Oliver Charles Cotton (born 20 June 1944) is an English actor and playwright, known for his prolific work on stage, TV and film. He remains best known for his role as Cesare Borgia in the BBC's 1981 drama series The Borgias.
Early life Cotton was born in London on 20 June 1944, the son of Ester and Robert Norman Cotton.Oliver Cotton Biography (1944–). Filmreference.com (20 June 1944). Retrieved on 7 February 2020. He trained at the Drama Centre, London.
Career Cotton worked extensively at the National Theatre Company during the period when Sir Laurence Olivier was its artistic director. Cotton played leading roles in many productions including The Royal Hunt of the Sun, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Much Ado in About Nothing, As You Like It, Peter Brook’s Oedipus, In His Own Write and many others.
At the Royal Court in London, Cotton has played leads in many productions including The Local Stigmatic, The Duchess of Malfi, Man is Man, The Tutor by Bertholt Brecht, Lear and Bingo by Edward Bond. He was a founder member of Joint Stock appearing in the company's inaugural production The Speakers by Heathcote Williams.
For the Royal Shakespeare Company he has played leading roles in Granville Barker's The Marrying of Ann Leete, Henry VI, Edward IV, Richard III, The Plain Dealer, Some Americans Abroad by Richard Nelson, and as the Mayor in Brand by Ibsen in 2003.Philip Fisher "Brand", British Theatre Review
In the West End he has starred in The Homecoming by Harold Pinter, Children of A Lesser God by Mark Medoff, Benefactors by Michael Frayn, An Ideal Husband by Oscar Wilde, Life x 3 by Yasmina Reza (RNT transfer), "Passion Play" (by Peter Nichols). He also played King Lear at the Southwark Playhouse and performed as Malvolio in a (historically correct all-male) production Twelfth Night at the reconstruction of Shakespeare's Globe. At the Old Vic, under the directorship of Kevin Spacey, he appeared as Seth Lord in The Philadelphia Story, as Northumberland in Richard II, and as Dr Finache in A Flea in Her Ear. In 2010 he played Henry IV in Shakespeare's Henry IV at the Globe Theatre. At Chichester he has appeared as Jim Casy in The Grapes Of Wrath in 2009 and as Arturo Santaniello in The Syndicate. In 2012, he played Victor Velasco in a major tour of Barefoot in the Park. In 2013 he played Jim in Passion Play by Peter Nichols at the Duke of York's Theatre – and in 2014 starred as Billy in his own play Daytona at the Theatre Royal Haymarket.
His numerous TV appearances have included The Borgias (Cesare Borgia), David Copperfield, The Year of The French, The Party, Room at the Bottom, Space:1999, Redemption, Poirot, The Camomile Lawn, Westbeach, Sharpe's Battle, Rhodes, All Quiet on the Preston Front, Innocents, Judge John Deed, Inspector Lynley, Waking The Dead, Murder Investigation Team, Beastly Games, Margaret, Money, Ripper Street and Lovejoy.
His films include Here We Go Round The Mulberry Bush, The Day Christ Died, Oliver Twist, Firefox, The Sicilian, Eleni, Hiding Out, Christopher Columbus, Son of the Pink Panther, The Innocent Sleep, Phoenix Blue, The Opium War, Beowulf, Baby Blue, The Dancer Upstairs, Shanghai Knights, Bone Hunter, Rain Dogs, Colour Me Kubrick, Pope Joan, The Dark Knight Rises, Gangs of Tooting Broadway, A Long Time Coming.
Writing For the stage Cotton's writing includes: The Enoch Show (Royal Court), Scrabble (National Theatre), Wet Weather Cover (King's Head Theatre), Daytona (Park Theatre, London, 2013), Dessert (Southwark Playhouse, 2017) and The Score (Theatre Royal, Bath, 2023). His TV and film scripts include: A Touch of Frost, Diamond Geezer, Trace, The Intruder, Singing for Stalin, Sofa, Wet Weather Cover: The Movie, Peeping Through and The English Game.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes1968 Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush Curtis 1982 Firefox Dmitri Priabin 1985 Eleni Katis 1987 The Sicilian Cmdr. Roccofino Hiding Out Killer 1992 Christopher Columbus: The Discovery Harana 1993 Son of the Pink Panther King Haroak 1996 The Innocent Sleep Lusano 1997 Queen: Made in Heaven Man Yapian zhanzheng 1999 Beowulf Hrothgar 2000 Innocents Mike Angelini 2001 Baby Blue Ron Wood 2002 The Dancer Upstairs Merino 2003 Shanghai Knights Jack the Ripper The Bone Hunter Regulus 2004 Raindogs Duke Steamboy Robert Stephenson Voice2005 Colour Me Kubrick PC Metcalf Uncredited2009 Pope Joan Arsenius 2012 The Dark Knight Rises 2 Star Air Force General 2013 Gangs of Tooting Broadway Marcus 2015 North v South Brian Galloway 2017 Pylon The Chairman 2020 Wonder Woman 1984 Simon Stagg 2021 The Last Duel Jean de Carrouges III
Television Year Title Role Notes1970–1973 Z-Cars Chick Randall / Robert Durley / John North 4 episodes1975 Space: 1999 Spearman 1 episode1981 The Borgias Cesare Borgia 10 episodes1982 Oliver Twist Monks TV movie1983 Bergerac Jacques Laronde 1 episode Jemima Shore Investigates Renard 1 episode1986 Lovejoy Frobel 1 episode Robin of Sherwood Lord Owen of Clun 2 episodesC.A.T.S. Eyes Stefan Johns 1 episode 1986–1988 Room at the Bottom Tom 6 episodes1989 Boon Raoul Gomez 1 episode1990 Agatha Christie's Poirot Gregorie Rolf 1 episode1992 The Camomile LawnMax3 episodes1993 West beach Alan Cromer 10 episodes1995 Sharpe's Battle Loup TV movie1997 Heartbeat Harry Adams 1 episode2001 The Bill DI Hubbard 1 episodeJudge John Deed Maurice Phillips QC 1 episode2003 Casualty Chris Cassidy 1 episode2004 Waking the Dead Sir Charles Stewart 1 episode Dalziel and Pascoe Keith Henshaw Episode: "Great Escapes"2005 Midsomer Murders Michael Maybury 1 episode2009 Margaret Michael Heseltine TV movie2014 Penny Dreadful Father Matthews 1 episodeNew Tricks Hugh Dryden 1 episode
Video game Year Title Role Notes 2008 Fable II Lucien Fairfax 2016 Hitman Additional Voices, Civilian Male 05, Tharn Srisai, Hotel Staff Member, Hotel Groundskeeper, Hospital Director, Hotel Staff, Landlord, Wes Liston, Ezra Berg, The Curator 2021 Hitman 3 Gregory Carlisle, Mr. Fernsby
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