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David Robb
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<h2 id="early-life">Early life</h2> <p>Robb was born in Wandsworth, <a href="/facts/London/KozCCsy9">London</a>, the son of David Robb and Elsie Tilley.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a> He grew up in <a href="/facts/Edinburgh/PcsoaK9h">Edinburgh</a> and was educated there at the <a href="/facts/Royal_High_School%2c_Edinburgh/LwkQQu5o">Royal High School</a>, where he played <a href="/facts/Henry_II_of_England/ryWkqNRB">Henry II</a> in a school production of <a href="/facts/Jean_Anouilh/HR4VWo7c">Jean Anouilh</a>'s <i><a href="/facts/Becket/havNyQr0">Becket</a></i>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="career">Career</h2> <h3>Film and television</h3> <p>Robb has starred in various British films and television shows, including films such as <i><a href="/facts/Swing_Kids_(1993_film)/5AvIgm92">Swing Kids</a></i> and <i><a href="/facts/Hellbound_(film)/DwtlA9Td">Hellbound</a></i>. He is well known for playing <a href="/facts/Germanicus/gKy5RClv">Germanicus</a> in the famous 1976 <a href="/facts/BBC/qFateIz8">BBC</a> production of <i><a href="/facts/I%2c_Claudius_(TV_series)/HD43AzSE">I, Claudius</a></i>,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> and as Robin Grant, one of the principal characters in Thames Television's 1981 series <i><a href="/facts/The_Flame_Trees_of_Thika/MSWDGwQN">The Flame Trees of Thika</a></i>. </p><p>Robb had his big break playing Andrew Fraser MP in the TV miniseries <a href="/facts/First_Among_Equals_(TV_series)/QxnlUUbb"><i>First Among Equals</i></a> a 1986 adaptation of the book of the same name by <a href="/facts/Jeffrey_Archer/Q70amvGR">Jeffrey Archer</a>. The miniseries was a great success on prime time TV in the UK and abroad and also propelled careers of co-stars <a href="/facts/Tom_Wilkinson/9VFk0QWw">Tom Wilkinson</a>, <a href="/facts/Jeremy_Child/sfFd0R6u">Jeremy Child</a> and <a href="/facts/James_Faulkner_(actor)/W0AQlcQB">James Faulkner</a>. </p><p>He also played consultant Henry Reeve-Jones in 9 episodes of the BBC medical drama <a href="/facts/Casualty_(TV_series)/HCpvdxUa">Casualty</a>, from 1995 until 2003. </p><p>He played <a href="/facts/List_of_Downton_Abbey_characters/QV8mmqC3">Dr Clarkson</a> in the television drama series <i><a href="/facts/Downton_Abbey/2gh8WPh3">Downton Abbey</a></i>. Robb is also the narrator of History Channel's documentary series <i>Battle Stations</i>. </p><p>He had a recurring role in the <a href="/facts/Fantasy/gkujmhJg">fantasy</a> television series <i><a href="/facts/Highlander%3a_The_Series/8FkvYcqS">Highlander: The Series</a></i>. </p> <h3>Voice work</h3> <p>He has worked extensively on BBC radio drama, including as Charles in the original radio series of <i><a href="/facts/Up_the_Garden_Path_(radio_and_TV_series)/vV9UCKwL">Up the Garden Path</a></i> opposite <a href="/facts/Imelda_Staunton/PUDbMEr0">Imelda Staunton</a>; as <a href="/facts/Captain_Jack_Aubrey/8A836la6">Captain Jack Aubrey</a> in the <a href="/facts/BBC_Radio_4/7jFBld49">BBC Radio 4</a> adaptations of the <a href="/facts/Patrick_O%2527Brian/wKF1YghE">Patrick O'Brian</a> "Aubrey" novels, and as <a href="/facts/Richard_Hannay/NAS9ldSc">Richard Hannay</a> in several adaptations of the <a href="/facts/John_Buchan%2c_1st_Baron_Tweedsmuir/jKfRjwjL">John Buchan</a> novels, including <i><a href="/facts/The_Thirty-Nine_Steps/Eg0a15ou">The Thirty-Nine Steps</a></i> in 2001 and <i><a href="/facts/Mr_Standfast/xtkuLXIF">Mr Standfast</a></i> in 2007. In 2020, BBC Radio 4 Extra rebroadcast his performance from 1985 in E Phillips Oppenheim's mystery thriller <i>The Great Impersonation</i>. </p><p>He has also performed as a voice actor for several <i><a