Hefty, incisive character player, often bearded, an able roisterer who has mastered a pleasing variety of stalwart sidekicks, blustery authority figures and scheming rapscallions. After repertory experience which doubtless helped develop his booming, distinctive line delivery, Blessed gained fame when he joined the cast of British TV's gritty, long-running police drama, "Z Cars". Although that series would remain among Blessed's best-known work in his native land, his performances only began to garner notice in the U.S. later in the 1970s. His most fondly remembered work in this country may still be his ripely played Caesar Augustus, by turns commanding, villainous, hilarious and touching, in the acclaimed historical miniseries "I, Claudius" (1977-78). Blessed did, however, also delight as the hero's kingly father in the uproarious English comedy series, "Blackadder". Blessed's feature career, meanwhile, included prominent parts in historical epics ranging from "The Trojan Women" (1971) to "Man of La Mancha" (1972) and "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves" (1991). He was also a boisterously likable Prince Vultan in the campy "Flash Gordon" (1980) and Kenneth Branagh put his rich bravado to good use in "Henry V" (1989, as a memorable Exeter), "Much Ado About Nothing" (1993, as Antonio) and "Hamlet" (1996, as the Ghost).
Profession(s):
Actor, director, steeplejack, plasterer, undertaker's assistant
Sometimes Credited As:
Family
daughter:Catherine Blessed (mother, Anne Bomann)
daughter:Rosalind Blessed (mother, Hildegard Neil)
father:William Blessed
wife:Hildegard Neil (British; second wife; played Cleopatra in the 1970 film version of "Antony and Cleopatra"; also played supporting roles in "A Touch of Class" (1973) and "The Mirror Crack'd" (1980))
wife:Anne Bomann (first wife; American; divorced)
2004 Had a small role as a wrestling trainer in Oliver Stone's "Alexander"
1999 Appeared in "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace"
1998 Made stage directing debut with a British revival of "The Glass Menagerie", starring his wife Hildegard Neil
1989 Returned to features after six years to play Exeter in Kenneth Branagh's adaptation of Shakespeare's "Henry V"
1983 First American film, "High Road to China"
1977 - 1978 Played Caesar Augustus in "I, Claudius"
1971 Earliest appearances on U.S. TV include a role in the PBS dramatic presentation, "Cold Comfort Farm"
1966 Earliest feature film appearances include a role in "The Christmas Tree"
Served for two years in the RAF Parachute Regiment; became involved in amateur theatricals
Acted for four years in repertory before hitting it big on TV as "Fancy" Smith in "Z Cars" in the 1970s
