To many, Charles Dance IS evil dad Tywin Lannister from Game of Thrones. But this English actor has been around for a LOOOOONG time, and used to be considered quite the hottie — and is still considered quite the thespian! Okay, so he does specialize in glowering these days. But let’s go back to 1975 and watch Dance’s progression through historical movies and TV series:
Edward the King (1975)
A bio-series about British King Edward VII; Dance plays Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale.
Neckwear. Mmmm.
The Jewel in the Crown (1984)
Brits in India; Dance plays hottie Sgt Guy Perron.
Blondes having more fun?
Plenty (1985)
During World War II, Meryl Streep‘s character works as a resistance fighter in France; after the war, she struggles to come to terms with post-war life. Dance plays the husband she marries after the war.
And looks damn good in a tux | © 20th Century Fox Film Corp.
Tracey Ullman is in this? And the couple moves to Jordan.
White Mischief (1987)
Real-life hedonistic British aristocrats live it up in 1941 Kenya, until someone gets murdered. Dance plays Josslyn Hay, 22nd Earl of Erroll.
HE CAN SMILE!!! Non-creepily!
Good Morning Babylon (1987)
Two Italian set designers work on director D.W. Griffith’s (played by Dance) epic film, Intolerance (1916).
Dang! That’s some swagger! (Photo by Micheline PELLETIER/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)
Pascali’s Island (1988)
Set in 1908 on a fictional Ottoman-ruled Greek island. Dance plays an archaeologist, the plot seems complicated.
Dapper!
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
The Phantom of the Opera (1990)
As the Phantom. Sorry, Andrew Lloyd Webber ruined this story for me!
The PHAAAAAAAANTOM OF THE OPERA!
No, this one isn’t a musical. Still skipping it.
Century (1993)
A 19th-century Jewish doctor discovers that an authoritative doctor (Dance) is sterilizing innocent women.
This seems like the beginning of the Tywin Lannister prototype.
Rebecca (1997)
A TV adaptation of Daphne du Maurier’s mystery novel. Dance plays husband Maxim de Winter.
Murder Rooms: Mysteries of the Real Sherlock Holmes (2000)
As “Sir Henry Carlyle” in yet another Sherlock Holmes TV series.
Gosford Park (2001)
On the one hand, pretty much any British actor of note was in this faaaaabulous 1930s murder mystery! On the other hand, no really, Charles Dance is in this! He plays Lord Stockbridge, husband of Lady Stockbridge (Geraldine Somerville), sister to Lady Sylvia (Kristin Scott Thomas). Phew!
Literally the only image I can find of him in the film!
Dark Blue World (2001)
A Czech film about Czech pilots who flew for the British air force during World War II. Dance plays a British officer.
The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby (2001)
As Big Meanie uncle Ralph Nickleby in this TV adaptation of the Dickens novel.
Foyle’s War (2002)
As a British fascist in one episode of this World War II murder mystery series.
Henry VIII (2003)
As Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham in this TV miniseries.
I have zero memory of Dance in this series.
Don Bosco (2004)
A TV biopic about real-life saint John Bosco (1815-88); Dance plays “Marquis Clementi.”
Bleak House (2005)
Another Dickens adaptation; Dance plays Mr. Tulkinghorn.
Fingersmith (2005)
As the creepy Uncle Lilly, who is far too interested in his niece’s gloves in 1862 England.
To the Ends of the Earth (2005)
As “Sir Henry Somerset” in this TV miniseries about Regency-era British naval explorers.
Daw, I like this! Gold braid and shiny buttons!
Merlin (2009)
As “a freelance sorcerer hunter.” No idea!
Ironclad (2011)
The siege of Rochester Castle by King John in 1215. Dance plays Stephen Langton, Archbishop of Canterbury.
Neverland (2011)
A prequel to Peter Pan. Dance plays “Dr. Richard Fludd.”
Your Highness (2011)
A stoner comedy film set in the medieval era. Dance plays “King Tallious.”
