History Creator / BrianBlessed

''Click [[SelfDemonstrating/BrianBlessed here]]. Receive [[LargeHam the largest of hams.]]'' You have been warned.

** He was approached for the role of the [[Characters/DoctorWhoSecondDoctor Second Doctor]] in ''Series/DoctorWho'' before the casting of Creator/PatrickTroughton. However, he turned down the offer due to his reluctance to commit to a long-running series, a decision he later said he regretted. He would eventually go on to portray King Yrcanos in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS23E2Mindwarp "Mindwarp"]].

* He's also appeared in ''WesternAnimation/{{Tarzan}}'' as Clayton, and went on to reprise the role in ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsI''. His performance was still quite [[LargeHam hamlike]]. He also provided the "Tarzan yell" for the film (since Creator/TonyGoldwyn wasn't able to create his own satisfactory version of the yell). Because '''of course''' he did.
* He's the Pirate King in ''WesternAnimation/ThePiratesInAnAdventureWithScientists''. The film has numerous ham jokes and the levels of loudness on the Pirate of the Year form include '''BRIAN BLESSED''' as the loudest possible level.

** For this reason, cinema bad boy Creator/OliverReed, normally a drunken brawler and a bully if he thought he could get away with it, scrupulously behaved on and off set when BrianBlessed was nearby. Brian could and did "have words" with Reed if he was behaving unacceptably.

* BillyElliotPlot: Inverted. BLESSED's father was staunchly against his son following in his footsteps and working in the coal mine, and was deeply relieved when his son decided to try his luck on the stage, and as BLESSED has said repeatedly in interviews, the mining village he grew up in was actually very interested in and tolerant of the arts, of poetry and Shakespeare in particular.

We all have that one friend that we know who '''''HAS NO INDOOR VOICE!''''' You know - the one who is '''''REALLY LOUD AND NOISY'''''. Now, meet their King... '''''BRIAN BLESSED!''''' [[UsefulNotes/KnightFever OBE]] (born October 9, 1936 in Mexborough, England)

* BadassBaritone: When he isn't [[LargeHam bellowing at the top of his lungs]], Brian Blessed shows that he has a pretty good singing voice, and can perform opera. His Pavarotti impression is [[url=https://youtu.be/MZW3RWBKOuw surprisingly good]].

He keeps in shape by climbing up large mountains. About the only thing on Earth larger than '''BRIAN BLESSED''' is Mount Everest, which he has attempted to scale three times without ''quite'' reaching the summit each time. Indeed, he has a story about narrowly avoiding an avalanche during a climb which caused him to, quote, "rage at the mountain". Yes, BRAIN BLESSED bellowed Mt Everest itself into submission. He also had to rescue a companion who broke his leg on one occasion, halting a mere (mountain climbing terms) few hundred feet from the summit, according to that nice Mr. Creator/StephenFry, off of the telly.

* FriendToAllLivingThings: As a vegetarian animal lover who described his late dog as a soul mate and has campaigned against the UK badger cull, Brian Blessed is certainly this.

* GentlemanAdventurer: Brian Blessed is as famous as a mountaineer, polar explorer and potential astronaut as he is an actor.

* BillyElliotPlot: Inverted. BLESSED's father was staunchly against his son following in his footsteps and working in the coal mine, and was deeply relieved when his son decided to try his luck on the stage.

* OlderThanTheyLook: Blessed is over 80, but looks at least 30 years younger.

* TheTeetotaler: Believe it or not, unlike many other actors of his generation, he doesn't touch alcohol. One can only imagine what would happen if he did...

** Patrick Stewart wanted him to play corrupt [[https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Matthew_Dougherty Admiral Dougherty]] in [[Film/StarTrekInsurrection Star Trek: Insurrection]], a role that ultimately went to significantly quieter actor Anthony Zerbe.

