Nick Brimble
Horst in about 35 episodes, 1987-1989, personal site here
Nick Brimble as Horst, Gessler's Captain of the Guard. His scheming, double-dealing, self serving antics rival Gessler's in their wickedness. His unlimited capacity for cruelty and cunning allow
him to rise through the ranks to become Gessler's top man. His physique is more suited to doing Gessler's dirty work as is his physiognomy. Unlike his Governor though, his face is not one to easily
assume the semblance of trustworthiness.
It is one to be feared. When looking into Horst's deep blue eyes, one can see the evil lurking within. When he is in a particularly violent rage, his face strongly resembles that of the Incredible Hulk.
His capacity for deceit, though not approaching the great skill of Gessler , proves very effective when combined with a very keen and calculating mind. His charm, though of a cruder variety,
also serves him quite well. He manages to charm his way into Gessler's trust, quite a feat in itself. There is something inviting in such an apparently evil countenance. Perhaps it is Horst's strength
of purpose, which inspires this trust and reliance. There is always certain to be something cunning and devious lurking beneath those heavy brows and when Horst smiles you know to be afraid.
Why does such a clever and domineering man waste his time toadying for Gessler? Funny that same question occured to Horst.
Unbridled ambition is the one driving force behind Horst. Horst's goal, during his years of faithful service to Gessler, was to reap the subsequent rewards that usually accompany service above and beyound
the call of iniquity. His fortitude under such abusive circumstances is really something to be admired. No one could ever accuse Horst of being lazy.
Gessler's personal vendetta for Tell becomes just as close to Horst's own heart. Who could blame him for coming to hate the man who stands between him and the reward he so richly deserves.
The hardships and humiliations Horst endures at the hands of Tell are quite remarkable, coupled with the continuous stream of abuse he receives from his master. Despite all of this Horst always
shakes it off and keeps on trying with unyielding perseverance. Everyman however has his breaking point.
Unfortunately, for Horst, there is not enough room in the empire for two lieing, cheating, sneaking, dirty, double crossers of such extreme magnitude. Horst's ambition proves to be his downfall.
Unsatisfied with Gessler's constant abuse and lack of recognition, Horst seizes an opportunity to betray Gessler. An opportunity, which backfires on him, and he is banished to the wasteland. You
cannot keep a bad man down and so in his usual style Horst manages to backstab his way across the criminal infested wasteland and some how winds up being its prince. Free of Gessler's hold he
is now free to practice his own brand of tyranny.
Nick Brimble's career as an actor encompasses an enormous body of work , both in Britain and the US. On television, among his more prominent appearances are Ivanhoe, Lock Stock....,
The Final Cut, and Dempsey and Makepeace.
Films include Sheena, Little John in Robin Hood: Prince of Theives, Year of the Comet, Loch Ness, Gone Fishing, The Calling and most recently A Knight's Tale. More about the actor
Nick Brimble and his work, below.
Nick (for Nicholas) Brimble Height: 6' 4" (1.93 m) is one of three brothers, all actors. The other two, twins, are Ian Brimble (has a role in Crossbow as blackknight) and Vincent Brimble. Their father, Roy Brimble
was an actor, which freed him in summers to travel around with and sometimes manage groups of performers. He acted with WEA and Bristol Arts Society and the sons grew up taking him through his lines
and going to see him plays.
Nick was born in Bristol, England, UK at 22 July 1944. His father was a schoolteacher, who was also a keen amateur actor, an activity in which Nick appeared in plays with him. He and his brothers also
played children's parts in TV and Radio productions from Bristol.
For several summers, his father also managed the French/Czech high-wire act, the White Devils. When they toured Britain, the Brimble family travelled with them. In July 1961 he organised their blindfolded
high-wire crossing of Cheddar Gorge. At the end of the season's tour of Britain, Nick travelled through France with the White Devils, helping as they set up and performed in towns as they went, and
returning for the start of the autumn school term. Nick spent several happy summers travelling through Europe with them.