That’s QUITE THE MULLET
There Be Dragons (2011)
An “epic historical war drama” set during the Spanish Civil War of the 1930s. Dance plays “Monsignor Solano.”
Viy (2014)
A Russian fantasy film set in the eighteenth century. Dance plays “Lord Dudley.” Don’t ask me.
Dance pulls off full-bottomed wigs very well!
Not sure what died on the other guy’s head tho.
Dracula Untold (2014)
A rebooted origin story for Dracula focused on Vlad the Impaler (1428/31 – 1476/77). Dance plays the Master Vampire, who turns Vlad into a vampire.
The Great Fire (2014)
As Charles II’s fictional spymaster in this story of the Great Fire of London (1666).
See? Rocking that full-bottomed wig!
The Imitation Game (2014)
Real-life cryptanalyst Alan Turing decrypts German messages during World War II. Dance plays real-life Commander Alastair Denniston, who is pessimistic about the British chances of decryption.
And Then There Were None (2015)
As an elderly judge stuck on an island with a bunch of dubious people in this 1930s Agatha Christie adaptation.
That’s a dapper suit.
Victor Frankenstein (2015)
The Frankenstein story told from Igor’s perspective. Dance plays Baron Frankenstein, who I think must be Victor’s father?
The Admiral (2015)
A film about famed seventeenth-century Dutch admiral Michiel de Ruyter. Dance plays English king Charles II??
This just SO doesn’t feel Charles II to me! I think it’s the blonde hair.
Better!
Child 44 (2015)
Murders, Soviet Russia, 1950s, based on a novel. Dance plays “Major Grachev.”
Deadline Gallipoli (2015)
An Australian production, telling the story of the Gallipoli Campaign during World War I from the perspective of journalists. Dance plays General Hamilton, commander of the British forces.
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (2016)
As Mr. Bennet in the zombie version of Jane Austen’s classic.
The Woman in White (2018)
An adaptation of the 1860 ghost story, with Dance as “Frederick Fairlie.”
Such a different look for Dance! I love it.
(C) Origin Pictures – Photographer: Steffan Hill
Iron Mask (2019)
The sequel to Viy.
The Delivered (2019)
Aka Fanny Lye Deliver’d, Dance plays a very religious man during the English Civil War.
The Crown (2019-20)
As Lord Mountbatten, uncle to Prince Philip, in the Queen Elizabeth II bio-series.
Mank (2020)
A biopic about screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz and his development of the screenplay for Citizen Kane (1941). Dance plays real-life newspaper owner William Randolph Hearst, who is the inspiration for Citizen Kane‘s main character.
The Singapore Grip (2020)
A love affair set during World War II Singapore.
He’s still got the dapper!
The King’s Man (coming in 2021)
As Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener, a senior British army officer known for his “scorched earth” policy during the Boer Wars, in this period spy film.
I am so seeing this movie when it comes out!
Which is your favorite of Charles Dance’s many frock flick roles?
His version of Phantom is actually not bad. They even filmed it in the actual Paris opera house which made it cool I though
So very wrong as Buckingham! Dance was obviously born to play that Wiley survivor the Duke of Norfolk!
100%!
I love Charles Dance, and even though he often plays complete bastards he is apparently an absolutely lovely person, with Miriam Margolyes describing him as “cuddly.” But I have to confess… my absolute favourite role of his is where he reads an excerpt from 50 Shades of Grey for a comedy quiz show, and says “kinkyfuckery” a lot.
Okay that sounds outstanding and up with Gilbert Godfrey’s readings of 50 Shades!
You can find all of the big fat quizzes on YouTube. Worth it just for Charles Dance’s dramatic readings, but newscaster Jon Snow’s pop song reports are also a highlight.
He was such a hottie in his youth and continues to smoulder as he has aged, Dance has always delivered a good and intense performance. My faves? White Mischief and Rebecca. He seems to do well with that slightly sinister yet exudes charm kind of roles. And now I must see The Singapore Grip and a few others I have missed! Thanks Kendra.
