Anthony Stewart Head (born 20 February, 1954) is an English actor who has appeared in theatre, television and films. He is most widely known for his role as Rupert Giles in the American television drama series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, for the role of Frank N Furter in the London revival of The Rocky Horror Show and for a series of coffee commercials in the United Kingdom and the US. In the UK, outside of Buffy, he is more commonly credited simply as Anthony Head, or occasionally Tony Head.

Head was born in Camden Town, London. His father was Seafield Head, the founder of Verity Films, and his mother was the actress Helen Shingler. His older brother is actor and singer Murray Head. Both brothers played the part of Freddy Trumper in the musical Chess at the Prince Edward Theatre, London, with Murray a part of the original cast in 1986, whilst Anthony was in the final cast in 1989.

Head was educated at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA). His first role was in the musical Godspell; this led to roles in television on both BBC and ITV, one of his earliest being an appearance in the series Enemy at the Door (ITV, 1978–1980). In the late 1980s, he appeared in a series of twelve coffee commercials with Sharon Maughan for Nescafé Gold Blend (re-edited to include brand name Taster's Choice in the US), which brought him wider recognition, along with a part in the children's tv comedy drama woof! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woof%21

Success on the stage and a number of brief appearances on American television, such as in the short-lived VR-5, led to accepting the role of Rupert Giles in Buffy in 1997. For this role he lived full-time in the United States during the late 1990s and early 2000s, although his family continued to live in the UK.

In 2002, he returned to the United Kingdom and co-starred in the BBC Two television series Manchild, concerning four fifty-something men who spend all of their time talking about sex. He also appeared in guest roles in various other dramas, such as Silent Witness, Murder Investigation Team, and Spooks. He featured as the Prime Minister in popular BBC comedy sketch show Little Britain from 2003 to 2005, and guest starred in several episodes of the 2004 series of popular drama Monarch of the Glen.

Outside of television work, he has released an album of songs with musician George Sarah entitled Music for Elevators. Early in his career he provided vocals for some of the tracks on the Chris de Burgh album The Getaway and the reading from The Tempest on Don't Pay The Ferryman.

In 2001, he appeared in a special webcast version of the popular British science fiction series Doctor Who, a story called Death Comes to Time, in which he played the Time Lord Valentine. He also guest starred in the Excelis Trilogy, a series of Doctor Who audio adventures produced by Big Finish Productions, and in 2005 narrated the two-part documentary Regeneration, detailing the television revival of the series, for BBC Radio 2. In April 2006 he appeared as an alien school headmaster, Mr. Finch, in an episode of the 2006 season of the Tenth Doctor's adventures entitled School Reunion.

In early 2006 he appeared in an episode of Hotel Babylon, a BBC One drama set in a hotel, in which he played a suicidal man who recovers and lands a music deal.

There is persistent talk of Head starring in a Buffy spin-off series for the BBC entitled Ripper, but so far nothing has come of this. Joss Whedon said of the project in 2005: "it's something I really want to get off the ground, but the ground is kinda sticky."

In 2006 he filmed a pilot for a new show entitled Him and Us for American TV channel ABC, co-starring Kim Cattrall. He recently appeared as Captain Hook at the Children's Party at the Palace in 2006.

Anthony now lives in England with Sarah Fisher. They have two children, Emily, 14, and Daisy, 12.

Singles

• Sweet Transvestite (Chrysalis Records)

External links

• Official website
• Interview with Anthony Head (April 2006)
• Biographies of Giles and Head at "Buffyguide"
• Coming soon New Anthony Head site
• Tweedy Book Guy Anthony Head Fansite

1954 births | British actors | English actors | Buffy the Vampire Slayer cast and crew | Doctor Who actors | Highlander actors | Little Britain actors | Living people

Anthony Stewart Head | Anthony Stewart Head | Anthony Stewart Head