Donald Sumpter
Known for: Acting
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).
Filmography
Series
Game of Thrones
Maester Luwin
2011
Series
Midsomer Murders
Tim Settingfield
1997
Series
Doctor Who
The President
2005
Series
Play for Today
1970
Series
Peaky Blinders
Arthur Bigge
2013
Series
Black Mirror
Julian Hereford
2011
Series
Agatha Christie's Poirot
Cust
1989
Series
Doctor Who
Enrico Casali
1963
Series
Doctor Who
Commander Ridgeway
1963
Series
Chernobyl
Zharkov
2019
Series
Minder
Sudbury
1979
Series
Endeavour
Emil Valdemar
2013
Series
Spooks
Stephen Kirby
2002
Series
Screen Two
Frank
1985
Series
Merlin
The Fisher King
2008
Series
A Touch of Frost
Maynard
1992
Series
Bergerac
Roscoe
1981
Series
12 Monkeys
Seer
2015
Series
The Bill
1984
Series
New Tricks
Bobby 'Tar' Mcadam
2004
Series
ITV Saturday Night Theatre
Leary
1969
Series
Taggart
1983
Series
Between the Lines
1992
Series
The Sarah Jane Adventures
Erasmus Darkening
2007
Film
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Detective Inspector Gustaf Morell
2011
Series
The Ruth Rendell Mysteries
Edward Peveril
1987
Series
Being Human
Kemp
2009
Film
The Phoenician Scheme
Chairman
2025
Series
Les Misérables
Mabeuf
2018
Film
In the Heart of the Sea
Paul Macy
2015
Series
The Eagle: A Crime Odyssey
Indenrigsminister Nacuk
2004
Series
Centre Play
Johnny
1973
Series
Jesus of Nazareth
Aram
1977
Series
Atlantis
Tiresius
2013
Film
Eastern Promises
Yuri
2007
Series
Drop the Dead Donkey
1990
Series
Justice
Villiers
1971
Series
BBC2 Play of the Week
Brother Martin Jerome
1977
Series
The Cleaner
Sir James
2021
Series
The Chief
CS Derek Gillman
1990
Film
K-19: The Widowmaker
Dr. Savran
2002
Series
Shoestring
Stanley Reeves
1979
Series
Jekyll and Hyde
Garson
2015
Series
Target
Heslop
1977
Series
Ultimate Force
2002
Film
The Constant Gardener
Tim Donohue
2005
Series
Rose and Maloney
Ronnie Johnson
2002
Film
London Boulevard
Pentonville Governor
2010
Series
The Mill
Samuel Greg
2013
Series
Our Friends in the North
Commander Harold Chapple
1996
Film
The Man Who Invented Christmas
Haddock / Ghost of Marley
2017
Series
Tess of the D'Urbervilles
Parson Tringham
2008
Series
Serious & Organised
Jimmy Fisk
2003
Series
The Last Detective
2003
Series
Seven Wonders of the Industrial World
Farrington
2003
Series
Crocodile Shoes
1994
Series
Entitled
Quincy
2023
Series
The Queen's Nose
Uncle Ginger
1995
Series
In Deep
Keith Sullivan
2001
Series
Heroes and Villains
2007
Series
Big Deal
Ronnie Day
1984
Series
Mickey Dunne
Pat Newman
1967
Series
Quirke
Josh Crawford
2014
Series
Bleak House
'Nemo'
1985
Series
The Secret of Crickley Hall
Gordon Pyke
2012
Film
Enigma
Leveret
2001
Film
Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead
Claudius
1991
Film
Limonov: The Ballad
Eddie's Father
2024
Series
New Worlds
Sidney
2014
Film
Sunday Bloody Sunday
Party Guest
1971
Film
Einstein and Eddington
Max Planck
2008
Film
Curse of the Pink Panther
Dave
1983
Film
Richard III
Brackenbury
1995
Film
Les Misérables
Agent
1978
Series
Quiller
Brenman
1975
Series
Eleventh Hour
2006
Film
Time Trouble
Makov
1985
No Excuses
Trev
1983
Film
The Murder at Road Hill House
Peter Edlin QC
2011
Film
Into the Storm
Lord Halifax
2009
Film
Ultramarines: A Warhammer 40,000 Movie
Pythol (voice)
2010
Film
Among Us
Man on bench
2010
Series
Fallen Angel
Simon Martlesham
2007
Film
Hello Sailor!
2008
Series
Great Expectations
Compeyson
1999
Series
The Adventures of Don Quick
Gezool
1970
Film
Being Human
Salgado
1994
Series
Exposed: The Church's Darkest Secret
Bishop Peter Ball
2020
Film
The Lost Continent
Sparks, the Radioman
1968
The Brack Report
Paul Brack
1982
Series
The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby
Mr. Brooker
2001
Series
One Child
Jim Arthurton
2014
Film
The Walking Stick
Max
1970
Series
Bombay Blue
Supt. John Mayberry
1997
Film
Great Expectations
Compeyson
1999
Film
Aimée
Frank
1991
The Children of the New Forest
Ned Corbould
1977
Heist
King Edward
2008
Film
Bad Ronald
Michael, le père
1992
Film
Bleak Moments
Norman's Friend
1971
Film
Hardcore
Mark
1977
Film
The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby
Mr. Brooker
2001
Film
The Point Men
Benni Baum
2001
Film
Meetings with Remarkable Men
Pogossian
1979
Series
The Rose Medallion
Harry
1981
Film
Bypass
Grandfather
2014
Film
Dracula
Alfred Singleton
2006
Film
The Black Panther
Donald Neilson
1977
Film
Doctor Who: The Sea Devils
Commander Ridgeway
1972
Film
The Chatterley Affair
Mr. Gerald Gardiner
2006
Film
Coalition
Paddy Ashdown
2015
Film
The Saliva Milkshake
Johnny
1975
Film
Antony & Cleopatra
Pompeius
1981
Film
Stardust
TV Concert Producer
1974
Film
Night After Night After Night
Pete Laver
1969
Film
Grushko
Kartashov
1994
Film
I Am a Groupie
Steve
1970
Film
Catchpenny Twist
Spalding
1977
The Window Cleaner
David
1968
Film
Doctor Who: The Wheel in Space
Enrico Casali
1968
Tangier Cop
Ahmed Yaasin
1997
The Breaking of Colonel Keyser
Dellow
1972
Film
Anatomy of a Global Thriller: Behind the Scenes of The Constant Gardener
Self
2006
Film
Mr. Axelford's Angel
David
1974
Film
Mad Jack
1970
Film
The Long Bank Holiday
Alfie Clemens
2004
Film
A Light That Shines
Brother Martin Jerome
1979
Film
Way of the Morris
Voice of Creation
2011
The Tom Machine
Tom
1980