'ALBERT'
David Jason was born David John White in Edmonton in North London, in 1940. He trained as an electrician after leaving school, but took an interest in repertory theatre. He took his stage name from his twin brother Jason White, who died at birth.

David started his television career in 1964, playing Bert Bradshaw in Crossroads. He then co-starred with Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin in the 1967 sketch show Do Not Adjust Your Set, and guest starred alongside Ronnie Barker in Porridge. He was reunited with Barker in Open All Hours in 1976, and went on to become a household name as Del Boy in Only Fools And Horses. He later starred in The Darling Buds Of May and A Touch Of Frost. He was knighted in 2005.

SELECTED CREDITS
Television
2005, Hardy, GHOSTBOAT
2005, Inspector Jack Frost, A TOUCH OF FROST
1996, Del Trotter, ONLY FOOLS AND HORSES
1993, Pa Larkin, DARLING BUDS OF MAY
1981, Granville, OPEN ALL HOURS
1975, Blanco, PORRIDGE

'LORD DOWNEY'
Born in Manchester in 1941, David Warner went on to train with RADA before making an impact in the Royal Shakespeare Company. His portrayal of Hamlet quickly made him a name to be reckoned with. In 1963 he made his film debut in Tom Jones, and went on to star as King Henry VI in a BBC production. He also co-starred alongside Bob Dylan in the 1963 stage play The Madhouse on Castle Street and in the cult horror film The Omen, as ill-fated photojournalist Keith Jennings. Since then his credits include Time Bandits, Tron, Straw Dogs, Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, Titanic and Scream 2.

SELECTED CREDITS
Film
2001, PLANET OF THE APES, Tim Burton
1996, TITANIC, James Cameron
1981, TIME BANDITS, Terry Gilliam
1976, THE OMEN, Richard Donner
1963, TOM JONES, Tony Richardson
Television
1990, TWIN PEAKS, David Lynch
Stage
1964, Hamlet, HAMLET, Royal Shakespeare Company

'VOICE OF DEATH'
The smooth and laconic actor Ian Richardson was born in 1934 in Edinburgh. After studying at Glasgow's College of Dramatic Arts, he graduated to the British stage and began to cultivate a strong reputation within the Royal Shakespeare Company, of which he is a founding member.

Although he gained notoriety for his performance in the BBC's Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, he became a household name for his performances as the deliciously Machiavellian politician Francis Urquhart in the House Of Cards trilogy.
SELECTED CREDITS
Television
1995, Francis Urquhart, THE FINAL CUT
1993, Francis Urquhart, TO PLAY THE KING
1992, Rex Hunt, AN UNGENTLEMANLY ACT
1990, Francis Urquhart, HOUSE OF CARDS
1982, Frederick Fairlie, THE WOMAN IN WHITE
1979, Bill Haydon, TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY

'MUSTRUM RIDCULLY'
Joss Ackland was born in London in 1928, and over the years has cemented a reputation as one of the country's leading actors.

He studied at the Central School of Speech and Drama, and has appeared extensively on television, most notably as CS Lewis in Shadowlands in 1985. He's also appeared in a wide variety of feature films such as White Mischief and Lethal Weapon 2.

SELECTED CREDITS

Film
2005, Sir Winston Churchill, ABOVE & BEYOND
2004, Nikolaev, ICON
2003, Henry VII, HENRY VIII, Peter Travis
2002, Marshal Zelentsov, K19-THE WIDOWMAKER
2002, Evil Edmunds, I'LL BE THERE
1996, Matisse, SURVIVING PICASSO
1989, Arjen 'Aryan' Rudd, LETHAL WEAPON 2
1987, Don Masino Rumsey, THE SICILIAN
1987, Sir Jock Delves Broughton, WHITE MISCHIEF

Television
2005, Sir Freddie Butler, MIDSOMER MURDERS
1985, C.S Lewis, SHADOWLANDS

'TEATIME'

The blonde, blue-eyed actor Marc Warren was born in Northampton in 1967. His first acting role was in Grange Hill, but he has since become a recognisable actor on both small and big screen.
He currently stars in the BBC series Hustle, but has also appeared in Oliver Twist, The Vice, World War II mini-series Band Of Brothers and has recently made an appearance in Doctor Who. He's due to appear in the second series of Life On Mars next year.

SELECTED CREDITS
Film
2002, Billy, THE PRINCIPLES OF LUST
2002, Brother Mac, SONG FOR A RAGGY BOY
1998, Terence, B MONKEY
1996, Clint, BRING ME THE HEAD OF MAVIS DAVIS

Television
2006, Elton Pope, DOCTOR WHO
2003, Danny Blue, HUSTLE
2002, Dominic Foley, STATE OF PLAY
2002, PC Jason Woods, CLOCKING OFF
2000, Pvt. Albert Woods, BAND OF BROTHERS
1999, Monks, OLIVER TWIST, Union
1994, Capt. Rymer, SHARPE"S COMPANY

'SUSAN'
Newcomer Michelle Dockery made her name on the stage, working with renowned directors like Nicholas Hytner and gaining rave reviews in Philip Pullman's stage version of His Dark Materials. She made her big TV break in the BBC production of Fingersmith. Hogfather sees Michelle in her first starring role.

