The younger brother of actor Murray Head, Anthony Stewart Head enjoyed a successful acting career in his native England before coming to the attention of American audiences as the intriguing romantic lead in a series of Taster's Choice coffee commercials, each tracing the budding romance between two neighbors who share a love for the same brew. The handsome actor got his first show business break playing Jesus in a West End production of "Godspell" and went on to play in a number of theater productions, including "The Rocky Horror Show" and Peter Shaffer's "Yonadab" at the Royal National Theatre. Among his many British TV productions, Head starred in the series "Love in a Cold Climate", which aired in the USA on PBS in 1982. He was a regular cast member on Fox's short-lived sci-fi series "VR.5" (1995) and also acted in an episode of ABC's critically-acclaimed "NYPD Blue" and the Showtime movie "Royce" (1994), starring James Belushi. He upped his American profile considerably by landing the regular role of Rupert Giles, the school librarian who doubles as mentor to "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (The WB, 1997- ).
- Also Credited As:
Anthony Head, Anthony Stewart Head, Tony Head
- Born:
February 20, 1954 in Camdentown, England, United Kingdom
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Job Titles:
Actor
Family
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Brother: Murray Head. born in 1946; co-starred with Glenda Jackson and Peter Finch in John Schlesinger s triangular drama Sunday, Bloody Sunday (1971)
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Daughter: Daisy May Head. born in 1991
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Daughter: Emily Rose Head. born in 1989
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Father: Seafield Head. founder of Verity Films
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Mother: Helen Shingler. played Madame Maigret in the BBC series Maigret
Significant Others
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Companion: Sarah Fisher. born c. 1964; met and moved in together c. 1982; mother of Head s two children
Education
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London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, London, England
Milestones
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1960 First stage appearance as a child performer in The Emperor s New Clothes
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1978 Had featured role in the BBC series Lillie , about Lillie Langtrey (aired on PBS in the USA)
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1978 TV debut in London Weekend Television production Enemy at the Door
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1981 Feature acting debut, billed as Anthony Head, in Lady Chatterly s Lover
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1982 Starred in British TV series Love in a Cold Climate , which aired in the USA on PBS
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1993 Guest starred on Highlander: The Series
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1994 Acted in Showtime movie Royce , starring James Belushi
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1995 Regular cast member of short-lived Fox series VR.5 ; Sci-Fi Channel telecast three previously unaired episodes in 1997
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1997 Portrayed Rupert Giles on Buffy the Vampire Slayer ; reduced participation from regular to recurring status in the 2001-2002 season
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2002 Had featured role in the BBC comedy-drama Manchild , playing an man coping with sexual impotency
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2003 Featured as the Prime Minister in popular BBC comedy sketch show Little Britain
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2004 Guest starred in several episodes of BBC series Monarch of the Glen
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2005 Narrated the two-part documentary Regeneration, for BBC Radio 2
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2006 Co-starred in the romantic comedy Imagine Me & You
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Cast in Tim Burton s Sweeney Todd, as a ballad soloist and one of Todd s murder victims (lensed 2007)
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Got first show business break playing Jesus in West End production of Godspell
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Grew up in Hamptons, England
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Popular series of Taster s Choice coffee commercials brought him to the attention of American audiences; Head and Sharon Maughan had been featured in the British TV campaign for the product (known in the UK as Gold Blend)