| Philip Glenister | |
| Birth Name: | Philip Haywood Glenister |
| Birth Date: | 10 February 1963 |
| Birth Place: | Harrow, Middlesex, England |
| Occupation: | Actor |
| Alma Mater: | Royal Central School of Speech and Drama |
| Yearsactive: | 1990present |
| Children: | 2 |
| Parents: | John Glenister Joan Fry Lewis |
| Relatives: | Robert Glenister (brother) |
Philip Haywood Glenister (born 10 February 1963) is an English actor. He is known for his role as DCI Gene Hunt in the BBC series Life on Mars (2006–2007) and its sequel Ashes to Ashes (2008–2010).[1] He also played DCI William Bell in State of Play (2003) and Reverend Anderson in Outcast (2016–2018).
Glenister was born on 10 February 1963[2] in Harrow, Middlesex, and grew up in Hatch End. He is the son of director John Glenister and Joan Fry Lewis, and the younger brother of fellow actor Robert Glenister.[3] He attended Hatch End High School.[4] In his early career, he worked as a runner for the Robert Stigwood Organisation.[5] Following this, he worked until the age of 23 as a film publicist but developed an interest in acting after watching his brother perform in a student play about the Sex Pistols. With the encouragement of his then-sister-in-law, Amanda Redman, he pursued acting and attended the Central School of Speech and Drama.
In the early 1990s, Glenister appeared in various TV series including Minder, The Ruth Rendell Mysteries, Heartbeat, The Chief, Dressing for Breakfast and Silent Witness. In 1997, he appeared in Sharpe's Justice as Richard Sharpe's half-brother Matt Truman.[6] He played William Dobbin in the 1998 mini-series Vanity Fair.[7]
From 1998 to 1999, Glenister co-starred as a mini-cab driver who aspires to be a rock star in the series Roger Roger. He also played factory boss Mack Mackintosh in the first three series of Clocking Off from 2000 to 2002.[8] In 2001, he appeared in two of the Hornblower TV films as Horatio's antagonist Gunner Hobbs.[9]
Glenister played the photographer who took nude photos for a Women's Institute fundraising calendar in the 2003 feature film Calendar Girls.[10] Also in 2003, he appeared in the mini-series State of Play.[11] Glenister played the German commandant, Baron Heinrich von Rheingarten, in the 2004 mini-series Island at War about the Occupation of the Channel Islands during World War II.[12]
In April 2006, Glenister read the Bedtime Story for the BBC's children's channel, CBeebies. He returned to the slot in February/March 2007.[13]
Glenister played social reformer and estate manager Mr Carter in the 2007 BBC costume drama Cranford, as part of a cast including Judi Dench and Francesca Annis.[14]
Glenister is probably best known for his role as DCI Gene Hunt in Life on Mars (2006–07), co-starring with John Simm as Sam Tyler,[15] and its sequel Ashes to Ashes (2008–10), with Keeley Hawes as Alex Drake.[16] Glenister also worked with Simm on State of Play and Clocking Off and the 2008 crime film Tuesday. Upon announcement of the film, Glenister joked that he and Simm were contractually obliged to work with each other once a year.[17]
Glenister starred as demon hunter Rupert Galvin in the 2009 ITV drama Demons. He used an American accent for the role,[18] which received some criticism from reviewers.[19] [20] After the series was cancelled, he said he had problems with the role and felt that he may have been miscast.[21]
In 2010, Glenister had a small role (credited as 'Poker Friend') in Woody Allen's You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger, and he played Charles Forestier in a 2011 feature film of Guy de Maupassant's Bel Ami.[22] He starred in the 2011 conspiracy thriller Hidden on BBC One.[23]
In 2011, Glenister reunited with John Simm once more in the Sky TV mini-series Mad Dogs about a group of old friends whose holiday in Majorca takes an unexpected turn.[24] After a successful reception, the cast returned for a second run of the series in 2012.[25] The show ran for two more series after that in 2013. Those two series consisted of four and two episodes respectively. Glenister played Captain Smollett in Sky1's adaptation of Treasure Island, broadcast at Christmas 2012.[26] Glenister also appeared in the 2012 premiere of the play This House.
