John Shrapnel

John Morley Shrapnel (27 April 1942 – 14 February 2020) was an English actor. He is known mainly for his stage work with the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre in the United Kingdom and for his many television appearances. One of his well-known roles was Mr Skinner in the 1996 live-action film 101 Dalmatians.

Early life Shrapnel was born in Edgbaston, Birmingham, Warwickshire (now West Midlands), on 27 April 1942, the son of journalist and author Norman Shrapnel and Mary Lillian Myfanwy (née Edwards).

Shrapnel was brought up in Stockport and London and was educated first at Mile End School, Stockport, where he started acting as a member of the school's drama society, and then at the City of London School, an independent school for boys in the City of London, where he played Hamlet in the school play; he then attended St Catharine's College, Cambridge, from which he received an MA degree. His final stage appearance was in 2015. and in Troy (2004) as Nestor. In Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007) he played Lord Howard and The Duchess (2008) as General Grey.

Shrapnel had the rare distinction of appearing in two episodes of Midsomer Murders as two characters in "Death in Chorus" and "Written in Blood". He appeared in Jonathan Creek episode "The Omega Man" as Professor Lance Graumann. He appeared in Chemical Wedding alongside Simon Callow, telling the tale of the resurrection of occultist Aleister Crowley. He played John Christie ( from a 1980s case) in "Solidarity" of Waking the Dead.

He also had experience in the field of BBC radio drama: he played Colin Dexter's Inspector Morse (opposite Robert Glenister as Sgt Lewis) and starred in William Gibson's Neuromancer. Shrapnel played the character Deputy Assistant Commissioner John Felsham in the New Tricks episode The Fourth Man (2010). He also narrated episodes of Wild Discovery.

Shrapnel's final role was as the Archbishop of Canterbury in the 2017 television film King Charles III.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1971 Nicholas and Alexandra Petya 1972 Pope Joan Father James 1975 Hennessy Tipaldi 1987 Personal Services Lionel Partition General Flood 1988 Testimony Andrei Zhdanov 1989 How to Get Ahead in Advertising Psychiatrist 1995 Two Deaths Cinca England, My England Samuel Pepys 1996 101 Dalmatians Mr. Skinner 1999 Notting Hill PR Chief 2000 Gladiator Senator Gaius 2001 Moshe Cohen 2002 K-19: The Widowmaker Admiral Bratyeev 2004 Troy Nestor 2005 Archbishop 2006 Alien Autopsy Michael Kuhn 2007 Sparkle Bernie Elizabeth: The Golden Age Lord Howard 2008 Chemical Wedding Crowley Mirrors Lorenzo Sapelli General Grey 2011 Reverend Hugh Purslow

Television Year Title Role Notes 1967–1969 Playhouse Jamie / Schoner 2 episodes 1970 Omnibus Léopold Zborowski 1 episode 1971 Elizabeth R Earl of Sussex 3 episodes 1972 John Wimbourne 1 episode 1974 Crown Court John Claudius 1 episode 1974 Justice Roger Anderson 1 episode 1975 Space: 1999 Captain Jack Tanner 1 episode 1976 Z-Cars George Stonehouse 1 episode 1977 Gaudian Television film 1978 Edward & Mrs. Simpson Major Alexander Hardinge Miniseries, 5 episodes 1980 Armchair Thriller Vincent Craig 6 episodes 1981 Private Schulz German Newsreel Reader 3 episodes 1982 The Woman in White Sir Percival Glyde 5 episodes 1983 My Cousin Rachel Ambrose Ashley 4 episodes 1983–1984 Wagner Semper Miniseries, 3 episodes 1984 Horizon Cyril Burt 1 episode 1984 Sorrell and Son Thomas Roland Miniseries, 6 episodes 1985 Mr. Palfrey of Westminster Adrian Vyner 1 episode 1985–1995 Screen Two Various 3 episodes 1986 Oedipus the King Creon BBC-TV 1987 Vanity Fair Lord Steyne 5 episodes 1989 About Face Donald 1 episode 1989 Blackeyes Detective Blake Miniseries, 3 episodes 1990 Centrepoint Claude Wareing Miniseries, 4 episodes 1990 BKA Police Chief Television film 1991 Young Catherine Archimandrite Todorsky Television film 1991 G.B.H. Dr. Jacobs Miniseries, 3 episodes 1991 Selling Hitler Gerd Schulte-Hillen Miniseries, 4 episodes 1992 Jerry Rushbridge 1 episode 1992 Between the Lines D.A.C. Dunning Main cast, 6 episodes 1993 Crime Story Roy Hall 1 episode 1994 Dan Cheyney 1 episode 1994 Fatherland Obergruppenführer Odilo Globocnik Television film 1995 Kavanagh QC Mr. Justice Griffin 1 episode 1995 Coogan's Run Douglas Crown 1 episode 1996 Wycliffe Dr. Sam Malvern 1 episode 1996–1997 Bodyguards Commander Alan MacIntyre Main cast, 7 episodes 1997 Inspector Morse Dr. Julian Storrs 1 episode 1998–2006 Midsomer Murders Max Jennings / Leo Clarke 2 episodes: "Written in Blood" & "Death in Chorus" 1998 Invasion: Earth Air Marshal Bentley Miniseries, 3 episodes 1999 Mary, Mother of Jesus Simon Television film 1999 Jonathan Creek Professor Lance Graumann 1 episode 1999 Hornblower General François de Charette 1 episode, "The Frogs and the Lobsters" 2000 Governor of Prison Miniseries, 3 episodes 2001 Monty Sinclair Television film 2002 Foyle's War Raymond Brooks 1 episode: "A Lesson in Murder" 2003 Spine Chillers Nick 1 episode 2004 I Am Not an Animal Narrator Voice, Miniseries, 6 episodes 2006 Ancient Rome: The Rise and Fall of an Empire Pompey Miniseries, 1 episode: "Caesar" 2007 Billy Palmer 1 episode 2007 Sergeant Mike McCaffrey 1 episode: "Limbo" 2008 PM Edward Shaw Recurring role, 4 episodes 2008 Apparitions Cardinal Bukovak Miniseries, 5 episodes 2010 New Tricks DAC John Felsham 1 episode 2011 Waking the Dead John Christie 2 episodes: "Solidarity" 2012 Merlin The Sarrum 1 episode 2017 King Charles III Archbishop of Canterbury Television film