href="/facts/Star_Wars/9Y5j3IPP">Star Wars</a></i> video games. </p> <h3>Theatre</h3> <p>Robb performed in two of <a href="/facts/Richard_Norton-Taylor/PgcJ4lba">Richard Norton-Taylor</a>'s Tricycle Tribunal Plays: <i>The Colour of Justice</i> (the dramatised version of the Sir William Macpherson inquiry into the murder of <a href="/facts/Stephen_Lawrence/HIctGzvt">Stephen Lawrence</a>, his family's search for justice, and endemic racism in British police forces), and <i>Half the Picture</i> (a distillation of the Scott Inquiry into <a href="/facts/Arms-to-Iraq/FBlD9A2M">Arms-to-Iraq</a>. It was the first play to be performed in the Palace of Westminster); both were directed by Nicolas Kent and performed at the <a href="/facts/Tricycle_Theatre/F40taH40">Tricycle Theatre</a>. The productions were broadcast by the BBC. </p> <h3>Accolades</h3> <p>Robb received two "Actors" (<a href="/facts/Screen_Actors_Guild_Awards/MhpGtGH1">Screen Actors Guild Awards</a>) for his role as part of the main cast of <a href="/facts/List_of_awards_and_nominations_received_by_Downton_Abbey/rSHNp4ff">Downton Abbey</a>, season 2 and season 4. </p> <h2 id="personal-life">Personal life</h2> <p>Robb married the actress <a href="/facts/Briony_McRoberts/cplL6phV">Briony McRoberts</a> in 1978. His best man was Lord <a href="/facts/Michael_Jones%2c_Lord_Jones/1sk7NhYn">Michael Jones</a>. Beginning in 2004, he and his wife ran every year in the <a href="/facts/Edinburgh_Marathon/EYS47pkA">Edinburgh Marathon</a> to raise money for <a href="/facts/Leukaemia/WpEfW0Qh">leukaemia</a> research. McRoberts took her own life on 17 July 2013, aged 56, after a long battle with <a href="/facts/Anorexia_nervosa/00KSqEn7">anorexia</a> and severe depression.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="filmography">Filmography</h2> <table><tbody><tr><th>Year</th><th>Title</th><th>Role</th><th>Notes</th></tr><tr><td>1974</td><td><i><a href="/facts/The_Swordsman_(1974_film)/uCWHIYRc">The Swordsman</a></i></td><td>Alex Zendor</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1975</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Conduct_Unbecoming_(1975_film)/qyh3XVel">Conduct Unbecoming</a></i></td><td>2nd Lt. Winters</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1976</td><td><i><a href="/facts/I%2c_Claudius_(TV_series)/HD43AzSE">I, Claudius</a></i></td><td>Germanicus<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a></td><td>2 episodes</td></tr><tr><td>1976</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Whodunnit%253F_(British_game_show)/lf4RmQ7f">Whodunnit?</a></i></td><td>Nobby Fry</td><td>(episode Dead Grass)</td></tr><tr><td>1977</td><td><i><a href="/facts/The_Standard_(film)/wH8BgL9H">The Standard</a></i></td><td>English Officer</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1977</td><td><i>The Winslow Boy</i></td><td>John Watherstone</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1978</td><td><i><a href="/facts/The_Four_Feathers_(1978_film)/Lg1efIyU">The Four Feathers</a></i></td><td>Thomas Willoughby</td><td>TV film</td></tr><tr><td>1979</td><td><i><a href="/facts/The_Legend_of_King_Arthur/cR7zxFNu">The Legend of King Arthur</a></i></td><td><a href="/facts/Lancelot/Tdh1AyKC">Lancelot</a></td><td>7 episodes</td></tr><tr><td>1980</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Hamlet/fm6AnR17">Hamlet</a></i></td><td><a href="/facts/Laertes_(Hamlet)/85d9XBsr">Laertes</a></td><td>BBC</td></tr><tr><td>1988</td><td><i><a href="/facts/The_Sandbaggers/EcuFJh0n">The Sandbaggers</a></i></td><td>Paul Dalgetty</td><td>Yorkshire TV, 2 episodes</td></tr><tr><td>1982</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Ivanhoe_(1982_film)/Dendue1x">Ivanhoe</a></i></td><td><a href="/facts/Robin_Hood/IvyKArGI">Robin Hood</a></td><td>TV