Né le 29 août 1928 à Bournemouth (Dorset, Angleterre), Charles Gray fît parti du Regent Park Open Air Theatre avant de rejoindre la troupe du Old Vic Theatre de Londres.

C'est à cette époque, en 1956, qu'il jouera pour la première fois au côté de Brett, notamment dans Troilus and Cressida (1956) - Charles Gray jouait le rôle d'Achille et Brett celui de Patrocle  (Ce dernier remplaça John Neville dans le rôle de Troilus lors d’une tournée du Old Vic en Amérique, en 1957). Il fut également Lennox dans Macbeth (1956) - au côté de Brett en Malcom - et Escalus dans Roméo et Juliette  (1956) - Brett interprétait alors Paris et John Neville un très séduisant Roméo.

Mais on connaît surtout Charles Gray pour sa formidable interprétation du plus célèbre ennemie de James Bond, Ernst Blofeld - le chef du SPECTRE (Les Diamants sont éternels - 1971) ainsi que pour sa prestation dans The Rocky horror Picture Show (1975) et dans La Nuit des Généraux de A. Livtak (1967) aux côtés de Omar Sharif et de Peter O'Toole. Les Holmésiens se rappelle également qu’il interpréta le rôle de Mycroft Holmes dans le film La solution à sept pour cent (1976) – aux côtés de Nicol Williamson en Holmes, de Robert Duvall en Watson, et Sir Laurence Olivier… en Moriarty ! - avant de reprendre le rôle, et de retrouver, Jeremy Brett sur le tournage de la série de la Granada Sherlock Holmes.

Charles Gray est mort à Londres, le 7 mars 2000, à l'âge de 71 ans mais nous laissant une filmographie qui nous montre une carrière plus que florissante

Films & TV

1. Longitude (2000) .... Admiral Balchen

2. Tichborne Claimant, The (1998) .... Arundell

3. Ellen Foster (1997) (TV)

4. "Madson" (1996) TV Series .... Sir Ranald Hearnley

5. "Scarlett" (1994) (mini) TV Series .... The Judge

6. "Tale of the poop" (1991) TV Series"Tales from the Poop Deck" (1991) TV Series

7. "Paper Man, The" (1990) (mini) TV Series .... Prime Minister TV Series .... Prime Minister

8. Frau namens Harry, Eine (1990) .... Satan

9. "Blackeyes" (1989) (mini) TV Series .... Sebastian

10 "Return of Sherlock Holmes II, The" (1988) TV Series .... Mycroft Holmes

11. "Hannay" (1988) TV Series .... Commander Nevil

12. Dreams Lost, Dreams Found (1987) (TV) .... Jason

13. "Porterhouse Blue" (1987) (mini) TV Series .... Sir Cathcart D'Eath

14. Cariani and the Courtesans (1987) (TV) .... Narrator

15. "Return of Sherlock Holmes, The" (1986) TV Series .... Mycroft Holmes

16. "Adventures of Sherlock Holmes II, The" (1985) TV Series .... Mycroft Holmes

17. "Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, The" (1984) TV Series .... Mycroft Holmes

18. Comedy of Errors, The (1983) (TV) .... Solinus, Duke of Ephesus
... aka BBC Television Shakespeare: The Comedy of Errors (1983) (TV)

19. Englishman Abroad, An (1983) (TV) .... Claudius

20. Jigsaw Man, The (1983) .... Sir James Charley

21. Charles & Diana: A Royal Love Story (1982) (TV) .... Earl Spencer

22. Troilus & Cressida (1981) (TV) .... Pandarus
...aka BBC Television Shakespeare: Troilus & Cressida (1981) (TV)

23. Shock Treatment (1981) .... Judge Oliver Wright

24. "Marie" (1980) TV Series .... Various Roles (1980-1981)

25. Mirror Crack'd, The (1980) .... Bates, The Butler

26. "Ike" (1979) (mini) TV Series .... General 'Freddie' DeGuingand

27. Julius Caesar (1979/I) (TV) .... Caesar
... aka BBC Television Shakespeare: Julius Caesar (1979) (TV)

28. House on Garibaldi Street, The (1979) (TV) .... Gen. Lischke

29. Legacy, The (1979) .... Karl
... aka Legacy of Maggie Walsh, The (1979)

30. King Richard the Second (1978) (TV) .... Duke of York
... aka BBC Television Shakespeare: King Richard the Second (1978) (TV)
... aka Richard II (1978) (TV)

31. Silver Bears (1977) .... Charles Cook

32. Seven Nights in Japan (1976) .... Hollander

33. Seven-Per-Cent Solution, The (1976) .... Mycroft Holmes

34. Philanthropist, The (1975) (TV)

35. Rocky Horror Picture Show, The (1975) .... Criminologist (Narrator)

36. Night Is the Time for Killing (1975) (TV)
... aka Murder on the Midnight Express (1975) (TV) (USA)
... aka Thriller: Night Is the Time for Killing (1975) (TV) (UK: series title)

37. Mutiny (1975) (TV)

38. Beast Must Die, The (1974) .... Arthur Bennington
... aka Black Werewolf (1974) (video title)

39. Twelfth Night (1974) (TV)

40. Room with a View, A (1973) (TV)
... aka Play of the Month: A Room with a View (1973) (TV) (UK)

41. "Upper Crusts, The" (1973) TV Series .... Lord Seacroft/Lord Seacroft Snr.

