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Actor

1943-01-18 · Barnet, Hertfordshire, England, UK · Male

26 series in the catalog

Paul Freeman (born 18 January 1943) is an English actor who has appeared in theatre, television and film. Internationally, he is known for playing the rival archaeologist René Belloq in Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), evil wine baron Gustav Riebmann on season 4 of the soap opera Falcon Crest (1984–85), and supervillain Ivan Ooze in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie (1995). His other credits include Morlang (2001), When I'm 64 (2004), Hot Fuzz (2007) and Hard Boiled Sweets (2012). In the UK, he had a leading role in the television series Yesterday's Dreams (1987) as Martin Daniels.

Referring to Freeman's extensive theatre work, in 1995 the Los Angeles Times described him as "one of Britain's best-regarded actors, classically trained, with stints at the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre".

Early life

Freeman was born in Barnet, Hertfordshire, on 18 January 1943.

Career

Freeman began his career in advertising and teaching, and gained small roles in the theatre, appearing in productions of A Midsummer Night's Dream and Hamlet. He had roles at the National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Freeman made his television debut in 1978 in the serial Will Shakespeare (1978). He also acted in the docudrama Death of a Princess, a film about the execution of Misha'al bint Fahd al Saud of Saudi Arabia. Freeman began his feature film career in 1980 when he appeared in The Long Good Friday and The Dogs of War. In 1981, he played Ralph Wigram in the television series Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years.

In the same year, Steven Spielberg and George Lucas chose Freeman to play archaeologist René Belloq, the archrival to Indiana Jones, in the adventure film Raiders of the Lost Ark, opposite Harrison Ford. The film led to Freeman becoming typecast in villainous roles, especially Nazis. He played the head of the Cartel and masqueraded as a conniving wine baron Gustav Riebmann in the fourth season of Falcon Crest, airing in 1984–1985.

Freeman starred as Martin Daniels in the series Yesterday's Dreams in 1987.

In 1988, Freeman played Professor Moriarty in comedy film Without a Clue, which starred Michael Caine as a mini-brained Sherlock Holmes and Ben Kingsley as Watson, who is secretly the real crime-solving genius. In 1995, Freeman was cast as the villain Ivan Ooze in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie.

Freeman guest-starred in television shows such as Monarch of the Glen, ER, Falcon Crest, and The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles. He also played in several mini-series, including Murderers Among Us: The Simon Wiesenthal Story (1989), and The Final Cut (1995). In 2004, Freeman played Angus, Bobby Jones' caddie, in Bobby Jones: A Stroke of Genius. During 2006 and 2007, he played Laurence Scammel QC in the drama New Street Law. Also in 2007, he played Rev. Philip Shooter of Sandford in the action comedy film Hot Fuzz.

Among his television work, Freeman has appeared in an episode of Midsomer Murders, titled "Down Among the Dead Men". He also appeared in Waking the Dead in the episode "Straw Dog", and played Adam Kingsley in the BBC adaptation of Minette Walters' The Dark Room. He appeared in Agatha Christie's Poirot in the episode "Appointment with Death", playing Colonel Carbury.

Freeman appeared as George Aaranow in the 2008 London revival of David Mamet's Glengarry Glen Ross.

In 2012, Freeman played Thomas Erpingham in the BBC adaptation of William Shakespeare's Henry V from The Hollow Crown series.

Personal life

Freeman is married to Maggie Scott, who was his co-star in the 1980 film The Dogs of War. They have one daughter.

Freeman and Scott are both co-founders of the charity UK Friends of Healing Focus (UKHF), which works in partnership with Uganda NGO, Healing Focus Orphanage Centre. Freeman is a regular visitor to the orphanage.