, and his mother, Sylvia, a hairdresser. He trained at the
, where he was awarded the Bancroft Gold Medal as the most promising actor in his year. His brother, Matthew, is studio director of the computer games company Morpheme.
alongside actors such as Jimmy Nail, Kevin Whately, Christopher Fairbank and Christine Garner and Kevin in
. He gained international recognition as Peter Pettigrew ("Wormtail") in
. In 1991 he guest starred in the series 5
in the United States. In the 2006 video game
' manager, Barry Mickelthwaite. In 2007, he starred as Nathaniel in Disney's
Spall is married and has three children: Mercedes, (born 1985), Pascale (born 1976) and
(born 1983), who is also an actor. He lives in a large house in Forest Hill a suburb of south-east London.
, but has since been in remission. He has said of his illness:
| Year | Movie | Role | Notes and Awards |
|---|
| 1979 |
Quadrophenia Quadrophenia is a 1979 British film based on the 1973 rock opera album Quadrophenia by The Who. The film stars Phil Daniels in the leading role as a Mod named Jimmy. The film also stars Toyah Willcox, Mark Wingett, Leslie Ash, Ray Winstone, Timothy Spall, Gary Holton, Phil Davis, Michael Elphick,...
|
Harry the Projectionist |
|
| 1981 |
The Missionary |
Parswell |
|
| 1983 |
Auf Wiedersehen, Pet Auf Wiedersehen, Pet is a British comedy-drama series about a group of seven British migrant construction workers: Wayne, Dennis, Oz, Bomber, Barry, Neville and Moxey, who, in Series 1, are living and working on a German building site....
|
Barry Taylor |
TV series |
| 1985 |
The BrideThe Bride is an adaptation of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, released in 1985 and directed by Franc Roddam. The film stars Sting as Baron Charles Frankenstein and Jennifer Beals as Eva, a woman he creates in the same fashion as his infamous monster. The Bride grossed $3,558,669.- Plot summary :The...
|
Paulus |
|
| Dutch Girls Dutch Girls is a 1985 film, released by the London Weekend Television Company, produced by Sue Birtwistle, directed by Giles Foster, and written by William Boyd. The film is about a group of young men who go to Holland to play hockey. Along the way they drink, smoke, and try to have sex...
|
Lyndon Baines Jellicoe |
|
| 1986 |
Gothic Gothic is a 1986 film directed by Ken Russell. It starred Gabriel Byrne as Lord Byron, Julian Sands as Percy Bysshe Shelley, Natasha Richardson as Mary Shelley and Timothy Spall as Dr John William Polidori...
|
Dr. Polidori |
|
| 1987 |
Dream Demon Dream Demon is a British horror film, released in 1988, starring Jimmy Nail, Timothy Spall and Jemma Redgrave is on the verge of marrying caddish Mark Greenstreet . Spending the night in her spooky old family mansion, Jemma stares into a mirror and begins experiencing terrifying dreams. She sees...
|
Peck |
|
| 1989 |
Crusoe Crusoe is a 1989 film, a variation on the famous story recounted in the novel of Daniel Defoe, and is directed by Caleb Deschanel. It was Deschanel's second film as a director.- Plot :...
|
Reverend Milne |
|
| 1990 |
White Hunter Black Heart White Hunter Black Heart is a 1990 film, directed by and starring Clint Eastwood as John Wilson, based on the book by Peter Viertel. Viertel also co-wrote the script with James Bridges and Burt Kennedy. The film was based on several Golden Age of Hollywood movie producers...
|
Hodkins, Bush Pilot |
|
The Sheltering SkyThe Sheltering Sky is a 1990 drama film directed by Bernardo Bertolucci starring Debra Winger and John Malkovich. The film is based on the 1949 novel by Paul Bowles about a couple who journey to northern Africa in the hopes of rekindling their marriage but soon fall prey to the dangers that...
|
Eric Lyle |
|
| 1871 |
Ramborde |
|
| 1991 |
Life Is Sweet Life Is Sweet is a 1991 British film directed by Mike Leigh, starring Jim Broadbent, Alison Steadman, Claire Skinner, Jane Horrocks and Timothy Spall. Leigh's third cinematic film, it was his most commercially successful title at the time of its original release...
|
Aubrey, Regret Rien Owner |
|
| 1996 |
Secrets & Lies Secrets & Lies is a 1996 British film directed by Mike Leigh and starring Brenda Blethyn, who won the award for Best Actress at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival. The film won numerous other awards and received several Academy Award nominations.-Storyline:...
