Douglas Reith is a British actor and teacher. He is best known for his role as Lord Merton in the television series Downton Abbey (2010–2015), as well as its two follow-up films.
Reith was born in Melton, Suffolk. He studied acting at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art.[1] He began acting in the late 1970s, beginning with an appearance in International Velvet (1978) alongside Tatum O'Neal and Christopher Plummer.[2]
He worked as an announcer and presenter at BBC Radio 3 for five years before leaving to study Greats at Christ Church, Oxford for four years beginning in 1989. He worked as a teacher, including at Westminster School, before resuming his acting career.[3]
Reith joined the cast of Downton Abbey as Lord Merton in 2012, and alongside the cast was nominated for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series at the 23rd Screen Actors Guild Awards.[4] He reprised the role in the films Downton Abbey (2019) and (2022).[5] [6] In 2017, Reith was cast in Tim Burton's live-action remake Dumbo (2019).[7] In 2019, he was cast in (2021).[8]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | International Velvet | Howard | |
| 2006 | The Queen | David Ogilvy, 13th Earl of Airlie | |
| 2011 | W.E. | Lord Brownlow | |
| 2012 | Tezz | Railway Minister | |
| 2013 | Rush | Awards Presenter | |
| 2015 | Serial Teachers 2 | Head of Security | |
| 2017 | 55 Steps | Chief Judge Justice Wilson | |
| 2019 | Dumbo | Sotheby | |
| Downton Abbey | Lord Merton | ||
| 2021 | Sir Charles Whiteside | ||
| The War Below | Field Marshal Douglas Haig | ||
| 2022 | Lord Merton | ||
| 2025 | Untitled Downton Abbey: A New Era sequel | Post-production |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Angels | Simon Lloyd-Smith | 1 episode | |
| 1979 | Rumpole of the Bailey | Sergeant Downs | 1 episode | |
| 1980 | Minder | Bellars | 1 episode | |
| 1980 | BBC2 Playhouse | Fitzgeorge | 1 episode | |
| 1982 | Rentaghost | Auctioneer | 1 episode | |
| 1983 | An Englishman Abroad | Toby | Television film | |
| 1984 | Amy | Jimmy Martin | Television film | |
| 1984 | Cold Warrior | Ferris | 1 episode | |
| 1985 | Juliet Bravo | Dr. Benson | 1 episode | |
| 1999 | Newscaster | 1 episode | ||
| 2003 | Real Crime | Royal Courtier | 1 episode | |
| 2005 | Rose and Maloney | Sir Andrew Ross | 1 episode | |
| 2005 | Elizabeth I | Judge | Miniseries, 2 episodes | |
| 2005 | The Queen's Sister | Horace Featherstonehaugh | Television film | |
| 2006 | Poirot | Serge Mureau | 1 episode | |
| 2006 | Lucius Metellius | Miniseries, 1 episode | ||
| 2008 | The Bill | Clifford Peers | 1 episode | |
| 2009 | Enid | BBC Interviewer | Television film | |
| 2012–2015 | Downton Abbey | Lord Merton | Recurring role, 16 episodes | |
| 2016 | Agatha Raisin | Lord Pendlebury | 1 episode | |
| 2016 | Sense8 | Fischer the Consigliere | 1 episode | |
| 2017 | Fearless | Justice Angus Hill | 1 episode | |
| 2017 | Outlander | Professor Brown | 1 episode | |
| 2019 | Pandora | Fleming | 1 episode | |
| 2020 | The Crown | Admiral Henry Leach | 1 episode | |
| 2021–present | Professor T. | The Dean | Recurring role, 18 episodes |