Paul Bown (born 11 October 1957) is an English actor. Bown is best known for playing Malcolm Stoneway in the Granada Television sitcom Watching (1987–1993). He also had major roles in other comedy series, including as Roger Bones in the CBBC comedy series Pirates (1994–1997) and Harry Thorpe in the BBC comedy series The Last Salute (1998–1999).
Acting career Bown took a foundation course in art at Stoke Polytechnic before going on to do a BA degree course in Drama and Theatre Studies at Crewe and Alsager College. In 1980, Bown began his professional acting career, when he joined the Rat Theatre Company, which subsequently toured all over the UK. Later he co-founded the Optik Theatre Company with some former colleagues from his college, through the group they subsequently performed a showcase at the Cockpit Theatre in London, which helped launch his career.
In 1985, he appeared in the comedy film Morons from Outer Space as Julian Tope, one of three dim-witted aliens whose spaceship crash lands on Earth, where they subsequently become overnight celebrities. During this time, Bown also appeared in adverts for Toffee Crisp and Pizzaland. In 1987, Bown starred in his breakthrough television role as ornithologist Malcolm Stoneway in Watching, which ran for seven series and was consistently popular with audiences during its long run. In 1990, he appeared in the first episode of Mr. Bean as "The Student".
In 1993, shortly after Watching ended, he appeared as a space watcher in the Last of the Summer Wine episode "Welcome to Earth". In 1994, Bown played Russian sailor Vladmir Ivanov in Heartbeat, the first of his two appearances in the long running series. Later that year, Bown featured in Pirates, as Roger Bones, a former pirate and single father who swaps life on the seven seas for a quiet existence in the suburbs of Wordsworth Close. Bown also appeared as Uncle Jim in the film Jude (1996) with Christopher Eccleston and Kate Winslet, which was adapted from the Thomas Hardy novel Jude the Obscure.
In 1998, he starred as Harry Thorpe an AA Patrolman in the BBC comedy series The Last Salute, which ran for two series. The following year, he appeared in a pilot for a sitcom Heavy Revie, where he played the brother of a former heavy metal rock star played by Frank Skinner. A pilot was taped but the series was not picked up.
In 2001, Bown appeared as Dr Al Blake in two series of the police procedural series Merseybeat. In 2005, he made his second appearance on Heartbeat, as John Boaden. He later featured as Colin Cakeworthy in two episodes of the sitcom The Green Green Grass between 2006 and 2007. Bown also appeared, in November 2007, in acclaimed British drama Britz. In 2008, he played publican Rod Erskine in an episode of New Tricks, first broadcast on 25 August 2008. In 2009, he appeared briefly as Mike Bamber, chairman of Brighton and Hove Albion Football Club, in the Brian Clough biopic The Damned United. In the 2010 Christmas special of My Family, he played the grandfather of a young girl who Ben meets while filling in for Father Christmas.
In 2016, he appeared in the BBC television series Father Brown as Mordaunt Jackson in the episode "The Sins of the Father". In 2017, he appeared in the ITV television series Endeavour as the Rev Mervyn Golightly.
In 2019, Bown appeared in episode 4 of the ITV drama A Confession, alongside Martin Freeman and Joe Absolom; Bown played the ex-cellmate of serial killer Christopher Halliwell. Later that year he appeared in Coronation Street as the brother of Roy Cropper, while in 2020 he appeared as Michael Connors in series 2 of the ITV drama Bancroft. In 2022, he appeared in an episode of Death in Paradise as UK chess champion Maurice Holburne.
Theatre roles In 1986, Bown featured in the musical play The Gambler, alongside Mel Smith and Phil Davis, which ran at the Hampstead Theatre, before moving onto a subsequent run at the Comedy Theatre. In 1993, he appeared in Off the Piste as Chris Baxter, a womanising and obnoxious DJ, which was described at the time as a departure from his well-known role as the wimpish Malcolm; it ran at the Garrick Theatre during February–March 1993. In 2005, he appeared as Angus in Neville's Island alongside Les Dennis, which ran at The Rep, Birmingham between April and May 2005. In 2009, he appeared as Albert Parker in the J. B. Priestley play When We Are Married, which featured at the Liverpool and Everyman Playhouse and West Yorkshire Playhouse. Between 2012 and 2013, Bown featured in the stage adaption of The Ladykillers, where he played the lead role of the Fiery Angel/Professor Marcus, which toured around the UK following its initial run in the West End.
Personal life Bown is married to Jane Jamieson, and has four children.
