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Alexei Sayle

Alexei Sayle

Actor · Born August 7, 1952 (74) · Anfield, Liverpool, England, UK

Alexei David Sayle is an English actor, author, stand-up comedian, television presenter and former recording artist. He was a leading figure in the British alternative comedy movement in the 1980s. He was voted the 18th greatest stand-up comic of all time on Channel 4's 100 Greatest Stand-ups in 2007. In an updated 2010 poll he came 72nd. Much of Sayle's humour is in the tradition of Spike Milligan and Monty Python, with riffs based on often absurd and surreal premises. His act is known for its cynicism and political awareness, as well as physical comedy.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
August 7, 1952 (74)
From
Anfield, Liverpool, England, UK
Works as
Actor
Titles
28 on MovieCove · 87 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 29% in 30 days

What are Alexei Sayle's films like?

Across their 16 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Genres

Comedy5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 43rd percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Documentary2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 70th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Drama2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 44th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Fantasy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 42nd percentile
: browse their Fantasy 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
Bonds
25%
Morality
21%
Self
17%
Power
15%
Society
11%
Ideas
7%
Survival
4%
Family bonds3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love3 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice3 titles, browse their movies with this themeArt2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption2 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 14 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 8 · Serious 3 · Dark 3

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 5 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 6

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 7 · Charged 6 · Intense 1

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

Steady 10 · Shifting 3 · Whiplash 1

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

Straight-faced 4 · Some laughs 6 · Funny 4

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

Slow burn 6 · Even-paced 7 · 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 7 · Engaged 6 · Full focus 1

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

Resolved 7 · Open-ended 5 · Ambiguous 2

Roles they play

4 analyzed roles

Usually the Shadow: 2 of 4 analyzed roles.

Shadow
2 of 4
Trickster
2 of 4

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Joyful
5
Absurd
5
Melancholic
5
Tense
4
Contemplative
4
Other
16

How their films linger

Feel-good6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy6
  • Bittersweet6
  • Ambiguous3
  • 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 Alexei Sayle's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 16 of their 28 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Alexei Sayle'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

87 credits, 28 with a MovieCove page; 41 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • The Big Lie II: Starmer and the Genocide (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    as Narrator (voice)

  • Oh Jeremy Corbyn - The Big Lie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    as Narrator

  • How to Build a Girl(2019)

    as Karl Marx

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Mandy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Show 1 episode · as Darren Dugdale

  • Sometimes Always Never(2018)

    as Bill

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • How The Young Ones Changed Comedy(2018)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Gloves Off (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    as Algy

  • Red Top (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    as Colin Goodman

  • 30 Years of Comic Strip (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Actor

  • The Itch of the Golden Nit (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Planet Jimmy (voice)

  • Horrible Histories(2009)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Ushma

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • The Surprise Demise of Francis Cooper's Mother (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Narrator

  • Hitler: The Comedy Years(2007)

    as D.J. (archive footage) (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Rob Brydon's Annually Retentive (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Thief Lord(2006)

    as Barbarossa

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • A Bear's Tail (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Agatha Christie's Marple(2004)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr Maverick

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows

  • Bottom Mindless Violence (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Billy Balowski / Jerzei Balowski / Brian Damage (archive footage)

  • Blood Matters (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Legend of the Tamworth Two (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Newspaper Editor

  • Spine Chillers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 1 episode · as Graham

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

    Show 3 episodes · Actor

  • Strike: When Britain Went to War (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Actor

  • Tipping the Velvet(2002)

    Show 2 episodes · as Charles Frobisher

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows

  • Arabian Nights(2000)

    Show 2 episodes · as BacBac

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all shows

  • Don't Walk (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Uncle Henry

  • Bremner, Bird and Fortune (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Show 89 episodes · as Pope John Paul II

  • Swing(1999)

    as Mighty Mac

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films

  • What's a Carry On?(1998)

    as Achmed (archive footage) (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Alexei Sayle's Merry-Go-Round (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Show 6 episodes · Actor

  • The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling(1997)

    Show 1 episode · as Puppeteer

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

  • Two Minutes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Bernie

  • Hospital! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as X Ray Operator

  • Renford Rejects (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Show 52 episodes · Actor

  • Rhinoceros Hunting in Budapest(1997)

    as Beluga

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Moonlighters (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Narrator (voice)

  • Sorry About Last Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Writer · as Andy Carolides

  • Paris (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 6 episodes · as Alain Degout

  • The Unpleasant World of Penn & Teller (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 6 episodes · Actor

  • The All New Alexei Sayle Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 12 episodes · Actor

  • Rubbish, King of the Jumble (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Rubbish (voice)

  • Curaçao (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as Seemuller

  • Queen of the Wild Frontier (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as Inspector