When Roy did TV and radio from Bristol, the three children played parts in productions such as 'Children Of The New Forest'. Nick applied to the Italia Conti stage school when he was about ten,
but wasn't allowed to go. Instead, he passed his scholarship to Bristol Grammar school. In his first year, he played Miranda in a school production of The Tempest. His parents gave him a season
ticket to the Bristol Old Vic where he saw every play from the age of 11 until he went to university at 18 in 1962.
Nick studied Philosophy and English Literature at the University of Sussex from 1962 to 1966. Nick graduated with a two-one degree (roughly equivalent to summa cum laude in the States) which
attests to his brilliance. He taught for a while after graduation. When he began acting, it was with a group of mostly young actors who learned and evaluated each other as they performed.
After leaving the University of Sussex, with degrees in Philosophy and English, he was appointed Lecturer in English and Drama at the University of Baghdad. His stay in Iraq only lasted one years,
due to the political unrest there and he left at the outbreak of the Six-Day War in 1967, driving back to the UK overland in a battered mini car purchased from British tourists he had met in Baghdad.
The next year he became schoolteacher in London, before deciding to try his luck as an actor.
In 1968 Brimble became Youth Theatre Organiser at the Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury. He administered the TIE (Theatre in Education) company, which toured plays to schools in Kent. He also acted
in the plays as well as driving the van and doing whatever else was necessary. At the same time he appeared in small parts for the main Marlowe Theatre Company. In 1970 Brimble and other members
of the TIE company formed Actors' Circus, an independent company. The first production was Waiting for Godot at the University of Kent's Gulbenkian Theatre in which Brimble played Vladimir.
Later that year, Actors' Circus performed at London's Little Theatre Club. Brimble then went on to work at Hull Arts Centre in Richard III with Bob Hoskins, the London Theatre Group in Macbeth with
Steven Berkoff, the Palace Theatre, Watford, as well as playing a small part as a villager in the 1971 Hammer film Lust for a Vampire.
From 1971 to 1973 Brimble worked at the Northcott Theatre repertory company in Exeter. He appeared in Caucasian Chalk Circle, Julius Caesar, The Tempest, Loot, Guys and Dolls, and many
other plays. He played Jesus in The Cornish Passion Play.
In 1973 Brimble's television work began with Thomas Hardy's Wessex Tales, playing the part of Willowes in Barbara of the House of Grebe, with Ben Kingsley and Joanna McCallum. He had a
semi-regular part in The Sweeney as well as appearing in guest roles in many television productions such as Softly Softly, Z-Cars, The Professionals, Blake's 7, Danger UXB, and Dempsey and Makepeace.
During the 70's and 80's he became a regular on British television.
Brimble's film work during this time included Silver Dream Racer, Sweeney!, Who Dares Wins and Sheena.
His Television career began during this time with Ben Kingsley in Thomas Hardy's Wessex Tales for the BBC. Television includes The Professionals, To Play the King, Skallagrigg, Doc Martin,
Lock Stock, Ivanhoe, The Bill, Emmerdale, 'The Coroner, Grantchester and many others. His later films include A Knight's Tale, Loch Ness, Gone Fishin', and Soulmate.
His film work started in the 90's when Roger Corman cast him as The Monster in Frankenstein Unbound with Raul Julia, Bridget Fonda and John Hurtand, a year later, he appeared as Little John in
the popular film Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves, playing Little John (1991) and he also appeared on the"Robin of Sherwood" (1984) TV Series in the episode, "The Swords of Wayland." In Ivanhoe
part two, three, four in 1997. Also starring in the Calling and Fortress 2 as Max Polk together with Christopher Lambert. And in Gone fishing, Casualty, Loch Ness.
He and Brian Blessed appeared together in the "Space: 1999) (1975) episode "The Metamorph" many years before appearing together in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991) and Crossbow.
Since then he has continued to combine international films and British television, as well as radio drama and voice work.
See his diverse commercials: here and here
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A nice showreel from Nick |
Theatre
A year later he took the position of Youth Theatre Organiser at The Marlowe Theatre (Canterbury) and toured schools with plays and workshops as well as acting in the Theatre's main productions.
