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Michael Byrne

Michael Byrne

Known for: Acting

Born 07/11/1943
Died 2026-06-20
Place of birth London, England, UK

Michael Byrne was a British actor sometimes cast as Nazis such as Colonel Vogel in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Major Schroeder in Force 10 from Navarone, Reinhard Beck in The Scarlet and the Black, General Olbricht in The Plot to Kill Hitler and Obergruppenführer Odilo Globocnik in the BBC radio dramatisation of the novel Fatherland by Robert Harris. Also seen as the aged but fanatical SS General Neurath in "Outpost 2 - Black Sun", former concentration camp commandant and involved in the Nazis's sinister reality-shifting experiments. Byrne appeared as a Jewish concentration camp survivor who is instrumental in the capture of a Nazi war criminal (played by Ian McKellen) in the film Apt Pupil. He was also familiar to audiences as Smythe, a soldier who attempts to rape William Wallace's wife and first inspires Wallace to seek independence from England in the film Braveheart. His other film credits include The Eagle Has Landed, A Bridge Too Far, The Medusa Touch, The Saint, Tomorrow Never Dies, The Good Father, The Sum of All Fears, Gangs of New York and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1. On television, heappeared in Z-Cars, Secret Army, Tales of the Unexpected, The Professionals, The Devil's Crown,Smiley's People, Yes, Prime Minister, Lord Mountbatten - the Last Viceroy, Between The Lines, Sharpe, The Mists of Avalon, Waking the Dead, The Body Farm, Honest, Hamish Macbeth, and Casualty. From April 2008 to January 2010, Michael starred in Coronation Street, as Ted Page, Gail Platt's long lost father and the ex-lover of Audrey Roberts. Byrne appeared in State of Play at the Edinburgh Festival written by Zia Trench. He played Romeo to Siân Phillips' Juliet at the Bristol Old Vic. He was the father of actress Allie Byrne.

Filmography

The Bill Series ★ 6,8

The Bill

1984

Coronation Street Series ★ 5,3

Coronation Street

Ted Page

1960

Midsomer Murders Series ★ 7,5

Midsomer Murders

Keith Grundy

1997

Silent Witness Series ★ 7,6

Silent Witness

1996

The Practice Series ★ 7,6

The Practice

Officer (uncredited)

1997

Play for Today Series ★ 6,6

Play for Today

1970

Play for Today Series ★ 6,6

Play for Today

Russell

1970

Play for Today Series ★ 6,6

Play for Today

Bruce

1970

Crown Court Series ★ 5,7

Crown Court

1972

Screen Two Series ★ 7,1

Screen Two

Guy Preger

1985

A Touch of Frost Series ★ 7,6

A Touch of Frost

Alex Ormrod

1992

BBC Play of the Month Series ★ 5,2

BBC Play of the Month

Viskovsky

1965

Waking the Dead Series ★ 7,2

Waking the Dead

Joe Brackley

2001

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 Film ★ 7,7

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1

Gellert Grindelwald

2010

The Professionals Series ★ 7,6

The Professionals

Werner Dreisinger

1977

Tales of the Unexpected Series ★ 6,8

Tales of the Unexpected

Patrick Marney

1979

ITV Saturday Night Theatre Series ★ 7,0

ITV Saturday Night Theatre

Jason

1969

Ultimate Force Series ★ 6,8

Ultimate Force

2002

Braveheart Film ★ 7,9

Braveheart

Smythe

1995

New Scotland Yard Series ★ 6,3

New Scotland Yard

DS Patten

1972

Strike Series ★ 7,2

Strike

Roy Phipps

2017

The Ruth Rendell Mysteries Series ★ 6,6

The Ruth Rendell Mysteries

DCC Charles Griswold

1987

Sharpe Series ★ 8,0

Sharpe

Major Nairn

1993

Crossing Lines Series ★ 6,7

Crossing Lines

Edward Baxendale

2013

The BBC Television Shakespeare Series ★ 6,0

The BBC Television Shakespeare

Antonio

1978

Secret Army Series ★ 7,8

Secret Army

Paul Vercors

1977

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade Film ★ 7,9

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

Vogel

1989

Thriller Series ★ 7,0

Thriller

Richard Lovell

1973

Agatha Raisin Series ★ 6,2

Agatha Raisin

Bishop Parsons

2016

The Chief Series ★ 7,0

The Chief

Sir Robert Eaton

1990

Screen One Series ★ 7,2

Screen One

Clitheroe

1989

Between the Lines Series ★ 5,5

Between the Lines

1992

The Vice Series ★ 5,6

The Vice

Solicitor

1999

Hamish Macbeth Series ★ 7,7

Hamish Macbeth

Duncan Scott

1995

Bodies Series ★ 7,1

Bodies

Old Mullins

2023

Gangs of New York Film ★ 7,3

Gangs of New York

Horace Greeley

2002

Hornblower Series ★ 7,7

Hornblower

Captain Keene

1998

Tomorrow Never Dies Film ★ 6,4

Tomorrow Never Dies

HMS Bedford Admiral Kelly

1997

Yes, Prime Minister Series ★ 8,3

Yes, Prime Minister

1986

Strangers Series ★ 7,2

Strangers

Sgt Briscoe

1978

The Omen Film ★ 7,4

The Omen

Monk (uncredited)