  • Selling Hitler (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as Konrad 'Conny' Fischer

  • Reckless Kelly(1993)

    as Major Wib

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Carry on Columbus(1992)

    as Achmed

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films

  • Red Nose of Courage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Dad

  • Meeting Venus(1991)

    as Von Schneider (dubbing - voice only) (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Selling Hitler (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Show 5 episodes · as Konrad 'Conny' Fischer

  • 'Itch (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Writer · as Rittblatt

  • Les Dogs (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as Bride's Father

  • Night Voice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as Clarence Flamer

  • The Gravy Train (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Show 4 episodes · as Vlad Milcic

  • Spaghetti Hoops (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as Mog

  • 4 Play (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Show 1 episode · Writer · as Rittblatt

  • Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade(1989)

    as Sultan

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Alexei Sayle's Stuff (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Show 18 episodes · Actor

  • The Love Child (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    as The Voices

  • Didn't You Kill My Brother? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Writer · as Carl Moss/Sterling Moss

  • The Strike (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    as Paul

  • Jake's Journey (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    as Head torturer

  • Mister Corbett's Ghost(1987)

    as Toll Gate Keeper

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • Siesta(1987)

    as Cabbie

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • The Lenny Henry Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Show 13 episodes · Actor

  • Up Line (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Melvin Coombes

  • Solarbabies(1986)

    as Malice

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Casualty(1986)

    Show 2 episodes · as Anton Malinovsky

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all shows

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

    Show 1 episode · as Clarence Flamer

  • Whoops Apocalypse(1987)

    as Alexei Sayle in a Hawaiian Shirt

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

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

    Show 1 episode · as Freddy Reeve

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

    as Motorbike Cop

  • The Bride(1985)

    as Magar

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Ligmalion: Or How to Help Yourself in Self-Help Britain (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    as John Bull

  • Doctor Who: Revelation of the Daleks (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    as DJ

  • The Caucasian Chalk Circle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    as Lavrenti

  • Give Us a Break: Hustle Bustle Toil and Muscle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    as Frank

  • Gorky Park(1983)

    as Golodkin

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • The Alexei Sayle Pirate Video (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Writer · as Self

  • The Young Ones(1982)

    Show 12 episodes · Additional Writing · Creator · Writer · as The Balowski Family

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • The Comic Strip Presents... (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 1 episode · Writer · as Bride's Father · as Carl Moss/Sterling Moss · as Mog · as Paul

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

    Show 4 episodes · as Commisar Solzhenitsyn

  • O.T.T. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 3 episodes · Actor

  • Wolcott(1981)

    Show 1 episode · as Speaker in Market

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all shows (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Comic Strip (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Writer · as Compere

  • Boom Boom... Out Go the Lights (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

  • Repeater(1979)

    as 2nd Detective

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Doctor Who(1963)

    Show 2 episodes · as D.J.

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

Career shape

Star power in the 91st percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 87 titles from 1963 to 2024; peak year 1988.

Biggest box office

Gorky Park (1983)

$16M worldwide

Highest rated

The Young Ones (1982)

Midcredits 93rd

Film career

19632024

Peak 1988 · back in prominent film roles after a quiet stretch. 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
Acting86 of 87: 79 only acting, 7 with another role · typical Midcredits score56thWriting8 of 87: 1 only writing, 7 with another roleOther crew1 of 87: 0 only other crew, 1 with another role

87 titles, 7 with more than one role — acting and writing overlap on 7 of them.

By decade

1960s1 · acting1970s1 · acting1980s31 · 30 acting · 6 crew1990s28 · 28 acting · 2 crew2000s16 · acting2010s6 · acting2020s4 · acting

Billing

usually 9th · top billed in 0% of 10 roles

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.

How do Alexei Sayle's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 45th percentile, the median of all 19; across their 14 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 44th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

44thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Approval · how many liked their films

44thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Reach · how many have seen their films

55thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Midcredits score across 28 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up8
  • 50th to 74th7
  • 25th to 49th7
  • Below 25th6

Shape of the crowd

11 of their 28 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved5
  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser11
  • Mixed10

Most divisive · actor

Rhinoceros Hunting in Budapest (1997)

93rd percentile spread · 36% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

Midcredits 99th · 92% liked

Reviewers score the acting 62/100 in their films, across 10 reviewed titles; fans 73, detractors 36. 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 Alexei Sayle's work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 4 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Violence & Gore3 titlesmedian 61 · intenseMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity4 titlesmedian 50 · moderateMedian of all films: 32
Profanity3 titlesmedian 45 · moderateMedian of all films: 36

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.

Who does Alexei Sayle work with?

People who share at least 2 of Alexei Sayle's MovieCove titles; Rik Mayall shares the most, 3.