Half a lifetime has passed since Stephen Riddle’s name appeared in lights above the canopy of London’s Strand Theatre, where he played the leading role in No Sex Please, We’re British. The name of the theatre was subsequently changed to protect the innocent. Evidence of Stephen’s tv performances in productions such as Smiley’s People and Jewel in the Crown proved harder to erase, which some may consider regrettable.
A parallel career in copywriting enabled Stephen to watch major movies free of charge pre-release, while he earned not only a crust but several loaves writing advertising for them. He considers that the Creative Circle Award won by a radio commercial he wrote for the film The Money Pit is small recompense for the many Oliviers and BAFTAs for which he was never considered.
Recently Stephen dabbled in the real world, taking permanent employment in social services. He had hoped to give back a little to society, but could not recall what he had taken from it in the first place. Concluding that the real world he was exploring was in many ways less real than the world of entertainment, Stephen has returned to a life of freelance unemployment.
Height
6 feet 0 (182cm)
Eye Colour
Blue-Grey
Playing Age
55 - 71
Hair Colour
Blond(e)-Dark
Appearance
Scandinavian, White, Eastern European
Voice Character
Warm, Sincere
Accents
Liverpool*, London*, RP*, American-Midwest, American-New York, American-Standard, Australian, Cockney, Cornwall, Danish, Devon, Dorset, Edinburgh, English-Standard, Estuary English, French, German, Glasgow, Irish-Northern, Irish-Southern, Lancashire, Norwegian, Russian, Scandinavian, Scottish - Borders, Scottish-Standard, Somerset, South African, Swedish, Ukrainian, Yorkshire
Music & Dance
Tenor, Tenor Baritone
Performance
Audio Drama*, Comedy*, Outdoor Performances*, Repertory*, Actor-Singer, Dubbing, Musical Theatre, Singer-Professional
Other Skills
Director, Improvisation, Journalist, Narration, Scriptwriter (professional), Ventriloquist, Writer
Year
Production
Role
Director
Org/Venue
2025
Synchronicity
Carl Jung (lead)
Anthony Shrubsall
White Bear Theatre, London / Teatro Paulo Quintela, University of Coimbra, Portugal)
2025
The Rise and Fall of Margaret Thatcher
Airey Neave / Sir Anthony Meyer
Harry Medawar
Upstairs at the Gatehouse
2025
chaos II: Sunday (new short play by Roy Williams)
Ray
Mojola Akinyemi
Long Nights Productions
2024
Synchronicity
Carl Jung (lead)
Anthony Shrubsall
White Bear Theatre
2024
The Dedication
Gustav Mahler (lead)
Kenneth Michaels
Novanda Productions, White Bear Theatre
2024
Just Stop Extinction Rebellion
George / Henry / Heckler
Kenneth Michaels
Maiden Productions, White Bear Theatre
2022
The Scene: 2071 & Goldilocks and the Three Hairs
1184 & George
Anna Hawkes
Get Over It Productions / Bread and Roses Theatre
2022
Mayflower
Pastor John Robinson / Stephen Hopkins
Kenn Michaels
Hen & Chickens / Historia Theatre Company
2021
Richard II
John of Gaunt / Bishop of Carlisle
Annie McKenzie
UK Open Air Tour / Quandary Collective with Scraped Knees Productions
2020
The Maestro’s Last Words
Walter Kleist
Orsolya Nagy
OSO Arts Centre / Langley Productions
2020
Love Shots II: Rosa & Leo
Leo
Anna Clart
Union Theatre / W&M Productions
2019
The Dedication
Gustav Mahler (lead)
Kenneth Michaels
Chapel Playhouse / Novello Productions
2018
For the Love of Noodles
Dexter
Justin Murray
Southwark Playhouse / Underexposed Theatre
2018
Gun Jnr Leaves Home
Gun Snr
Jodi Burgess
Southwark Playhouse, Old Red Lion Theatre / Underexposed Theatre
2019
Another Cup of Tea
Michael
Lance S.A. Nielsen
Actor Awareness
2018
Dispatches: Cabby
The Cabby
Liam Elliston
OSO Arts Centre
1986
The Mating Game
Draycott Harris (lead role)
International Tour / Nimmo Productions
1985
Murder In Mind
George Rudd
Val May
No. 1 UK Tour / Kenwright Productions
1984
A Patriot For Me
Stanitsin
Ronald Eyre
West End: Haymarket Theatre Royal / Chichester Festival Production
1981
No Sex Please, We’re British
Brian Runnicles (lead role)
Allan Davis
West End: Strand / Novello Theatre - Volcano Productions
1975
The Trials of Oscar Wilde
Lord Alfred Douglas (Bosie)
Peter Coe
Oxford Playhouse - Oxford Festival
1974
Dandy Dick
Hatcham
Sir John Clements
West End: Garrick Theatre / Chichester Festival Prod.
