Douglas Reith
Known for Acting · 32 credits
- Born
- 1953-07-16 (age 72)
- Place of birth
- Melton, Suffolk, England, UK
Biography
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 two follow-up films.
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.
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).
Known For
TV Shows (15)
Outlander
2014
as Professor Brown
The Crown
2016
as Admiral Leach
Downton Abbey
2010
as Lord Merton
Minder
1979
as Bellars
Rumpole of the Bailey
1975
as Sergeant Downs
Playhouse
1974
as Fitzgeorge
Agatha Raisin
2016
as Lord Pendlebury
Professor T
2021
as Dean
Pandora
2019
as Prescott Fleming
Ancient Rome: The Rise and Fall of an Empire
2006
as Metellus
Rose and Maloney
2002
Fearless
2017
as Justice Angus Hill
Elizabeth I
2005
as Jude / Judge
Cold Warrior
1984
as Ferris
The Prince and the Pauper
1996
as Chamberlain
Movies (17)
Rush
2013
as Awards Presenter
Dumbo
2019
as Sotheby
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale
2025
as Lord Merton
Downton Abbey
2019
as Lord Merton
SAS: Red Notice
2021
as Sir Charles Whiteside
Downton Abbey: A New Era
2022
as Lord Merton
The Queen
2006
as Lord Airlie
W.E.
2011
as Lord Brownlow
The War Below
2021
as Field Marshal Haig
Serial Teachers 2
2015
as Le chef de la sécurité
International Velvet
1978
as Howard
Enid
2009
as BBC Interviewer
Amy
1984
as Jimmy Martin
The Queen's Sister
2005
as Horace Featherstonehaugh
An Englishman Abroad
1983
as Toby
The Happy Autumn Fields
1980
as Fitzgeorge
Bloodlines: Legacy of a Lord
1998
About Douglas Reith
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 two follow-up films. 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. He worked as an announcer and presenter at BBC Radio 3 for five years before leaving to study Greats at Christ Church, Oxford f… With 32 credits spanning from 1974 to 2025, Douglas Reith has appeared in 17 films and 15 TV shows.
Fans searching for Douglas Reith movies, Douglas Reith filmography, or the latest projects starring Douglas Reith can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Douglas Reith Movies
- Rush (2013) — as Awards Presenter
- Dumbo (2019) — as Sotheby
- Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale (2025) — as Lord Merton
- Downton Abbey (2019) — as Lord Merton
- SAS: Red Notice (2021) — as Sir Charles Whiteside
Where to Watch Douglas Reith Films
Most Douglas Reith movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Douglas Reith, check our movies catalogue and browse page.