Crisp also acted on television and in films. He made his debut as a film actor in the Royal College of Art's low-budget production of "Hamlet" (1976). Crisp played Polonius in the 65-minute adaptation of Shakespeare's play, supported by Helen Mirren, who doubled as Ophelia and Gertrude. He subsequently appeared in the 1985 film "The Bride", which brought him into contact with Sting, who played the lead role of Baron Frankenstein. Crisp also appeared on the television show "The Equalizer" in the 1987 episode "First Light", and as the narrator of director Richard Kwietniowski's short film "Ballad of Reading Gaol" (1988), based on the poem by Oscar Wilde. Four years later, he was cast in a lead role, and got top billing, in the low-budget independent film "", playing the door-man of a flea-bag hotel in a run-down neighbourhood, quite like the one he dwelled in. According to director Thomas Massengale, Crisp was a delight to work with.