Allan Corduner (; born 2 April 1950) is a British actor. Born in Stockholm to a German mother and a Russo-Finnish father, Corduner grew up in a secular Jewish home in London. After earning a BA (Hons) in English and Drama at Bristol University he trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. He has worked extensively on stage, TV, and film, both in the UK and in the United States. His voice is familiar from many BBC radio plays, audio books and TV documentaries.
Corduner made his feature film debut in Yentl, with Barbra Streisand and Mandy Patinkin. Of his 44 films, he is perhaps best known for his portrayal of Sir Arthur Sullivan in Mike Leigh's Topsy-Turvy. He also voiced Gehrman the first hunter in the 2015 video game Bloodborne.
Early life
Corduner grew up in a secular Jewish home in North London with his parents and younger brother. His mother had escaped to Great Britain from Nazi Germany with her family in 1938. His father was born in Helsinki, Finland, of a Finnish-born mother and a Ukrainian-born father. Corduner's parents first settled in Stockholm, where he was born, but the family moved to London when he was one year old.
Interest in arts and music was always encouraged at home, and Corduner's early ambition was to become either an orchestra conductor or a concert pianist. He attended University College School in Hampstead, London. Although Corduner developed into a skilled jazz and classical pianist, musical aspirations had taken second place by the time he went to study at Bristol University and the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.
Career
Corduner has worked extensively in theatre in London's West End and on Broadway, television as well as in film. He has also appeared in several BBC Radio plays including The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, Insignificance, and Fanny and Alexander.
His voice is familiar to listeners of audio books including The Book Thief. TV appearances include Exile, ITV's Midsomer Murders, Stephen Poliakoff's Dancing on the Edge, and as Andrea Verrocchio in seasons 1 and 2 of the Starz original series Da Vinci's Demons. He appears on seasons 5 and 6 of the Showtime TV series Homeland.
After drama school, Corduner's first two years as a professional actor were spent playing a wide variety of parts at Newcastle Repertory Theatre. Spells at the Birmingham Rep and the Actors' Company followed, until Corduner returned to London to make his West End debut in Mary O'Malley's Once a Catholic at the Wyndham's Theatre. Corduner has appeared several times at the Royal Court Theatre, in plays such as Three Birds Alighting on a Field, Fucking Games, Ice Cream, and most notably Caryl Churchill's satirical Serious Money, which subsequently transferred to London's West End and Broadway in New York City.
He garnered acclaim on Broadway for the role of Etches in the musical Titanic. In February 2014, he played Etches again in a one-off concert version of Titanic at Avery Fisher Hall (now David Geffen Hall) in New York City, re-uniting him with the original cast of the musical. He played Fritz Litten in Mark Hayhurst's Taken at Midnight, first at Chichester Festival Theatre, and subsequently at Theatre Royal Haymarket in West End.
One of his first film roles was in Yentl in 1982, with Barbra Streisand. He is probably best known for his portrayal of Sir Arthur Sullivan in Mike Leigh's Topsy-Turvy (1999), his first leading role in a feature film. Corduner's film work spans a variety of genres, such as action-adventure (Defiance), horror comedy (Burke and Hare), and western (Medicine Men). Recent films include Woman in Gold (2015) and Tár (2022).
Voice acting Corduner's voice is familiar to listeners of BBC radio plays such as Insignificance, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui and Fanny and Alexander. He was also the subject of BBC Radio 3 Private Passions.
Corduner has provided voices for various video game characters, notably the first, second, third and fifth Harry Potter video games (namely as, among others, Severus Snape, Lucius Malfoy, Fillius Flitwick and Argus Filch). He also voiced Apus, the pet parrot belonging to Queen Cassiopeia, the primary antagonist, for the English version of Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White White which was released in February 2013. In 2015, Corduner voiced Gehrman, the First Hunter in Bloodborne.
