
Philip Glenister
Known for Acting · 95 credits
- Born
- 1963-02-10 (age 63)
- Place of birth
- Harrow, Middlesex, England, UK
- Also known as
- Philip Haywood Glenister
Biography
Philip Haywood Glenister is an English actor, known for his role as DCI Gene Hunt in British television series Life On Mars and its sequel Ashes To Ashes. He also played DCI William Bell in State of Play (2003) and Reverend Anderson in Outcast (2016–2018).
Glenister was born on 10 February 1963 in Harrow, Middlesex, and grew up in Hatch End. He is the son of director John Glenister and Joan Fry Lewis, and the younger brother of fellow actor Robert Glenister.
He attended Hatch End High School.
In his early career, he worked as a runner for the Robert Stigwood Organisation. Following this, he worked until the age of 23 as a film publicist, but developed an interest in acting after watching his brother perform in a student play about the Sex Pistols. With the encouragement of his then-sister-in-law, Amanda Redman, he pursued acting and attended the Central School of Speech and Drama.
In the early 1990s, Glenister appeared in various TV series including Minder, The Ruth Rendell Mysteries, Heartbeat, The Chief, Dressing for Breakfast and Silent Witness. In 1997, he appeared in Sharpe's Justice as Richard Sharpe's half-brother Matt Truman. He played William Dobbin in the 1998 mini-series Vanity Fair.
Known For
TV Shows (67)

Agatha Christie's Poirot
1989
as Sir William Boyd Carrington

Top Gear
2002
as Self

Silent Witness
1996

Foundation
2021
as Commdor Argo

The One Show
2006
as Self

Heartbeat
1992
as Julian Cantley

Minder
1979
as Greg Hunter

Inside No. 9
2014
as Craig

GMTV
1993
as Self

The Hollow Crown
2012
as Talbot

Soccer AM
1995
as Self

The Ruth Rendell Mysteries
1987
as Brian Gregson

Richard Osman's House of Games
2017
as Self - Contestant

Remembers…
2022
as Self

The Chief
1990
as Angus Shadwell

Ashes to Ashes
2008
as Gene Hunt

Hornblower
1998
as Gunner Hobbs

Legends
2006
as Self - Narrator (voice)

Life on Mars
2006
as Gene Hunt

Urban Myths
2017
as Kev Wells

Outcast
2016
as Reverend Anderson

The Vice
1999
as Jason Grant

Prey
2014
as David Murdoch

Cranford
2007
as Mr Carter

Drop the Dead Donkey
1990

The Detectives
1993
as Uniformed Officer

Chris Moyles' Quiz Night
2009
as Self

Duck Quacks Don't Echo
2014

In Suspicious Circumstances
1991
as Herbert Bennett

Bergerac
2025
as Arthur Wakefield

Belgravia
2020
as James Trenchard

State of Play
2003
as DCI William Bell

Clocking Off
2000
as James 'Mack' Mackintosh

Vanity Fair
1998
as William Dobbin

After the Flood
2024
as Jack Radcliffe

Harry Hill's Alien Fun Capsule
2017
as Self

Treasure Island
2012
as Captain Smollett

Mad Dogs
2011
as Quinn

Big School
2013
as Mr Gunn

The Rubbish World of Dave Spud
2019
as Betty Spud

Roger Roger
1998
as Phil

DNA Journey
2019
as Self

The Lady
2026
as DCI Jim Dickie

This Morning
1988
as Self

New Street Law
2006

Hidden
2011
as Harry Venn

Steeltown Murders
2023
as DCI Paul Bethell

From There to Here
2014
as Daniel

Vincent
2005

Living the Dream
2017
as Mal Pemberton

Demons
2009
as Rupert Galvin
Blue Heaven
1992
as Paul Twice

Island at War
2004
as Oberst Heinrich Baron Von Rheingarten

My Wonderful Life
1996
as Phil

The Level
2016
as Frank Le Saux

Lost Land of the Volcano
2009
as Self - Narrator

Law and Disorder
1994

For the Love of Cars
2014
as Himself
Frontiers
1996
as DS Danny Curtis

The Stepfather
2005
as Dougie Molloy
Movies (28)

Kingdom of Heaven
2005
as Squire

Calendar Girls
2003
as Lawrence Sertain

You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger
2010
as Poker Friend

Bel Ami
2012
as Charles Forestier

Sharpe: The Legend
1997
as Truman

I.D.
1995
as Charlie

The Other Boleyn Girl
2003
as William Strafford

Byron
2003
as William Fletcher

Hornblower: Mutiny
2001
as Hobbs

Loved Up
1995
as Ray

Sharpe's Justice
1997
as Matt Truman

Tales of Television Centre
2012
as Self

Tu£sday
2008
as Earp

A Fatal Inversion
1992
as Young Detective

London Kills Me
1991
as Suited Man

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Yet Again
2019
as Pierce Brosnan
The Walk
2005
as Eddie

Hornblower: Retribution
2001
as Gunner Hobbs
The Perfect Blue
1998
as Tom

Sheene
2023
as Narrator (voice)

The Making of... Ashes to Ashes
2009
as Himself
True Love
1996
as Phil

Spying on Hitler’s Army: The Secret Recordings
2013
as Narrator

Just in Case
2021
as Mark
The End of 'Life on Mars'
2007
as Self

Pavlopetri: The City Beneath the Waves
2011
as Narrator

Demons
2009
as Rupert Galvin

Lloyd & Hill
2003
as Daniel Lloyd
About Philip Glenister
Philip Haywood Glenister is an English actor, known for his role as DCI Gene Hunt in British television series Life On Mars and its sequel Ashes To Ashes. He also played DCI William Bell in State of Play (2003) and Reverend Anderson in Outcast (2016–2018). Glenister was born on 10 February 1963 in Harrow, Middlesex, and grew up in Hatch End. He is the son of director John Glenister and Joan Fry Lewis, and the younger brother of fellow actor Robert Glenister. He attended Hatch End High School. In his early career, he worked as a runner for the… With 95 credits spanning from 1979 to 2026, Philip Glenister has appeared in 28 films and 67 TV shows.
Fans searching for Philip Glenister movies, Philip Glenister filmography, or the latest projects starring Philip Glenister can stream many of these titles on CineFlixo, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Philip Glenister Movies
- Kingdom of Heaven (2005) — as Squire
- Calendar Girls (2003) — as Lawrence Sertain
- You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger (2010) — as Poker Friend
- Bel Ami (2012) — as Charles Forestier
- Sharpe: The Legend (1997) — as Truman
Where to Watch Philip Glenister Films
Most Philip Glenister movies and series are available to stream on CineFlixo in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Philip Glenister, check our movies catalogue and browse page.