[[quoteright:315:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/charlesdance.png]]
->''"When you have a label stuck on you, people tend to believe it. If someone calls you suave and debonair you only get offered parts in a suit and tie. I hate the "suave and debonair" tag. I am neither. I just happen to wear a suit and tie reasonably well."''
-->-- '''Charles Dance'''

[[Series/GameOfThrones "Any man who must say 'I am a troper!' is no true troper. I'll make sure you realise that when I've]] [[JustForFun/DescribeTopicHere described Charles Dance for you."]]

Walter Charles Dance, OBE, was born on 10 October 1946 in Redditch, Worcestershire, England. He's an an actor, director, and screenwriter who is most frequently seen playing {{Obstructive Bureaucrat}}s , {{Villains}} and overall authoritative figures. Dance was a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company for several years in [[TheSeventies the 70s]], and made a name for himself as a stage actor before moving on to television and film work. His big break came when he was cast as Guy Perron in Granada Television's acclaimed mini-series ''The Jewel in the Crown'', but he's more known to international audiences for playing [[EvilOldFolks Lord Tywin Lannister]] in ''Series/GameOfThrones''.

He also played Dr. Clemens, the doctor of penitentiary Fury 161 who becomes Ellen Ripley's lover in ''Film/{{Alien 3}}'' and the one-eyed hitman Mr. Benedict in ''Film/LastActionHero''. Among his other roles include appearances in ''Film/TheGoldenChild'', ''Film/MichaelCollins'', and ''Film/ForYourEyesOnly''. In 2010, he played Havelock Vetinari in an adaptation of Creator/TerryPratchett's ''Film/GoingPostal'', [[AwesomeDearBoy taking the part]] simply because he was [[JustForFun/OneOfUs a huge fan of Pratchett's work]]. He also had a guest spot in ''Series/{{Merlin|2008}}'', playing Aredian the Witch Finder, considered one of the show's best [[MonsterOfTheWeek One-Shot Villains]]. Once a year, he makes an appearance on the celebrity quiz ''Series/BigFatQuizOfTheYear'', in which he reads a trashy celebrity biography (or, once most infamously, ''Literature/FiftyShadesOfGrey'') with [[TheComicallySerious the utmost dignity]], the panel members having to guess the identity of the author. It is almost undoubtedly the best part of the show.

To date, he has directed one film, ''Ladies in Lavender'' (2004), which he also executive produced and co-wrote the screenplay for (based on a short story by William J. Locke), and is set to direct, write the screenplay for and star in an adaptation of Alice Thomas Ellis' novel ''The Inn at the End of the World''.

In 2015, he made his grand debut into the world of video game voice-over work, voicing Emperor Emhyr var Emreis in ''VideoGame/TheWitcher3WildHunt''.

He played many villainous roles over the course of his career, partially because of his [[DeathGlare intense stare]], [[EvilIsBigger imposing 6'3 stature]], [[LeanAndMean slender frame]] and, most notably, his [[BaritoneOfStrength magnificent rich, smooth voice]]. His characters also tend to be [[SharpDressedMan very snappy dressers]] though, by his own admission, he dresses almost entirely in jeans and t-shirts in his private life.

Charles Dance is a father and a grandfather.

He makes everything he is in better; if the production as a whole is not good, [[TookTheBadFilmSeriously his performance will be]].
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!!Film Roles
* 1981 ''Film/ForYourEyesOnly'' as Claus
* 1986 ''Film/TheGoldenChild'' as Sardo Numspa
* 1987 ''Film/WhiteMischief'' as Josslyn Hay
* 1992 ''Film/{{Alien 3}}'' as Dr. Jonathan Clemens
* 1993 ''Film/LastActionHero'' as Benedict
* 1996 ''Film/MichaelCollins'' as Soames
* 1996 ''Film/SpaceTruckers'' as Nabel/Macanudo
* 2001 ''Film/GosfordPark'' as Lord Raymond Stockbridge
* 2001 ''Film/DarkBlueWorld'' as Wing Commander Bentley
* 2002 ''Film/AliGIndahouse'' as David Carlton
* 2006 ''Film/{{Scoop}}'' as Mr. Malcolm
* 2006 ''Film/StarterForTen'' as Michael Harbinson
* 2011 ''Film/YourHighness'' as King Tallious
* 2012 ''Film/UnderworldAwakening'' as Thomas
* 2013 ''Film/{{Patrick}}'' as Doctor Roget
* 2014 ''Film/TheImitationGame'' as Commander Denniston
* 2014 ''Film/DraculaUntold'' as Master Vampire
* 2015 ''Film/MichielDeRuyter'' as UsefulNotes/CharlesII
* 2015 ''Film/WomanInGold'' as Sherman
* 2015 ''Film/{{Child 44}}'' as Major Grachev
* 2016 ''Film/PrideAndPrejudiceAndZombies'' as Mr. Bennett
* 2017 ''Film/UnderworldBloodWars'' as Thomas
* 2019 ''[[Film/GodzillaKingOfTheMonsters2019 Godzilla: King of the Monsters]]'' as Alan Jonah
* 2020 ''Film/{{Mank}}'' as William Randolph Hearst
* 2021 ''Film/TheKingsMan'' as Arthur
* 2024 ''Film/TheFirstOmen'' as Father Harris

!!Television Roles
* 1975 ''Series/{{Edward the Seventh}}'' as Prince Albert Victor/"Eddy"
* 1984 ''Series/TheJewelInTheCrown'' as Guy Perron
* 1984 ''Series/TheSecretServant'' as Harry Maxim
* 1988 ''Series/FirstBorn'' as Edward Forester
* 1989 ''Goldeneye'' (a TV movie, not the [[Film/{{Goldeneye}} film]]) as Creator/IanFleming
* 1990 ''Series/ThePhantomOfTheOpera1990'' as the Phantom
* 1997 ''Series/{{Rebecca|1997}}'' as Maxim de Winter
* 2000 ''Series/MurderRooms'' as Sir Henry Carlisle
* 2005 ''Literature/BleakHouse'' as Mr. Tulkinghorn
* 2009 ''Series/{{Merlin|2008}}'' as Aredian
* 2010 ''Film/GoingPostal'' as Lord Vetinari
* 2011 ''Series/{{Neverland}}'' as Dr. Richard Fludd
* 2012 ''Series/StrikeBack'' as Conrad Knox
* 2014 ''Series/TheGreatFire'' as Lord Denton
* 2011-2015 ''Series/GameOfThrones'' as Lord Tywin Lannister
* 2015 ''Series/{{And Then There Were None|2015}}'' as Judge Lawrence Wargrave
* 2016 ''Series/SavageKingdom'' as the narrator
* 2019-2020 ''Series/TheCrown2016'' as Louis Mountbatten
* 2022 ''Series/TheSandman2022'' as Roderick Burgess
* 2022 ''Series/TheSerpentQueen'' as Pope Clement VII

!!Video Game Roles
* 2015 ''VideoGame/TheWitcher3WildHunt'' as Emperor Emhyr var Emreis
* 2018 ''VideoGame/CallOfDutyBlackOps4'': ''[[VideoGame/CallOfDutyZombies Zombies]]'' as Godfrey
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