Lorcan Cranitch

Last updated

Lorcan Cranitch
Born (1959-08-28) 28 August 1959 (age 66)
Dublin, Ireland
NationalityIrish
OccupationActor
Years active1978present

Lorcan Cranitch (born 28 August 1959) is an Irish actor.

Contents

Born in Dublin, Cranitch became involved in drama while a student. In 1980 he moved to London, where he trained at RADA. [1] He became known for the role of Jimmy Beck in the British series Cracker (1993-1995) and has had many roles in British television.

Career

His first major role on British television was as Tim Healy in the 1991 BBC drama series Parnell and the Englishwoman . [2] It was as the troubled DS Jimmy Beck in Cracker (1993-1995) that he became a familiar face to viewers.

Following Cracker he returned to the BBC in a part specially written for him, as Sean Dillon in Ballykissangel . [3] In 2001 he starred in the short-lived drama series McCready and Daughter , taking on a role originally intended for his former Ballykissangel co-star, Tony Doyle, who died shortly before the series was due to be filmed. He appeared in several other British television dramas, including Deacon Brodie (with Billy Connolly), Shackleton (as Frank Wild) with Kenneth Branagh, Omagh, Hornblower (with Ioan Gruffudd), The Street, Waking the Dead , Spooks , Silent Witness and New Tricks . In 2005 he took a villainous role in the HBO/BBC production of Rome , as the underworld baron Erastes Fulmen. In the 2009 BBC drama Best: His Mother's Son, he played Dickie Best, the father of footballer George Best. He also appeared in The Bill playing DCI Frank Keane.

Lorcan briefly appeared as DI Littlejohn in the Sky Atlantic series Fortitude.

On film he has appeared in Dancing at Lughnasa with Meryl Streep, The Playboys and Titanic Town.

He played Melvin in "New Tricks" "Communal Living" (S5:E7) in 2008. In 2011 he appeared as Liam Cullen in “The Gift of Promise”, (S5:E4) of Lewis . He appeared in the BBC series Death in Paradise (S5:E7), 2016. In 2017 he played Assistant Chief Constable Nicholls in the first part of the final series of the BBC drama Inspector George Gently , (S8.E1)

He has combined this with stage work with The Royal National Theatre, The Royal Shakespeare Company, Donmar West End, The Abbey and The Gate Theatre in Dublin. [4]

In February 2021, Cranitch took a lead role as Detective Chief Superintendent Jackie Twomey in the BBC crime drama series Bloodlands . [5]

Personal life

Cranitch attended secondary school at Terenure College. [6] Cranitch was married to Susan Jackson, a journalist and newsreader with RTÉ. [7] They adopted an Ethiopian child in 2010. [8] The couple separated in 2016. His sister, Ellen Cranitch, is a regular presenter on Lyric FM, RTÊ's classical music station.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1987 The Magic Toyshop Francie
Empire State Richard
1991 Chernobyl: The Final Warning ChernovTelevision film
1992 The Playboys Ryan / John Joe
You, Me and Marley Father TomTelevision film
1997The Heart SurgeonLarry DugganTelevision film
Food of Love Luke
1998 Macbeth Macduff Television film
Titanic Town Tony
Night Train Billy
Dancing at Lughnasa Danny Bradley
2000 McCready and Daughter Michael McCreadyTelevision film
My Fragile Heart Bernard CleveTelevision film
2003 Loyalty WolfeTelevision film
Duty Television film
2004Magic CircleClerkShort film
Omagh Ronnie Flanagan Television film
The Queen of Sheba's Pearls Harold Bradley
2008 Summer of the Flying Saucer Ciaran
God on Trial BlockaltesterTelevision film
2009 Best: His Mother's Son Dickie BestTelevision film
2012Come OnGroomShort film
Flying BlindDuncan Morehouse
2013The Food Guide to LoveEddie
2014 Love, Rosie Dennis Dunne
The Legend of LongwoodLance Wicklow
2015The Bloody IrishJames ConnollyTelevision film
2016My Life for IrelandPump ManShort film
2017Take Me SwimmingInterviewerShort film
2018 The Dig Sean McKenna
2019DadDadTelevision film
2020 Herself Michael
DriftingDiarmuidShort film
2021Ship of SoulsMichaelShort film
Christmas at Castle HartPatrick O'ReillyTelevision film
2022 Róise & Frank Donncha
Aisha Peter Flood
Tarrac Bear
Lakelands Diarmuid
Burn It AllMr. BarrettShort film
LOLA Major General Norbury
StumblingLogan
2023 A Greyhound of a Girl Make JudgeVoice only