In 2013, Glenister played Sir William Boyd-Carrington in the final episode of Agatha Christie's Poirot, starring David Suchet, entitled "Curtain". He also played the role of Mr Trevor Gunn, a lothario PE teacher in David Walliams' BBC One comedy series Big School.
In 2014, Glenister had a leading role in the Kudos-produced BBC drama, From There to Here, which focuses on the aftermath of the IRA bombing of Manchester in 1996. The show featured his Life on Mars co-star Liz White as his love interest.That same year, he presented the Channel 4 series For The Love Of Cars with fellow classic car enthusiast Ant Anstead. The pair were set the challenge of restoring classic cars including a Mini Cooper, Land Rover, DeLorean, MG T-type, Ford Escort and a Triumph Stag. The first series ended after six episodes, in which all six classic cars were sold at a London auction, with the second series being aired in 2015.[27]
In 2016, Glenister had a leading role in Robert Kirkman's TV adaptation of Outcast, where he played Reverend Anderson, and used an American accent. The show ran for 2 series on Cinemax, before it was cancelled in 2017.
In 2017, Glenister appeared in an episode of Inside No. 9 called The Bill. He also worked with his Clocking Off co-star, Lesley Sharp in Living the Dream. This show was about a British family who moved to America. It ran for 2 series before being cancelled in 2019. That year, Glenister presented the true-crime show, What the Killer Did Next on Crime & Investigation.
Glenister appeared in Julian Fellowes' 2020 television adaptation Belgravia, based on Fellowes' novel of the same name. It aired on ITV in the UK and Epix in the USA. [28]
A book by Glenister on 1970s and 1980s culture, Things Ain't What They Used to Be, was published in October 2008.[29]
Glenister is patron of the charity Momentum in Kingston upon Thames, which aims to help children and the families of children undergoing treatment for cancer in Surrey.[30]
Glenister has been married to actress Beth Goddard since 2006. They have two daughters.[31]
Glenister is a supporter of non-league football team Wealdstone FC.[32] He is also known to be a fan of Arsenal FC.[33]
| Year | Title | Role | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | I.D. | Charlie | |
| 2003 | Calendar Girls | Lawrence | |
| 2005 | Kingdom of Heaven | Squire | |
| 2008 | Tuesday | Earp | |
| 2010 | You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger | Poker Friend | |
| 2012 | Bel Ami | Charles Forestier |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Minder | Greg Hunter | Series 8, Episode 3: "Whatever Happened to Her Indoors" | |
| The Ruth Rendell Mysteries | Brian Gregson | Series 5, Episodes 4–6: "Murder Being Once Done" parts 1–3 | ||
| Drop the Dead Donkey | Harrison | Series 2, Episode 11: "George's Daughter" | ||
| Bergerac | Philip | Series 9, Episode 11: "All for Love" | ||
| 1992 | Love Hurts | Mark | Series 1, Episode 6: "Stormy Weather" Series 1, Episode 7: "A Day in the Life" | |
| Heartbeat | Julian Cantley | Series 1, Episode 7: "Face Value" | ||
| A Fatal Inversion | Young Detective | Episodes 2 and 3 | ||
| 1993 | The Detectives | Uniformed Officer | Series 1, Episode 2: "Hostage" | |
| In Suspicious Circumstances | Herbert Bennett | Series 3, Episode 6: "Good as Gold" | ||
| 1994 | Law and Disorder | David MacNamara | Series 1, Episode 6: "Safe as Houses" | |
| The Chief | Angus Shadwell | Series 4, Episode 8 | ||
