John Schwab is an American actor, TV producer and musician who resides in London. He produced The Hide with Christopher Granier-Deferre, which was nominated for a BIFA 2010. He is best known for his film and television roles, such as lawyer Travis Tygart in the 2015 drama film The Program (2015), baseball player Lefty Grove in the 2018 biographical drama film The Catcher Was a Spy (2018) and television producer Jotham Starr in the television miniseries Dark Money (2019).
He has worked on British television series such as Doctor Who, Clone, My Dad's the Prime Minister, Hotel Babylon and The Mallorca Files. His voice work in animation and video games include Dane in Crysis: Warhead, Zeck in Boo, Zino & the Snurks, Vinnie in Thomas & Friends: The Great Race, Timo in Gladiators of Rome, Jin in Xenoblade Chronicles 2 and Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna - The Golden Country, Dandelion in The Witcher video games, Tony Stark / Iron Man in Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2 and the Guardian, Black Sinja and the Blue Sinja in Trials of the Blood Dragon.
Career Schwab made his first appearance in 1997 as the US voice of a voice trumpet in the British iconic children's series Teletubbies. In 2005, he played Owen Bywater, a commander of the base who guards the Metaltron Cage with his subordinate, De Maggio (Jana Carpenter), in the episode of Doctor Who, "Dalek". His other television roles include Rescue Heroes, My Dad's the Prime Minister, Noel's House Party, Hotel Babylon, Trust, Ultimate Force, Undercover, America's War on Drugs, and Monarch of the Glen.
Schwab served as the narrator of the Discovery Channel documentary television series Weaponology from 2007 through 2008. Schwab provides the voice of Tristan Jackson in the Canadian animated series Elemental Dragons with fellow voice actors Samuel Vincent, Clancy Brown, Andrew Francis, Chiara Zanni, Keith David and Daniel Bacon.
In 2013, Schwab auditioned to provide the US narration for Thomas & Friends after Michael Brandon left the series, but Mark Moraghan was chosen to narrate the show instead in both the US and UK dubs, replacing both Brandon and Michael Angelis. Three years later, he joined the voice cast in the series taking on the role of Stanley in the US dub, replacing Rob Rackstraw and from Season 20 onwards. The same year, he voiced Vinnie, a tough confederation locomotive in the series' 2016 special Thomas & Friends: The Great Race. Following the success of The Great Race, Schwab voiced some characters in the 2017 special Thomas & Friends: Journey Beyond Sodor.
He played an umpire in the comedy film Mr. 3000 (2004), featuring the comedic actor Bernie Mac. His film credits include Back to Gaya, The Fifth Estate, Zero Dark Thirty, The Anomaly, The Current War, The Program, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom and Annihilation. He provides voices in video games, such as Kinect Disneyland Adventures, Battlefield 1, Killzone 2 and many others. In 2011, Schwab provided the voice of Dandelion, starting with the video game The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings. Schwab appears as baseball player Lefty Grove in the biographical film The Catcher Was a Spy (2018), featuring Paul Rudd, Jeff Daniels, Tom Wilkinson and Paul Giamatti. He provided the English voice of Timo in the animated film Gladiators of Rome.
In 2019, he appeared as Jotham Starr, a filmmaker who molested Isaac (Max Fincham) in the BBC One television miniseries Dark Mon£y. In 2024, Schwab appeared as Sheriff Bilstein in the psychological-thriller feature film Blood Star, directed by Lawrence Jacomelli and produced by Beast Films, which premiered at the 2024 Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival and was released in the United States on November 25, 2025, through Quiver Distribution.
Music Schwab played the harmonica in the TV show The Hit Factory: The Pete Waterman Story (2001).
Producing Schwab, alongside Christopher Granier-Deferre, produced the film The Hide, which was nominated for the British Independent Film Award for producing in 2010.
Personal life He met his wife, Tamsin, in Seoul after graduation and studied at Durham University (English Literature, 1993–96). He and Tamsin married in 1994 and settled in the United Kingdom. He has two sons.
