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Anthony Head

Anthony Stewart Head was born on February 20, 1954 in Camden Town, London. His father was Seafield Head, a documentary filmmaker and the founder of Verity Films, and his mother was actress Helen Shingler. His older brother is actor and singer Murray Head. Head lives near Bath, Somerset with his partner Sarah Fisher and has two daughters, Emily and Daisy.

Head was educated at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA). His first role was in the musical Godspell; this led to roles in television on both BBC and ITV, one of his earliest being an appearance in the series Enemy At The Door. In the early 1980s he sang with the band Red Box. In the late 1980s, he appeared in a series of coffee commercials with Sharon Maughan for Nescafé Gold Blend. The commercials brought him wider recognition, along with a part in the CITV comedy drama Woof!.

Success on the stage and a number of brief appearances on American television, led to him accepting the role of Rupert Giles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer in 1997. Head left the regular cast of Buffy during the show's sixth season and subsequently appeared several times as a guest star. In many interviews at the time, Head said he left the show in order to spend more time with his family.

In 2002, he co-starred in the BBC Two television series Manchild. He also appeared in guest roles in various other dramas, such as Silent Witness, Murder Investigation Team, and Spooks. He appeared in the 4th series of the British hit sitcom My Family and was featured as the Prime Minister in the popular BBC comedy sketch show Little Britain from 2003 to 2005, and guest starred in several episodes of the 2004 series of popular drama Monarch of the Glen.

Outside of television work, he has released an album of songs with musician George Sarah entitled Music for Elevators. Early in his career he provided vocals for some of the tracks on the Chris de Burgh album The Getaway and the reading from The Tempest on Don't Pay The Ferryman.

In 2001, he appeared in a special webcast version of the popular science fiction series Doctor Who, a story called Death Comes to Time, in which he played the Time Lord Valentine. He also guest starred in the Excelis Trilogy, a series of Doctor Who audio adventures produced by Big Finish Productions, and in 2005 narrated the two-part documentary Regeneration, detailing the television revival of the series, for BBC Radio 2. In April 2006 he appeared in an episode of the 2006 season of the Tenth Doctor's adventures and, soon after, he recorded an abridged audio book of the Doctor Who novel The Nightmare of Black Island. He narrated the third and fourth series of Doctor Who Confidential. He also voiced the character Baltazar, Scourge of the Universe, in the first ever animated Doctor Who special, "The Infinite Quest".

In early 2006, he appeared in an episode of Hotel Babylon, a BBC One drama set in a hotel, in which he played a suicidal man who recovers and lands a music deal. The same year he filmed a pilot for a new show entitled Him and Us, loosely based on the life of openly gay rock star Elton John, for American TV channel ABC, co-starring Kim Cattrall. In July he appeared as Captain Hook at the Children's Party at the Palace, a live pantomime staged in the grounds of Buckingham Palace as part of Queen Elizabeth II's 80th birthday celebrations. In October 2006, he voiced Ponsonby, leader of M16, in Destroy All Humans! 2.

In 2007, he appeared in the radio comedy Bleak Expectations, portrayed Stockard Channing's gay brother in the English film Sparkle and is currently appearing as Mr Colubrine in the ITV1 comedy drama Sold. Head also narrated a BBC behind the scenes programme for the American television series Heroes, Heroes Unmasked.


What members say | Filmography

Anthony Head - what members say


  • Buffy The Vampire Slayer - Once More With Feeling
  • Rated - 5 stars A great episode 3 January 2006
    ...e however a number of strong performances, notably from Amber Benson (Tara) and Anthony Head (Giles). The episode combines humour with serious moments without making it ...  
  • True Horror - The Complete Series
  • True Horror - The Complete Series review by A customer from Northwich, UK
    Rated - 4 stars The Truth Behind the Fiction? 9 January 2006
    ...This is an attempt by Anthony Head (of Buffy & Nescafe fame) to find out if certain horrors are real or just film makers imagination. The first disc deals with vampires, w...  
  • Enemy At The Door
  • Enemy At The Door review by donkeydentures from Nottingham
    Rated - 3 stars Good entertainment 29 May 2007
    ...ner in Hi Di Hi - as an evil SS Officer!! Watch out for early appearances by Anthony Head of Little Britain, John Nettles, Midsomer murders and Pam St Clement, Eastender...  

