# Clive Mantle
**Clive Mantle** (Clive Andrew Mantle, born 1957 in Barnet, Hertfordshire) is a British actor known for playing [Little John](https://www.edgepedia.org/little-john) in the fantasy series *Robin of Sherwood*, general surgeon Mike Barratt in the BBC hospital dramas *Casualty* and *Holby City*, and Lord Greatjon Umber in HBO's *Game of Thrones*.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0544139/fullcredits) • [2](https://www.eno.org/artists/clive-mantle/) He has worked on stage and screen for over 40 years, and is also a narrator of audio books and a published author.[3](https://www.clivemantle.com/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1957, Barnet, Hertfordshire, England[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0544139/fullcredits) |
| Training | Kimbolton School 1970–75; RADA 1978–80; five years with the National Youth Theatre in eleven productions[2](https://www.eno.org/artists/clive-mantle/) |
| Breakout role | Little John in *Robin of Sherwood* (1984–1986), a fantastical take on the Robin Hood legend[2](https://www.eno.org/artists/clive-mantle/) • [4](https://gameofthrones.fandom.com/wiki/Clive_Mantle) |
| Signature television role | General surgeon Mike Barratt in *Casualty* (1992–1996) and *Holby City* (1999–2000); returned for *Casualty*'s 30th anniversary in 2016[5](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/mantle-clive-1957) • [2](https://www.eno.org/artists/clive-mantle/) |
| *Game of Thrones* | Greatjon Umber, 3 episodes in 2011, first appearing in "The Pointy End"[4](https://gameofthrones.fandom.com/wiki/Clive_Mantle) • [6](https://www.themoviedb.org/person/145533-clive-mantle?language=en-US) |
| Voice work | More than 180 audio books; voiced Gator in *Thomas & Friends*[3](https://www.clivemantle.com/) |
| Author | *The Treasure at the Top of the World* (24 May 2018), winner of the Peoples Book Prize 2019[3](https://www.clivemantle.com/) |
## Early life and training
Mantle grew up in Barnet in [North London](https://www.edgepedia.org/north-london) and was a chorister in St. John's choir, Cambridge for four years.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0544139/fullcredits) He attended Kimbolton School in [Cambridgeshire](https://www.edgepedia.org/cambridgeshire) between 1970 and 1975, appeared in 11 productions of the [National Youth Theatre](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-youth-theatre) across five seasons between 1974 and 1978, and trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art from 1978 to 1980.[2](https://www.eno.org/artists/clive-mantle/) Before acting, he worked as a farmer and a caretaker; his height, 6 feet 5½ inches, later suited him to imposing characters such as Little John.[7](https://www.robinofsherwood.org/rosbios/clive.html)
## Stage beginnings
He began a stage career in the 1980s alongside television roles. For his performance as Lennie in *Of Mice and Men* he was nominated for an Olivier Award in 1984 and was joint Best Newcomer in the Plays and Players Awards.[2](https://www.eno.org/artists/clive-mantle/) Reference sources differ on the award dates: Encyclopedia.com records an Olivier Award for most promising newcomer in 1985 for *Of Mice and Men*,[5](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/mantle-clive-1957) while the Wiki of Westeros gives the year as 1986,[4](https://gameofthrones.fandom.com/wiki/Clive_Mantle) and the ENO dates the nomination to 1984.[2](https://www.eno.org/artists/clive-mantle/)
His theater work has included Mitch in Tim Alberry's production of *A Streetcar Named Desire* at the [Crucible Theatre](https://www.edgepedia.org/crucible-theatre), Sheffield, a performance that drew attention from television producers; Jurgen in the award-winning *Coming Clean* at the Bush Theatre, London; Achilles in *Troilus & Cressida* for the RSC at the Barbican; and Frank in *Educating Rita*.[3](https://www.clivemantle.com/) • [8](https://www.beyondthetitle.co.uk/portfolio/clive-mantle-in-conversation/)
