Alun Armstrong

Posted on by Tony CrawleyCategories:Actors

 

  1. Gareth Thomas, Blake’s 7, TV, 1978-1981.     Still going strong at the BBC 35 years later in New Tricks, the County Durham actor was seen for Roj Blake, head of what Terry Nation (also the creator of Doctor Who’s Daleks) pitched as The Dirty Dozen In Space… His rivals included Tom Adams. Warren Clarke, Maurice Colbourne, Brian Croucher (he played Travis for six episodes), Paul Darrow (who became the icy Avon), Peter Egan, Martin Jarvis, Christian Roberts and Donald Sumpter. Welshman Thomas quit after 28 of the 52 chapters when The Beeb wouldn’t let him direct. He never did direct for TV – never watched himself on the box, either.

  2. Tom Georgeson, Doctor Who #115: Logopolis, TV, 1981.      After 15 possibles for The Monitor, producer John Nathan-Taylor’s casting/dart board had just a quintet for the anonymous police inspector Armstrong, Georgeson, Paul Jerricho, Alec Sabin, John Savident, Michael Sheard. This as the episode that Brian Epstein would not let The Beatles appear in. But he OKed Top of the Pops footage of Ticket To Ride.

  3. Jack Galloway, Doctor Who #131: The Awakening, TV, 1984.   Up for Joseph Willow in the Doc5 Peter Davison trip – Armstrong, Galloway, Nicholas Ball, Jim Broadbent, Tom Chadbon, John Hallam, Prentis Hancock, Del Henney, Roy Holder, Alan Lake, Terry Molloy Clive Merrison (BBC Radio’s Sherlock Holmes), Terry Molloy (aka Davros), Edward Peel, Jeff Rawle, Carl Rigg, Paul Shelley, Donald Sumpter, Malcolm Tierney were familiar names from producer John Nathan-Taylor’s eclectic and scandalous 80s’ reign. He also voted for three newcomers: Geoffrey Bateman, Scott Fredericks, Ian Talbot.

  4. Nicholas Ball, Lifeforce, 1984.

  5. John Hallam, Lifeforce, 1984.

  6. Chris Sullivan, Lifeforce, 1984.

  7. Maurice O’Connell, Doctor Who #132: Frontios, TV, 1984.      Seventeen possibles for Cockerill opposite Doc6 Peter Davison. O’Connell won. And lost. Most of his work was cut. Huge sigh of relief from… Armstrong, Nicholas Ball, Jim Broadbent, Tom Chadbon, Maurice Colbourne, Forbes Collins, Michael Elphick, Michael Gothard, John Hallam,. Del Henney, Philip Jackson, Alan Lake, Terry Molloy, Tony Osoba, Edward Peel, Donald Sumpter and Stephen Yardley.

  8. Leslie Grantham, Doctor Who #133: Resurrection Of The Daleks, TV, 1984.      Armstrong, Christopher Ellison, Roy Holder, Tony Osoba and William Sleigh all lost Kiston opposite Doc5 Peter Davison to the future Dirty Den in EastEnders. William sleighed on into Galloway… opposite Doc5 Peter Davison..

  9. Stephen Yardley, Doctor Who # 138: Vengeance on Varos, TV, 1984.     Not quite matching the Lifeforce movie’s 203 candidates for 18 roles that year but as many as 58 guys were seen for just three roles in this Doc6 Colin Baker episode – the majority being Lifeforcers! (They did not share the same casting director, so how did Cannon get hold of the Whoverse lists?) For example, there were 19 contenders for Arak… Armstrong, Yardley, Nicholas Ball, Jim Broadbent, Andrew Burt, Tony Caunter, Tom Chadbon, Peter Childs, Kenneth Cope, Paul Darrow, Tom Georgeson, John Hallam, Brian Miller, Tony Osoba, Edward Peel, Carl Rigg, Colin Scully, Donald Sumpter, Dave Warwick.

  10. Peter Robin Scott, Doctor Who #141: Timelash, TV, 1985.  Armstrong, Scott, Brian Grellis, Prentis Hancock, Tony Osoba, Carl Rigg, Leslie Schofield and Michel Sheard were in the mix for Bruner opposite Doc6 Colin Baker on the planet Karfel, ruled by the usual despot. Despite close to 150 screen credits (impossible for Charles Dickens serials to made made without him), Armstrong never Whoved.

 Birth year: Death year: Other name: Casting Calls:  10