Anthony Head - filmography


  • Repo! The Genetic Opera on DVD (2008)
    Starring: Sarah Brightman,  Anthony Head,  Paris Hilton
    Director: Darren Lynn Bousman
    Certificate: Certificate: 18
    Watch now: £3.49
    Set in the 2056, "Repo! The Genetic Opera" tells the story of an epidemic of organ failures that devastates the planet, killing tens of millions. Out of the tragedy, a savior emerges: GeneCo, a biotech company that offers organ transplants--for a price. Those who miss their payments are scheduled ..read more »
    Rate this: 3 stars out of 5 56% from 1,314 member
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  • The Invisibles (2 discs) on DVD (2008)
    Starring: Anthony Head,  Warren Clarke,  Dean Lennox Kelly
    Director: Will Sinclair,  Metin Huseyin
    Certificate: Certificate: 12
    Maurice Riley and Syd Woolsey are old friends who return from the good life on the Costa del Crime to a quiet Devon fishing village. They plan to eke out their retirement fishing and availing themselves of the NHS. However, the quiet life is not for them. As their ill-gotten gains run short, they ..read more »
    Rate this: 3 stars out of 5 64% from 131 members
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  • Sparkle (2007)
    Starring: Stockard Channing,  Shaun Evans,  Anthony Head
    Director: Tom Hunsinger,  Neil Hunter
    Certificate: Certificate: 15
    Sam is a charming, young chancer who has ambitions in the glamorous world of public relations when he moves to London. However, his best laid plans suffer a real setback when true love turns his world upside down in the most unexpected of circumstances.
    Rate this: 3.5 stars out of 5 65% from 18 members
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  • Imagine Me And You on DVD (2006)
    Starring: Piper Perabo,  Lena Headey,  Matthew Goode
    Director: Ol Parker
    Certificate: Certificate: 12
    Heck and Rachel are a young couple about to embark on life together when an unexpected meeting turns Rachel's world upside down. What follows is the romantic, hilarious and sometimes poignant journey familiar to anyone who has ever fallen in love at first sight. And what if you discover that the ..read more »
    Rate this: 3 stars out of 5 57% from 7,984 members
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  • Buffy The Vampire Slayer - Season 7 (6 discs) on DVD (1997)
    Starring: Sarah Michelle Gellar,  Alyson Hannigan,  Anthony Head
    Certificate: Certificate: 15
    As the Seventh, and alas final season begins, 'Buffy The Vampire Slayer' takes a surprising and typically innovative turn with the re-opening of the High School, (famously obliterated at the end of the 3rd Season). This startling development will foretell new challenges and threats, which promise ..read more »
    Rate this: 4 stars out of 5 79% from 7,961 members
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  • Buffy The Vampire Slayer - Season 5 (6 discs) on DVD (1997)
    Starring: Sarah Michelle Gellar,  Alyson Hannigan,  Anthony Head
    Certificate: Certificate: 15
    Features all 22 episodes from Buffy The Vampire Slayer - Season Five. 'Buffy vs Dracula', 'Real Me', 'The Replacement', 'Out Of My Mind', 'No Place Like Home', 'Family', 'Fool For Love', 'Shadow', 'Listening To Fear', 'Into The Woods', 'Triangle', 'Checkpoint', 'Blood Ties', 'Crush', 'I Was Made To ..read more »
    Rate this: 4 stars out of 5 79% from 7,475 members
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  • Buffy The Vampire Slayer - Season 6 (6 discs) on DVD (1997)
    Starring: Sarah Michelle Gellar,  Alyson Hannigan,  Anthony Head
    Certificate: Certificate: 15
    The sixth series of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER continues the saga of Buffy's (Sarah Michelle Gellar) battles with supernatural evil in Sunnydale. This series features Buffy's resurrection, Dawn's first kiss, Xander and Anya's engagement, Willow's magic spells, and the criminal doings of Jonathan, ..read more »
    Rate this: 4 stars out of 5 78% from 7,622 members
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  • Buffy The Vampire Slayer - Season 3 (6 discs) on DVD (1997)
    Starring: Sarah Michelle Gellar,  Alyson Hannigan,  Anthony Head
    Certificate: Certificate: 15
    Season 3 sees Willow, Xander and Oz continuing the business of vampire slaying and wondering where their friend and leader Buffy has gone. Buffy has taken a job as a waitress in Los Angeles where she is living in a dumpy apartment and going by her middle name "Anne". Meanwhile, back in Sunnydale, ..read more »
    Rate this: 4 stars out of 5 80% from 7,843 members
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  • Lady Chatterley's Lover on DVD (1981)
    Starring: Sylvia Kristel,  Nicholas Clay,  Shane Briant
    Director: Just Jaeckin
    Certificate: Certificate: 18
    D.H. Lawrence's controversial novel has been transformed into a sensual masterpiece. The tale of a rich lady who becomes bored by a lack of sex in her marriage. She seeks satisfaction with her husband's gamekeeper, oblivious of the social scandal she is creating.
    Rate this: 2.5 stars out of 5 47% from 734 members
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  • Enemy At The Door (4 discs) (1978)
    Starring: Richard Borthwick,  Alfred Burke,  Anthony Head
    Certificate: Certificate: 12
    Unfortunately this title is currently unavailable for rental. We apologise for any inconvenience that this may cause. Enemy At The Door is set during World War II in German-occupied Channel Islands and describes the relationship between the German conquerers and the English natives.
    Rate this: 3.5 stars out of 5 68% from 70 members
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  • Fat Slags on DVD
    Starring: Sophie Thompson,  Fiona Allen,  Naomi Campbell
    Director: Ed Bye
    Certificate: Certificate: 15
    Two overweight man-eaters, Sandra and Tracey, are propelled into the limelight after causing chaos on a daytime talkshow. Based on the characters made famous by Viz comic.
    Rate this: 2 stars out of 5 38% from 1,738 member
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Anthony Head facts

