Ian McElhinney
Ian McElhinney | |
|---|---|
.jpg) McElhinney in 2014 | |
| Born | 30 June 1948 Belfast, Northern Ireland |
| Alma mater | Brandeis University |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, director |
| Years active | 1981–present |
| Spouse | Marie Jones |
| Children | 3 |
Ian McElhinney (born 30 June 1948) is a Northern Irish actor and director. He has appeared in many television series in a career spanning more than forty years; notable appearances include Taggart, Hornblower, Cold Feet, and The Tudors. In recent times his best known roles are as Barristan Selmy in Game of Thrones,[1] Morgan Monroe in The Fall, and Granda Joe in Derry Girls.
Early life
McElhinney was born in Belfast, the son of a Church of Ireland (Anglican) clergyman and teacher.[2] He studied international affairs at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. He worked as a teacher at Goole Grammar School, now Goole Academy, in Yorkshire, England, for several years before becoming an actor.[3] He started acting professionally at the age of 30, playing Bill Sikes in a theatre production of Oliver!.[4]
Personal life
He is married to playwright and actress Marie Jones; in 2009 the couple started their own company, Rathmore Productions Ltd.[5] They live in Belfast and have three sons.[6]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Angel | Groom | |
| 1983 | Acceptable Levels | Andy | |
| 1984 | Anne Devlin | Major Sirr | |
| 1985 | Lamb | Maguire | |
| 1986 | The End of the World Man | Architect | |
| 1987 | A Prayer for the Dying | Lodger | |
| 1988 | Reefer and the Model | Reefer | |
| 1990 | Hidden Agenda | Jack Cunningham | |
| Fools of Fortune | The Stranger | ||
| 1992 | The Playboys | Joe Cassidy | |
| 1996 | The Boy from Mercury | Brother Dowdall | |
| Small Faces | Uncle Andrew | ||
| Michael Collins | Belfast Detective | ||
| Hamlet | Barnardo | ||
| 1997 | This Is the Sea | Da Stokes | |
| The Boxer | Reggie Bell | ||
| 1998 | Divorcing Jack | Alfie Stewart | |
| 1999 | A Love Divided | Reverend Hamilton | |
| 2000 | Borstal Boy | Verreker | |
| 2001 | Mapmaker | Sergeant Devlin | |
| 2006 | The Front Line | Mikey | |
| 2007 | Closing the Ring | Cathal Thomas | |
| 2008 | City of Ember | Builder | |
| 2009 | A Shine of Rainbows | Father Doyle | |
| Swansong: Story of Occi Byrne | Skip | ||
| Triage | Ivan | ||
| 2010 | Leap Year | Priest | |
| Cup Cake | Rusty Rafferty | ||
| 2015 | A Patch of Fog | Freddie Clarke | |
| 2016 | The Truth Commissioner | James Fenton | |
| The Journey | Rory McBride | ||
| Rogue One: A Star Wars Story | General Jan Dodonna | ||
| Sacrifice | D.I. McKie | ||
| 2017 | Bad Day for the Cut | Eamon | |
| Zoo | Mr. Shawcross | ||
| 2022 | The Ulysses Project | Mr. Deasy / Barrister JJ Molloy | |
| 2023 | The Last Rifleman | Tom Malcolmson | |
| The Boys in the Boat | Elderly Joe Rantz |
Television
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Cowboys | Driver | Television film |
| 1982 | BBC2 Playhouse | Mousey | Episode: "Potatohead Blues" |
| 1984 | After You've Gone | Mike | Television film |
| Fire at Magilligan | Loyalist Leader | Television film | |
| A Woman Calling | Mr. Burke | Television film | |
| 1985 | The Price | Priest | Episode #1.6 |
| Ties of Blood | Maj. Watson | Episode: "McCabe's Wall" | |
