Anthony Head was born on February 20, 1954, in London. His father was documentary filmmaker Stewart Head and his mother was actress Helen Shingler. His older brother is actor and singer Murray Head. Antony Head attended the London Academy of Dramatic Art and Music. Among his earliest roles was in a production of Godspell. He made his television debut in a guest appearance on the TV series Enemy at the Door. He made his movie debut in Lady Chatterley's Lover in 1981. In the late Seventies, he guest starred on the shows Lillie, Accident, Jackanory Playhouse, The Mallens, Secret Army, and Love in a Cold Climate.
In the Eighties, he gained a good deal of visibility in a series of commercials for Nescafé Gold Blend coffee in the UK and Taster's Choice coffee in the United States. He and Sarah Maugham played a man and a woman who developed a romance over coffee. He guest stared on the shows Crown Court, Bergerac, BBC2 Playhouse, Celebrity Playhouse, C.A.T.S. Eye, Howard's Way, Boon, Pulaski, Rockliffe's Babies, The Comic Strip Presents, Les Girls, and Hard Cases. He appeared in the movies Lady Chatterley's Love (1981), A Prayer for the Dying (1987), and The Zero Option (1988).
In the Nineties, Anthony Head had a recurring role on the short-lived American series VR.5. It was in 1997, that he began his run as Rupert Giles on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The character proved popular with fans and following the end of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, creator Joss Whedon wanted to do a spinoff series, Ripper, with the BBC, although rights issues prevented him from doing so. During the decade; Anthony Head also guest starred on the shows Woof!; The Detectives; Highlander; NYPD Blue; Ghostbusters of East Finchley; Jonathan Creek; and Two Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza Place.
In the Naughts, Anthony Head continued to appear as Giles on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. He provided a voice for the animated mini-series Doctor Who: Death Comes to Time, Doctor Who: Excelis Decays, Doctor Who; The Infinite Quest,.. He played the Prime Minster on the show Little Britain and Uther Pendragon on Merlin. He was a regular on the shows Manchild and Free Agents and appeared in the mini-series The Invisibles. He guest starred on the shows Spooks, Filmore!, New Tricks, The Story of Tracy Beaker, Monarch of the Glen (on which he appeared in four episodes for himself), M.I.T.: Murder Investigation Team, My Family, Rose and Maloney, Hotel Babylon, Doctor Who, Sensitive Skin, Sold, and Freezing, He appeared in the movies I'll Be There (2003), Fat Slags (2004), Framing Frankie (2004), Imagine Me & You (2005), Scoop (2006), Sparkle (2007), Sweeny Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007), and Repo!: The Genetic Opera (2008).
In the Teens, Anthony Head continued to appear on Merlin. He reprised his role from the original British series on the short-lived American remake of Free Agents. He starred on the show You, Me & Them. He had a recurring role on the shows Dominion, Still Star-Crossed and Girlfriends. He appeared on the mini-series Dancing on the Edge, Vanity Fair, and The Stranger. He guest starred on the shows NTSF:SD:SUV::; Warehouse 13; Galavant; Guilt; Yonderland; Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments; The Split; Jack Ryan; and Robot Chicken. He began appearing on Ted Lasso in 2020. He appeared in the movies The Inbetweeners Movie (2011); The Great Ghost Rescue (2011); Ghost Rider:Spirit of Vengeance (2011); The Iron Lady (2011); Metegol (2013), Percy Jackson, Sea of Monsters (2013), Convenience (2013), The Unbeatables (2013), Death of a Farmer (2014), Flying Home (2014), Despite the Falling Show (2016), The Brother (2016), A Street Cat Named Bob (2016), Feedback (2019), Pinky (2020), and Sideshow (2020).
In the 2020s, Anthony Head continued to play Rupert Mannion on the show Ted Lasso. He starred in the mini-series The Canterville Ghost and a voice on the animated mini-series Adventure Time: Distant Lands. He guest starred on the shows Back, Feel Good, Bridgerton. and Motherland. He appeared in the movies Schools Out Forever (2021), Let the Wrong One In (2021), and Upgraded (2024).
Chances are good that Anthony Head will always be remembered as the prim, proper, serious, but very protective Rupert Giles on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. James Marsters (who played Spike on the show) referred to Anthony Head as the best actor on the show in his tribute to Anthony Head. Of course, Anthony Head played other roles beyond Giles. On Merlin, Anthony Head played a character as far from Giles as one can get, the tyrannical and autocratic Uther Pendragon. On Free Agents, he played the puckish and sex obsessed Stephen, In the movie The Iron Lady, he played Deputy Prime Minister Geoffrey Howe. He received critical acclaim for his role on Ted Lasso. Anthony Head was an excellent actor capable of playing a wide variety of roles.
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