Repertory / Provincial Theatre
Manchester Library Theatre, Swansea Grand, Lincoln Theatre Royal, Chester Gateway, Sidmouth Manor Pavilion, Oldham Coli
Year
Production
Role
Director
Org/Venue
2023
The Fellowship: Tolkien and Lewis (pilot)
Rev James Welch
Paul Syrstad
Roarlight
2019
The Crown
Derek Parker Bowles
Sam Donovan
Left Bank Pictures (for Netflix)
1998
The Bill: Blurred Around The Edges
Colonel Peter Lybrand
Chris Lovett
Pearson Television (for Carlton Television)
1993
Headhunters: The Golden Hello
Ted Pickett
Simon Langton
BBC Scotland
1986
Only Fools And Horses: A Royal Flush (Xmas Special)
Giles
Ray Butt
BBC
1985
Affairs of the Heart
PC Clements
Charles Kitchen
Granada
1985
Bergerac: Offshore Trades
Jean
Robert Tronson
BBC
1984
The Gourmet
Watkins
Michael White
Skreba Films (for Channel 4)
1983
Strangers and Brothers (3 episodes)
Martin Eliot (leading role)
Jeremy Summers
BBC
1983
The Aerodrome
Flt Lt Preston
Giles Foster
BBC Television
1982
The Jewel In The Crown (4 episodes)
Dicky Beauvais
Christopher Morahan & Jim O'Brien
Granada
1981
Smiley's People
Nigel Mostyn
Simon Langton
BBC
1980
Ike: The War Years
GI
Boris Sagal
ABC Films
1979
Speed King
PC Dunton
Ferdinand Fairfax
BBC
1979
BBC Playhouse: The Brylcreem Boys
Robin
Roger Bamford
BBC
1978
Wings: Forward Action
Julian Cornblow
Peter Jeffries
BBC
1978
All Creatures Great and Small: Pups, Pigs and Pickles
PC Leach
Robert Tronson
BBC
Year
Production
Role
Director
Org/Venue
2024
The Darkroom
Joe (lead)
Lilou Herrmann-Garcia & Lamya Hasbi
Metfilm
1985
Murder Elite
Police Constable
Claude Watham
Arlington Productions (subsidiary of Tyburn Films)
1978
Adventures of a Plumbers Mate
Willie
Stanley Long
Salon Productions
1977
Julia
Student
Fred Zimmermann
20th Century Fox
1977
A Bridge Too Far
GI
Richard Attenborough
Joseph E. Levine Productions
1976
Adventures of a Taxi Driver
Bunny McQueen
Stanley Long
Alpha Films
1975
Three For All
Philip
Martin Campbell
Dejamus
1975
Eskimo Nell
Simon
Martin Campbell
Salon Productions
1975
Overlord
Dead German Soldier
Stuart Cooper
Janus Films
Year
Production
Role
Director
Org/Venue
2026
The Troubling Case of the Missing Mobility Scooter
Leon
Dylan Bowen
Metfilm
2026
Orchids
George (lead)
Alex Larner
Kingston University
2025
The Way Home
Dad (Rees)
Matthew Chang
Metfilm
2025
The Distance Between Us
Simon (lead)
Giancarlo Gonzalde Gutierrez
Metfilm
2025
Mould
The Surveyor (lead)
Arvo Kimch’i Bickerton Packer
Metfilm
2025
Read to Me
Gerry
Freddie Strowger
2025
Reverse Psychology
Richard
Aarohi Kulkarni
Metfilm
2025
Talkies
William
Sonya Kanevskaya
LFA
2025
Mimic
Casey’s Father
Sonya Kanevskaya
Ravensbourne University
2024
Call to the Rabbit
Major William H Lawrence
Sean McSweyn
UAL
2024
The Muffin Man (Best Horror, London Global Film Festival)
Iain
Jason (Chen Chieh) Chang
Metfilm
2024
Where Have the Horses Gone?
Tommy
Ciaran Miles Douglas
LSBU
2024
Universe 25
Narrator
Willow Seo
UoS
2024
27.105
Crusoe
Cameron J Waldie
SFS Brighton
2023
The Final Score
Vincent Birdwhistle
Nairika Lodhi
London Film School
2023
Guanyin
Father Michael
Zimo Zhou
Metfilm
2023
The Flyleaf
George Foyles
Boting Xie
London Film School
2023
For the Recently Bereaved
Robert
Barnaby Brown
UAL
2023
Never Moving, Ever Moving
John Langley
Sitong Xue
University of the Arts
2022
Death Conversation Cafe
Frank
Jessica James
South Bank University
2020
Gnawing Guilt
Adam
Henry Thompson
UCA
Year
Production
Role
Director
Org/Venue
2025
Comedy Playhouse: Members
Narrator & O’Regano
Helen Goldwyn
Big Finish Productions
2025
Deadwood
Deadwood (a tree)
Yeer Zhang
RCA
2023
The Scene (Season 3) - My Wee Home / Bloody Paperwork / Behind the Scene
John / Aidan Glass / Shane
Sassy Clyde
Janno Media & Get Over It Productions
2022
Dr Who - Reverse Engineering (Purity Undreamed trilogy)
Killian Holm
Helen Goldwyn
Big Finish Productions
2022
Le Misanthrope
Alceste
Anna Clart
