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Richard Griffiths

Richard Griffiths

Actor · Died March 28, 2013, aged 65 · Thornaby-on-Tees, North Yorkshire, England, UK

BAFTA Award nominee

Richard Thomas Griffiths (July 31, 1947 – March 28, 2013) was an English actor of film, television, and stage. For his performance in the stage play The History Boys, Griffiths won a Tony Award, a Laurence Olivier Award, the Drama Desk Award and the Outer Critics Circle Award. For the 2006 film adaptation, Griffiths was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. He played Vernon Dursley in the Harry Potter films (2001-2010) and Great Uncle Matthew Brown "Gum" in the BBC film Ballet Shoes (2007). He also portrayed Uncle Monty in Withnail and I (1987), and Henry Crabbe in Pie in the Sky (1994–1997). Earlier in his career, he had supporting roles in such critically acclaimed films as Chariots of Fire (1981), The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981), Gandhi (1982), and The Naked Gun 2+1⁄2: The Smell of Fear (1991). In his later career he appeared in Sleepy Hollow (1999), The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005), Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011) and in Martin Scorsese's Hugo (2011).

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
July 31, 1947
Died
March 28, 2013 (aged 65)
From
Thornaby-on-Tees, North Yorkshire, England, UK
Works as
Actor
Titles
50 on MovieCove · 94 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 155 days to Oct 26Up 1% in 30 days

What are Richard Griffiths' films like?

Across their 29 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Genres

Comedy11 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 71st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Adventure5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 56th percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Drama3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 66th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 71st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 63rd percentile
: browse their Crime movies
Documentary2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 93rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
28%
Bonds
28%
Morality
17%
Society
10%
Power
9%
Ideas
6%
Survival
2%
Purpose7 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds6 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity8 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception6 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship4 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice4 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love5 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 28 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 18 · Serious 5 · Dark 5

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 13 · Stylized 9 · Heightened 6

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

Gentle 12 · Charged 12 · Intense 4

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

Steady 11 · Shifting 13 · Whiplash 4

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

Straight-faced 6 · Some laughs 11 · Funny 11

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

A split, not a type: Slow burn 15 · Even-paced 12 · Relentless 1

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

Casual 14 · Engaged 13 · Full focus 1

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

Resolved 21 · Open-ended 6 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

12 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 3 of 12 analyzed roles.

Ally
3 of 12
Threshold guardian
3 of 12
Trickster
2 of 12
Mentor
2 of 12
Shapeshifter
1 of 12
Hero
1 of 12
Show the 12 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Joyful
12
Warm
9
Tense
10
Absurd
9
Melancholic
8
Other
30

How their films linger

Feel-good17 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • Happy13
  • Bittersweet12
  • Tragic2
  • Ambiguous1
  • Cyclical1

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 Richard Griffiths' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 34 of their 50 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (10).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Richard Griffiths' 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

94 credits, 50 with a MovieCove page; 7 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts(2022)

    as Vernon Dursley

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • About Time(2013)

    as Lawyer in Play (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Private Peaceful(2012)

    as The Colonel

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • The Hollow Crown(2012)

    Show 1 episode · as Duke of Burgundy

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows

  • Hugo(2011)

    as Monsieur Frick

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides(2011)

    as King George

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • Episodes(2011)

    Show 1 episode · as Julian Bullard

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all shows

  • Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1(2010)

    as Vernon Dursley

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Jackboots on Whitehall(2010)

    as Hermann Goering (voice)

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • National Theatre Live: The Habit of Art (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Fitz / W. H. Auden

  • Bedtime Stories(2008)

    as Barry Nottingham

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa(2008)

    as Santa Claus

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Ballet Shoes(2007)

    as Great Uncle Matthew

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix(2007)

    as Vernon Dursley

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • The History Boys(2006)

    as Hector

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Venus(2006)

    as Donald

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as Mr. Alderman Ptolomy Tortoise/Mr. Jackson/Sir Isaac Newton

  • Opa! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as Tierrney

  • Bleak House(2005)

    Show 2 episodes · as Mr. Bayham Badger

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy(2005)

    as Jeltz (voice)

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Princes in the Tower (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as Thomas More voice

  • Stage Beauty(2004)

    as Sir Charles Sedley

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban(2004)

    as Vernon Dursley

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • The Brides in the Bath(2003)

    as Sir Edward Marshall-Hall

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Jeffrey Archer: The Truth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    as Willie Whitelaw

  • tlc (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Show 6 episodes · as Mr Benedict Ron

  • Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets(2002)

    as Vernon Dursley

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone(2001)

    as Uncle Vernon Dursley

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Vatel(2000)

    as Dr. Bourdelot

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

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

    Show 2 episodes · as Swelter

  • Sleepy Hollow(1999)

    as Bürgermeister Phillipse

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Hope and Glory (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Show 2 episodes · as Leo Wheeldon

  • Ted & Ralph (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    as Landowner at Party

  • The Animal Train(1998)

    as Elephant

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • In the Red (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Show 3 episodes · as Geoffrey Crichton Potter

  • The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends: The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies and Mrs. Tittlemouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Mr. Jackson (voice)

  • TFI Friday (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Funny Bones(1995)

    as Jim Minty

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • A Breed of Heroes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Brian Beasely

  • Pie in the Sky(1994)