Fell in love with him in Jewel in the Crown and have remained faithful ever since!
Msnomi, you took the words o/o my mouth. Kendra, thank you for posting that beefcake pic. Never seen him without a shirt – woah mamma!
I KNOW RITE? I feel like the photo is vaguely familiar, but I don’t think I realized it was him!
Jewel in the Crown was so wonderful. That’s the image of him I carry in my head, so I’m still always surprised when he’s older, and usually bad. But he’s so good at being bad.
I loved him in Pride & Prejudice & Zombies.
A truly elegant performer, and such range! My millennial girl has a thing for C.D.
Thanks for including Child 44! I thought it was well done, but for some reason it flew under people’s radars. :)
It was well done, Boxermom. I think it flew under the radar in part because it was a dark, slow-burn type movie with no major box office stars. Several of the actors ARE well known, but you know what I mean. Also, it felt to me like an 80’s noir thriller, but set in the past in Russia. That just doesn’t seem to get a lot of people excited.
All good points! And, now that I think about it, it came out in April. Not really primo movie time. :)
Well I have a huge crush on Tom Hardy, so maybe I’ll check it out!
Charles Dance has been man candy since BIRTH! My only quibble with this MCM is the use of past tense in the intro, “…used to be considered quite the hottie.” He IS STILL a hottie! A mature hottie. Amen. Other than that, it’s impossible to answer your question about my favorite of his FrockFlick roles because I love him in EVERYTHING and thus I would name all his roles that I’ve seen so far. On top of looking good, he is a VERY good actor who ELEVATES anything he’s in. Plus, in my opinion, he has excellent taste in the projects he chooses. As a longtime fan of Charles Dance, I was disappointed that they made him look grotesque in Dracula Untold. I was like, “Why do that to his beautiful face?” And, yes, in Victor Frankenstein, he is Victor’s father. Thanks for this post including, as someone else mentioned, the shirtless pic. There’s a lot of his filmography I have yet to watch. This is an excellent list to work from.
I also feel compelled to mention his association with another FrockFlick. He directed one of my favorite FrockFlicks–Ladies in Lavender–starring Maggie Smith, Judi Dench, and a myriad other wonderful actors.
I stand corrected! :)
There is no “used to be” here
I stand corrected! :)
I was finally able to see the 1997 version of Rebecca (thank you, local library streaming site!), and my lord, his Maxim is horrid. I am sure it is more faithful to the book than the Hitchcock version from 1940, though Olivier did play the role well. I also found myself weirded out by his sleeping with Emilia Fox, but he really does well in every role he plays.
Bless you for including that shirtless picture.
I do think full-bottomed wigs suit him the best, some people look silly or self-conscious in them but he always looks great and also natural.
I saw him do Coriolanus on stage back in (I think) the late 80s/early 90s. He was very good.
Loved Jewel in the Crown, though a young Art Malik was the real heart-throb. (And Tim Piggot-Smith gloriously nasty.)
As he’s matured he’s looked to me more and more like Ian Richardson (see the original BBC House of Cards) – I think he’d make a superb Lord Vetinari.
“I think he’d make a superg Lord Vetinari.” If you’re talking about Prachett, he WAS Lord Vetinari — in Going Postal with Claire Foy.
I love him in Rebecca. I think that’s the first time I really, really adored his performance, and since then my appreciation has only grown. He’s brilliant in the Agatha Christie (a morbid miniseries I watch at least every six months) and in many other roles, but the one thing I noticed while sewing one time, and having Bleak House on in the background is… when you aren’t watching him interact with Lady Dedlock, and are just listening to it, the creepy factor goes up by a LOT.
If they ever do Grand Admiral Thrawn in a live action Star Wars thingy, he is 100% my choice.
Not many men can look that good in a full bottomed wig. And as fore that shirtless image – Yowza!
I think he is STILL a hottie. He has such presence in every role he does. When he is on the screen, he is the one you are watching.
Amen. Still hot.