The Theater shows of Mr Brimble you can see here
This lead to many years working in Theatre. During this time he played Jesus in The Cornish Passion Play at the Northcott Theatre, Exeter, and Chief Bromden in One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest at the
Manchester Royal Exchange as well as working for the National Theatre, the Royal Shakespeare Company and in London's West End.
A number of facts in summary
(1971) He acted in the Bertolt Brecht's play, "The Caucasian Chalk Circle," at the Northcott Theatre in Exeter, England with Bob Hoskins, Roy Marsden, Rhys McConnochie, Janet Dale,
Brian Protheroe, Robert Lindsay, Janette Legge, and Diana Raworth in the cast. Jane Howell was director.
(1973) He acted in Joe Orton's play, "Loot," at the Northcott Theatre in Exeter, England with Bob Peck in the cast. John Dove was director.
(1973) He acted in Edward Bond's play, "The Pope's Wedding," at the Northcott Theatre in Exeter, England with Bob Peck and Alison Steadman in the cast. John Dove was director.
(1973) He acted in Brendan Behan's play, "The Hostage," at the Northcott Theatre in Exeter, England with Bob Peck and Janet Dale in the cast. Jane Howell was director.
(February 1983) Music video for Planet P Project, "Why Me?"
(2009) He acted in Ben Travers' play "Rookery Nook", at The Menier Chocolate Factory, in London, England with Sarah Woodward, Lynda Baron, Neil Stuke, Edward Baker-Duly, Kellie Shirley,
Victoria Yeates, Clare Wilkie, Alan Thompson, Mark Hadfield, and Venetia Barrett in the cast. Terry Johnson was director.
(1981) He acted in Francis Beaumont's play, "The Knight of the Burning Pestle," in a Royal Shakespeare Company production at the Aldwych Theatre in London, England with Timothy Spall, John
Woodvine, Tim Kightley, Margaret Courtney, Karl Johnson, Heather Canning, Stephen Rashbrook, Malcolm Storry, and Toddy Kempner in the cast. Michael Bogdanov was director.
(1997) He played Banquo in Shakespeare's play Macbeth at Bristol Old Vic and on tour with Pete Postlethwaite, Patricia Kerrigan, Chiwetel Eijiofor and John Benfield in the cast. It was directed by George Costigan.
(1985) He acted in Bernard Slade's play, Fatal Attraction, at the Haymarket Theatre Royal with Susannah York, Dennis Quilly, Jocelyn Cunningham and Kate Harper in the cast. It was directed by David Gilmore.
(1982) He played Chief Bromden in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest at the Manchester Royal Exchange Theatre with Jonathan Hackett, Linda Marlowe, Tim McInnerney, John Sessions, Eric Richard, Ian
Hastings and Hazel O'Connor in the cast. It was directed by Gregory Hersov.
(1976) He acted in Howard Brenton's play "Weapons of Happiness" for the National Theatre with Frank Finlay, Michael Medwin, Derek Thompson and Julie Covington. The play was directed by David Hare.
(1973) He acted in Brendan Behan's play, "The Hostage," at the Northcott Theatre in Exeter, Devon, England with Bob Peck and Janet Dale in the cast. Jane Howell was director.
(1973) He acted in Edward Bond's play, "The Pope's Wedding," at the Northcott Theatre in Exeter, Devon, England with Bob Peck and Alison Steadman in the cast. John Dove was director.
(1973) He acted in Joe Orton's play, "Loot," at the Northcott Theatre in Exeter, Devon, England with Bob Peck in the cast. John Dove was director.
(January 1986) He acted in Bernard Slade's play, "Fatal Attraction," at the Theatre Royal Haymarket in London, England with Susannah York and Denis Quilley in the cast. David Gilmore was director.
(1970) Public Information Film "Electricity Can Kill", played man getting electrocuted while using a drill.
Summary of imdb
When Roy did TV and radio from Bristol, the three children played parts in
productions such as 'Children Of The New Forest'. Nick applied to the Italia
Conti stage school when he was about ten,
but wasn't allowed to go. Instead, he
passed his scholarship to Bristol Grammar school, and his reward was a season
ticket to Bristol Old Vic Theatre where he saw every show until he went to
University in '62.