|
Maurice Purley |
Nominated for an ALFS Award |
HamletHamlet is a 1996 film version of William Shakespeare's classic play of the same name, adapted and directed by Kenneth Branagh, who also stars in the title role as Prince Hamlet. It is set in the 19th century, and uses Blenheim Palace for exterior scenes...
|
Rosencrantz Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are fictional characters, a pair of courtiers appearing in William Shakespeare's tragedy Hamlet. They are also major characters in Tom Stoppard's play Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead and W. S...
|
|
| 1998 |
Our Mutual Friend Charles Dickens's novel Our Mutual Friend was adapted as a BBC television serial in 1998.-Plot summary:For a full length summary of the book see: Our Mutual Friend plot summary.-Awards:Winner:...
|
Mr. Venus |
Nominated for a BAFTA award
Won a Broadcasting Press GuildThe Broadcasting Press Guild is a British association of journalists who specialise in writing and broadcasting about television, radio and the media generally....
Award |
| Still Crazy Still Crazy is a 1998 comedy film about a fictional 1970s rock band named "Strange Fruit", who, after being split up for several decades, are convinced to get back together to perform at a reunion of the same concert venue where they played their last gig...
|
David 'Beano' Baggot |
|
| The Wisdom of Crocodiles The Wisdom of Crocodiles is a 1998 romantic thriller by Po-Chih Leong starring Jude Law.-Plot:Steven Grlscz is a vampire living in London, living only for the seduction of his next victim and committed to no one, surviving off the life-giving properties of his conquests' blood...
|
Inspector Healey |
|
| 1999 |
Topsy-TurvyTopsy-Turvy is a musical drama film about the creation of Gilbert and Sullivan's The Mikado in 1884 and 1885. It was written and directed by Mike Leigh and stars Allan Corduner as Sir Arthur Sullivan and Jim Broadbent as W. S. Gilbert, along with Timothy Spall and Lesley Manville...
|
Richard Temple |
Nominated for a BAFTA award |
| Shooting the Past Shooting The Past was a critically-lauded television drama by Stephen Poliakoff, produced by TalkBack Productions for BBC Two and first shown in 1999. It was TalkBack's first drama production, the company being mainly known for its television comedy work...
|
Oswald Bates |
Nominated for a BAFTA award
Nominated for an ALFS Award |
| The Clandestine Marriage The Clandestine Marriage is a comedy by George Colman the Elder and David Garrick, first performed in 1766 at Drury Lane. The idea came from one of William Hogarth's engravings.-Plot summary:...
|
Sterling |
|
| 2000 |
Love's Labour's LostLove's Labour's Lost is one of William Shakespeare's early comedies, believed to have been written in the mid-1590s, and first published in 1598.-Etymology:The name of the play comes from a poem written by the Greek Theognis:...
|
Don Armado |
|
| Vatel Vatel is a 2000 film based on the life of 17th century French chef François Vatel, directed by Roland Joffé and starring Gérard Depardieu, Uma Thurman, and Tim Roth. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Art Direction - Set Decoration. The film opened the 2000 Cannes Film Festival.-...
|
Gourville |
|
| Chicken Run Chicken Run is a 2000 stop-motion animation British film made by the Aardman Animations studios, the production studio of the Oscar-winning Wallace and Gromit films.-Plot:...
|
Nick |
voice |
| 2001 |
Lucky BreakLucky Break is a 2001 British comedy film starring James Nesbitt and directed by Peter Cattaneo.Tagline: "An escapist comedy from the director of The Full Monty".-Synopsis:...
|
Cliff Gumbell |
Nominated for a British Independent Film Award The "British Independent Film Awards" is an annual award ceremony celebrating achievement in independently funded British movies. The 2008 Award ceremony took place in the Old Billingsgate Market and was hosted by James Nesbitt. This years ceremony will take place on December 6th 2009 in central...
|
Vanilla SkyVanilla Sky is a 2001 American psychological thriller movie which has been variously characterized by published film critics as "an odd mixture of science fiction, romance, and reality warp", "part Beautiful People fantasy, part New Age investigation of the Great Beyond", a "love story, a struggle...
|
Thomas Tipp |
|
| Intimacy |
Andy |
Nominated for a Chlotrudis award The Chlotrudis Society for Independent Film is a Boston-area non-profit organization that teaches audiences to view films actively through discussion, formal and informal education, discourse, film festivals, special screenings and collaboration. Their focus is on international and independent film...
