New Tricks Cast List

Over the years, New Tricks has become a staple in the world of British television drama. With its blend of mystery, intrigue, and humor, this show captivated audiences across generations throughout its twelve-season run. Featuring a cold case investigation unit, the show focuses on an unlikely team of retired police officers bringing their experience to crack open unsolved mysteries. The secret ingredient that makes this series captivating is the exceptional line-up of actors comprising the New Tricks cast. 

A closer look at the New Tricks cast list unveils a treasure trove of talent portraying an array of personalities that fans have come to know and love. Each actor adds a distinct flavor to the mix, creating a rich tapestry of complex characters whose stories continue to enchant viewers.

It’s evident that much of New Tricks‘ charm lies in the line-up of performers who make up its unforgettable ensemble, like Dennis Waterman, Amanda Redman, and Alun Armstrong. All three offered captivating performances and memorable screen presences. Waterman charms viewers with his genuine warmth while Redman captivates them with her fierce resolve; both are perfectly complemented by Armstrong’s resourceful grit. 

Part of what makes this series truly remarkable is the selection of cast members who have left their mark on viewers’ hearts. A fusion between seasoned veterans and fresh faces raises this series from being good entertainment to reaching extraordinary heights as a television classic. 

• Alun Armstrong

  Alun Armstrong is known for his faithful dedication to the works of Charles Dickens, starring in numerous British television and stage adaptations of the author’s novels. A member of the prestigious Royal Shakespeare Company and part of the original cast of Les Miserables, Armstrong first became known to audiences through the 1971 crime thriller “Get Carter” with Michael Caine. Afterwards he frequently guested on a wide array of British TV shows and specials including the comedy series “Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?” and “A Sharp Intake of Breath.” Armstrong’s bushy eyebrows and stern countenance have not only made him an easy cast as a Dickens protagonist but have led him to a handful of supporting roles in fantasy-adventure films, including “Krull,” “The Mummy Returns,” and “Van Helsing.” In 2005 his work in two different Dickens adaptations, the BBC series “Bleak House” and Roman Polanski’s “Oliver Twist,” drew accolades from critics.
  • Acted In: Little Dorrit, New Tricks, Bleak House, David Copperfield, When I’m 64
  • Birthplace: Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England, UK
  • Nationality: United Kingdom

• Amanda Redman

  Amanda Redman was an actress who had a successful Hollywood career. Redman started her acting career landing roles in films, such as “Richard’s Things” (1981), the Sir Paul McCartney musical “Give My Regards to Broad Street” (1984) and “For Queen & Country” (1989). She had an early role on the television special “The Rivals” (1988-89). Her work around this time also included a part on the TV movie “The Sight” (FX, 2000-01). She also contributed to a variety of television specials, including “Body and Soul” (PBS, 1993-94) and “King Lear” (PBS, 1998-99). She also worked in television around this time, including a part on “At Home with the Braithwaites” (1999-2003). Redman took on film roles in more recent years, appearing in “The Wedding Tackle” (2000), “Mike Bassett: England Manager” (2001) and “Sexy Beast” (2001) with Ray Winstone. She also had a part in the TV miniseries “Little Dorrit” (2008-09). Most recently, Redman acted on “The Trials of Jimmy Rose” (ITV 1, 2015-).
  • Acted In: Little Dorrit, New Tricks, At Home with the Braithwaites, Dangerfield, The Channel Four Show
  • Birthplace: Brighton, East Sussex, England, UK
  • Nationality: England

• Anthony Calf

  Anthony Calf is an English actor who appeared in “The Children Act,” “The Madness of King George,” and “Upstairs, Downstairs.”
  • Acted In: Pride and Prejudice, New Tricks, Trinity, Great Expectations, Beau Brummell: This Charming Man
  • Birthplace: Hammersmith, London, England, UK
  • Nationality: England

• Denis Lawson

  Denis Lawson is a Scottish screen and stage actor who won international recognition for playing the lead role of John Jarndyce in the British TV miniseries “Bleak House.” Lawson trained in theatrical arts at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and began his stage career on London’s West End, appearing in a minor role in a 1969 production of “The Metamorphosis.” In the 1970s Lawson played numerous supporting roles on British TV dramas, most notably as Launcelot Gobbo in the 1973 film version of “The Merchant of Venice.” After appearing as X-wing pilot Wedge Antilles in all three films in the original “Star Wars” trilogy, he returned to stage acting in the late ’80s and ’90s, making occasional guest appearances on TV comedies and dramas. He also gained notice for his supporting role as the innkeeper Gordon Urquhart in Bill Forsyth’s sly Scottish comedy “Local Hero.” But Lawson’s greatest success came in 2005 when he was cast as the male lead in the BBC critically acclaimed miniseries adaptation of Charles Dickens’s “Bleak House.” The series garnered numerous critical accolades both in the U.K. and abroad, with Lawson himself earning an Emmy nomination for his performance as the kindly John Jarndyce.
  • Acted In: Jekyll, Holby City, Bleak House, Criminal Justice, Marchlands
  • Birthplace: Crieff, Perthshire, Scotland, UK
  • Nationality: United Kingdom
• Dennis Waterman