1976

Smiley's People Series ★ 7,7

Smiley's People

Peter Guillam

1982

The Sum of All Fears Film ★ 6,4

The Sum of All Fears

Anatoli Grushkov

2002

Empire Series ★ 6,5

Empire

Cicero

2005

Lady Killers Series ★ 7,5

Lady Killers

Edward Marshall-Hall

1980

Lady Killers Series ★ 7,5

Lady Killers

Edward Marshall-Hall KC

1980

A Bridge Too Far Film ★ 7,2

A Bridge Too Far

Lt. Col. Giles A.M. Vandeleur

1977

Mortdecai Film ★ 5,5

Mortdecai

The Duke

2015

Series ★ 7,0

Premiere

Werner Von Ebrennac

1977

The Saint Film ★ 6,1

The Saint

Vereshagin

1997

Cuffs Series ★ 6,7

Cuffs

Leslie Kane

2015

The Mists of Avalon Series ★ 6,7

The Mists of Avalon

Merlin

2001

The Living and the Dead Series ★ 6,7

The Living and the Dead

Ebenezer Alsop

2016

The Eagle Has Landed Film ★ 6,7

The Eagle Has Landed

Karl

1976

Edward the Seventh Series ★ 6,6

Edward the Seventh

Fritz

1975

Force 10 from Navarone Film ★ 6,3

Force 10 from Navarone

Schroeder

1978

The Body Farm Series ★ 5,8

The Body Farm

Harold Penton

2011

Blood: The Last Vampire Film ★ 5,9

Blood: The Last Vampire

Elder

2009

The Enigma Files Series ★ 6,0

The Enigma Files

David Stanley

1980

Vampyres Film ★ 6,0

Vampyres

Playboy

1974

Ellis Island Series ★ 5,1

Ellis Island

Dr. Carl Travers

1984

Proof of Life Film ★ 6,2

Proof of Life

Lord Luthan

2000

Apt Pupil Film ★ 6,5

Apt Pupil

Ben Kramer

1998

Series ★ 7,0

Sunday Premiere

John Carberry

1986

Wednesday Love Film

Wednesday Love

Bruce

1975

The Musketeer Film ★ 5,3

The Musketeer

Treville, Head of the Musketeers

2001

No Bananas Series ★ 7,7

No Bananas

Edward Grant

1996

Saracen Series ★ 5,0

Saracen

Col. Patrick Ansell

1989

Battlefield Earth Film ★ 3,3

Battlefield Earth

Parson Staffer

2000

Lord Mountbatten: The Last Viceroy Series ★ 7,5

Lord Mountbatten: The Last Viceroy

George Abell

1986

Diana Film ★ 5,6

Diana

Christiaan Barnard

2013

Series

Accident

Ian Shaw

1978

Outpost: Black Sun Film ★ 5,0

Outpost: Black Sun

Neurath

2012

Sharpe's Company Film ★ 6,7

Sharpe's Company

Major Nairn

1994

The Medusa Touch Film ★ 6,8

The Medusa Touch

Duff

1978

Oliver's Travels Series ★ 6,0

Oliver's Travels

1995

Oliver's Travels Series ★ 6,0

Oliver's Travels

Moody

1995

The Scarlet and the Black Film ★ 7,1

The Scarlet and the Black

Reinhard Beck

1983

Heat of the Sun Series ★ 6,2

Heat of the Sun

1998

Quartet Film ★ 6,5

Quartet

Frank White

2012

The First Line Film ★ 5,0

The First Line

Richard

2014

Double the Fist Series ★ 8,3

Double the Fist

2004

Beyond the Sea Film ★ 6,3

Beyond the Sea

Dr. Andretti

2004

Film

The Madness: Scenes from the Spanish Civil War

Gorev

1976

Henry VIII and His Six Wives Film ★ 5,8

Henry VIII and His Six Wives

Edward Seymour

1972

Intrigo: Samaria Film ★ 5,5

Intrigo: Samaria

Commissioner Keller

2019

The Mark of Cain Film ★ 5,2

The Mark of Cain

Lieut General Strathairn

2007

Hornblower: The Even Chance Film ★ 7,5

Hornblower: The Even Chance

Captain Keene

1998

The Devil's Crown Series ★ 7,8

The Devil's Crown

Richard Lionheart

1978

Gunshy Film ★ 5,4

Gunshy

Lange

1998

The Island on Bird Street Film ★ 7,3

The Island on Bird Street

Bolek

1997

Series ★ 10,0

A Sort of Innocence

1986

The Infiltrator Film ★ 6,5

The Infiltrator

Dieter Creutz

1995

Sharpe: The Legend Film ★ 6,1

Sharpe: The Legend

Nairn

1997

Film ★ 8,0

Ms or Jill and Jack

1974

Buster Film ★ 5,6

