Douglas Reith
Born
Melton, Suffolk, England
Occupation(s)Actor, teacher
Years active1976–present

Douglas Reith is a British actor and teacher. He is best known for his role as Lord Merton in the television series Downton Abbey (2010-2015), as well as its two follow-up films.

Early life

Reith was born in Melton, Suffolk. He studied acting at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art.[1] He began acting in the late 1970s, beginning with an appearance in International Velvet (1978) alongside Tatum O'Neal and Christopher Plummer.[2]

Career

He worked as an announcer and presenter at BBC Radio 3 for five years before leaving to study Greats at Christ Church, Oxford for four years beginning in 1989. He worked as a teacher, including at Westminster School, before resuming his acting career.[3]

Reith joined the cast of Downton Abbey as Lord Merton in 2012, and alongside the cast was nominated for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series at the 23rd Screen Actors Guild Awards.[4] He reprised the role in the films Downton Abbey (2019) and Downton Abbey: A New Era (2022).[5][6] In 2017, Reith was cast in Tim Burton's live-action remake Dumbo (2019).[7] In 2019, he was cast in SAS: Red Notice (2021).[8]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1978 International Velvet Howard
2006 The Queen David Ogilvy, 13th Earl of Airlie
2011 W.E. Lord Brownlow
2012 Tezz Railway Minister
2013 Rush Awards Presenter
2015 Serial Teachers 2 Head of Security
2017 55 Steps Chief Judge Justice Wilson
2019 Dumbo Sotheby
Downton Abbey Lord Merton
2021 SAS: Red Notice Sir Charles Whiteside
The War Below Field Marshal Douglas Haig
2022 Downton Abbey: A New Era Lord Merton

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1978 Angels Simon Lloyd-Smith 1 episode
1979 Rumpole of the Bailey Sergeant Downs 1 episode
1980 Minder Bellars 1 episode
1980 BBC2 Playhouse Fitzgeorge 1 episode
1982 Rentaghost Auctioneer 1 episode
1983 An Englishman Abroad Toby Television film
1984 Amy Jimmy Martin Television film
1984 Cold Warrior Ferris 1 episode
1985 Juliet Bravo Dr. Benson 1 episode
1999 CI5: The New Professionals Newscaster 1 episode
2003 Real Crime Royal Courtier 1 episode
2005 Rose and Maloney Sir Andrew Ross 1 episode
2005 Elizabeth I Judge Miniseries, 2 episodes
2005 The Queen's Sister Horace Featherstonehaugh Television film
2006 Poirot Serge Mureau 1 episode
2006 Ancient Rome: The Rise and Fall of an Empire Lucius Metellius Miniseries, 1 episode
2008 The Bill Clifford Peers 1 episode
2009 Enid BBC Interviewer Television film
2012-2015 Downton Abbey Lord Merton Recurring role, 16 episodes
2016 Agatha Raisin Lord Pendlebury 1 episode
2016 Sense8 Fischer the Consigliere 1 episode
2017 Fearless Justice Angus Hill 1 episode
2017 Outlander Professor Brown 1 episode
2019 Pandora Fleming 1 episode
2020 The Crown Admiral Henry Leach 1 episode
2021–present Professor T. The Dean Recurring role, 6 episodes

References

  1. ^ "Douglas Reith". Creative Arts Management. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  2. ^ Canby, Vincent (July 19, 1978). "Film: Tatum O'Neal". The New York Times. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  3. ^ "Alumni Profiles". University of Oxford. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  4. ^ Hipes, Patrick (December 14, 2016). "SAG Awards Nominations: Manchester, Fences & Moonlight Tops; Game Of Thrones & Newbies Lead TV". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  5. ^ "Downton Abbey: The Motion Picture". PBS. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  6. ^ Appelo, Tim (December 22, 2021). "Spend Christmas With the Crawleys — Plus a Sneak Peek at the 2022 Downton Abbey Film". AARP. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  7. ^ Ramos, Dino-Ray (July 26, 2017). "Tim Burton's Live-Action Dumbo Adds Game Of Thrones Actor DeObia Oparei". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  8. ^ Wiseman, Andreas (February 5, 2019). "Ruby Rose, Andy Serkis, More Join Action-Thriller SAS: Red Notice, Sky Cinema Boards UK Rights, First Look – EFM". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 22 May 2022.

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