Name	Richard Armitage
Height
Naionality	English
Date of Birth	22-August-1971
Place of Birth	Huncote, Leicester, Leicestershire, England, UK
Famous for	Acting

Richard Armitage is an English actor famous for his roles as John Thornton in North & South, Guy of Gisborne in Robin Hood, and Lucas North in Spooks. He plays Thorin Oakenshield in the three-film adaptation of The Hobbit.

After completing LAMDA's three year programme he returned to the stage as a supporting player with the Royal Shakespeare Company's productions of Macbeth and The Duchess of Malfi, as well as Hamlet and Four Alice Bakers with the Birmingham Repertory Theatre while taking a series of small roles in television and films. In 2002 he starred in the Charm Offensive's production of Use Me As Your Cardigan. In 2004, he appeared in his first leading role, as John Thornton in the BBC adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell's North and South. Armitage said that he felt personally drawn to the role. "My father's family were weavers and spinners. It was where I came from and it was exciting to think I could be a part of it." He also cited Thornton's dualism as drawing him to the character. "The dichotomy between the powerful, almost monstrous, entrepreneur and this kind of vulnerable boy is exciting for me to look at". In 2005, he played Peter MacDuff in Macbeth in the BBC's ShakespeaRe-Told series and appeared one episode of Inspector Lynley Mysteries called "In Divine Proportion" as a recovering gambling addict, Phillip Turner. Richard also starred in The Impressionists, playing the young Claude Monet and as Dr Alec Track in ITV's The Golden Hour, a medical series based on the London Air Ambulance. He also played his first substantial role in movies with the independent film Frozen.

Armitage appeared in a two-part 2006 Christmas special of The Vicar of Dibley, as Harry Kennedy – the vicar's new love interest (and eventual husband). He reprised the role in 2007 for Red Nose Day. On 8 April 2007, he starred in George Gently, a detective drama, with Martin Shaw and Lee Ingleby. Armitage played biker Ricky Deeming. On 9 May 2007, he appeared in the BBC Four production of Miss Marie Lloyd - Queen of The Music Hall playing Marie Lloyd's first husband, Percy Courtenay. He also appeared in the Granada TV production of Agatha Christie's novel Ordeal by Innocence as the character Philip Durrant.