    Show 40 episodes · as Henry Crabbe

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all shows

  • Guarding Tess(1994)

    as Frederick

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Show 1 episode · as Mr. Jackson (voice)

  • Mr. Wakefield's Crusade (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Porter

  • Blame It on the Bellboy(1992)

    as Maurice Horton

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear(1991)

    as Dr. Meinheimer / Earl Hacker

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • King Ralph(1991)

    as Phipps

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Perfect Scoundrels (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Show 1 episode · as Phil Kirby

  • El C.I.D. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Show 1 episode · as Weatherby

  • Screen One (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Show 1 episode · as Brian Beazely

  • Goldeneye (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as Second Admiral

  • A Kind of Living (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Show 26 episodes · as Trevor Beasley

  • The Marksman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Show 3 episodes · as Brown

  • Ffizz (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Show 12 episodes · as Jack Mowbray

  • Withnail and I(1987)

    as Monty

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Casanova(1987)

    as Cardinal

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Inspector Morse(1987)

    Show 1 episode · as Canon Humphrey Appleton

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • Shanghai Surprise(1986)

    as Willie Tuttle

    Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films

  • Boon(1986)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all shows

  • Lovejoy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Show 1 episode · as Hans Koopman

  • A Private Function(1984)

    as Allardyce

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes(1984)

    as Captain Billings

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Gorky Park(1983)

    as Anton

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • The Cleopatras (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Show 3 episodes · as Pot Belly

  • The Merry Wives of Windsor(1982)

    as Sir John Falstaff

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Gandhi(1982)

    as Collins

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Countdown (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 5 episodes · Actor

  • A Light Snack (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as The Window Cleaner

  • The World Cup: A Captain's Tale(1982)

    as Sidney Barron

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Britannia Hospital(1982)

    as Cheerful Bernie

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Bird of Prey (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 8 episodes · as Henry Jay

  • Whoops Apocalypse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 4 episodes · as Premier Dubienkin

  • Ragtime(1981)

    as Delmas' Assistant No. 1

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Bergerac(1981)

    Show 1 episode · as Jean-Pierre

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all shows

  • Prisoners of Conscience (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Show 1 episode · as William Beausire

  • The French Lieutenant's Woman(1981)

    as Sir Tom

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Chariots of Fire(1981)

    as Head Porter - Caius College

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Superman II(1980)

    as Terrorist

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Breaking Glass(1980)

    as Studio Engineer

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Nobody's Perfect (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Show 14 episodes · Adaptation · as Sam Hooper

  • Minder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Show 1 episode · as Derek Farrow

  • Afternoon Off (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    as Factory Boss

  • The BBC Television Shakespeare (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Show 1 episode · as Sir John Falstaff

  • The Comedy of Errors (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Officer

  • It's Only Rock 'n' Roll (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    as Board Member

  • Twelve Off the Belt (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    as Bedworth Hogg

  • It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    as Sam Broadbent

  • Well Thank You, Thursday (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    as Window Cleaner

  • Red Letter Day (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Show 1 episode · as Window Cleaner

  • The Sweeney(1975)

    Show 1 episode · as Ronnie Harries

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • Norma (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    as Park Keeper

  • Village Hall (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Show 1 episode · as Mr Ridealgh

  • Second City Firsts (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Show 1 episode · as Bedworth Hog

  • Crown Court (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 2 episodes · as Interpreter

  • ITV Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 1 episode · as Board member · as Park keeper

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 93 titles from 1967 to 2013; peak year 2007.

Biggest box office

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)

$1B worldwide

Highest rated

Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts (2022)

Midcredits 97th

Most popular right now

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)

Film career

MilestoneNomination
19672013

Peak 2007 · steadily prominent in film for years. Top draw in 8 MovieCove titles. 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.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting93 of 93: 92 only acting, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score75thWriting1 of 93: 0 only writing, 1 with another role

By decade

1960s1 · acting1970s14 · acting1980s31 · 31 acting · 1 crew1990s18 · acting2000s20 · acting2010s9 · acting

Billing

usually 8th · top billed in 3% of 36 roles
8085950510

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.

Awards

Nominated for a BAFTA Award in 2007, Best Actor in a Leading Role.

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Richard Griffiths' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 74th percentile, the median of all 42; across their 28 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 63rd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

63rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 28

Approval · how many liked their films

69thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 28

Reach · how many have seen their films

85thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 28

Midcredits score across 50 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up26
  • 50th to 74th14
  • 25th to 49th7
  • Below 25th3

Shape of the crowd

26 of their 50 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved14
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser26
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed7

Most divisive · actor

The Animal Train (1998)

77th percentile spread · 25% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)

Midcredits 99th · 89% liked

Reviewers score the acting 72/100 in their films, across 25 reviewed titles; fans 81, detractors 47. 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.

Is Richard Griffiths' work okay for kids?

Across up to 16 MovieCove titles with content scores, every category sits near the median of all films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore9 titles14–81 · median 35 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity16 titles15–52 · median 39 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity12 titles19–73 · median 39 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs9 titles6–56 · median 33 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense9 titles18–58 · median 33 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Richard Griffiths work with?

People who share at least 2 of Richard Griffiths' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Alan Bennett shares the most, 3.

Writers

Actors

Composers and cinematographers

Producers