Where Do I Know That Actor? (Harry Potter Edition)

Unless you’ve been asleep since the turn of the century, you’re no doubt are aware of one of the biggest blockbuster cinematic franchises ever – Harry Potter. The eight films premiered over a period of ten years starting in 2001 and it’s no exaggeration to say they made an immense impact on pop culture. Later this week, HBO Max will present a reunion of many of the series’ actors and, as I watched a promo for this much-anticipated event, I couldn’t help but notice how many faces I knew from PBS programs.

In celebration of this celluloid juggernaut, I thought it might be fun to cast an eye (or spell) towards the cast of the Harry Potter franchise and see just who’s who from public broadcasting fare.

To start with, Daniel Radcliffe plays the titular hero, Harry Potter, aka The Boy Who Lived. He was John Kipling in the 2008 Masterpiece production of My Boy Jack (based on David Haig’s 1997 play). However, going back to 1999, we see that Radcliffe made his acting debut as David Copperfield in a 2000 adaptation of the Charles Dickens classic on Masterpiece Theatre.

The late Richard Harris played Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore. While it is true that Harris is best known for film, he did appear once on Masterpiece Theatre in the mid-90s – as Ernest Kandinsky in The Great Kandinsky.

Where Do I Know That Actor?

If you’re a fan of BAPTISTE, you know this thrilling drama series just wrapped up series two on MASTERPIECE (series one aired early last year). Along the way, you may have spotted some familiar faces from other public broadcasting programs we’ve aired. So while MIDSOMER MURDERS is taking a break for pledge, let’s see who’s who on BAPTISTE.

Tchéky Karyo starred in the title role of detective Julien Baptiste. He’s a French actor (born in Turkey) so sadly he’s not appeared really in any British import shows or Masterpiece offerings so there’s not a lot to focus on. About 40 years back, Karyo did have a role as Augustin in the French film The Return Of Martin Guerre and, as it happens, we did air that movie a while back (thinking late 80s/early 90s) so you may have seen him there.

Where Do I Know That Actor? (Emmy Edition)

The Emmy Awards are being held on Sunday in some form. I can’t be certain but it may all be being done by text this time out. Basically, it’s a weird year and the normal event with red carpet and packed auditorium is not on tap. Still, it’s the 72nd PRIMETIME EMMY AWARDS and some very talented and deserving people have been nominated. And many have ties to programming we’ve featured on UNC-TV over the years. As such, I wanted to take some time to congratulate them and call attention to their public television connection. So even if Keeley Hawes wasn’t nominated for THE DURRELLS IN CORFU (shame!) we still have some familiar faces to root for.

First of all, PBS did receive a few nominations. ANTIQUES ROADSHOW is up for Structured Reality Program. AMERICAN MASTERS is a contender for Documentary Or Nonfiction Series. The AMERICAN EXPERIENCE series CHASING THE MOON is nominated for Exceptional Merit In Documentary Filmmaking, as is the INDEPENDENT LENS film ONE CHILD NATION. Lastly, DAVE CHAPPELLE: THE KENNEDY CENTER MARK TWAIN PRIZE FOR AMERICAN HUMOR is up for Variety Speical (Pre-Recorded) and Picture Editing for Variety Program.

Now, let’s move on to the actors up for awards.

The talented Hugh Jackman is nominated in the category of Outstanding Lead Actor In A Limited Series Or TV Movie for the film BAD EDUCATION. Jackman may not be readily associated with PBS but he did appear in the GREAT PERFORMANCES broadcast of RODGERS AND HAMMERSTEIN’S OKLAHOMA! in which he starred as Curly McLain.

Where Do I Know That Actor?

On Sunday night, MRS. WILSON debuted on MASTERPIECE. The 2018 BBC series, executive produced by Ruth Wilson, stars the actress as her real-life grandmother, a widow who uncovers a mysterious and secret life following the death of her husband. There are also some faces UNC-TV viewers might recognize from elsewhere. Let’s meet a few.

We’ll start with Ruth Wilson herself. The talented actress, who plays Alison Wilson on the series, may be best known to US audiences for her starring role on the Showtime series The Affair. However, she has a public broadcasting presence as well. Wilson has been seen as Alice Morgan on the crime drama Luther, where she played nemesis and unlikely companion to Idris Elba’s title DCI. Going back a bit, she played Georgina Barrow on Miss Marple: Nemesis and she also starred as Jane Eyre on a Masterpiece presentation.