Books and Wands - Biography

Vital Stats:

Timothy Spall

Full Name:

Timothy Leonard Spall

Nickname:

Timothy

Date of Birth:

27 February 1957

Place of Birth:

Battersea, London, England

Siblings:

3rd of 4 boys

Timothy Spall plays Peter Pettigrew aka Wormtail in all his wicked rattiness.

Battersea, Timothy Spall was born to father Joe, a postal worker,
and mother Sylvia, a hairdresser. The third of four sons, Spall
led a simple, ordinary life, a fact that most likely led to his
calm presence in Hollywood.

As a young adult and a promising actor, he trained at the National
Youth Theater and at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). At
the latter, he was awarded the Bancroft Gold Medal for the most
hopeful and talented actor of the year.

In 1979, he joined the Royal Shakespeare Company where he remained
for two years, refining his skill and performing in “The Merry
Wives of Windsor," "Cymbeline," "The Three Sisters,” and "Nicholas
Nickleby."

Spall stepped into a much brighter spotlight in the early 80’s,
balancing television and movie roles to establish his name. Some
credits around this time include Crusoe, Secrets and Lies,
Shooting the Past, Rock Star, and The Last Samurai. Most notably,
he portrayed Barry Taylor in all four series of Auf Wiedersehen,
Pet.

It is also around this time that Spall met his wife, Shane. The
two were married on 1 December 1981 and had three children,
Mercedes, Pascale, and Rafe, who would later follow in his
father’s acting footsteps. The decade seemed to be turning point
in his personal life as well as the pinnacle of his career.

Unfortunately, Spall’s career came to halt in the mid ‘90s. The
talented actor was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in 1996.
The disease forced him to take a break from acting over the next
few years. However, the illness came as a blessing in disguise.
Spall, who often worried and stressed over work, learned to relax.
He vowed to become more selective and prepared for roles in hopes
to head stress off at the pass.

The disease has since been in remission, and Spall’s career re-
blossomed thanks to his newfound outlook on life. He settled with
his family in Forest Hill, a suburb of Southeast London, and began
to take on well-known roles.

He established himself as a brilliant character actor in movies
such as Enchanted, Sweeny Todd, and Lemony Snicket’s A Series of
Unfortunate Events. He also appeared as a rat in two film
franchises, Chicken Run and, most importantly, Harry Potter.

His greatest achievements were yet to come. On 31 December 1999,
Spall was named an OBE (Officer of the British Empire) as part of
the 2000 Queen’s Millennium Honors List. Finally, in 2005, Spall
was cast in the leading role of Albert Pierrepoint in Pierrepoint
(UK) [The Last Hangman (USA)].

Spall will most likely be remembered as one of the greatest
character actors of his generation. His success can be attributed
to the fact that he has embraced this position.

Biography:

Honors and Awards:

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