
Oliver Cotton
Acting
Born 1944-06-20 · London, England, UK
After training at the Drama Centre London, he has worked extensively at the Royal National Theatre playing in many productions including The Royal Hunt of the Sun, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Much Ado About Nothing, As You Like It, Oedipus, In His Own Write, Hamlet, Tamburlaine, No Man's Land, The Passion, Despatches, Half Life, The World Turned Upside Down, Julius Caesar, The Madras House, The Man With the Flower in His Mouth, Tales from the Vienna Woods, The Crucible, Piano, Troilus and Cressida, Money, Summerfolk, The Villain's Opera, Life x 3. At the Royal Court Theatre, he has appeared in The Local Stigmatic, The Duchess of Malfi, Man is Man, The Enoch Show, Erronenous Zones, The Tutor by Brecht, Lear and Bingo by Edward Bond and Piano/Forte by Terry Johnson. He was a founder member of Joint Stock appearing in their inaugural production The Speakers by Heathcote Williams. At The Royal Shakespeare Company he has played in The Marrying of Ann Leete, Henry VI, Edward IV, Richard III, The Plain Dealer, Some Americans Abroad by Richard Nelson, Brand by Ibsen. His West End appearances include The Homecoming by Harold Pinter, Children of a Lesser God by Mark Medoff, Benefactors by Michael Frayn (in whose Liberty Hall he also appeared in at the Greenwich Theatre), An Ideal Husband by Oscar Wilde, Life x 3 by Yasmina Reza, and Brand by Ibsen. He has also played the title role in King Lear at the Southwark Playhouse and Malvolio in Shakespeare's Globe's all-male production of Twelfth Night. His many TV appearances have included The Borgias (Cesare Borgia), David Copperfield, The Year of the French, The Play on One, Redemption, Poirot, The Camomile Lawn, Westbeach, Zorro, Sharpe's Battle, Rhodes, All Quiet on the Preston Front, Innocents, Judge John Deed, Inspector Lynley, Waking the Dead, M.I.T.: Murder Investigation Team, Beastly Games, Sensitive Skin, Midsomer Murders, Hotel Babylon. His films include Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush, The Day Christ Died, Firefox, Oliver Twist, The Sicilian, Eleni, Hiding Out, Christopher Columbus, Son of the Pink Panther, The Innocent Sleep, Phoenix Blue, The Opium War, Beowulf, Baby Blue, The Dancer Upstairs, Shanghai Knights, The Bone Collector, Raindogs, Colour Me Kubrick.
Filmography

Tales of the Underworld
Jan 26, 2026

The Last Duel
Oct 13, 2021

Wonder Woman 1984
Dec 16, 2020

Pylon
May 22, 2017

North v South
Oct 16, 2015

Gangs of Tooting Broadway
Feb 4, 2013

The Dark Knight Rises
Jul 17, 2012

Henry IV, Part 2 - Live at Shakespeare's Globe
Jun 25, 2012

Henry IV, Part 1 - Live at Shakespeare's Globe
May 27, 2012

Pope Joan
Oct 22, 2009

Margaret
Mar 26, 2009

Attila the Hun
Mar 16, 2008

Colour Me Kubrick
Oct 6, 2005

Out of the Ashes
Apr 13, 2003

Shanghai Knights
Feb 6, 2003

The Dancer Upstairs
Sep 20, 2002

Baby Blue
Jan 25, 2001

Beowulf
Mar 31, 1999

The Innocent Sleep
Jan 25, 1996

Sharpe's Battle
Apr 19, 1995

Joseph
Apr 10, 1995

Son of the Pink Panther
Aug 27, 1993

Christopher Columbus: The Discovery
Aug 20, 1992

Redemption
Jul 3, 1991

The Party
Mar 8, 1988

Hiding Out
Nov 6, 1987

The Sicilian
Oct 7, 1987

Eleni
Nov 1, 1985

Firefox
Jun 18, 1982

Oliver Twist
Mar 23, 1982