Nick graduated with a 2.1 degree (read "two-one" or Second Class Honours, Upper
Division), which roughly equates to the American high 'B' range (3.0 - 3.3) as
the minimum standard for entry into
graduate school in England and Wales. He
taught for a while after graduation. When he began acting, it was with a group
of mostly young actors who learned and evaluated each other as they performed.
Nick's strong features enable him to adopt a forbidding appearance in so many of
his tough-guy roles. However, he's an utterly charming, somewhat reserved
gentleman with a wonderful smile
and electrifying blue eyes.
Nick Brimble 2019
At the moment Mr. Brimble still does large amounts of voicework and he still does bits of TV in Granchester (at 2019)
2020-2021
Update: in 2020 and 2021 During Corona he acted in groups (bubbles) to record Grantchester as Jack Chapman (2014-2021)
Censor Crowd as actor (2021)
You can click here for his imdb list
Crossbow photos
A selection of Movies and series
Gone Fishing 1997
Lust for a Vampire 1971
Nick Brimble and John Kerr
Black's 7, 1981 fourth season
Tv series as general in episode Traitor
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves 1991
Nick as John Little
Prior to playing "Little John" in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991), he appeared in the Robin of Sherwood
(1984) episode, Robin of Sherwood: The Swords of Wayland (1984).
Beautiful shots from Robin Hood
And he was also in the Robin Hood Robin of Sherwood TV series
Robin of Sherwood (TV Series) Earl Godwin's Captain The Swords of Wayland (1984), see below.
Below a nice picture of Crossbow's gueststars Mark Ryan and Robert Addie Also in Robin of Sherwood. And Conrad Phillips
was Philip in episode The Swords of Wayland (1984)
Dempsey and Makepeace (1985-86)
Nick Brimble as Keith Lymon in Dempsey and Makepeace (1985-86).
Dempsey and Makepeace is a 1985 crime television series, produced by Golden Eagle Films and London Weekend Television (LWT).
Starring Michael Brandon as Lt. Dempsey and Glynis Barber as Det. Sgt. Makepeace.
- The Bogeyman (1985) ... Keith Lymon and - Bird of Prey (1986) ... Keith Lymon
Brian Coburn (in Crossbow in ep. Bounty twins) as Davros The arms dealer Jimmy (Mark Ryan) aims at Dempsey in S03E05.
Maclean (Anthony Dutton) in "Silver Dollar" (S02E01).
In Loch Ness 1996
Nick as Andy MacLean
Ivanhoe 1997
Reginald Front de Boeuf
- Part Four (1997) ... Reginald Front de Boeuf - Part Three (1997) ... Reginald Front de Boeuf - Part Two (1997) ... Reginald Front de Boeuf
A Knight´s Tale 2001
A knights tale together with crossbow guest actor Roger Ashton-Griffiths Mr. Brimble was Sir Ector in "Knight's Tale"
Fortress 2 2000
With Nick Brimble (as Max Polk) and Chrisopher Lambert
Fortress 2: Re-Entry is a 2000 American-Luxembourgish science fiction action film directed by Geoff Murphy. It is the sequel to the 1992 film Fortress. In the film, the principal actor
Christopher Lambert reprises his role as John Henry Brennick, still on the run from the MenTel Corporation. Lambert was the only original actor from Fortress.
Ten years after the events of the first film, John Brennick is somewhere in North America, still on the run from Men-Tel and living in the rural mountains. His son Danny tells him to come
home immediately. When they arrive, there are three people waiting for them. They ask John to help them destroy Men-Tel's new power station, saying that the company is on the verge of
collapse and "without their power, they have no power". John refuses, wanting to protect his family, so the trio leave on a boat.
As John waves goodbye, two Men-Tel helicopters appear and John scrambles his family's escape plan. He sends Danny and Karen through an underground passage, while he leads the soldiers
on a wild goose chase. The battle ends, though, with one helicopter destroyed, but Brennick's Jeep is overturned.