| Blue Heaven | Paul Twice | Series 1, Episode 6 | ||
| 1995 | Loved Up | Ray | TV film | |
| Dressing for Breakfast | Mark | Series 1, Series 1, Episode 2: "Mark" | ||
| 1996 | True Love | Phil | TV film | |
| Silent Witness | PC Jerry Denning | Series 1, Episodes 5–6: "Darkness Visible" parts 1–2 | ||
| Frontiers | DS Danny Curtis | TV mini-series | ||
| Soldier Soldier | Jimmy Reece | Series 6, Episode 3: "All for One" | ||
| 1996–1997 | My Wonderful Life | Phil | Series 1, Episode 0: "True Love" Series 1, Episode 3: "Convent Girl" Series 1, Episode 6: "Portugal" | |
| 1997 | The Perfect Blue | Tom | TV film | |
| Have Your Cake and Eat It | Joe Martin | TV mini-series | ||
| Sharpe's Justice | Matt Truman | TV film | ||
| Wycliffe | DS Eric Findlay | Series 4, Episode 9: "Dance of the Scorpions" | ||
| 1998 | Vanity Fair | William Dobbin | TV mini-series | |
| 1998–1999 | Roger Roger | Phil | Series 1–2: 13 episodes | |
| 2000–2002 | Clocking Off | James 'Mack' Mackintosh | Series 1–3: 11 episodes | |
| 2001 | Lloyd & Hill | DCI Danny Lloyd | TV film | |
| The Hunt | Rob Campbell | TV film | ||
| 2002 | Hornblower: Mutiny Hornblower: Retribution | Gunner Hobbs | TV film | |
| 2003 | The Other Boleyn Girl | William Stafford | TV film | |
| State of Play | DCI William Bell | TV mini-series | ||
| The Vice | Jason Grant | Series 5, Episode 7: "Lust" | ||
| Byron | William Fletcher | TV film | ||
| 2004 | Island at War | Oberst Heinrich Baron Von Rheingarten | TV mini-series | |
| 2005 | The Stepfather | Dougie Molloy | TV film | |
| The Walk | Eddie | TV film | ||
| Last Rights | Speers | TV mini-series | ||
| Vincent | DCI David Driscoll | Series 1, Episodes 1–3 | ||
| 2006–2007 | Life on Mars | DCI Gene Hunt | Lead role; TV series 1–2: 16 episodes | |
| 2007 | Cranford | Mr Carter | TV mini-series | |
| The Catherine Tate Show | Police Officer | 2007 Christmas Special | ||
| 2008–2010 | Ashes to Ashes | Gene Hunt | Lead role; TV series 1–3: 24 episodes | |
| 2009 | Demons | Rupert Galvin | Lead role; TV series: 6 episodes | |
| 2011 | Hidden | Harry Venn | Lead role; TV mini-series: 4 episodes | |
| 2011–2013 | Mad Dogs | Quinn | TV mini-series 1-4: 14 episodes | |
| 2012 | Treasure Island | Captain Smollet | TV mini-series | |
| 2013 | Agatha Christie's Poirot | Sir William Boyd-Carrington | Episode: "Curtain" | |
| 2013–2014 | Big School | Trevor Gunn | Television sitcom series | |
| 2014 | Documentary | Narrator | ||
| From There to Here | Daniel Cotton | TV series | ||
| 2014–2016 | For the Love of Cars | Presenter | Documentary TV series | |
| 2015 | Prey | David Murdoch | Lead role; Second series: 3 episodes | |
| 2016 | The Hollow Crown | Talbot | BBC2 TV series (Henry VI, Part I) | |
| The Level | Frank Le Saux | TV mini-series | ||
| 2016–2017 | Outcast | Reverend Anderson | Lead role; TV series: 20 episodes | |
| 2017 | Inside No. 9 | Craig | TV series, Episode The Bill | |
| 2017–2019 | Living the Dream | Mal Pemberton | Lead role; TV series: 12 episodes | |
| 2019 | What the Killer Did Next | Presenter | Documentary TV series | |
| 2019–present | The Rubbish World of Dave Spud[34] | Betty Spud | Except Season 2 Episode 7, Two Toots Spud | |
| 2020 | Belgravia | James Trenchard | Lead role; TV mini-series: 6 episodes | |
| 2022 | Carthago | Lord Davidson | TV series | |
| 2023 | Steeltown Murders | DCI Paul Bethell | Lead role. | |
| Foundation | Commdor Argo | Season 2 | ||
| 2024 | After the Flood | Jack Radcliffe | Main role |