|
| Rock Star |
Mats |
|
| Vacuuming Completely Nude In Paradise Vacuuming Completely Nude in Paradise, is one of two TV films directed by Danny Boyle in 2001; the other was Strumpet. A satire on door-to-door salesmen, it features Timothy Spall and Michael Begley in the lead roles.-Cast Members:*Katy Cavanagh...
|
Tommy Rag |
TV
Nominated for a BAFTA award |
| 2002 |
All or Nothing |
Phil |
Nominated for a British Independent Film Award The "British Independent Film Awards" is an annual award ceremony celebrating achievement in independently funded British movies. The 2008 Award ceremony took place in the Old Billingsgate Market and was hosted by James Nesbitt. This years ceremony will take place on December 6th 2009 in central...
Nominated for a European Film Award |
| Nicholas Nickleby Nicholas Nickleby is a 2002 British/American drama film with comedic undertones written and directed by Douglas McGrath. The screenplay is based on The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens, which originally was published in serial form between March 1838 and September...
|
Charles Cheeryble |
|
| When Love Speaks When Love Speaks is a compilation album that features interpretations of William Shakespeare's sonnets and excerpts from his plays by famous actors and musicians, released under EMI Classics in April 2002.-Track listing:...
|
Shakespeare'sWilliam Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's preeminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
|
"Sonnet 3 Sonnet 3 by William Shakespeare is one of the 17 procreation sonnets urging the man to whom he is writing to his beauty by not having children...
" ("Look in thy glass and tell the face thou viewest") EMI ClassicsEMI Classics is a record label of EMI, formed in 1990 in order to reduce the need to create country-specific packaging and catalogs for internationally distributed classical music releases....
|
| 2003 |
The Last SamuraiThe Last Samurai is a 2003 drama film/war film directed and co-produced by Edward Zwick, who also co-wrote the screenplay based on a story by John Logan.This film was inspired by a project developed by writer and director Vincent Ward...
|
Simon Graham |
|
| My House in Umbria My House in Umbria is a 2003 HBO made-for-television movie, based on the novella of the same name by William Trevor and published along with another novella in the volume Two Lives. The film stars Maggie Smith and was directed by Richard Loncraine....
|
Quinty |
|
| 2004 |
Gettin' Square Gettin' Square is a crime caper movie set on Australia's Gold Coast and directed by Jonathan Teplitzky. The protagonists are ex-criminals trying to keep out of trouble....
|
Darren 'Dabba' Barrington |
Nominated for an AFI award |
Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate EventsLemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events is a black comedy film directed by Brad Silberling. It is based on the first three novels, The Bad Beginning, The Reptile Room, and The Wide Window, in Lemony Snicket's book series...
|
Mr. Poe |
|
| Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is a fantasy adventure film, based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. Directed by Mexican film maker Alfonso Cuarón, it is the third film in the popular Harry Potter series. It stars Daniel Radcliffe as the teenage wizard Harry Potter, and...
|
Peter Pettigrew |
|
| 2005 |
Harry Potter and the Goblet of FireHarry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is a fantasy adventure film, based on J. K. Rowling's novel of the same name. The film is the fourth installment in the Harry Potter film series, although 1492 Pictures decided to leave the series. The film was directed by Mike Newell and produced by David...
|
Peter Pettigrew |
|
| Cherished Cherished is a 2005 British film based on the wrongful conviction of Angela Cannings for the deaths of her three children. It was a joint production by BBC's drama and current affairs wings.-Synopsis:...
|
Terry Cannings |
TV |
| Mr. Harvey Lights a Candle Mr. Harvey Lights a Candle is a television drama, written by Rhidian Brook and directed by Susanna White, which originally aired in 2005 on BBC....
|
Mr. Harvey |
TV |
| Pierrepoint Pierrepoint , is a 2005 British film directed by Adrian Shergold about the life of British executioner Albert Pierrepoint....
|
Albert Pierrepoint Albert Pierrepoint is the most famous member of the family which provided three of the United Kingdom's official hangmen in the first half of the 20th century. He was born in Clayton, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, England...
|
Nominated for an ALFS Award |
| 2006 |
The Street |
Eddie McEvoy |
TV (2006 - Present) |
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City StoriesGrand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories is a sandbox-style action-adventure video game developed by Rockstar Leeds in association with Rockstar North. It was published by Rockstar Games for the PlayStation Portable in late 2006 and later for the PlayStation 2 in March 2007. The game is the eighth...