Filmography Film Film Year Title Role Notes 1985 Morons from Outer Space Julian Tope Underworld Nygaad The Assam Garden Water Board man 1995 Butterfly Kiss Gary 1996 Jude Uncle Jim 2001 Young Blades Bassous 2009 The Damned United Mike Bamber 2013 The Arbiter 2013 2016 The Carer Head examiner 2017 The Hippopotamus Roddy Credited as Paul Brown 2018 Peterloo Mill owner
Television Television Year Title Role Notes 1984 Still Life Orderly TV movie 1987 Up Line Victor Technology Miniseries 1987–1988 Screen Two Prynne - The Journalists / Police Constable 2 episodes 1987–1993 Watching Malcolm Stoneway 56 episodes 1990 Mr. Bean The exam student Episode 1: "Mr. Bean" 1991 Time Riders Captain Miniseries2 episodes 1993 Last of the Summer Wine Space Watcher Christmas special: "Welcome to Earth" 1994–1997 Pirates Roger Bones 24 episodes 1994 Heartbeat Vladimir Ivanov Series 4, Episode 9: "Red Herring" 1997–2006 The Bill Tony Dean Series 13, Episode 22: "Just Looking" 1998 Peak Practice James "Mac" Macarty Credited as Paul Brown Series 6, Episode 9: "Glass Houses" 1998–1999 The Last Salute Harry Thorpe 12 episodes 2000 Badger First investigator Series 2, Episode 1: "Troubled Waters" 2000–2015 Casualty Col Morrison / Ed Connors 2 episodes 2000–2017 Doctors Christian Glover / Paul Chandley / Graeme Goodson / William Ribble / Neil Langley / Frank James 6 episodes 2001 Out of the Ashes Ben TV movie My Uncle Silas Charlie White Credited as Paul Brown Series 1, Episode 1: "The Wedding/Queenie White" 2001–2002 Merseybeat Dr Al Blake 18 episodes 2002–2003 Born and Bred Don McClure 2 episodes 2003 Murder Investigation Team Gary Sutcliffe Credited as Paul Brown Series 1, Episode 6: "Models and Millionaires" 2003–2011 Holby City Julian Wells / Philip Reid / Karl Massey 3 episodes 2004 The Courtroom George Bowes Episode 37: "The Postman"2005HeartbeatJohn BoadenSeries 15, Episode 8: "The Good Samaritan" Planespotting Ralph TV movie Diamond Geezer Guv'nor Episode 1: Pilot2006The BillTrevor WrightSeries 22, Episode 39: "Desperation and Jelousy" 2006–2007 The Green Green Grass Colin Cakeworthy 2 episodes 2007 The History of Mr. Polly Teacher TV movie Britz Phipps TV movie 2008 New Tricks Rod Erskine Series 5, Episode 8: "Mad Dogs" Caught in a Trap Mr Thornton TV movie 2009 Missing Tom Laird Series 1, Episode 3: "Repeat Offender" 2010 Law & Order: UK John Stirman Series 2, Episode 5: "Survivor" My Family Frank Christmas special: "Mary Christmas" 2011 Gates Mr Fielding Episode 1: "The First Day" Rosamunde Pilcher Episode: "In der Mitte eines Lebens" 2014 Harriet's Army Harbourmaster Miniseries Episode 3: "Casualties of War" 2016 Father Brown Mordaunt Jackson Series 4, Episode 9: "The Sins of the Father" Hetty Feather Collins 2 episodes Exodus: Our Journey to Europe Narrator 3 episodes 2017 Endeavour Rev. Mervyn Golightly Series 4, Episode 2: "Canticle" Hollyoaks Judge Francis Hume 3 episodes2017–2021999: On the FrontlineNarrator47 episodes 2019 A Confession Roy Sandlake MiniseriesEpisode 4 Coronation Street Richard Lucas 13 episodes 2020 Bancroft Michael Connors 2 episodes Belgravia Jacob Astley Miniseries2 episodes2022 Death in Paradise Maurice Holburne Series 11, Episode 8: "Death of a Pawn" The Walk-InRenshaw's solicitor Miniseries2 episodes2023Sister Boniface MysteriesQuentin WaterfordSeries 2, Episode 5: "St George's Defence"VeraGlynn AllenSeries 12, Episode 1: "Against the Tide"2025SurfaceFarmerSeries 2, Episode 8: "Unearthed"2026Run AwayMaish IversonSeres 1, Episode 5: "Forever, Being the Shining Truth"
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