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Michael Cochrane

Michael Cochrane

Actor · Born May 19, 1947 (79) · Brighton, Sussex, England, UK

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Michael Cochrane (born 19 May 1947) is an English actor who specialises in playing upper class characters, sometimes with a suaveness that hides their villainy. He has had many television and radio roles including Oliver Sterling in the Radio 4 soap opera The Archers, The Pallisers (1974), Wings (1977-78), The Citadel (1983), Goodbye Mr. Chips (1984), No Job for a Lady, The Chief (1990-1995), and as Sir Henry Simmerson in the Sharpe series. He has twice appeared in the BBC science fiction series Doctor Who, first as Charles Cranleigh in the serial "Black Orchid" (1982) and later as Redvers Fenn-Cooper in "Ghost Light" (1989). He was later associated with Doctor Who when he appeared in the 2006 Big Finish Productions audio drama "No Man's Land". He featured in the ITV science fiction series The Uninvited. In 2008 he appeared in the soap opera Doctors as Daniel's solicitor and in 2009 in Margaret as MP Alan Clark. He appeared in the situation comedy Perfect World as the sex-obsessed marketing director. Cochrane also starred in the 2002 film Offending Angels with Susannah Harker and Shaun Parkes. He is married to the actress Belinda Carroll. Description above from the Wikipedia article Michael Cochrane, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
May 19, 1947 (79)
From
Brighton, Sussex, England, UK
Works as
Actor
Titles
46 on MovieCove · 99 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 65 days to Oct 28Down 42% in 30 days

What are Michael Cochrane's films like?

Across their 8 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
27%
Morality
20%
Self
15%
Society
15%
Power
13%
Survival
6%
Ideas
4%
Loyalty2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love2 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception2 titles, browse their movies with this themeClass2 titles, browse their movies with this themeWar2 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 6 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 3 · Serious 2 · Dark 1

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 5 · Stylized 1 · Heightened 0

Gentle: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their gentle movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 3 · Charged 2 · Intense 1

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 4 · Shifting 2 · Whiplash 0

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 2 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 1

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 2 · Even-paced 4 · Relentless 0

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 2 · Engaged 3 · Full focus 1

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 5 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

1 analyzed role
  • Shadowas Simmerson in Sharpe (1993)

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
4
Warm
4
Joyful
3
Romantic
3
Contemplative
2
Other
5

How their films linger

Feel-good5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCozy2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy4
  • Bittersweet4

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Michael Cochrane's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 37 of their 46 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on BritBox (18).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Michael Cochrane's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

99 credits, 46 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • Keeping Up Appearances: 30 Years of Laughs(2023)

    as Ship's Officer

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Living(2022)

    as Sir James

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • I Hate You (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Show 1 episode · as Leonard

  • The Outlaws(2021)

    Show 3 episodes · as Mr Kingsley

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all shows

  • The Man(2019)

    Show 3 episodes · as Clayton

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all shows

  • RSC Live: Twelfth Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    as Sir Andrew Aguecheek

  • Decline and Fall(2017)

    Show 1 episode · as Prosecutor

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all shows

  • The Crown(2016)

    Show 1 episode · as Vice Provost Sir Henry Marten

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Agatha Raisin(2014)

    Show 1 episode · as Sir Desmond

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all shows

  • We're Doomed! The Dad's Army Story(2015)

    as Arnold Ridley

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Cradle to Grave (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Show 1 episode · as Judge

  • Coalition (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    as Senior Tory MP Buchanan

  • Hampstead Theatre At Home: Wonderland (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Ian MacGregor

  • The Musketeers(2014)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all shows

  • The Escape Artist(2013)

    Show 2 episodes · as Judge

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • Man Down (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Vicious(2013)

    Show 1 episode · as Jasper

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows

  • Father Brown(2013)

    Show 1 episode · as Bishop Yorke

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • Panto! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Johnny

  • Run for Your Wife(2012)

    as Man on Bus

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • Titanic: Blood and Steel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Show 4 episodes · as Captain Smith

  • Call the Midwife(2012)

    Show 1 episode · as Sir Brigham Aylward

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • The Iron Lady(2011)

    as William

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Holy Flying Circus (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Malcolm Muggeridge

  • Downton Abbey(2010)

    Show 5 episodes · as Reverend Travis

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Margaret (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as Alan Clark

  • Sharpe's Peril (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Simmerson

  • Mutual Friends (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Show 1 episode · as Judge

  • Margaret Thatcher: The Long Walk to Finchley(2008)

    as Sir Waldron Smithers

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • My Spy Family (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Show 13 episodes · as Lord Bollingstock

  • HG Wells: War with the World (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as Minister

  • Sharpe's Challenge (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as Simmerson

  • The Government Inspector (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as Sir Richard Dearlove

  • Kenneth Tynan: In Praise of Hardcore (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as Lord Lyttleton

  • A Different Loyalty(2004)

    as Dick Madsen

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • The Worst Week of My Life(2004)

    Show 1 episode · as Rupert

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows

  • Reversals (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as Derek Barry

  • Rosemary & Thyme(2003)

    Show 1 episode · as Franklin Danvers

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

  • Keen Eddie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Wire in the Blood(2002)

    Show 1 episode · as Judge Hynes

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • MI-5(2002)