John is then knocked out and captured. He wakes up in a room with a disembodied voice telling him that he is in prison again and has been sentenced to death. He has been implanted with a behavior
modification device which causes headaches of various intensity when prisoners enter prohibited areas. He also finds one of the men who visited him, a former Men-Tel vice president, who is now
brain-damaged because of an improperly planted device. Another of John's visitors, a former soldier, is also in the jail and friends with one of the guards. Below: Christopher Lambert and right
picture with Nick Brimble, also kept in prison.
Brennick starts making enemies almost immediately. A video of Director Teller "welcomes" the new prisoners. He shows them a female prisoner receiving her death sentence, being blown out into
space through an airlock. The video then shows the prisoners that their new prison is actually a space station orbiting the Earth which is used to generate power via a solar array.
Brennick tries to escape in a water-delivery shuttle but is caught and sent to "The Hole" - an exposed area of the ship where John is bombarded with solar radiation while the station faces the sun
and extreme cold when its orbit takes it behind the Earth. When Men-Tel's president arrives he tries to kill John by jettisoning him without a spacesuit. John manages to hold his breath and propel
himself towards another airlock and back into the prison. Due to the sudden decompression, the computerized warden, Zed, begins to malfunction and cannot perform its duties. John uses a prison gun
to destroy the computer and Teller is subsequently electrocuted. John and all his friends board the Shuttle and head back to Earth, where John reunites with his family.
The Chronicles of Narnia
1988-1990 the series
Is a BBC-produced television serial that was aired from 13 November 1988 to 23 December 1990 and is based on four books of C. S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia series. The first series aired
was The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe in 1988, the second series aired was Prince Caspian and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader in 1989 and the third series aired was The Silver Chair
in 1990. This television serial was produced by Paul Stone and teleplayed by Alan Seymour. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe was directed by Marilyn Fox, while Prince Caspian,
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader and The Silver Chair were directed by Alex Kirby.
Frankenstein unbound 1990
Frankenstein Unbound is a 1990 science fiction horror film movie based on Brian Aldiss' novel of the same name, starring John Hurt, Raúl Juliá, Bridget Fonda, Jason Patric, and Nick Brimble.
The film is co-written and directed by Roger Corman, returning to the director's chair after a hiatus of almost twenty years. 1990. Right picture is from the German movie "Hui Buh: Das Schlossgespenst".
Scene from a TV series called Doc Martin 2004
Gentlemen Prefer Mr. Brimble as Bruce Denham
Emmerdale farm 2006
The second actor to play Terence Turner in Emmerdale, playing the role from January until the character's death in April 2006 in 26 episodes!
'Emmerdale' fans are set to see ailing Alan Turner finally reunite with his estranged son. Long-lost Terence Turner, who hasn't seen his ageing dad for more than 20 years, will appear at a Hull hostel
just after Christmas.While Terence, who is played by actor Nick Brimble, is at the Salvation Army hostel he discovers Betty Eagleton, who is played by 74-year-old Paula Tilbrook, is trying to find him.
The kind-hearted pensioner wants to help Terence reunite with his dad, and Terence agrees after deciding he wants to revisit his roots.Betty sets up a reunion between Terence and Alan, who is played
by 73-year-old actor Richard Thorp.Although Terence and Alan are thrilled they have the chance to meet, there is trouble ahead for father and son.A soap insider is quoted in Britain's Daily Star
newspaper as saying: "It won't all be plain sailing. Terence is a troubled man with an equally troubled life."
Episode 4251 Episode 4319
Most recent works of Nick Brimble
Grantchester 2014-2021
(still working on it at 2021)
Grantchester Mrs Maguire and Jack
An Exploded View (Short) 2021 - Ernest (voice)
You can click here to see the latest movies and series and to hear 1 example of his voice work. Nick Brimble is the voice of Videogame 'Leontius' - 'Ryse: Son of Rome 2013.'
Extra photos
Nick, Will and jeremy at Boissets Will's wife dancing with Guy Rolf Horst changed from Horst into Prince of the Wasteland (third season of Crossbow)
Crossbow 1986-1988
A beautiful picture Nick Brimble shares with us. This is the woman who still is at Nick's side.
Below two pictures from Mr. Brimble. Nick and Georgia Lyman And Conrad Phillips and Nick