Audiobooks and narration Corduner is also known for solo narration of TV documentaries such as Fish Warrior for the National Geographic Channel, and various audiobooks for Simply Audiobooks, notably The Book Thief and Inkdeath. He also narrated Magyk written by Angie Sage and produced by Harper Audio. He has received two Earphones Awards by AudioFile His narration of "Anna and the Swallow Man" earned the Odyssey Award in 2017.
Personal life
Corduner was born in Stockholm but grew up in London. His mother was from Germany and his father from Finland.
Corduner and his partner Juha Leppäjärvi met in 2006 in London, forming their civil partnership in December 2009 and marrying in New York City in August 2013.
Corduner is a trustee of the children's arts charity Anno's Africa.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1972 Savage Messiah Newspaper Vendor Uncredited 1979 Phoelix 1981 Sredni Vashtar Mortimer Short film 1982 The Return of the Soldier Pianist 1983 Yentl Shimmele 1985 Bad Medicine Dr. Diaz the Bus Driver 1986 Valhalla Loke English version, Voice only 1987 Hearts of Fire Music Executive 1988 Talk Radio Vince 1989 Fat Man and Little Boy Franz Goethe 1991 Edward II Poet 1992 Carry On Columbus Sam 1994 A Business Affair Dinner Guest 1995 Voices Oscar Butterworth1996 Indian Summer Therapist Soup Einstein Short film 1998 The Impostors Captain 1999 Topsy-Turvy Arthur Sullivan2000 Joe Gould's Secret Francis McCrudden Gladiator Trainer2001 Zoe Rupert Kiss Kiss (Bang Bang) Big Bob Me Without You Max The Grey Zone Miklós Nyiszli The Search for John Gissing Francois "Fuller" Feulliere2002 Food of Love Joseph Mansourian Moonlight Mile Stan Michaels The King's Beard Voice role2004 De-Lovely Monty Woolley The Merchant of Venice Tubal Vera Drake Psychiatrist2005 Bigger Than the Sky Kippy Newberg A Higher Agency Manager Short film Against Nature Des Esseintes Short film The White Countess Samuel Feinstein2007 The Waiting Room Fiona's Dad Fred Claus Dr. Goldfarb 2008 Defiance Shimon Haretz 2009 Mr. Nobody Dr. Feldheim 2010 Burke & Hare Nicéphore Niépce 2011 A Thousand Kisses Deep Buddy2012 An Enemy To Die For Martin 47 Orchard Street Hirsch Short film The Sweeney Doctor2013 The Funeral Rabbi Stephen Short film Closer to the Moon Flaviu 2014 Amendment Anthony Short film 2015 Woman in Gold Gustav Bloch-Bauer2016 Florence Foster Jenkins John Totten The Book of Gabrielle Saul 2017 Disobedience Moshe Hartog2018 Miss Dalí Captain Moore Operation Finale Gideon Hausner2022 Mosquito Ozwald Godfrey Tár Sebastian Brix 2023 The Offering SaulTBA Christmas Karma Post-production The Entertainment System Is Down Post-production
Television Year Title Role Notes1977 Wings Harris Episode: "Never Turn Back" Poldark Manservant Episode: "Series 2, Episode 9" 1979 Follow the Star Shepherd Television film1980 Tales of the Unexpected Store Assistant Episode: "Mr Botibol's First Love" Buccaneer Monty Bateman Recurring role; 4 episodes The Onedin Line Auctioneer Episode: "Jonah's Luck"1981 Roots Melvin Solomons Diamonds Roger Marker Recurring role; 4 episodes 1983 Maybury Dr. Walker Episode: "New Gods for Old: Part 1"1984 Cold Warrior Joachim Episode: "Bright Sting" Freud Oscar Rie Miniseries; 2 episodes 1985 Girls on Top Benny Episode: "Hark" 1986 The Collectors Joe Kalman Episode: "Go for Gold"1987 Mandela Benny Television film C.A.T.S. Eyes Morrish Episode: "Carrier Pigeon" 1988 Tales of the Unexpected