| 1986 | Screen Two | Damien / Inspector McBride | Episode: "Shergar" Episode: "Naming the Names" |
| 1987 | Dead Entry | Martin Galbraith | 3 episodes |
| The Rockingham Shoot | John Reilly | Television film | |
| Lapsed Catholics | Derek O'Gorman | Television film | |
| First Sight | Joe | Episode: "The Last of a Dyin' Race" | |
| Brond | Kennedy | 3 episodes | |
| 1988 | Wipe Out | Max Raines | TV miniseries, 5 episodes |
| The Grasscutter | Brian Devlin | Television film | |
| 1989 | Streetwise | Denny Moss | Episode: "Home Truths" |
| 1990 | Who Bombed Birmingham? | Sinn Fein Leader | Television film |
| Shoot to Kill | Assistant Chief Constable Trevor Forbes | Television film | |
| The Lilac Bus | Billy | Television film | |
| 1990–1991 | 4 Play | Eddie / McQuire | Episode: "Valentine Falls" Episode: "In the Border Country" |
| 1991 | Children of the North | O'Hare | 3 episodes |
| 1992 | The Bill | Mickey Felcher | Episode: "Trial and Error" |
| Screenplay | Reggie Devine | Episode: "You, Me & Marley" | |
| 1993 | Spender | Flynn | Episode: "Bad Company" |
| Lovejoy | Cieran Stow | Episode: "Ducking and Diving" | |
| Circle of Deceit | Father Fergel | Television film | |
| Between the Lines | Chief Superintendent Trevor Dunne | Episode: "The Great Detective" | |
| A Woman's Guide to Adultery | Martin | 3 episodes | |
| Taggart | Archie Rae / Sean O'Donnell | Episode: "Death Without Dishonour" Episode: "Cause and Effect" | |
| 1994 | Blind Justice | Father Malone | Television film |
| 1995 | Beyond Reason | Smythe QC | Television film |
| Hearts and Minds | Alex | 4 episodes | |
| Life After Life | Working Out Governor | Television film | |
| Roughnecks | 2 episodes | ||
| 1996 | Safe and Sound | Higgins | Episode: "Hope" |
| 1997 | Wokenwell | Sergeant Duncan Bonney | 6 episodes |
| 1998 | Touch and Go | Clive Bevan | Television film |
| Hornblower: The Examination for Lieutenant | Captain Hammond | Television film | |
| 1998–1999 | Maisie Raine | C.S. Jack Freeman | 12 episodes |
| 1999 | Durango | Vestor McCarthy | Television film |
| 1999–2000 | Queer as Folk | Clive Jones | 2 episodes |
| 2000 | Queer as Folk 2 | Television film | |
| In Defence | DCS David Dillne | Episode #1.3 | |
| 2001 | Hornblower: Retribution | Captain Hammond | Television film |
| 2002 | No Tears | Padraig McFadden | TV miniseries |
| 2003 | Murphy's Law | Fulton | Episode: "Manic Munday" |
| Holby City | Brian Chapman | Episode: "For Better, for Worse" | |
| Cold Feet | Bill Williams | Season 5 | |
| Doctors | Howard Brackley | Episode: "Faking the Dead" | |
| The Clinic | Joseph McGarry | 5 episodes | |
| Hornblower: Loyalty | Captain Hammond | Television film | |
| 2004 | Omagh | Stanley McCombe | Television film |
| 2005 | Coronation Street | Father Thomas | 5 episodes |
| Pure Mule | Harry Kilroy | Episode: "Kevin's Weekend" | |
| 2007 | Rough Diamond | Tim Regan | 2 episodes |
| The Tudors | Pope Clement VII | Episode: "Message to the Emperor" | |
| Casualty | Robert Finch | Episode: "Communion" | |
| Single-Handed | Ex-Garda Sergeant Gerry Driscoll | Episodes: "Home Parts 1 & 2" and "Stolen Child Parts 1 & 2" | |
| 2007, 2010 | Brilliant! | Principal / Carson | 2 episodes |
| 2008 | Fairy Tales | Vice-Chancellor Ralph Graham | Episode: "Cinderella" |
| Clay | Father O'Mahoney | Television film | |
| Last Man Hanging | The Narrator | Television film | |