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1978 The Spike Fiona's BoyfriendEpisode: "The Curtin Equation"
1985 Bergerac Police SniperEpisode: "Avenge O Lord"
1987 ScreenPlay Mr. ScottEpisode: "The Venus de Milo Instead"
1991 Parnell and the Englishwoman Timothy HealyMiniseries; 4 episodes
1993 The Bill Laurence ConnorEpisode: "If It Isn't Hurting"
1993–1995 Cracker DS Jimmy BeckSeries regular; 19 episodes
1994 Family Tutorial TeacherEpisode: "John Paul"
1995 Screen Two Leo DoyleEpisode: "Life After Life"
1996 The Bill Trevor DavisEpisode: "Repossession"
1997 Screen Two George SmithEpisode: "Deacon Smith"
1998Close RelationsStephenMiniseries; 5 episodes
1998–1999 Ballykissangel Sean DillonSeries regular; 24 episodes
2001 McCready and Daughter Michael McCreadySeries regular; 5 episodes
Rebel Heart Inspector NelsonMiniseries; 2 episodes
2002 Shackleton Frank Wild Miniseries; 2 episodes
2002–2003 Spooks Patrick McCannRecurring role; 2 episodes
2003 Hornblower WolfeRecurring role; 2 episodes
2005–2007 Rome Erastes FulmenRecurring role; 6 episodes
2006 The Bill DCI Frank KeaneRecurring role; 7 episodes
2007Trouble in ParadiseDoc LittleRecurring role; 2 episodes
The Last Detective Patrick CunninghamEpisode: "The Dead Peasants Society"
Rebus Thomas SteeleEpisode: "The First Stone"
The Street Danny ParrRecurring role; 2 episodes
2008 The Palace Jonty RobertsSeries regular; 8 episodes
Waking the Dead Victor ColeridgeEpisode: "Wounds"
New Tricks MelvinEpisode: "Communal Living"
2009 The Clinic DiarmuidRecurring role; 3 episodes
Paradox Simon ManningMiniseries; 5 episodes
20101916 Seachtar na CáscaJames ConnollyMiniseries; 7 episodes
Law & Order: UK Mike JonesEpisode: "Help"
Single-Handed Niall O'SullivanEpisode: "A Cold Heaven"
2011 Silent Witness DS MansfieldEpisode: "The Prodigal"
Lewis Liam CullenEpisode: "The Gift of Promise"
20131916 Seachtar DearmadtaJames ConnollyMiniseries; 7 episodes
Moonfleet MeechMiniseries; 3 episodes
2014 The Crimson Field Aloysius McCaffertyEpisode: "Episode 3"
Penny Dreadful Inspector GranworthyRecurring role; 2 episodes
2014–2015 Atlantis CilixSeries regular; 7 episodes
2015 Fortitude DI LittlejohnRecurring role; 4 episodes
Code of a Killer DI Alan MaddenMiniseries; 2 episodes
The Last Kingdom Father SelbixRecurring role; 2 episodes
2016 Death in Paradise Tosh WalkerEpisode: "The Blood Red Sea"
Barbarians Rising Avitus Episode: "Ruin"
2017 Inspector George Gently ACC NichollsEpisode: "Gently Liberated"
Acceptable Risk James NultyMiniseries; 3 episodes
2019 Les Misérables Chief InspectorRecurring role; 2 episodes
Vera Roy BrewerEpisode: "Cuckoo"
2020Rig 45AdamSeries regular; 6 episodes
2021–2022 Bloodlands Jackie TwomeySeries regular; 10 episodes
2022 Magpie Murders Sir Magnus Pye / Max RyelandRecurring role; 4 episodes
2023 The Crown Commissioner Stevens Episode: "Hope Street"

References

  1. Times Online interview [ dead link ]
  2. "PBS Masterpiece God on Trial: Characters". PBS . Archived from the original on 19 August 2016. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  3. "Ballykissangel Examiner". Archived from the original on 22 October 2008. Retrieved 18 June 2009.
  4. Abbey Theatre: Lorcan Cranitch Archived 2012-11-18 at the Wayback Machine
  5. "Bloodlands actor Lorcan Cranitch on filming crime drama in Northern Ireland, 20 February 2021". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  6. "President pays tribute to acting genius who mesmerised on stage". 8 May 2013. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
  7. "Super Susan reads the RTE news in hoodie and T-shirt", herald.ie, 18 May 2013. Accessed 7 Nov 2014
  8. "Lorcan's biggest role", independent.ie, 8 May 2011. Accessed 7 Nov 2014