Biography
Pickup was born in Chester, England, the son of Daisy (née Williams) and Eric Pickup, who was a lecturer.[1] Pickup was educated at The King's School, Chester, trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London, and became an Associate Member of RADA. His television work began with an episode during the second series of Doctor Who in 1964, for which he was paid £30. Pickup worked with Laurence Olivier at the Royal National Theatre, most notably in Three Sisters and Long Day's Journey Into Night. In 1973, he starred in the BBC drama series The Dragon's Opponent, playing a World War II bomb disposal expert and also appeared in The Day of the Jackal. He played Lt. Harford in Zulu Dawn in 1979, portrayed Igor Stravinsky in Nijinsky in 1980, Prince John in Ivanhoe in 1982, and in 1983 he appeared opposite Penelope Keith in Moving, in 1988 in the BBC miniseries The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (1988 TV Serial) as the voice of Aslan, and in 1990 he starred in the short lived sit-com, Not with a Bang. More modern roles have included parts in Hornblower, Hustle, Foyle's War, Midsomer Murders, Waking the Dead, The Bill, Silent Witness, Sherlock Holmes, and Inspector Morse. He is also a regular character in the BBC sitcom The Worst Week of My Life. His most recent appearance was in Holby City as Lord Charles Byrne. Pickup gave a highly acclaimed performance as a decayed Russian aristocrat in the BBC series Fortunes of War, based on a work by Olivia Manning. He also provided the voice for Aslan in the BBC's adaptation of the Chronicles of Narnia and starred opposite Judi Dench in the 1989 Channel 4 serial Behaving Badly. He is also an accomplished stage actor. He was nominated for a 1998 Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role of 1997 for his performance in Amy's View. Pickup had the starring role as composer Giuseppe Verdi in the acclaimed The Life of Verdi, written and directed by Renato Castellani. In 2005, he had a supporting role in the family-based film, The Adventures of Greyfriars Bobby. Between March and August 2009, he starred as Lucky in Sean Mathias' production of Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett opposite Sir Ian McKellen (Estragon), Patrick Stewart (Vladimir) and also Simon Callow (Pozzo). The tour opened in Malvern before travelling to Milton Keynes, Brighton, Bath, Norwich, Edinburgh and Newcastle; its run at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket was extended due to demand. In February 2010 he also appeared as 'Pegleg' in the BBC's period drama Lark Rise to Candleford. Description above from the Wikipedia article Ronald Pickup, licensed under CC-BY-SA,full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Acted in 139
2020s
- 2025
Schadenfreude
The Gambler
- 2021
End of Term
Damian Self
2010s
- 2018
- 2017
Stealing Silver
Udo
- 2016
The Have-Nots
Bentham
- 2015
- 2014
A Little Place Off the Edgware Road
Bearded Man
- 2013
- 2012
Pramface
TV
- 2011
- 2010
2000s
- 2008
- 2007
The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey
William McDowell
- 2005
Supernova
Dr. Malcolm Handey
A Life in Suitcases: A History of Tulse Luper
Monsieur Moitessier
The Tulse Luper Suitcases, Part 3: From Sark to the Finish
Monsieur Moitessier
Cherished
Professor Sir Roy Meadow
- 2004
Feather Boy
Ernest Sorrel · 6 episodes
Benefit to Mankind
Professor Quentin Tapscott
Secret Passage
Da Monte
- 2003
The Tulse Luper Suitcases, Part 1: The Moab Story
Monsieur Moitessier
Cambridge Spies
Colonel Winter · 2 episodes
- 2002
- 2001
Murder Rooms: The Dark Beginnings of Sherlock Holmes
Sir John Starr · 1 episode
- 2000
Breathtaking
Dr. Maclaren
1990s
- 1999
Hornblower: The Duchess and the Devil
Don Massaredo
- 1998
The Untitled
Robert Kennings
- 1997
Bring Me the Head of Mavis Davis
Percy Stone
- 1996
Der Blinde
Dr. Bartnik
- 1995
Black Hearts in Battersea
Duke of Battersea · 6 episodes
A Very Open Prison
Brian Silcott
Henry IV
Henry IV
- 1994
Milner
Jocelyn Fry
Message for Posterity
Richard Browning
In The Cold Light Of Day
Morris
The Riff Raff Element
Roger Tundish · 12 episodes
The Rector's Wife
Daniel Byrne · 4 episodes
- 1993
Bethune: The Making of a Hero
Alan Coleman
- 1992
My Friend Walter
Sir Walter Raleigh
A Time to Dance
Andrew Powell · 3 episodes
- 1991
A Murder of Quality
Felix D'Arcy
Journey of Honor
Capt. Crawford
The War That Never Ends
Diodotus
- 1990
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Silver Chair
Aslan (voice)
Not with a Bang
Brian Appleyard · 7 episodes
1980s
- 1989
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian & The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
Aslan (voice)
Danny the Champion of the World
Captain Lancaster
Behaving Badly
TV
- 1988
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe
Aslan (voice)
Testimony
Marshall Tukhachevsky
The Hound of the Baskervilles
Barrymore
- 1987
- 1986
Unnatural Causes
James Tripp · 1 episode
- 1985
Eleni
Spiro
Moving
TV
- 1984
Pope John Paul II
Jan Tyranowski
Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein · 4 episodes
- 1983
The Crystal Spirit: Orwell on Jura
George Orwell
- 1982
Verdi
Giuseppe Verdi · 9 episodes
The Letter
Howard Joyce
Verdi
Giuseppe Verdi
- 1981
- 1980
Nijinsky
Igor Stravinsky
1970s
- 1979
In England's Green and Pleasant Land
Norman Reynolds
Henry VIII
Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury
- 1978
For Tea on Sunday
Ian
- 1977
Ghost Trio
Movie
...but the clouds...
Movie
Joseph Andrews
Mr. Wilson
- 1975
King Lear
Edgar
The Fight Against Slavery
William Pitt · 6 episodes
- 1974
Jennie: Lady Randolph Churchill
Lord Randolph Churchill
Jennie: Lady Randolph Churchill
Randolph Churchill · 4 episodes
All Good Men
Movie
- 1973
The Roses of Eyam
Reverend William Mompesson
Long Day's Journey Into Night
Edmund Tyrone
- 1970
Three Sisters
Baron Tusenbach
1960s
- 1969
- 1967
Romeo and Juliet
Mercutio
Much Ado About Nothing
Don Pedro
- 1965
- 1964
Doctor Who: The Reign of Terror
Physician
- 1963
1950s
- 1951
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Jean · 1 episode
No release date
Still Got It
Jim
Appearances2
2000s
- 2009
Theatreland
Self
1990s
- 1996
Samuel Beckett: As the Story Was Told
Narrator