Filmography Film YearTitleRoleNotes 2001 Nothing to Declare Pilot Voice 2002 Spartans Alcheus Voice, direct-to-video 2003 The Order American Bureaucrat 2003 Brother Bear Additional voices 2004 Boo, Zino & the Snurks Zeck Voice 2004 Mr. 3000 Umpire 2005 Foster Older Zach Also associate producer 2005 Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind Tolmekian Soldier Voice, English dub 2007 Davros Connections Owen Bywater Direct-to-videoArchival footageDocumentary film 2010 Shooting Earth Moe Short film 2012 Gladiators of Rome Timo Voice, English version 2012 Zero Dark Thirty Deputy National Security Advisor 2013 The Fifth Estate White House Staffer 2013 Kick-Ass 2 Detective 2013 The Trap Dog Cop 2014 Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit New York DWP Worker 2014 The Angola Deception Advisor Short film 2014 Beyond National Space Agency Spokesperson 2014 The Anomaly Harrison Samuel 2015 The Program Travis Tygart 2016 Thomas & Friends: The Great Race Vinnie Voice 2016 Soldier Voiceover Short film 2016 Storks Additional voices 2017 Scooby-Doo! Shaggy's Showdown Dapper Jack Rogers Voice 2017 Transformers: The Last Knight Knight of Iacon Voice 2017 The Current War Rudolph Young 2017 Thomas & Friends: Journey Beyond Sodor Ulli and an unnamed Bridlington Diesel Voice 2018 Annihilation Paramedic 2018 The Catcher Was a Spy Lefty Grove 2018 Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom Tech Operator 2019 Toy Story 4 Additional voices 2019 The Angry Birds Movie 2 Motorbike BirdVoice 2024 Blood Star Sheriff Bilstein 2026 Crime 101 Foster Credited as Jacob Schwab
Television Year Title Role Notes 1997–2001 Teletubbies Male Voice Trumpet 365 episodesUSA version 1998–present The Magical World of Walt Disney Tom 450 episodes 1998 Noel's House Party Episode: #7.18 2000–2002 Rescue Heroes Additional Voices 14 episodes 2001 Hotel! Agent Imefine 2003 My Dad's the Prime Minister American Businessman Episode: "Homework" 2004–2010 Wife Swap Narrator 107 episodes 2004 Space Odyssey Larry Conrad, CAPCOM Television film; documentary 2005 Hope & Faith Announcer Episodes: "Wife Swap" 2005 Doctor Who Owen Bywater Episode: "Dalek" 2005–2006 Transformers: Cybertron Additional Voices 51 episodes 2005 Monarch of the Glen Bill Episode: "Episode #7.4" 2005 Broken News Miles Anderton 4 episodes 2006 Ultimate Force Lt. Pincher Episode: "Dividing Line" 2006 The Only Boy for Me NY Colleague Television film 2007 Soviet War Scare 1987 Narrator Television film; documentary 2007 Inside Brookhaven Obesity Clinic Narrator 6 episodes 2007–2008 Weaponology Narrator Documentary series 2007–2009 Storm Hawks Various Cyclonian Talons 45 episodes 2007 Hotel Babylon Texan Cliff Barnes Episode: "Episode #2.1" 2008 Clone American Golfer Episode: "The Line" 2008 Zorro Generation Z Additional Voices 26 episodes 2008 Dork Hunters from Outer Space Additional voices Episode: "The Falcon" 2010 The Special Relationship Reporter Television film 2011–2012 Transformers: Prime Additional voices 12 episodes 2012 Top Secret Weapons Revealed Narrator Episode: "Weapons of the Superspies" 2013 The Vatican Reporter Television film 2013 Nixon's the One Bill Headline Episode: "TV" 2014 Obsession: Dark Desires Alan Episode: "Screams in the Desert" 2014 CIA Declassified Narrator Episode: "Killing Mad Dog Gaddafi" 2014 The Assets Interviewee #1 Episode: "Avenger" 2015–2017 Dr. Jeff: Rocky Mountain Vet Narrator 22 episodes 2016 Undercover Dr. Francis Episode: "#1.1" 2016 Amazing Animal Selfies Narrator Television film 2016 Prisoner Zero Additional voices Voice, episode: "Rogue" 2016 Thomas & Friends Stanley Voice, episode: "Pouty James" 2017 America's War on Drugs Rob Maheu Episode: "Cocaine, Cartels, and Crackdowns" 2017 