Todd Carty

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Todd Carty
Born	August 31, 1963 (1963-08-31) (age 44) Limerick City, Munster, Ireland

Todd Carty (born 31 August 1963, Limerick City, Munster, Republic of Ireland)^[1] is an Irish-born British-based actor and director, who has grown up on television screens in a variety of roles in the UK. His stage work has varied from pantomime to serious drama, as well as radio plays, voice overs, commercials and narrations.

He is best known for his roles as schoolboy Tucker Jenkins (Peter Tucker Jenkins) in Grange Hill, market trader Mark Fowler in EastEnders and villainous policeman Gabriel Kent in The Bill.

Contents 1 Personal life 2 Career 2.1 Early career 2.2 EastEnders 2.3 Other television and film appearances 2.4 Radio, presenting and stage 2.5 Directing and producing 3 References 4 External links

[edit] Personal life

Born in Limerick City, Munster, Republic of Ireland in 1963, his family emigrated to England, so Carty spent his early years in Kilburn, North London, before moving to Harrow in NW London when he was 8 years old.^[2] As of 2008, Carty lives in Muswell Hill, North London.^[3] He has been in a relationship with his childhood sweetheart and business partner, actress/writer and film producer Dina Clarkin since 1992; they have two sons, James and Thomas. In an interview with the Daily Mirror, Carty explained how he first met Clarkin when she was a child actress, through their parents. Carty describes Dina as his soul mate. ^[4]

He is a West Ham United supporter, the West Ham team were guests on This is Your Life tribute to Todd Carty in the year 2000. Todd follows the fortunes of the Republic of Ireland, along with the Ireland rugby team team and the Munster Rugby team.

It was reported on BBC World News on 16 February 2008 that Todd Carty had collapsed on stage while performing in The Business of Murder, at The Gordon Craig Theatre, Stevenage.^[5] Some newspapers claimed that Carty had suffered a heart attack, though his agent strenuously denied this on BBC News, claiming the collapse was caused by a middle ear infection and that the actor had run out of medication.^[6] Carty confirmed this while being interviewed on ITV's Loose Women, shortly after the event.

[edit] Career

[edit] Early career

His first television appearance in the UK was in an advertisement for Woolworths at the age of four. He also had other advertising roles, including one with Doctor Who actor Jon Pertwee and the "Green Cross Code".

He made his first stage appearance at the New London Theatre, Drury Lane as the young Lionel in Lionel Bart's autobiographical musical Lionel; however, his television career in his youth was mostly defined by his role as Tucker Jenkins in Phil Redmond's popular BBC drama, Grange Hill (1978-1982), and the subsequent spin off series, Tucker's Luck (1983-1985).

During the 1970s and 1980s Carty also appeared in Z Cars (1976), Our Mutual Friend, Drummer, Headmaster all for the BBC. And for German TV, Focus on Britain, and The Idle Bunch. His film work at the time included Professor Popper's Problems and Please Sir!. In 1983, he landed the role of Oswyn in the fantasy film Krull opposite Ken Marshall, Lysette Anthony, Liam Neeson, and Alun Armstrong amongst others.

[edit] EastEnders

Carty took over the role of original character Mark Fowler in BBC's EastEnders in 1990, following the death of the original actor, David Scarboro. Carty's character was notable for being the first mainstream soap protagonist to be diagnosed as HIV-positive. Carty played the role for 13 years, becoming one of the longest running male cast-members. In July 2002, the BBC announced that Mark Fowler was being written out of the serial, a mutual decision between the producers and Carty. Executive producer Louise Berridge said that Carty had made a "fantastic contribution" to the soap and Mark had been a "pivotal figure", but the character had finally run its course: "Todd and I have discussed this at some length and agreed that it was time for Mark to hang up his leather jacket for the last time. We will all miss Todd, who is one of our best-loved actors, and wish him every success in the future."^[7] Carty made his final appearance as Mark in February 2003. The character was subsequently killed off-screen in 2004, dying of an AIDS-related illness. Carty has since revealed that he broke his EastEnders contract a year earlier than planned to take another role, which resulted in Mark's off-screen death.^[8]

[edit] Other television and film appearances

Whilst still in EastEnders in 1997, Carty appeared with his friend and former EastEnders co-star Nick Berry in the Victorian period adventure film The Black Velvet Band, a spaghetti western style drama. Carty was the subject of a This Is Your Life tribute in 2000. Guests included Wendy Richard, Norman Wisdom, Nick Berry, his partner Dina Clarkin, sons James and Thomas and his father-in-law, actor Tony Clarkin.

After leaving EastEnders in 2003, Carty went on to play "bent copper", PC Gabriel Kent, in ITV's The Bill. After leaving The Bill in 2005, he returned to the big screen as the aristocrat Harvey Van Bollingbroke in the movie The Treasure of Albion. Carty acted in The School That Roared as the eccentric Mr. Haig, for which he was also second unit director.

He has guest-starred as Ray Hallam in the Christmas special of the TV series Heartbeat, and in BBC's Holby City, as villain Cameron Cooke. In 2008, he guest-starred in BBC's Doctors, playing the part of Kev Blake.

In 2003, Carty reprised the role of Tucker Jenkins in Grange Hill, as the uncle of one the pupils Patrick "Togger" Johnson.^[9] He appeared in one episode, however, he was brought back once again to film for Grange Hill's last ever series, broadcast in 2008 — a one-off special episode to celebrate the 30th birthday of the long-running BBC TV show. A movie of Grange Hill, which will star Todd Carty, has been announced, and is in the early stages of development.^[10]

Carty was a guest on the BBC1 show Id Do Anything, in May 2008, with Cameron Mackintosh, helping to choose one of the selected boys to play Oliver Twist, for the new West End production of Oliver!

[edit] Radio, presenting and stage

Carty's radio work includes such dramas as Les Misérables; The Three Loves of Ida Bliss; We Are Happy; Wavelength; Midweek; Jellybones;The London Particulars, and The Chocolate Frigate. Narration work includes Paddington Green; the story of New York subway's Guardian Angels,Scene in New York; The Fame Game; Driving Mum Crazy; Snapshot-Eddie Kidd; The Jungle Creatures and many more.

Carty has played Ali Baba in the BBC Christmas pantomime Aladdin and later starred with Barbara Windsor as the captain's mate in Dick Whittington at The Orchard Theatre, Dartford. He also appeared as "King Rat", with Basil Brush in the pantomime Dick Whittington at The Wycombe Swan Theatre, between 2005 and 2006.^[11] He reprised the role of King Rat in a new version of Dick Whittington, at The Capital Theatre, Horsham, which ran from 13 December 2007 to 6 January 2008.

In 1989, Carty reprised the role of Tucker in the musical stage version of the TV series Grange Hill, Grange Hill: Tucker's Return, at the Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch. Between 2007 and 2008, he toured the UK with the stage Richard Harris play, "The Business of Murder", as Police Detective Hallett.

Todd Carty and Wendy Richard (who famously played his screen mother Pauline in EastEnders) presented "50 Greatest Families" on Sky One in March 2008.

[edit] Directing and producing

Carty and his partner actress/writer and film producer Dina Clarkin set up a film production company, Swordfish Productions.^[12] In July 2007, Carty made his directorial debut as director of several episodes of the BBC's daytime soap opera, Doctors.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Todd Carty at the Internet Movie Database