Anton Meyer
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Anton Meyer is a fictional character from the
BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...
medical drama A medical drama is a Television film, television movie or film in which events center upon a hospital, clinic, doctor's office, a paramedic, or any other medical topic or environment. Most recent medical drama (film and television), dramatic progra ...
''
Holby City ''Holby City'' (stylised on-screen as HOLBY CIY) is a British medical drama television series that aired weekly on BBC One. It was created by Tony McHale and Mal Young as a Spin-off (media), spin-off from the established BBC medical drama '' ...
'', played by actor George Irving. He appeared in the series from its first episode, broadcast on 12 January 1999, until series four, episode 46, broadcast on 20 August 2002. His role in the show is that of
consultant A consultant (from "to deliberate") is a professional (also known as ''expert'', ''specialist'', see variations of meaning below) who provides advice or services in an area of specialization (generally to medium or large-size corporations). Cons ...
cardiothoracic surgeon and head of the cardiothoracic surgery department at Holby General. Irving had considerable input in creating the character, who was initially envisioned by the series producers as an
Iranian Iranian () may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Iran ** Iranian diaspora, Iranians living outside Iran ** Iranian architecture, architecture of Iran and parts of the rest of West Asia ** Iranian cuisine, cooking traditions and practic ...
surgeon named Hussein. At Irving's suggestion, Meyer became Hungarian, an emigrant to Britain following the
1956 Hungarian Revolution The Hungarian Revolution of 1956 (23 October – 4 November 1956; ), also known as the Hungarian Uprising, was an attempted countrywide revolution against the government of the Hungarian People's Republic (1949–1989) and the policies caused by ...
. Little of the backstory created for Meyer was ever revealed on-screen, as part of a deliberate bid to present the character as enigmatic, allowing viewers to project their own imagination onto him. Meyer is a driven, arrogant surgeon, with high expectations of his colleagues. His major storylines see him operate on his own sister, fear that he may have
motor neuron disease Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as motor neuron disease (MND) or—in the United States—Lou Gehrig's disease (LGD), is a rare, terminal neurodegenerative disorder that results in the progressive loss of both upper and low ...
, lose his spleen after being shot in a road rage incident, and ultimately depart from Holby for
Michigan Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...
when the hospital Board make impositions on his autonomy. Irving made the decision to leave the series as he struggled to set the character aside outside of work, which had a negative impact on his personal life. He ruled out the possibility of returning to ''Holby City'' in future, preferring his memory of Meyer to remain untarnished. Meyer proved popular with viewers and critics. Jim Shelley of '' The Mirror'' described Meyer as "one of the best characters on television in recent years".


Storylines

Meyer's major storylines include operating on his own sister when she falls ill, despite a long-term enmity with his brother-in-law, Greg. He seeks help from his friend,
neurologist Neurology (from , "string, nerve" and the suffix -logia, "study of") is the branch of medicine dealing with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of conditions and disease involving the nervous system, which comprises the brain, the ...
Professor Charles Merrick ( Simon Williams), when he fears he may have
motor neuron disease Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as motor neuron disease (MND) or—in the United States—Lou Gehrig's disease (LGD), is a rare, terminal neurodegenerative disorder that results in the progressive loss of both upper and low ...
, but Merrick deduces he has an easily treatable thyroid problem instead. Merrick's daughter
Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Queen Victoria (1819–1901), Queen of the United Kingdom and Empress of India * Victoria (state), a state of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, a provincial capital * Victoria, Seychelles, the capi ...
(
Lisa Faulkner Lisa Tamsin Faulkner (born 19 February 1972) is an English actress, presenter and television chef. She has had roles in '' The Lover'' (1992), '' Dangerfield'' (1995), '' Brookside'' (1997–1998), '' Holby City'' (1999–2001), '' Spooks'' (2 ...
) works on Meyer's firm for a period as a
Senior house officer A senior house officer (SHO) is a non-consultant hospital doctor in Ireland and many Commonwealth countries. SHOs usually have a minimum of 1 year post medical school training. SHOs are supervised in their work by consultants and registrars. In tr ...
(SHO). When she is murdered by the irate father of one of her patients, Meyer becomes involved when he is trapped in a lift with her killer, James Campbell. Campbell overdoses on pills and dies in the lift before Meyer can revive him to face justice. At the beginning of series four, Meyer is shot in a road-rage incident on his way to work. This sees the introduction of
Ric Griffin Kobina Eric "Ric" Griffin is a fictional character from the BBC medical drama ''Holby City'', portrayed by actor Hugh Quarshie. The character is introduced as a consultant in general surgery during the series four episode " Rogue Males", origina ...
(
Hugh Quarshie Hugh Anthony Quarshie (born 22 December 1954) is a Ghanaian-born British actor. He is known for his long-running role as Ric Griffin on the BBC One medical drama ''Holby City'' (2001–20), and for playing Captain Panaka in the ''Star Wars'' ...
) who performs lifesaving surgery to remove the bullet from Meyer's spine. The culprit is later admitted to the hospital as a patient, when he crashes his car after trying to flee following the shooting. He tries to escape from the hospital in fear that the police will discover him, and after three attempts at leaving the hospital, he finally achieves his goal but collapses in the hospital car park and dies. When the parents of Rufus Wooding, a young patient of Meyer's, suddenly withdraw their consent for a complicated operation, total cavo-pulmonary connection (TCPC), Meyer discovers that his SHO, Sam Kennedy ( Collette Brown), has intervened and persuaded the parents not to go ahead with surgery. Believing that his authority has been undermined, Meyer promptly fires her. Kennedy threatens to go to the press if Meyer is not investigated, so the hospital Board begin an enquiry, during which Meyer is suspended. The investigation is headed by Meyer's old friend and rival, Tom Campbell-Gore (
Denis Lawson Denis Stamper Lawson (born 27 September 1947) is a Scottish actor. He is known for his roles as Wedge Antilles in the original ''Star Wars'' trilogy (1977–1983) and as John Jarndyce in the television miniseries ''Bleak House'' (2005), the l ...
). It concluded that Meyer's clinical skills were exemplary and unquestionable, although the Board, aware that Meyer's penchant for taking extremely difficult cases has made hospital death rates appear bad, remove Meyer's discretion to decide when to operate in such cases. This decision angers Meyer, who argues that he performs operations that are in the interests of the patients not league tables. The Board also relieve Meyer of his registrar Alex Adams (
Jeremy Sheffield Jeremy Sheffield (born 17 March 1966) is an English actor and former ballet dancer. He is most noted for his roles in ''Holby City'', '' Murder in Suburbia'' and ''Hollyoaks'' on television, as well as in the films '' Creep'' and '' The Wedding ...
). Meyer resigns to work in
Michigan Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...
to develop an artificial heart, while Campbell-Gore takes his post at Holby.


