Donald Sumpter
Born
February 13, 1943 (82 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Brixworth, Northamptonshire, England, UK
Donald Sumpter (born 13 February 1943) is an English actor. He has appeared in film and television since the mid-1960s. One of his early television appearances was the 1968 Doctor Who serial The Wheel in Space with Patrick Troughton as the Doctor. He appeared in Doctor Who again in the 1972 serial The Sea Devils with Jon Pertwee. He also appeared in the Doctor Who spin-off The Sarah Jane Adventures. His early film work included a lead role as real life British criminal Donald Neilson in the 1977 film, The Black Panther.
He also appeared in many television films and serials, including adaptations of Dickens' novels: Nicholas Nickleby in 2001, Great Expectations in 1999 and Bleak House in 1985. Also in 1985, he was remembered for the part of villain Ronnie Day in Big Deal. He played the part of suspected serial killer Alexander Bonaparte Cust in the (1992) Agatha Christie's Poirot episode, The ABC Murders. He has also appeared in episodes of Midsomer Murders, The Bill, Holby City, and A Touch of Frost. He also had a recurring role as Uncle Ginger in the Children's BBC series The Queen's Nose. He played Harold Chapple in Our Friends in the North, and portrayed the physicist Max Planck in Einstein and Eddington. He has also been seen as Kemp in the horror-drama series Being Human. In 2011 he portrayed Maester Luwin in the HBO series Game of Thrones.
His film appearances include The Constant Gardener (2005), K-19: The Widowmaker (2002), Enigma (2001) and Ultramarines: The Movie (2010).
Known For
The Phoenician Scheme
Chairman
2025
Limonov: The Ballad
Eddie's Father
2024
Entitled
Quincy · (8 episodes)
2023
The Cleaner
Sir James · (1 episode)
2021
Exposed: The Church's Darkest Secret
Bishop Peter Ball · (2 episodes)
2020
Chernobyl
Zharkov · (2 episodes)
2019
Les Misérables
Mabeuf · (3 episodes)
2018
The Man Who Invented Christmas
Haddock / Ghost of Marley
2017
In the Heart of the Sea
Paul Macy
2015
Jekyll and Hyde
Garson · (10 episodes)
2015
Coalition
Paddy Ashdown
2015
12 Monkeys
Seer · (2 episodes)
2015
One Child
Jim Arthurton · (4 episodes)
2014
Bypass
Grandfather
2014
New Worlds
Sidney · (1 episode)
2014
Quirke
Josh Crawford · (1 episode)
2014
Atlantis
Tiresius · (1 episode)
2013
Peaky Blinders
Arthur Bigge · (2 episodes)
2013
The Mill
Samuel Greg · (4 episodes)
2013
Endeavour
Emil Valdemar · (1 episode)
2013
The Secret of Crickley Hall
Gordon Pyke · (2 episodes)
2012
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Detective Inspector Gustaf Morell
2011
Black Mirror
Julian Hereford · (1 episode)
2011
The Murder at Road Hill House
Peter Edlin QC
2011
Game of Thrones
Maester Luwin · (14 episodes)
2011
Way of the Morris
Voice of Creation
2011
Ultramarines: A Warhammer 40,000 Movie
Pythol (voice)
2010
London Boulevard
Pentonville Governor
2010
Among Us
Man on bench
2010
Into the Storm
Lord Halifax
2009
Being Human
Kemp · (9 episodes)
2009
Einstein and Eddington
Max Planck
2008
Merlin
The Fisher King · (1 episode)
2008
Tess of the D'Urbervilles
Parson Tringham · (3 episodes)
2008
Hello Sailor!