5 most recent films

Merlin - Series 2 - Vol.1 - 4.0 stars
Merlin - Series 1 - Vol.1 - 4.0 stars
Free Agents - 3.0 stars
Merlin - Series 1 - Vol.2 - 4.0 stars
Repo! The Genetic Opera - 3.0 stars

5 highest-rated films

Buffy The Vampire Slayer - Season 3 - 4.0 stars
Doctor Who - The New Series - Series 2 - Vol. 2 - 4.0 stars
Buffy The Vampire Slayer - Once More With Feeling - 4.0 stars
Buffy The Vampire Slayer - Season 4 - 4.0 stars
Buffy The Vampire Slayer - Season 7 - 4.0 stars

5 lowest-rated films

The Family Fantasy Collection - 2.5 stars
Sparkle - 3.5 stars
Enemy At The Door - Series 1 - Complete - 3.5 stars
Merlin - Series 2 - Vol.1 - 4.0 stars
Fat Slags - 2.0 stars

Most frequent co-stars

Sarah Michelle Gellar - 9 times - show films
Angel Coulby - 9 times - show films
Nicholas Brendon - 9 times - show films
Bradley James - 9 times - show films
Colin Morgan - 9 times - show films

Most frequent directors

none - 7 times - show films
Jeremy Webb - 5 times - show films
James Hawes - 5 times - show films
Darren Lynn Bousman - 2 times - show films
Michael Gershman - 2 times - show films