## Television
**Little John and Mike Barratt.** In 1984 he was cast as Little John in *Robin of Sherwood*, remaining with the cult series through three series until 1986.[2](https://www.eno.org/artists/clive-mantle/) • [3](https://www.clivemantle.com/) From 1992 to 1996 he played general surgeon Mike Barratt in *Casualty*, then carried the character into the spin-off *Holby City* from 1999 to 2000, appearing in 16 episodes there.[5](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/mantle-clive-1957) • [6](https://www.themoviedb.org/person/145533-clive-mantle?language=en-US) He returned to *Casualty* as Barratt in 2016 for the show's 30th anniversary.[2](https://www.eno.org/artists/clive-mantle/)
**Later roles.** He has appeared as Simon Horton in *The Vicar of Dibley* and as Tony Curry, the father of [Will Mellor](https://www.edgepedia.org/will-mellor)'s character Ollie, in the BBC sitcom *White Van Man*, playing Tony in 12 episodes in 2012.[3](https://www.clivemantle.com/) • [6](https://www.themoviedb.org/person/145533-clive-mantle?language=en-US) In *Game of Thrones* he played Lord Greatjon Umber, confirmed in the role on 20 August 2010; his three episodes aired in 2011, from "[The Pointy End](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-pointy-end)" to "[Fire and Blood](https://www.edgepedia.org/fire-and-blood-game-of-thrones)".[4](https://gameofthrones.fandom.com/wiki/Clive_Mantle) • [6](https://www.themoviedb.org/person/145533-clive-mantle?language=en-US) Other credits include an episode of *Sherlock* (2012) as Dr Frankland, six episodes of *Damned* (2016) as Dennis, and the 2009 film *Into the Storm*.[6](https://www.themoviedb.org/person/145533-clive-mantle?language=en-US)
## Film and voice work
His film appearances include *Party Party* (1983), *Without a Clue* (1988), *White Hunter Black Heart* (1990) as Harry, and *Alien 3* (1992) as William.[5](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/mantle-clive-1957) His own website notes that in *White Hunter Black Heart* he played the first man in cinema history to beat up [Clint Eastwood](https://www.edgepedia.org/clint-eastwood) and survive to the end of the film.[3](https://www.clivemantle.com/)
As a voice actor he has recorded more than 180 audio books and voiced animated characters, including Gator in *Thomas & Friends*, heard in *Thomas & Friends: Tale of the Brave* (2014).[3](https://www.clivemantle.com/) • [6](https://www.themoviedb.org/person/145533-clive-mantle?language=en-US)
## Writing and later work
Mantle is an author of children's fiction. *The Treasure at the Top of the World*, the first of his Freddie Malone adventures, was released on 24 May 2018 and won the Peoples Book Prize 2019, announced on 8 May 2019; a third Freddie Malone title, *In the City of Fortune and Flames*, was published in 2020.[3](https://www.clivemantle.com/) • [9](https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/1298095.Clive_Mantle) [Television](https://www.edgepedia.org/television) viewers have also seen him on game shows: he won £100,000 on *Beat the Chasers* in 2021, donating the winnings to the National Youth Theatre.[3](https://www.clivemantle.com/) • [6](https://www.themoviedb.org/person/145533-clive-mantle?language=en-US)
On stage he has continued to work steadily, playing the Narrator in *The Rocky Horror Show*, the villain Abanazer in pantomimes including one at the Theatre Royal, Bath over Christmas 2007–2008, and [Tommy Cooper](https://www.edgepedia.org/tommy-cooper) in *Jus' Like That! A Night Out with Tommy Cooper*, which he toured with his wife, the actress Carla Mendonca.[2](https://www.eno.org/artists/clive-mantle/) • [3](https://www.clivemantle.com/) With English National Opera he played Captain Shaw in Cal McCrystal's production of *Iolanthe* at the London Coliseum in both 2018 and 2023.[2](https://www.eno.org/artists/clive-mantle/) • [3](https://www.clivemantle.com/) Recent engagements include *The Children* by Lucy Kirkwood at Nottingham Playhouse and the Peter James thriller *Wish You Were Dead* on a seven-month tour.[3](https://www.clivemantle.com/)
## References
1. [Clive Mantle – IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0544139/fullcredits)
2. [Clive Mantle – English National Opera artist page](https://www.eno.org/artists/clive-mantle/)
3. [Welcome to clivemantle.com – official site](https://www.clivemantle.com/)
4. [Clive Mantle – Wiki of Westeros](https://gameofthrones.fandom.com/wiki/Clive_Mantle)
5. [Mantle, Clive 1957– – Encyclopedia.com](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/mantle-clive-1957)
6. [Clive Mantle – The Movie Database](https://www.themoviedb.org/person/145533-clive-mantle?language=en-US)
7. [Spirit of Sherwood: Clive Mantle](https://www.robinofsherwood.org/rosbios/clive.html)
8. [Clive Mantle – In Conversation, Beyond The Title](https://www.beyondthetitle.co.uk/portfolio/clive-mantle-in-conversation/)
9. [Books by Clive Mantle – Goodreads](https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/1298095.Clive_Mantle)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › English actors: 1970s to 1990s › Surnames L to M*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license