** He was approached for the role of the [[Characters/DoctorWhoSecondDoctor Second Doctor]] in ''Series/DoctorWho'' before the casting of Creator/PatrickTroughton. However, he turned down the offer due to his reluctance to commit to a long-running series. He would eventually go on to portray King Yrcanos in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS23E2Mindwarp "Mindwarp"]].

* BadassBaritone: When he isn't [[LargeHam bellowing at the top of his lungs]], Brian Blessed shows that he has a pretty powerful voice, and can sing opera.

* BadassBaritone: When he isn't [[LargeHam bellowing at the top of his lungs]], Brian Blessed shows that he has a pretty deep voice.

He keeps in shape by climbing up large mountains. About the only thing on Earth larger than '''BRIAN BLESSED''' is Mount Everest, which he has attempted to scale three times without ''quite'' reaching the summit each time, no doubt due to his hamminess causing an avalanche to send him tumbling down. He had to rescue a companion who broke his leg on one occasion, halting a mere (mountain climbing terms) few hundred feet from the summit, according to that nice Mr. Creator/StephenFry, off of the telly.

* GentleGiant: BLESSED may be calmer than apparent. During the filming of ''Prisoner of Honor'' he reportedly managed to keep Creator/OliverReed sober by sheer force of being big and intimidating. According to his official biography, ''Absolute Pandemonium: My Louder Than Life Story'', BLESSED perceived Reed as intimidating the other people on set and [[BigGood would not put up with that]].
** In real life his favorite food is cows, which he eats whole and in one gulp. (Seriously, though, he's a vegetarian and a regular meditator.)

* MegatonPunch: [[http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2014-10-09/the-day-brian-blessed-punched-and-knocked-out-peter-capaldi Revealed in October 2014]] that he accidentally knocked out Creator/PeterCapaldi while filming the costume drama [[Literature/TheHistoryOfTomJonesAFOundling The History Of Tom Jones]] in 1997.

* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: When Creator/PeterOToole offered him the chance to act opposite him in ''Theatre/MacBeth'', Brian gave him a piece of his mind... while dragging O'Toole all over his house.

* SirSwearsALot: Has one heck of a potty mouth, if [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBhPDxszukU this video is anything to go by...]]

* StoutStrength: If his appearances on {{Series/QI}} are any indication, as he's pulled other panelists out of their chairs during contests of strength.

** He was approached for the role of the [[Characters/DoctorWhoSecondDoctor Second Doctor]] in ''Series/DoctorWho'' before the casting of Creator/PatrickTroughton. However, he turned down the offer due to his relucatance to commit to a long-running series. He would eventually go on to portray King Yrcanos in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS23E2Mindwarp "Mindwarp"]].

* He directed and starred in an adaptation of ''Theatre/KingLear'' where he played the title character in 1999. It clocks in at one hundred and ninety two minutes. Strangely, where most actors would be screaming their heads of during the storm scene, Brian was much quieter in comparison to even how he usually is in films.

* Also, the Duke of Exeter in Branagh's ''Theatre/HenryV''. ("What treasure, Uncle?" "Tennis balls, my liege!")

We all have that one friend that we know who '''''HAS NO INDOOR VOICE!''''' You know - the one who is '''''REALLY LOUD AND NOISY'''''. Now, meet their King... '''''BRIAN BLESSED!''''' [[UsefulNotes/KnightFever OBE]] (born October 9, 1936)

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/brian_blessed.jpg]]
[++[[caption-width-right:350:'''''[[Main/MemeticMutation GORDON'S]] [[Film/FlashGordon1980 ALIIIIIIIVE?!]]''''']]++]

* He's also appeared in ''Disney/{{Tarzan}}'' as Clayton, and went on to reprise the role in ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsI''. His performance was still quite [[LargeHam hamlike]]. He also provided the "Tarzan yell" for the film (since Creator/TonyGoldwyn wasn't able to create his own satisfactory version of the yell). Because '''of course''' he did.

* And, further showing his historical roles, BLESSED also voices Lord Konrad Kyeser in ''Kingdom Come: Deliverance''.