Hatchard's Bookshop Assistant Episode: "The Colonel's Lady" 1989 The Fairy Queen Quince Television film 1990 ScreenPlay Stephen Carlinsky Episode: "Antonia and Jane" 1991 Spatz Rex Episode: "Talent Contest"1992 The Bill George Quigley Recurring role; 2 episodes Boon Dennis Episode: "Whispering Grass"1993 Minder Marty Episode: "I'll Never Forget Whats'ername" Inspector Morse Gentile Bellocchio Episode: "Twilight of the Gods" Teenage Health Freak Dr. Lime Recurring role; 2 episodes Heart of Darkness Verme Television film1994 Headhunters Saul Karkoff Episode: "The Golden Hello" Birdland Chip Rafferty Episode: "Plan B" The Bill Defence Barrister Episode: "Backlash" Paris Minotti Series regular; 6 episodes Nobody's Children Ion Television film 1995 An Independent Man Robert Flower Episode: "Market Forces"1996 Norma Jean & Marilyn Billy Wilder Television film Gadgetman Professor McNeil Television film No Bananas Benjamin Marks Episode: "Escape" Mad About You Osofsky Episode: "Burt's Building" 1996–1997 Nostromo Hirsch Miniseries; 4 episodes 1997 Love in the Ancient World Member at Platon's Guest Meal Television film 1998 Drop the Dead Donkey Art Critic Recurring role; 2 episodes 1999 Liverpool 1 Alan Pollock Episode: "Sweet Dreams" 2000–2005 Fat Friends Leonard Harris Recurring role; 4 episodes 2001 The Way We Live Now Croll Miniseries; 4 episodes2002 Foyle's War Carlo Lucciano Episode: "A Lesson in Murder" Daniel Deronda Herr Klesmer Miniseries; 3 episodes 2003 Trust Michael Cohen Miniseries; 1 episode2004 Heartbeat Gerard Lowe Episode: "In the Bleak Midwinter" The Last Detective Maurice Leyman Episode: "Christine" La Femme Musketeer Aramis Television film2005 The Strange Case of Sherlock Holmes & Arthur Conan Doyle Herbert Greenhough Smith Television film Friends and Crocodiles Marcus Television film 2006 Simon Schama's Power of Art Mark Rothko Episode: "Rothko"2007 Rome Clerk Episode: "These Being the Words of Marcus Tullius Cicero" Heartbeat Tristram Johnstone Episode: "Seeds of Destruction" The Whistleblowers Daniel Black Episode: "Ghosts" The Last Days of the Raj Lord Ismay Television film 2008 No Heroics Shopkeeper Episode: "Supergroupie"2010 A Passionate Woman Mr Solomon Miniseries; 1 episodes Grandma's House Richard Episode: "The Day Simon Felt the Family Was Ready to Be Healed" Lennon Naked Arthur Janov Television film2011 Zen Michelangelo Gattuso Episode: "Cabal" Exile Geller Miniseries; 1 episode Nazi Underworld Narrator Episode: "Hitler's Family"2012 Midsomer Murders Michael Hipsman Episode: "A Rare Bird" We'll Take Manhattan Alex Liberman Television film2013 Spies of Warsaw Viktor Rosen Miniseries; 4 episodes Dancing on the Edge Mr. Wax Miniseries; 5 episodes 2013–2014 Da Vinci's Demons Andrea Verrocchio Recurring role; 11 episodes 2014 Utopia Ross Recurring role; 2 episodes 2015–2017 Homeland Etai Luskin Recurring role; 7 episodes2016 The Musketeers Van Laar Recurring role; 2 episodes The Collection Inspector Bompard Recurring role; 4 episodes 2017 Fearless Monty Berman Miniseries; 5 episodes2018 Call the Midwife Arnold Gelin Episode: "Series 7, Episode 1" FBI Victor Beniov Episode: "This Land Is Your Land" 2019 The Blacklist Aaron Meyers Episode: "The Corsican (No. 20)" 2021 Ridley Road Rabbi Leslie Lehrer Miniseries; 4 episodes 2022 Count Magnus Deacon Television film 2024 Dinner with the Parents Irv Langer 3 episodes 2026 Bookish Maxie Kleimann 2 episodes
Video games