James Swanton
Biography
The English actor James Swanton has built much of his career in horror cinema and in solo stage adaptations of Charles Dickens. He grew up in York and read English at Selwyn College, Cambridge, where he acted with the Marlowe Society. His professional debut came in Sikes & Nancy, a one-man Dickens show that opened at the Mercury Theatre in Colchester, later toured and reached the West End. The Telegraph described him as the youngest performer to have written, directed and appeared in a solo West End show. Since 2017 he has presented one-man Dickens shows at the Charles Dickens Museum. On screen he played the Spirit in Host, the Ash Man in Stopmotion (2024), SAL-E Sparx in Broadcast Signal Intrusion (2021) and two parts, the Hermit and the Magician, in Tarot (2024). His Mummy in Lot No. 249 (2023) won the Hamilton Deane Award from the Dracula Society.
35years old
Turns 36 on January 15in 103 days
- Born York, North Yorkshire, England, UK
- Star sign: CapricornThe sign runs December 22 to January 19
Movie Career
- Films
- 11
- Career span
- 4 years2020 to 2024
First and latest
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First role
Swanton's first professional stage role came in Sikes & Nancy, a one-man play staged at the Mercury Theatre in Colchester. The production drew on Charles Dickens's 1868 adaptation of Oliver Twist, then toured the UK and played at Trafalgar Studios in the West End.
A first
At 23, Swanton wrote, directed and starred in the one-man show Sikes & Nancy, which ran at the West End's Trafalgar Studios. The Telegraph called him the youngest actor ever to do all of that in a one-man West End show.
Behind the camera
Swanton wrote the screenplay for Frankenstein's Creature, a single-take one-man production made in 2018 for the bicentenary of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, adapting it from his stage version at Theatre503.
Behind the award
Swanton played the Mummy in the BBC's 2023 Ghost Story for Christmas Lot No. 249 after Mark Gatiss personally offered him the role, and he won the Dracula Society's Hamilton Deane Award for it.
Early training
At Cambridge, Swanton acted often with the Marlowe Society. He took the part of Quasimodo in a stage version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
James Swanton movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
Charlie Steeds directed three of these films. Tim Cartwright appears in three of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Tim Cartwright's page
Derek Nelson's page
John Heffernan's page
Barrington De La Roche's page
Emma Spurgin Hussey's page
Natalie Martins's page
Charlie SteedsDirector, 3 films, 2020 to 2021
All films by Charlie Steeds
Also two films together5 more actors
- Jay O'ConnellWerewolf Castle (2021) and Vampire Virus (2020)
- Jéssica AlonsoA Werewolf in England (2020) and Vampire Virus (2020)
- Mark McKirdyA Werewolf in England (2020) and Vampire Virus (2020)
- Peter LofsgardWerewolf Castle (2021) and Vampire Virus (2020)
- Reece ConnollyWerewolf Castle (2021) and A Werewolf in England (2020)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.