James Edward Carter OBE (born 19 August 1948) is an English actor. He is best known for his role in The Little Vampire as the main villain Rookery. He has also appeared in many other films and television shows, such as A Private Function, The Company of Wolves, The Witches, The Madness of King George, Shakespeare in Love, Alice in Wonderland, Downton Abbey, and The Good Liar.
Biography[]
Carter was born in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England. His mother was a land girl and later a school secretary and his father worked for the Air Ministry. Carter attended Ashville College, Harrogate, where he was head boy in his final year, and the University of Sussex where he studied Law and appeared with the fledgling Drama Society. He dropped out of university after two years to join a fringe theatre group in Brighton.
He began acting professionally in the early 1970s. His first paid job was in a play called Gum and Goo by Howard Brenton for the Brighton Combination. He then worked in theatre, film, and television, often playing supporting roles or villains. He gained recognition for his roles in The Singing Detective, A Very British Coup, and Brassed Off. He received four Emmy nominations for his portrayal of Mr. Carson, the butler, in Downton Abbey. He reprised the role in two feature films based on the series. He is also known for his voice work, such as in The Golden Compass and Transformers: The Last Knight.
He is married to actress Imelda Staunton, whom he met while working at the National Theatre. They have one daughter, Bessie Carter, who is also an actress. He was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2019 New Year Honours for services to drama.