    Show 1 episode · as Ross Vaughan

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • The Falklands Play(2002)

    as Rt Hon Nicholas Ridley MP (Financial Secretary to the Treasury)

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • The Cry (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Show 4 episodes · as Nathaniel Weekly

  • Murphy's Law(2003)

    Show 1 episode · as Livingston

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows

  • The Innocent (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as Harold Haig

  • Justice in Wonderland (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Whiteman

  • Monarch of the Glen(2000)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all shows

  • Perfect World (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 13 episodes · as Terence Bentley (The Director)

  • Longitude (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Waddington, Gould's solicitor

  • Longitude (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 1 episode · as Solicitor

  • Nancherrow (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

  • Nancherrow (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Sir George Rawlings

  • The Ambassador (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Incognito(1997)

    as Detective Inspector Deeks

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Sharpe: The Legend(1997)

    as Simmerson

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • The Uninvited (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Show 4 episodes · Actor

  • Jonathan Creek(1997)

    Show 1 episode · as Owen Glendower

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • The Saint(1997)

    as Cold Fusion Broker

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Sharpe's Regiment (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Colonel Sir Henry Simmerson

  • Sharpe's Sword (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Colonel Sir Henry Simmerson

  • Wycliffe(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Mr. Price

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all shows

  • Pie in the Sky(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Julian Tubbs

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all shows

  • 99-1 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Charlwood

  • Sharpe's Eagle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as Colonel Sir Henry Simmerson

  • Sharpe(1993)

    Show 2 episodes · as Simmerson · as Sir Henry Simmerson

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • A Touch of Frost(1992)

    Show 2 episodes · as Babcock, HMI

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • A Dangerous Man: Lawrence After Arabia(1992)

    as Winston Churchill

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Heartbeat(1992)

    Show 1 episode · as Cunningham · as Derek Lightfoot · as Stephen Quinn

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all shows

  • A Murder of Quality(1991)

    as Charles Hecht

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Tell Me That You Love Me (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    as Geoff

  • The Darling Buds of May(1991)

    Show 1 episode · as Wing Commander Honeyman

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all shows

  • The Chief (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Show 17 episodes · as Nigel Crimmond

  • No Job for a Lady (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Show 6 episodes · as Richard Monkton

  • Number One Gun (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as Flash Fairmaid

  • The Return of Sam McCloud(1989)

    as Geraint Davies

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Doctor Who: Ghost Light (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as Redvers Fenn-Cooper

  • Fortunes of War (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Show 1 episode · as Clifford

  • The Ruth Rendell Mysteries(1987)

    Show 3 episodes · as Swithun Riding

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all shows

  • Dear John (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Show 1 episode · as Roger

  • Howards' Way (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 1 episode · as Pierre Challon

  • The Detective (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 5 episodes · as David Marchwint

  • Hay Fever (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    as Sandy Tyrell

  • Frankenstein (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    as Henry Clervell

  • Real Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    as Lipton

  • The Far Pavilions(1984)

    Show 2 episodes · as Crimpley

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all shows

  • Partners in Crime(1983)

    Show 1 episode · as Dennis Radcliffe

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all shows

  • The Return of the Soldier(1982)

    as Stephen

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Ascendancy(1983)

    as Officer

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • Doctor Who: Black Orchid (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as Lord Cranleigh

  • Victory(1981)

    as Farrell

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • The Life and Times of David Lloyd George (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    as Charles Masterman

  • Love in a Cold Climate (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Show 8 episodes · as Cedric Hampton

  • Daphne Laureola(1978)

    as Bill

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Country Wife (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    as Sparkish

  • Wings (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Show 25 episodes · as Charles Gaylion

  • Laurence Olivier Presents (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Show 1 episode · as Bill

  • The Pallisers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Show 4 episodes · as Gerald

  • BBC Play of the Month (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Show 1 episode · as Sparkish

  • Doctor Who(1963)

    Show 3 episodes · as Lord Cranleigh · as Redvers Fenn-Cooper

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

Career shape

Star power in the 92nd percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 98 titles from 1963 to 2022; peak year 1996.

Biggest box office

A Different Loyalty (2004)

$575K worldwide

Highest rated

Sharpe (1993)

Midcredits 96th

Film career

19632022

Peak 1996 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

  • 1991Screen debut· A Murder of Quality
  • 2022Career best· Living

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting98 of 98: 98 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score79th

By decade

1960s2 · acting1970s5 · acting1980s18 · acting1990s24 · acting2000s25 · acting2010s21 · acting2020s3 · acting

Billing

usually 10th · top billed in 0% of 13 roles
9101

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Michael Cochrane's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 65th percentile, the median of all 18; across their 6 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 73rd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

73rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 6

Approval · how many liked their films

71stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 6

Reach · how many have seen their films

46thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 6

Midcredits score across 46 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up26
  • 50th to 74th13
  • 25th to 49th3
  • Below 25th4

Shape of the crowd

28 of their 46 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved11
  • Crowd Pleaser28
  • Mixed7

Most divisive · actor

Run for Your Wife (2012)

85th percentile spread · 72% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Downton Abbey (2010)

Midcredits 98th · 93% liked

Reviewers score the acting 71/100 in their films, across 4 reviewed titles; fans 80, detractors 53. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Michael Cochrane work with?

People who share at least 2 of Michael Cochrane's MovieCove titles; Abigail Cruttenden shares the most, 2.