42. "Fall of Eagles, A" (1973) (mini) TV Series

43. Millionairess, The (1972) (TV)
... aka Play of the Month: The Millionairess (1972) (TV) (UK)

44. Lady Windermere's Fan (1972) (TV)
... aka Play of the Month: Lady Windermere's Fan (1972) (TV) (UK)

45. Merchant of Venice, The (1972) (TV) .... Antonio
... aka Play of the Month: The Merchant of Venice (1972) (TV) (UK)

46. Cherry Orchard, The (1971) (TV)
... aka Play of the Month: The Cherry Orchard (1971) (TV) (UK)

47. Diamonds Are Forever (1971) .... Ernst Blofeld

48. Jenkins (1971) (TV)
... aka Thirty-Minute Theatre: Jenkins (1971) (TV) (UK: series title)

49. Wild Rovers (1971) .... Savage

50. Michael Regan (1971) (TV)
... aka Play for Today: Michael Regan (1971) (TV) (UK: series title)

51. Asquith in Orbit (1971) (TV)
... aka Thirty-Minute Theatre: Asquith in Orbit (1971) (TV) (UK: series title)

52. Ross (1970) (TV)
... aka Play of the Month: Ross (1970) (TV) (UK)

53. Closed Shop, The (1970) (TV)
... aka W. Somerset Maugham: The Closed Shop (1970) (TV) (UK: series title)

54. Executioner, The (1970) .... Vaughan Jones

55. Cromwell (1970) .... The Earl of Essex

56. Mosquito Squadron (1969) .... Hufford

57. File of the Golden Goose, The (1969) .... Harrison, 'The Owl'

58. Nine Ages of Nakedness, The (1969) .... Narrator

59. Hay Fever (1968) (TV) .... Richard Greatham
... aka Play of the Month: Hay Fever (1968) (TV) (UK)

60. Devil Rides Out, The (1968) .... Mocata
... aka Devil's Bride, The (1968)

61. Secret War of Harry Frigg, The (1968) .... General Cox-Roberts

62. "Something to Hide" (1968) TV Series

63. Moon and Sixpence, The (1967) (TV)
... aka Play of the Month: The Moon and Sixpence (1967) (TV) (UK)

64. You Only Live Twice (1967) .... Henderson

65. Night of the Generals, The (1967) .... General von Seidlitz-Gabler
... aka Nuit des généraux, La (1967) (France)

66. Man Outside, The (1967)

67. Masquerade (1965) .... Benson
... aka Operation Masquerade (1965)
... aka Shabby Tiger, A (1965)

68. Entertainer, The (1960) .... Columnist

69. Man in the Moon (1960) .... Leo

70. Desperate Man, The (1959) .... Lawson

71. Follow a Star (1959) (uncredited) .... Taciturn Man at Party

72. Tommy the Toreador (1959) .... Gomez

73. Heart of a Child (1958) .... Fritz Heiss

74. I Accuse! (1958) .... Captain Brossard

75. God Is My Partner (1957) .... Man

76. Ride a Violent Mile (1957)

77. Unknown Terror, The (1957) .... Jim Wheatley

78. Black Whip, The (1956) .... Chick Hainline
... aka Man with a Whip, The (1956) (USA)

79. One Desire (1955) (uncredited) .... Vernon's son

Apparition en guest star :

1. "Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, The" (1994) playing "Mycroft Holmes" in episode: "Mazarin Stone, The" 1994

2. "Katts and Dog" (1988) in episode: "Number One With A Bullet" (episode # 3.16) 1990

3. "New Statesman, The" (1988) playing "Roland Gidleigh-Park" in episode: "Baa Baa Black Sheep" (episode # 1.7) 10/25/1987

4. "New Statesman, The" (1988) playing "Roland Gidleigh-Park" in episode: "Waste Not, Want Not" (episode # 1.4) 10/4/1987

5. "CATS Eyes" (1985) playing "Sir Jack Fenn" in episode: "Fit" 1986

6. "Bergerac" (1981) in episode: "What Dreams May Come True" (episode # 4.3) 10/25/1985

7. "Hazell" (1978) playing "Brownhill" in episode: "Hazell & the Deptford"

8. "Iron Horse, The" (1966) in episode: "High Devil" (episode # 1.3) 9/26/1966

9. "Perry Mason" (1957) playing "Jack Baker" in episode: "Case of the Bullied Bowler, The" (episode # 8.7) 11/5/1964

10. "Out of This World" (1962) playing "Abel Jones" in episode: "Tycoons, The" 1962

11. "Danger Man" (1960) playing "Zameda" in episode: "Coyannis Story, The"

12. "Danger Man" (1960) playing "Alex" in episode: "Key, The" (episode # 1.11) 1960

13. "Black Saddle" (1959) in episode: "Client: McQueen" (episode # 1.3) 1/24/1959

14. "Invisible Man, The" (1958) playing "Peter Thal" in episode: "Vanishing Evidence, The" 1959

 

Théâtre :

Macbeth (1956-1957), Old Vic Theatre, London, UK ; Winter Garden, New York, USA ; National Theatre, Washington, DC, USA…Lennox.

Richard II (1956-1957), Old Vic Theatre, London, UK ; Winter Garden, New York, USA ; National Theatre, Washington, DC, USA…Henry Bolingbroke, duke of Hereford.

Romeo and Juliet (1956-1957), Old Vic Theatre, London, UK ; Winter Garden, New York ; National Theatre, Washington, DC, USA…Escalus.

Troilus and Cressida (1956-1957) Old Vic Theatre, London, UK ; Winter Garden, New York ; National Theatre, Washington, DC...Achilles

Kean (1964), Broadway… Prince of Wales
Several seasons with the Royal Shakespeare Company portraying a variety of roles including Malvolio in Twelfth Night, John Of Gaunt in Richard II and Ceasar in Julius Ceasar
.