| Little Dorrit | Mr. Clennam | 2 episodes | |
| Raw | Phillip | Episode #1.6 | |
| 2009 | Scapegoat | H.A. McVeigh QC | Television film |
| 2010 | New Tricks | Fintan MacEntee | Episode: "Coming Out Ball" |
| An Old Fashioned Christmas | Sean Bassett | Television film | |
| Three Wise Women | David | Television film | |
| 2011 | Brendan Smyth: Betrayal of Trust | Abbot Smith | Television film |
| The Sea | Alfred Blunden | Based on The Sea | |
| 2011–2015 | Game of Thrones | Ser Barristan Selmy | 25 episodes |
| 2012 | Titanic: Blood and Steel | Sir Henry Carlton | 12 episodes |
| 2012–2014 | Ripper Street | Theodore P. Swift | 3 episodes |
| 2013 | Moonfleet | Reverend Glennie | 2 episodes |
| Wodehouse in Exile | Major Cussen | Television film | |
| 2013–2014 | The Fall | Morgan Monroe | 4 episodes (main cast) Episode: "These Troublesome Disguises" (guest star) |
| 2013–2016 | Ripper Street | Theodore Swift | 4 episodes |
| 2014 | Quirke | Bill Latimer | Episode: "Elegy For April" |
| Babylon | Maher | Episode: "Hackney Wick" | |
| 2016 | Rebellion | Edward Butler | 5 episodes |
| Barbarians Rising | Tagus | Episode: "Resistance" | |
| 2017 | The Frankenstein Chronicles | Dr. Lennox | 2 episodes |
| Redwater | Lance Byrne | 3 episodes | |
| 2018 | Dave Allen At Peace | Priest | Television film |
| Mrs Wilson | Father Timothy | 3 episodes | |
| 2018–2019 | Krypton | Val-El | 20 episodes |
| 2018–2022 | Derry Girls | Granda Joe | Main cast |
| 2019 | Silent Witness | Pat Walsh | 2 episodes |
| 2020 | Doctor Who | Ko Sharmus | Episode: "Ascension of the Cybermen" Episode: "The Timeless Children" |
| The Deceived | Hugh Callaghan | 3 episodes | |
| 2020–2022 | The Split | Professor Ronnie | Recurring role |
| 2021 | Bloodlands | Adam Corry | 3 episodes |
| 2021–2024 | The Outlaws | John Sr. | 12 episodes |
| 2022 | Suspicion | Grandad | Episode: "Rooms For Doubt" |
| 2023 | Unforgotten | Lord Tony Hume | 6 episodes |
| A Small Light | Johannes Kleiman | 8 episodes | |
| 2024 | High Country | Sam Dryson | 8 episodes |
Radio
| Date | Title | Role | Author | Director | Station |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 April 2012 | The Biggest Issues[7] | Clive Watson | Annie McCartney | Eoin O'Callaghan | BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Drama |
Web series
| Year | Show | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Game Grumps | Himself | 1 episode |
References
- ^ Walker, Tim (7 August 2014). "Game of Thrones star's ghosted tweets". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
- ^ Barter, Pavel (18 March 2018). "Ian McElhinney: Belfast's super man". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
- ^ "Former drama teacher takes Game of Thrones starring role". York Press. 20 August 2014. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
- ^ Allen, Kelly (25 February 2021). "Bloodlands sees return of the blood brothers Ian McElhinney and James Nesbitt". belfasttelegraph. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
- ^ Rathmore Productions Ltd. Archived 20 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ McCarry, Gráinne (7 August 2008). "Me and my health: Marie Jones". Belfast Telegraph. Archived from the original on 19 April 2013.
- ^ "BBC – Afternoon Drama – The Biggest Issues". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 1 December 2023.