Rupert Vansittart

Biography

Rupert Vansittart (born 10 February 1958) is an English character actor. He has appeared in a variety of roles in film, television, radio and on stage, often playing comic or serio-comic characters.. Vansittart is known to fans of the Pride and Prejudice serial as the actor who portrayed Mr. Hurst, the brother-in-law of Charles and Caroline Bingley. He has also worked with Rowan Atkinson, having appeared as a guest star in two episodes of Mr. Bean and also The Thin Blue Line. He has just completed filming "Johnny English Reborn" the sequel to "Johnny English", both starring Rowan Atkinson. Vansittart was one of three surviving cast members from the original 1992 series of Heartbeat, having had a frequently recurring role as minor aristocrat Lord Charles Ashfordly. In 1994, he appeared in the film Braveheart as Lord Bottoms. He went on to star opposite Hugh Grant in ""Four Weddings and a Funeral"" as George the Boor at the Boatman in 1995. In 2003 he appeared in the West End adaptation of Arsenic and Old Lace, also starring Michael Richards. In 2005 he appeared in the "Market for Murder" episode of Midsomer Murders and, that same year, as General Asquith in the two Doctor Who episodes, "Aliens of London" and "World War Three", along with Billie Piper and Christopher Eccleston. In 2006, Vansittart portrayed Thomas J. Dodd in the BBC three part drama documentary Nuremberg: Nazis on Trial. He also appeared in the 2008 BBC serial Spartacus as Consul Lentulus and in 2009 in Margaret as Peter Morrison. In 2010 he appeared in Doctors as Anthony Chippington, a friend of Charlie's. He most recently played Harrison Ashton Lard, the "posh girl's father", in How Not to Live Your Life. He provided additional voice-over for World's Craziest Fools.