|
Barry Mickelthwaite |
voice |
| 2007 |
Death Defying Acts Death Defying Acts is a 2008 supernatural romantic thriller. The film follows the Hungarian escapologist Harry Houdini in the height of his career in the 1920s.- Plot :In 1926, thirteen years after his mother's death, Harry Houdini regrets that he wasn't...
|
Sugarman |
|
| Enchanted |
Nathaniel |
|
| Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street |
Beadle Bamford Beadle Bamford is a fictional character who appears in most adaptations of Sweeney Todd.-In 1936 film:In the 1936 film version of the story, in which he is referred to as the Beadle, he gives the title character his new apprentices, the latest one being Tobias Ragg...
|
|
| A Room with a View |
Mr Emerson, father of George Emerson, who was played by Spall's own son Rafe. |
for ITV1ITV1 is the generic brand, that is used by twelve franchises of the ITV Network in England, Wales, the Scottish Borders, the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey. The ITV1 brand was introduced by Carlton and Granada in 2001, alongside the regional identities of their eleven...
|
| Oliver Twist Oliver Twist is a 2007 British television adaptation of Charles Dickens' novel Oliver Twist, written by Sarah Phelps and directed by Coky Giedroyc. It consists of five episodes, broadcast on BBC1 from 18 to 22 December 2007...
|
FaginFagin is a fictional character who appears in the Charles Dickens novel Oliver Twist, referred to in the preface of the novel as a "receiver of stolen goods", but referred to more frequently within the actual story as the "merry old gentleman" or simply the "Jew".-Character:Born in London, Fagin...
|
for BBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation, usually referred to by its abbreviation as the "BBC", is the longest established and largest broadcaster in the world...
|
| 2008 |
Appaloosa Appaloosa is a 2008 American Western film based on the 2005 novel of the same name by crime writer Robert B. Parker. The film was directed by Ed Harris and co-written by Harris and Robert Knott. Appaloosa stars Harris alongside Viggo Mortensen...
|
Phil Olson |
|
| 2009 |
The Damned United The Damned United is a 2009 British sports drama film directed by Tom Hooper and adapted by Peter Morgan from David Peace's bestselling novel The Damned Utd, a largely fictional book based on the author's interpretation of Brian Clough's tenure as manager of Leeds United...
|
Peter Taylor |
|
|
|
| Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is a fantasy-adventure film based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. It is the sixth film in the Harry Potter film series. It is directed by David Yates, the director of the fifth film, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix...
|
Peter Pettigrew |
|
| From Time to Time From Time to Time is an upcoming 2009 British adventure film directed by Julian Fellowes and starring Maggie Smith, Carice van Houten, Eliza Bennett, Elisabeth Dermot-Walsh and Hugh Bonneville. It was adapted from a novel by Lucy M. Boston....
|
|
|
| Gunrush |
Doug Beckett |
TV Series |
|
| Re-Uniting the Rubins Re-Uniting the Rubins is an upcoming film set to star Timothy Spall, Rhona Mitra, and James Callis. It is directed by Yoav Factor. The film is currently being shot in London, England and South Africa.-Plot:...
|
Lenny Rubins |
|
| 2010 |
Alice in Wonderland Alice in Wonderland is an upcoming 2010 fantasy film directed by Tim Burton. It is an adaptation of the Lewis Carroll novels Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass. The film will use a technique combining live action and motion capture technology...
|
BloodhoundA bloodhound is a large breed of dog that was bred originally to hunt deer and wild boar, later specifically to track human beings by scent. It is famed for its ability to follow scents hours or even days old over great distances...
|
|
| Jackboots on Whitehall Jackboots on Whitehall is a satirical alternative history to WWII where the Nazis have seized London and England must band together at Hadrian's Wall if they are to prevent a German invasion. This is the first film of its kind to feature animatronic puppets and the voices of well-known British...
|
Winston ChurchillSir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC was a British politician known chiefly for his leadership of the United Kingdom during World War II. He served as Prime Minister from 1940 to 1945 and again from 1951 to 1955. A noted statesman and orator, Churchill was also an officer...
|
voice |
| Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I |
Peter Pettigrew |
Filming |
| 2011 |
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II |
Peter Pettigrew |
Filming |