2008
Heist
King Edward
2008
Heroes and Villains
(6 episodes)
2007
The Sarah Jane Adventures
Erasmus Darkening · (2 episodes)
2007
Eastern Promises
Yuri
2007
Fallen Angel
Simon Martlesham · (3 episodes)
2007
Dracula
Alfred Singleton
2006
Eleventh Hour
(1 episode)
2006
Anatomy of a Global Thriller: Behind the Scenes of The Constant Gardener
Self
2006
The Constant Gardener
Tim Donohue
2005
Doctor Who
The President · (1 episode)
2005
The Eagle: A Crime Odyssey
Indenrigsminister Nacuk · (2 episodes)
2004
The Long Bank Holiday
Alfie Clemens
2004
Seven Wonders of the Industrial World
(1 episode)
2003
The Last Detective
(1 episode)
2003
Rose and Maloney
(1 episode)
2002
Ultimate Force
(1 episode)
2002
K-19: The Widowmaker
Dr. Savran
2002
Spooks
Stephen Kirby · (1 episode)
2002
The Point Men
Benni Baum
2001
The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby
Mr. Brooker
2001
In Deep
Keith Sullivan · (2 episodes)
2001
Enigma
Leveret
2001
Great Expectations
Compeyson
1999
Great Expectations
Compeyson · (2 episodes)
1999
Bombay Blue
Supt. John Mayberry · (6 episodes)
1997
Midsomer Murders
Tim Settingfield · (1 episode)
1997
Tangier Cop
Ahmed Yaasin
1997
Cold Lazarus
Dr. Rawl · (4 episodes)
1996
Dalziel & Pascoe
(1 episode)
1996
Our Friends in the North
Commander Harold Chapple · (4 episodes)
1996
Richard III
Brackenbury
1995
Queen's Nose
Uncle Ginger · (16 episodes)
1995
Crocodile Shoes
(3 episodes)
1994
Being Human
Salgado
1994
Grushko
Kartashov
1994
A Touch of Frost
(1 episode)
1992
Between the Lines
(2 episodes)
1992
Bad Ronald
Michael, le père
1992
Aimée
Frank
1991
Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead
Claudius
1991
Drop the Dead Donkey
(1 episode)
1990
Agatha Christie's Poirot
Cust · (1 episode)
1989
The Ruth Rendell Mysteries
Edward Peveril · (3 episodes)
1987
Bleak House
'Nemo' · (2 episodes)
1985
The Bill
(3 episodes)
1984
Taggart
(1 episode)
1983
Curse of the Pink Panther
Dave
1983
The Brack Report
Paul Brack · (10 episodes)
1982
Bergerac
Roscoe · (1 episode)
1981
Antony & Cleopatra
Pompeius
1981
The Tom Machine
Tom
1980
Minder
Sudbury · (1 episode)
1979
Shoestring
(1 episode)
1979
Meetings with Remarkable Men
Pogossian
1979
A Light That Shines
Brother Martin Jerome
1979
Les Misérables
Agent
1978
The BBC Television Shakespeare
Pompeius · (1 episode)
1978
The Black Panther
Donald Neilson
1977
Catchpenny Twist
Spalding
1977
BBC2 Play of the Week
Brother Martin Jerome · (1 episode)
1977
Target
(1 episode)
1977
Jesus of Nazareth
Aram · (4 episodes)
1977
Hardcore
Mark
1977
Quiller
Brenman · (1 episode)
1975
The Saliva Milkshake
Johnny
1975
Stardust
TV Concert Producer
1974
Mr. Axelford's Angel
David
1974
The Breaking of Colonel Keyser
Dellow
1972
Doctor Who: The Sea Devils
Commander Ridgeway
1972
Bleak Moments
Norman's Friend
1971
Justice
Villiers · (1 episode)
1971
Barlow
(1 episode)
1971
Sunday Bloody Sunday
Party Guest
1971
I Am a Groupie
Steve
1970
The Adventures of Don Quick
(1 episode)
1970
Play for Today
(1 episode)
1970
The Walking Stick
Max
1970
Mad Jack
1970
The First Churchills
(1 episode)
1969
Night After Night After Night
Pete Laver
1969
The Lost Continent
Sparks, the Radioman
1968
Doctor Who: The Wheel in Space
Enrico Casali
1968
The Window Cleaner
David
1968
Softly, Softly
(1 episode)
1966
Doctor Who
Enrico Casali · (6 episodes)
1963
Doctor Who
Commander Ridgeway · (3 episodes)
1963