film</td></tr><tr><td>1982</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Charles_%2526_Diana%3a_A_Royal_Love_Story/4SQhHIq8">Charles & Diana: A Royal Love Story</a></i></td><td><a href="/facts/Charles%2c_Prince_of_Wales/EJItVkdz">Prince Charles</a></td><td>TV film</td></tr><tr><td>1983</td><td><i>The Wars</i></td><td>Maj. Terry</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1984</td><td><i><a href="/facts/The_Last_Days_of_Pompeii_(miniseries)/HbE8y6NN">The Last Days of Pompeii</a></i></td><td>Sallust</td><td>3 episodes</td></tr><tr><td>1986</td><td><i><a href="/facts/First_Among_Equals_(TV_series)/QxnlUUbb">First Among Equals</a></i></td><td>Andrew Fraser MP</td><td>10 episodes</td></tr><tr><td>1987</td><td><i>Dreams Lost Dreams Found</i></td><td>Ross Fleming</td><td>TV film</td></tr><tr><td>1988</td><td><i><a href="/facts/The_Deceivers_(film)/fGw8wMt5">The Deceivers</a></i></td><td>George Anglesmith</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1991</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Up_the_Garden_Path_(radio_and_TV_series)/vV9UCKwL">Up the Garden Path</a></i></td><td>Charles</td><td>6 episodes</td></tr><tr><td>1991</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Parnell_and_the_Englishwoman/MmUBWphl">Parnell and the Englishwoman</a></i></td><td>Capt. Willie O'Shea</td><td>4 episodes</td></tr><tr><td>1992–1993</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Strathblair/R4yezren">Strathblair</a></i></td><td>Major Andrew Menzies</td><td>10 episodes</td></tr><tr><td>1993</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Swing_Kids_(1993_film)/5AvIgm92">Swing Kids</a></i></td><td>Dr. Dietrich Berger</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1994</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Hellbound_(film)/DwtlA9Td">Hellbound</a></i></td><td><a href="/facts/Richard_I_of_England/WaqLy3aQ">King Richard</a></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1995</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Highlander%3a_The_Series/8FkvYcqS">Highlander: The Series</a></i></td><td>Kalas</td><td>5 episodes</td></tr><tr><td>1995-2003</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Casualty_(TV_series)/HCpvdxUa">Casualty</a></i></td><td>Henry Reeve-Jones</td><td>9 episodes</td></tr><tr><td>1996</td><td><i><a href="/facts/The_Crow_Road_(TV_series)/IRmQxHJh">The Crow Road</a></i></td><td>Fergus Urvill</td><td>4 episodes</td></tr><tr><td>1997</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Regeneration_(1997_film)/HmW92wHD">Regeneration</a></i></td><td>Dr. McIntyre</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1997</td><td><i><a href="/facts/The_House_of_Angelo/ehpWulUP">The House of Angelo</a></i></td><td>Lord Vanbrugh</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1999</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Treasure_Island_(1999_film)/zSwaDs8p">Treasure Island</a></i></td><td><a href="/facts/Dr._Livesey/9kK16NFG">Dr. Livesey</a></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2000</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Midsomer_Murders/vgJXlkny">Midsomer Murders</a></i></td><td>Charles MacKillop</td><td>1 episode</td></tr><tr><td>2002</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Heartbeat_(British_TV_series)/64qgeVvn">Heartbeat (British TV series)</a></i></td><td>Guy Foxton</td><td>1 episode</td></tr><tr><td>2004</td><td><i><a href="/facts/The_Life_and_Death_of_Peter_Sellers/Gjg3MKp8">The Life and Death of Peter Sellers</a></i></td><td>Dr. Lyle Wexler</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2007</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Elizabeth%3a_The_Golden_Age/qYsTVKf4">Elizabeth: The Golden Age</a></i></td><td><a href="/facts/William_Wynter/23906cdQ">Admiral Sir William