Geoffrey McGivern
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- January 1, 1952 (age 74)
- Birthplace
- Battersea, London, England, UK
Biography
Geoffrey M. McGivern is a British actor in film, television, radio and stage, as well as a comedian. He is best known for originating the role of Ford Prefect in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. He played Ford Prefect in the radio series (1978–80) and subsequent LP releases of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams whom he knew from Cambridge University, and reprised the role for the four new series broadcast on BBC Radio 4 between 2004 and 2018. A more recent radio broadcast was in The Ape That Got Lucky and he has appeared in TV shows such as Noel's House Party, Press Gang, Chef!, Big Train, Blackadder the Third ("Dish and Dishonesty") as Ivor Biggun, Chelmsford 123, Jonathan Creek, 15 Storeys High, Armstrong and Miller, Toast of London and series three of Peep Show. McGivern appeared in the first series of the comedy show Big Train in 1998, and later that year for the 1998 radio SciFi drama Paradise Lost in Cyberspace (Colin Swash, BBC) McGivern teamed up with old Hitchhiker's colleague Stephen Moore and Lorelei King (member of cast in the 2005 Hitchhiker's radio show sequel). He later played the Supreme Ruler in BBC2's sci-fi comedy Hyperdrive (2006–2007). In 2007, he appeared in the BBC Radio 4 comedy Peacefully in their Sleeps and in 2008 he appeared as Professor John Mycroft in the BBC2 science sitcom Lab Rats and in the 2008 BBC series Little Dorrit where he played Mr Rugg. He also appeared in episode 5 of series 3 of the TV series A Bit of Fry and Laurie. In 2015, he guest-starred in EastEnders as Dickie Ticker, the crude comic brought in by Mick Carter for Kush Kazemi's stag night. In 2016, he appeared in four episodes of the Disney Channel musical drama The Lodge, as Patrick. McGivern played the narrator Charlie Swinburne in the BBC Radio's 2013 six part dramatisation of G. K. Chesterton's The Club of Queer Trades. In 2017, he appeared in the Channel 4 sitcom Back, written by Simon Blackwell, alongside David Mitchell and Robert Webb. Later that year, he began portraying the recurring role of Frank in the Netflix series Free Rein. Since 2019, he has appeared as recurring character Barclay Beg-Chetwynde in the BBC comedy Ghosts. In 2022, he appeared as the main character Russ, in Radio 4 comedy No-Platformed. The show's episode guide contains a humorous note about McGivern's extensive credit list, by starting a list of his credits and then adding "oh, hundreds of things". In 2024, he appeared as recurring character Lord Rookwood in the Apple TV+ series The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin.
Known For
Photos
Filmography
Ghosts: The Possession of Button House
Movie · as Barclay
The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin
TV · as Lord Rookwood · 4 eps
Sister Boniface Mysteries
TV · as Malise Bonham Crane · 1 ep
The Larkins
TV · as Station Master Fox · 1 ep
Stardust
Movie · as Mr Jones
Semi-Detached
TV · as Barry · 6 eps
Quiz
TV · as Lieutenant Colonel Village · 2 eps
This Time with Alan Partridge
TV · as Old Lady · 1 ep
Ghosts
TV · as Barclay, Barclay Beg-Chetwynde
Tower-D
Movie · as Alexander
The Ghoul
Movie · as Morland
Quacks
TV · as The Pub Landlord · 6 eps
Back
TV · as Uncle Geoff · 6 eps
Decline and Fall
TV · as Mr Wilson · 1 ep
Here Boy
Movie · as Des
Upstart Crow
TV · as Sir Thomas · 1 ep
Roald Dahl's Esio Trot
Movie · as Shop Keeper
Together
TV · as Douglas the Neighbour · 1 ep
Outlander
TV · as Dr. Simms · 1 ep
Grantchester
TV · as Archdeacon · 2 eps
Siblings
TV · as Frank · 1 ep
Plebs
TV · as Simeon · 1 ep
Blandings
TV · as Sir Roderick Glossop · 1 ep
Vicious
TV · as Antonio St Alexis · 1 ep
The Mimic
TV · as Kingsley · 3 eps
A Touch of Cloth
TV · as Andy Preacherman · 2 eps
A Young Doctor's Notebook
TV · as Pharmacist · 1 ep
Holy Flying Circus
Movie · as Dog Walker /Petitioner /Man Whose Wife Malcolm Muggeridge Said Made a Lovely Breakfast
Episodes
TV · as Bob · 1 ep
This Is Jinsy
TV · as Trince · 16 eps
Hancock & Joan
Movie · as Billy Marsh
Margaret Thatcher: The Long Walk to Finchley
Movie · as Dartford Returning Officer
Lab Rats
TV · as Professor John Mycroft · 6 eps
Little Dorrit
TV · as Rugg · 14 eps
Magicians
Movie · as Magic Shop Manager
Half Broken Things
Movie · as Jack
Benidorm
TV · as Beverley Westwood · 2 eps
Hyperdrive
TV · as Supreme Ruler · 2 eps
Doctors and Nurses
TV · as Walt · 4 eps
The Worst Week of My Life
TV · as Santa · 1 ep
Blackball
Movie · as Brian Cronk
Peep Show
TV · as Gerard · 1 ep
Thunderpants
Movie · as Metallurgist
15 Storeys High
TV · as Neville, Sergeant Hamilton · 1 ep
Look Around You
TV · as Schoolmaster · 1 ep
Onegin
Movie · as Andrey Petrovitch
Stressed Eric
TV · 13 eps
Big Train
TV · as Policeman · 1 ep
In the Red
TV · as Clarence Twist · 1 ep
Gobble
Movie · as Geoffrey Lester
Jonathan Creek
TV · as Barry Opper · 4 eps
Annie's Bar
TV · as Stiggy Bedford-Bounds · 10 eps
The Young Americans
Movie · as Brian Carver
Chef
TV · as Bank Manager · 7 eps
Eye of the Storm
TV · as Customs Officers · 1 ep
Joking Apart
TV · as Dave · 1 ep
In Dreams
Movie · as Journalist/Emperor
Heartbeat
TV · as Denzil Arcourt, Harry · 1 ep
Absolutely Fabulous
TV · as Customs Officer · 1 ep
Lazarus and Dingwall
TV · as Film Director · 1 ep
Murder Most Horrid
TV · as Mason, Guy, Security Man · 1 ep
Ben Elton: The Man from Auntie
TV · 12 eps
Rita Rudner
TV · 6 eps
Drop the Dead Donkey
TV · as Geoff, TV Announcer, Voice Over (voice), Repeat introductions (voice) (uncredited) · 1 ep
Wilt
Movie · as Mr. Yeo
Birds of a Feather
TV · as Mr Blair · 1 ep
Alas Sage & Onion
Movie
Chelmsford 123
TV · as Blind Man, Wolfbane · 1 ep
Mr. Pye
Movie · as Harry Portiner
Noel's Christmas Presents
TV · 1 ep
Mr Pye
TV · as Harry Portiner · 1 ep
Blackadder
TV · as Ivor Biggun · 1 ep
Cambridge University 1974 Footlights Revue
Movie · as Various