Spider-Man A.I.M. Soldier #3 Voice, episode: "Symbiotic Relationship" 2017 Sheriff Callie's Wild West Calamity Caleb Voice 2018 Trust Lang Jeffries 5 episodes 2019 Dark Mon£y Jotham Starr 4 episodesTelevision miniseries 2019–2021 Fast & Furious Spy Racers Additional voices 12 episodes 2019 The Mallorca Files Abe Steiner Episode: "Number One Fan" 2020 The Queen's Gambit Mr. Booth Episode: "End Game"Television miniseries 2022–2023 Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan Thomas Miller 6 episodes 2023–present The Diplomat Roger Post Recurring cast 2023 Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix Raymond "T-Bone" Kenney, additional voices Recurring cast 2024 Masters of the Air Lt. Col. James W. Lann Episode: "Part Nine"Television miniseries 2024 Grace Eric Klein Episode: "Love You Dead" 2024 A Very Royal Scandal Andrew Brettler Television miniseriesCredited as John Schwabb 2025 7 Bears Prince Charmless Voice 2026 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Dr. Jonah Catmull Episode: "Vivid"
Video games Year Title Role Notes 2002 Vietcong Additional voices Prisoner of War Additional voices Also in special thanks Simple 2000 Series, Vol. 16: The Sniper 2 Harry Spencer 2004 Shrek 2 Writer Vietcong: Fist Alpha Additional voices Vietcong: Purple Haze Additional voices Killzone ISA Troops 2006 Pursuit Force Additional voices Killzone: Liberation ISA Demolition Guy, ISA Demolition Man 2007 Crysis Crewman 1 2008 Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures Additional voices Crysis Warhead Dane Mirror's Edge Generic SWAT #2 Male 2009 Killzone 2 ISA Troops 2011 Operation Flashpoint: Red River Additional voices The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings Dandelion English version Kinect Disneyland Adventures Additional voices 2013 Crysis 3 Teammate #7 Lego City Undercover Additional voices Grid 2 Additional voices Company of Heroes 2 The Western Front Armies DLC, Ardennes Assault DLC Killzone: Shadow Fall VSA Soldier 2014 Alien: Isolation Additional voices 2015 Grey Goo Additional voices The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Dandelion English version Star Wars: Battlefront Additional voices 2016 Quantum Break Additional voices The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Blood and Wine Dandelion English version Battlefield 1 Additional voices Trials of the Blood Dragon The Guardian, Black Sinja, Blue Sinja 2017 Horizon Zero Dawn Walla Walla Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Jin English version Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2 Peter Quill / Star-Lord The Lego Ninjago Movie Video Game Zane, Movie Star, Samurai #2, Temple Repairman Star Wars: Battlefront II Additional voices 2018 Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna – The Golden Country Jin English version 2019 Jumanji: The Video Game Additional voices 2020 Cyberpunk 2077 Brick 2022 Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga Additional Voices 2023 Dead Island 2 Trent, Luther, Zephron Atomic Heart Victor Petrov English version
Radio Year Title Role Notes 2006 Doctor Who: The Nowhere Place EXO Moore 2006 Doctor Who: The Reaping Lieutenant Doyle 2007 Doctor Who: Phobos Hayd 2008 Stargate SG-1: Gift of the Gods Lt. Hunter 2019Doctor Who: Harry Houdini's WarHarry Houdini 2021 Hennikay Don
Stage YearTitleRoleNotes 1998 Picasso: Art is Crime Stanley 2006 Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks Understudy 2008 Speed the Plow Bobby (Understudy) 2010 True West Saul Kimmer 2013 Yellow Face Rocco Palmierei, Senator John Kerry, others 2013 Our Ajax Menelaus 2014 Yellow Face Rocco Palmierei, Senator John Kerry, Various
References
External links John Schwab at the British Film Institute