SELECTED CREDITS
Stage
2005, Dina Dorf, PILLARS OF THE COMMUNITY
2005, Female Activist, THE UN INSPECTOR
2005, Percy's Servant, HENRY IV PARTS 1 AND 2
2004, Various roles, HIS DARK MATERIALS - THE REVIVAL

Television
2004, Betty, FINGERSMITH

'THE RAVEN'
Born in London, Neil Pearson learned to act at the experimental boarding school he attended. After graduating from the Central London School of Speech and Drama, he made his first television appearance in 1982, and went on to star on stage with Leonard Rossiter, in Joe Orton's Loot. Tragically, Rossiter died in Pearson's dressing room.
Pearson then went on to forge a name in TV comedy - he starred in Chelmsford 123 and Drop The Dead Donkey, and in the crime series Between The Lines, helping to establish him as one of the country's most popular TV actors.
His other credits include Trevor's World of Sport and The Booze Cruise on television, and Bridget Jones's Diary on the big screen.

SELECTED CREDITS
Film
2004, Richard Finch, BRIDGET JONES: THE EDGE OF REASON
2001, Richard Finch, BRIDGET JONES'S DIARY

Television
2003, Rob, THE BOOZE CRUISE
2003, Trevor Heslop, TREVOR'S WORLD OF SPORT
1993, Det. Supt, Tony Clark, BETWEEN THE LINES
1990, Dave Charmley, DROP THE DEAD DONKEY
1988, Mungo, CHELMSFORD 123

'MR. SIDENEY'
Born in London in 1953, Planer's first big break was understudying David Essex in the West End version of Evita. He then went on to make his name alongside the likes of Adrian Edmondson, Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders, Rik Mayall and Peter Richardson in the hugely influential Comic Strip series.
He joined Edmondson and Mayall in the BBC sitcom The Young Ones, which spawned a number two hit single in 1984 (Hole In My Shoe).
Although he went on to star with Edmondson and Mayall (again) in Filthy, Rich and Catflap, his other credits include Roll Over Beethoven, Shine On Harvey Moon, Blackeyes and Jonathan Creek. Along with Tony Robinson, Nigel has also provided the voice to some of the Discword's audio books.

SELECTED CREDITS
Film
1985, Charlie, BRAZIL

Television
1998, Baz Grimley, THE GRIMLEYS
1996, Shelford, JONATHAN CREEK
1989, KEFF, BLACKEYES
1987, Ralph Filthy, FILTHY, RIH AND CATFLAP
1984, Neil, THE YOUNG ONES
1981, Paul, THE COMIC STRIP

'MEDIUM DAVE'
A highly respected actor, Peter is best known for playing Elliott Matthews in Casualty, but has also appeared in other top-rating shows like Coronation Street and Bleak House, as well as feature films like Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow.

SELECTED CREDITS
Television:
2005 Coroner, BLEAK HOUSE
2001, Capt. Gavin Howard, RED CAP
2000, Ray Sykes, CORONATION STREET
1999, Chief Executioner, ARABIAN NIGHTS
1997, Elliot Matthews, CASUALTY
1996, Montfitchet, IVANHOE

Film:
1999, Ichabod's Father, SLEEPY HOLLOW
1992, Gregor, ALIEN 3

'BANJO'
6'4" Stephen was born in Portsmouth in 1962. At 19, after having failed to become a policeman, he attended The Arts Educational School. After three years he landed a role in My Beautiful Laundrette.
Other high profile TV roles followed, including Birds of a Feather, The Comic Strip's The Glam Metal Detectives and Kavanagh QC. He also appeared in the celebrated British gangster movie, Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.

SELECTED CREDITS
Film
2004, Big Mike, THE KINKY BOOT FACTORY
2002, Taxi Driver, IRIS
2000, Bouchon, QUILLS
1998, Nick The Greek, LOCK, STOCK AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS
1999, English Agent, ANGELA'S ASHES

Television
2006, Ralph, WITHOUT A TRACE
2004, Psycho Mike, THE LENNY HENRY SHOW
2003, Long Haul Dave, MILE HIGH

'VERNON CRUMLEY'
Tony Robinson was born in London in 1946, and his first acting experience came when he was 12, when he appeared in the original production of the musical Oliver! In the 1970s, Tony filmed the children's fantasy-comedy programme Sam On Boff's Island, which led to work alongside Rory McGrath and Jimmy Mulville on the influential comedy sketch show, Who Dare's Wins.
He then landed a role in historical sitcom Blackadder, starring as the popular Baldrick, for all four series, the Christmas and Millennium specials, cementing himself into the annals of sitcom history.
Post-Blackadder, Tony has starred in the children's TV series Maid Marion and Her Merry Men, and hosted the hugely popular archaeological series Time Team on Channel 4. A huge fan of Terry Prachett's Discworld novels, Tony has leant his voice to several audio book readings. He has also written 17 children's books.

SELECTED CREDITS

Television
2006, Himself, THE WORST JOBS IN HISTORY
2005, Himself, TONY ROBINSON'S TITANIC ADVENTURE
1999, Baldrick/Sod Off, BLACKADDER BACK AND FORTH
1994, Himself, TIME TEAM
1993, The Sheriff, MAID MARIAN AND HER MERRY MEN
1993, Marcus, A WOMAN'S GUIDE TO ADULTERY
1992, Pierre Duclos THE YOUNG INDIANA JONES CHRONICLES
1989, Baldrick, BLACKADDER GOES FORTH
1988, Brian Watts, THIS IS DAVID LANDER
1988, Baldrick, BLACKADDER'S CHRISTMAS CAROL
1988, Baldrick, BLACKADDER THE THIRD
1986, Baldrick, BLACKADDER II
1984, Dr. Not the 9.00 News, THE YOUNG ONES
1983, Himself, WHO DARES WINS
1983, Baldrick,THE BLACKADDER