Buster

Poyser

1988

Nostradamus Film ★ 5,8

Nostradamus

Inquisitor

1994

Intrigo: Death of an Author Film ★ 5,3

Intrigo: Death of an Author

Keller

2018

Champions Film ★ 6,6

Champions

Richard Hussey

1984

The Image Film ★ 5,0

The Image

The Artist

1969

The Plot to Kill Hitler Film ★ 6,2

The Plot to Kill Hitler

Friedrich Olbricht

1990

The Last Witness Film ★ 5,8

The Last Witness

Coroner

2018

Hildegard Film ★ 6,5

Hildegard

Volmar

1994

Agatha Christie's The Pale Horse Film ★ 6,1

Agatha Christie's The Pale Horse

Venables

1997

Alien Overlords Film ★ 4,0

Alien Overlords

Michael

2018

The Return of the Dancing Master Film ★ 5,2

The Return of the Dancing Master

Emil Wetterstedt

2004

The Happy Valley Film ★ 6,1

The Happy Valley

John Carberry

1987

The Tragedy of Richard III Film ★ 8,0

The Tragedy of Richard III

Duke of Buckingham

1983

Harry Price: Ghost Hunter Film ★ 6,1

Harry Price: Ghost Hunter

Sir Charles Harwood

2015

Theban Plays: Oedipus the King Film ★ 4,5

Theban Plays: Oedipus the King

Chorus

1986

Conduct Unbecoming Film ★ 5,9

Conduct Unbecoming

2nd Lt. Toby Strang

1975

Henry VI Part 1 Film ★ 7,7

Henry VI Part 1

Duke of Alencon

1983

The Search for Alexander the Great Series

The Search for Alexander the Great

Demosthenes

1981

Deadly Voyage Film ★ 5,6

Deadly Voyage

Commissioner

1996

The Scarlet Blade Film ★ 5,5

The Scarlet Blade

Lt. Hawke

1963

Henry VI Part 3 Film ★ 8,0

Henry VI Part 3

Marquess of Montague / Father that killed his son

1983

Butley Film ★ 6,7

Butley

Reg Nuttall

1974

30 Years to Life Film ★ 5,8

30 Years to Life

Oliver Mather

1998

The Good Father Film ★ 5,6

The Good Father

Leonard Scruby

1985

Much Ado About Nothing Film ★ 6,3

Much Ado About Nothing

Claudio

1967

Sharpe's Enemy Film ★ 6,8

Sharpe's Enemy

Major Nairn

1994

Rogue Male Film ★ 6,5

Rogue Male

Interrogator

1976

Henry VI Part 2 Film ★ 7,5

Henry VI Part 2

John Hume / Lieutenant

1983

Sharpe's Honour Film ★ 6,6

Sharpe's Honour

Major Nairn

1994

Mauá - O Imperador e o Rei Film ★ 7,7

Mauá - O Imperador e o Rei

Mr. Carruthers

1999

Film

Bjorn of the Dead

Derek

Imogen's Face Film ★ 6,0

Imogen's Face

Patrick

1998

The Fix Film ★ 3,8

The Fix

Sam Campbell

1997

Sunday Film ★ 7,7

Sunday

Lord Widgery

2002

Tales of the Unexpected: Lamb to the Slaughter Film

Tales of the Unexpected: Lamb to the Slaughter

Ratrick Marney

1979

The Holocaust on Trial Film ★ 5,0

The Holocaust on Trial

Richard Rampton QC

2000

In the Secret State Film ★ 7,0

In the Secret State

Guy Preger

1985

Man and Superman Film ★ 9,0

Man and Superman

Henry Straker

1982

Headmaster Film ★ 7,0

Headmaster

1974

Film ★ 8,2

If It's a Man – Hang Up!

Richard Lovell

1975

The Two Gentlemen of Verona Film ★ 6,5

The Two Gentlemen of Verona

Antonio

1983

A Few Short Journeys of the Heart Film ★ 4,7

A Few Short Journeys of the Heart

Blank/German/Old Geezer

1994

Murderous Decisions Film ★ 9,0

Murderous Decisions

Octave

1991

The Crooked Man Film ★ 9,0

The Crooked Man

Archie Saunders

2003

Break In Film

Break In

Clarke

1975

The Silent Playground Film ★ 5,2

The Silent Playground

Roger

1963

Coming Out Film ★ 5,0

Coming Out

Gunnar Wedelman

1979

Running Late Film ★ 9,0

Running Late

Clitheroe

1992

The Gold Machine Film ★ 5,5

The Gold Machine

Andrew Norton

2022

The Silence of the Sea Film

The Silence of the Sea

Werner Von Ebrennac

1980