  Dennis Waterman (born 24 February 1948) is an English actor and singer, best known for his tough-guy roles in television series including The Sweeney, Minder and New Tricks.
  Waterman’s acting career has spanned almost 60 years, starting with his childhood roles in film and theatre, and his adult roles in film, television, and West End theatre.
  He is notable for the range of roles he played, including horror (Scars of Dracula), adventure (Colditz), comedy (Fair Exchange), comedy-drama (Minder), musical (Windy City) and sports (The World Cup: A Captain’s Tale), as well as police TV series such as The Sweeney.
  He has appeared in 28 films, Waterman retired in 2015
  • Acted In: The Sweeney, New Tricks, Minder, Stay Lucky, Follow the Yellow Brick Road
  • Birthplace: Clapham, London, England, UK
  • Nationality: England

• James Bolam

  James Bolam’s acting talents were showcased on the big screen many times throughout the course of his Hollywood career. Bolam started his acting career landing roles in films, such as the dramatic adaptation “A Kind of Loving” (1962) with Alan Bates, the drama “The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner” (1962) with Tom Courtenay and the Tom Courtenay comedic adaptation “Otley” (1969). He also appeared in “In Celebration” (1975) and “The Likely Lads” (1976). He had a part on the television special “As You Like It” (PBS, 1978-79). His passion for acting continued to his roles in projects like “Seaview Knights” (1994), “Clockwork Mice” (1995) and the Ralph Fiennes dramatic adaptation “The End of the Affair” (1999). His work around this time also included a part on the TV movie “The Island on Bird Street” (Showtime, 1998-99). He also lent his voice to the animated adaptation “The Plague Dogs” (1982) with Warren Mitchell. He also worked in television during these years, including a part on “Born and Bred (BBC)” (BBC 1, 2001-05). He also was featured in the TV movie “Death of a Stranger” (2000-01). Bolam most recently acted in the dramatic adaptation “To Kill a King” (2003) with Dougray Scott.
  • Acted In: New Tricks, Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?, The Likely Lads, The Beiderbecke Affair, The Beiderbecke Tapes
  • Birthplace: Sunderland, Tyne-and-Wear, England, UK
  • Nationality: United Kingdom

• Photo:
  • Metaweb (FB)
  • Fair use

• Metaweb (FB)
• Fair use

Alun Armstrong

• Acted In: Little Dorrit, New Tricks, Bleak House, David Copperfield, When I’m 64
• Birthplace: Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England, UK
• Nationality: United Kingdom

• Photo:
  • flickr
  • CC0

• flickr
• CC0

Amanda Redman

• Acted In: Little Dorrit, New Tricks, At Home with the Braithwaites, Dangerfield, The Channel Four Show
• Birthplace: Brighton, East Sussex, England, UK
• Nationality: England

• Photo:
  • uploaded by Bojangles

• uploaded by Bojangles

Anthony Calf

• Acted In: Pride and Prejudice, New Tricks, Trinity, Great Expectations, Beau Brummell: This Charming Man
• Birthplace: Hammersmith, London, England, UK
• Nationality: England

• Photo:
  • CC-BY

• CC-BY

Denis Lawson

• Acted In: Jekyll, Holby City, Bleak House, Criminal Justice, Marchlands
• Birthplace: Crieff, Perthshire, Scotland, UK
• Nationality: United Kingdom

• Photo:
  • Metaweb
  • GNU Free Documentation License

• Metaweb
• GNU Free Documentation License

Dennis Waterman

• Acted In: The Sweeney, New Tricks, Minder, Stay Lucky, Follow the Yellow Brick Road
• Birthplace: Clapham, London, England, UK
• Nationality: England

• Photo:
  • Metaweb

• Metaweb

James Bolam

• Acted In: New Tricks, Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?, The Likely Lads, The Beiderbecke Affair, The Beiderbecke Tapes
• Birthplace: Sunderland, Tyne-and-Wear, England, UK
• Nationality: United Kingdom