episode: "Willie's Last Stand"
1982 Crown Court Defence Counsel Episode: "Face Value: Pt. 1"
1982 Gavilan Mr. Snow Episode: "Sarah and the Buzz"
1983 Enemies of the State Julius Tomin Television film
1984 Cagney & Lacey Yves Benoit Episode: "Victimless Crime"
1984 Mitch Harry Warren Episode: "Postman's Knock"
1984–1985 Falcon Crest Gustav Riebmann 19 episodes
1985 A.D. Cornelius the Centurion TV miniseries
1987 Yesterday's Dreams Martin Daniels 7 episodes
1989 Twist of Fate SS-Oberfuhrer Mittendorf 2 episodes
1989 Magic Moments Brian Swann Television film
1990 May Wine Tom Television film; AKA Les belles Américaines
1992–1993 The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles Frederick Selous 2 episodes
1992 Double Edge Ferese Television film
1994 Viper Dr. Samuels Episode: "Once a Thief"
1994 Grushko Bosenko 2 episodes
1994 Lie Down with Lions Dubois Television film
1995 The Final Cut Tom Makepeace 4 episodes
1996 Tales from the Crypt Alistair Touchstone Episode: "Smoke Wrings"
1996 Samson and Delilah Manoah Miniseries
1997 The Ruth Rendell Mysteries Julius Sorensen 2 episodes
1998 Only Love Dallesandro Television film
1998–2002 ER Dr. Charles Corday 3 episodes
1999 The Dark Room Adam Kingsley Television film
1999 The Devil's Arithmetic Rabbi Television film
2000 Rough Treatment Mr. Masters Television film
2000 Inspector Morse Frank Harrison Episode: "The Remorseful Day"
2002 Monarch of the Glen Andrew Booth 11 episodes
2002 Fields of Gold Sir James Ferneyhough Television film
2004 When I'm 64 Ray Television film
2005 Waking the Dead Dr. Hoyle 2 episodes
2006 Midsomer Murders Sir John Waverly Episode: "Down Among The Dead Men"
2006–2007 New Street Law Laurence Scammel QC 14 episodes
2006 Number 13 Mr Harrington, Cathedral Archivist Television film; adaptation of M. R. James short story "Number 13"
2007 Diamond Geezer Sergey Episode: "Old Gold"
2007 The Whistleblowers Joseph Cole 2 episodes
2007 Hotel Babylon Sir Christopher Price Episode #3.1
2008 Agatha Christie's Poirot Col. Carbury Episode: "Appointment With Death"
2009 The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler Monsignor Godlewski Television film
2009 Spanish Flu: The Forgotten Fallen Sir Arthur Newsholme Television film
2009 Lark Rise to Candleford Old Edmund Episode #2.8
2010 Spooks Levi Cohen Episode #9.5
2012 Strike Back Peter Evans 2 episodes
2012 Henry V Thomas Erpingham Television film
2013 The Bible Samuel 2 episodes
2013 Lucan John Pearson Episode #1.1
2015 Da Vinci's Demons The Architect 4 episodes
2016 Tokyo Trial William Donald Patrick, Lord Patrick 4 episodes
2017–2020 Absentia Warren Byrne 30 episodes
2018 A Very English Scandal Sir Joseph Cantley Episode #1.3
2022 The Man Who Fell to Earth Gregory Papel Episode: "Unwashed and Somewhat Slightly Dazed"

References

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  1. ^ a b c Gritten, David (28 June 1995). "Oberon to Ooze – It's All in a Day's Work". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 29 December 2010.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x "Paul freeman credits". tvguide.com. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
  3. ^ Gibson, Ellie (18 April 2008). "Belloq from Indiana Jones". eurogamer.net. Retrieved 25 December 2017.
  4. ^ a b "When I'm 64". BBC. 2 July 2004. Retrieved 28 July 2018.
  5. ^ "UK healingfocus — The Trustees". UK healingfocus. Archived from the original on 1 June 2014. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
  6. ^ "UK healingfocus — Our history". UK healingfocus. Archived from the original on 1 June 2014. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
  7. ^ "Finding Ford – Interview Two – The Raiders Villains (Cardiff 30/10/17)". findingford.com. 30 October 2017. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
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