Winter</a></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2008</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Sharpe%2527s_Peril/zCIs43E2">Sharpe's Peril</a></i></td><td>Major Tredinnick</td><td>TV film</td></tr><tr><td>2009</td><td><i><a href="/facts/The_Young_Victoria/EYcAS31v">The Young Victoria</a></i></td><td>Whig Member</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2009</td><td><i><a href="/facts/From_Time_to_Time_(film)/0zvsWCpf">From Time to Time</a></i></td><td>Lord Farrar</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2010–2015</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Downton_Abbey/2gh8WPh3">Downton Abbey</a></i></td><td>Dr. Clarkson</td><td>34 episodes</td></tr><tr><td>2015</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Wolf_Hall_(TV_series)/SkTU3vK8">Wolf Hall</a></i></td><td><a href="/facts/Thomas_Boleyn%2c_1st_Earl_of_Wiltshire/InXWRXXT">Sir Thomas Boleyn</a></td><td>5 episodes</td></tr><tr><td>2016</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Sacrifice_(2016_film)/SxI9pJ91">Sacrifice</a></i></td><td>Richard Guthrie</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2018</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Clique_(TV_series)/MXKogwy8">Clique</a></i></td><td>The Dean</td><td>2 episodes</td></tr><tr><td>2021</td><td><i><a href="/facts/All_Those_Small_Things/nW7fPoA3">All Those Small Things</a></i></td><td>David</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2022</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Downton_Abbey%3a_A_New_Era/oct4bwJV">Downton Abbey: A New Era</a></i></td><td>Dr. Clarkson</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> <ul><li><a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0730191/">David Robb</a> at <a href="/facts/IMDb_(identifier)/uWrqVYVy">IMDb</a></li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>"David Robb". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 26 July 2012. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120726060654/http://explore.bfi.org.uk/4ce2ba301f6de" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20120726060654/http://explore.bfi.org.uk/4ce2ba301f6de</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>"FreeBMD Entry Info". <a href="https://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?scan=1&r=195384538:8271&d=bmd_1672866285" target="_blank">https://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?scan=1&r=195384538:8271&d=bmd_1672866285</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>David Campbell, Minstrel Heart: A Life in Story (2021), p. 115 <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=V-czEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT115" target="_blank">https://books.google.com/books?id=V-czEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT115</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>"David Robb on IMDB". IMDb. 2013. Retrieved 7 November 2013. <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0730191/" target="_blank">https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0730191/</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>"Actor David Robb: 'Anorexia kills women like my wife'". BBC News. 14 July 2014. <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/health-28292758" target="_blank">https://www.bbc.com/news/health-28292758</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>"Actress was suffering from anorexia and depression, an inquest heard". 30 October 2013. <a href="https://www.mylondon.news/news/local-news/actress-suffering-anorexia-depression-inquest-6257186" target="_blank">https://www.mylondon.news/news/local-news/actress-suffering-anorexia-depression-inquest-6257186</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>episodes 2 & 3 <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>