Douglas Reith is a British actor and teacher. He is best known for his role as Lord Merton in the television series Downton Abbey (2010–2015), as well as its three follow-up films.
Early life Reith was born in Melton, Suffolk. He studied acting at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art. He began acting in the late 1970s, beginning with an appearance in International Velvet (1978) alongside Tatum O'Neal and Christopher Plummer.
Career He worked as an announcer and presenter at BBC Radio 3 for five years before leaving to study Greats at Christ Church, Oxford for four years beginning in 1989. He worked as a teacher, including at Westminster School, before resuming his acting career.
Reith joined the cast of Downton Abbey as Lord Merton in 2012, and alongside the cast was nominated for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series at the 23rd Screen Actors Guild Awards. He reprised the role in the films Downton Abbey (2019) and Downton Abbey: A New Era (2022). In 2017, Reith was cast in Tim Burton's live-action remake Dumbo (2019). In 2019, he was cast in SAS: Red Notice (2021).
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1978 International Velvet Howard 2006 The Queen David Ogilvy, 13th Earl of Airlie 2011 W.E. Lord Brownlow 2012 Tezz Railway Minister 2013 Rush Awards Presenter 2015 Serial Teachers 2 Head of Security 2017 55 Steps Chief Judge Justice Wilson2019 Dumbo Sotheby Downton Abbey Lord Merton2021 SAS: Red Notice Sir Charles Whiteside The War Below Field Marshal Douglas Haig 2022 Downton Abbey: A New Era Lord Merton 2025 Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale
Television Year Title Role Notes 1978 Angels Simon Lloyd-Smith 1 episode 1979 Rumpole of the Bailey Sergeant Downs 1 episode 1980 Minder Bellars 1 episode 1980 BBC2 Playhouse Fitzgeorge 1 episode 1982 Rentaghost Auctioneer 1 episode 1983 An Englishman Abroad Toby Television film 1984 Amy Jimmy Martin Television film 1984 Cold Warrior Ferris 1 episode 1985 Juliet Bravo Dr. Benson 1 episode 1999 CI5: The New Professionals Newscaster 1 episode 2003 Real Crime Royal Courtier 1 episode 2005 Rose and Maloney Sir Andrew Ross 1 episode 2005 Elizabeth I Judge Miniseries, 2 episodes 2005 The Queen's Sister Horace Featherstonehaugh Television film 2006 Poirot Serge Mureau 1 episode 2006 Ancient Rome: The Rise and Fall of an Empire Lucius Metellius Miniseries, 1 episode 2008 The Bill Clifford Peers 1 episode 2009 Enid BBC Interviewer Television film 2012–2015 Downton Abbey Lord Merton Recurring role, 16 episodes 2016 Agatha Raisin Lord Pendlebury 1 episode 2016 Sense8 Fischer the Consigliere 1 episode 2017 Fearless Justice Angus Hill 1 episode 2017 Outlander Professor Brown 1 episode 2019 Pandora Fleming 1 episode 2020 The Crown Admiral Henry Leach 1 episode 2021–present Professor T. The Dean Recurring role, 28 episodes
References
External links Douglas Reith at the Internet Movie Database