Creation

Irving was heavily involved in the creation of his character, writing Meyer's biography before assuming the role. He felt that it was important for him to understand Meyer's motivation and the reason he is so driven, as the character is presented as a "peacock ogre" who throws scalpels at one of his colleagues in an early episode, and unless Irving could fathom why, his portrayal would be "one step removed". Meyer was loosely based on the cardiothoracic surgeon Sir Magdi Yacoub. He was originally intended to be of
Iranian Iranian () may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Iran ** Iranian diaspora, Iranians living outside Iran ** Iranian architecture, architecture of Iran and parts of the rest of West Asia ** Iranian cuisine, cooking traditions and practic ...
descent and had the surname Hussein, before the series producers changed their minds and made him central European instead. Irving had developed a Hungarian accent for a film role prior to his involvement with ''Holby City'', and decided that "Meyer was temperamentally Hungarian–gloomy with a bit of Mediterranean liveliness." It was decided that Meyer had left Hungary following the 1956 uprising, with his parents, who were intellectuals. Although it was decided he has a sister, a wife and a daughter, Meyer's personal life is rarely mentioned on screen, enabling viewers to perceive him as a strong man onto whom they can "project whatever they want from their own imagination." Irving believes that modern television drama is populated by characters prone to disclosing everything about themselves, and so feels that having an enigmatic character like Meyer, who behaves in the reserved vein of
Humphrey Bogart Humphrey DeForest Bogart ( ; December 25, 1899 – January 14, 1957), nicknamed Bogie, was an American actor. His performances in classic Hollywood cinema made him an American cultural icon. In 1999, the American Film Institute selected Bogart ...
and
Spencer Tracy Spencer Bonaventure Tracy (April 5, 1900 – June 10, 1967) was an American actor. He was known for his natural performing style and versatility. One of the major stars of Classical Hollywood cinema, Hollywood's Golden Age, Tracy was the ...
, makes for a "refreshing change". He commented that revealing more of Meyer's personal life would be anticlimactic compared to viewers' expectations. As preparation for the role, Irving observed
coronary artery bypass surgery Coronary artery bypass surgery, also known as coronary artery bypass graft (CABG, pronounced "cabbage"), is a surgical procedure to treat coronary artery disease (CAD), the buildup of plaques in the arteries of the heart. It can relieve chest ...
performed at Papworth and
Middlesex Hospital Middlesex Hospital was a teaching hospital located in the Fitzrovia area of London, England. First opened as the Middlesex Infirmary in 1745 on Windmill Street, it was moved in 1757 to Mortimer Street where it remained until it was finally clos ...
, deeming the experience an "enormous privilege". He had a "real fascination" with medicine and the human body prior to assuming the role, and considered studying biology at university.


Development

Irving concentrated on his own ideas of Meyer's characterisation when playing him, believing it was important to ignore outside input, as Meyer in turn is unperturbed by others' opinions of him. Irving describes Meyer as a driven man, determined to only work with colleagues who meet his exacting standards. He feels that Meyer's "dry sense of humour" and bullying manner are both tools he uses to ensure colleagues meet his standards. Irving believes that Meyer's manipulative nature actually serves the greater good of the hospital, and despite his perfectionist and purist tendencies, Meyer is actually a great humanist, who holds his staff in the highest regard. Graham Keal of the ''
Birmingham Post The ''Birmingham Post'' is a weekly printed newspaper based in Birmingham, England, with distribution throughout the West Midlands. First published under the name the ''Birmingham Daily Post'' in 1857, it has had a succession of distinguished ...
'' observed that Meyer begins the series as a "hate figure"–ferocious, unbending and unsmiling, but is actually more complex a character than that, with "much to admire too." Shane Donaghey of ''
The People The People may refer to: Legal jargon * The People, term used to refer to the people in general, in legal documents * "We the People of the United States", from the Preamble to the U. S. Constitution * In philosophy, economics, and political scienc ...
'' compared Meyer to
Hannibal Lecter Dr. Hannibal Lecter is a character created by American novelist Thomas Harris. Lecter is a cannibalistic serial killer and former forensic psychiatrist; after his incarceration, he is consulted by FBI agents Will Graham and Clarice Starling ...
, describing him as "Part panto villain, part grim reaper, with a bedside manner of a cruel vet" and commenting that he manages his department "with an iron fist veiled in a concrete glove." Meyer has a penchant for listening to
classical music Classical music generally refers to the art music of the Western world, considered to be #Relationship to other music traditions, distinct from Western folk music or popular music traditions. It is sometimes distinguished as Western classical mu ...
whilst in theatre, and has a "right-hand-man" in his registrar, Nick Jordan (
Michael French Michael French (born Michael Clark, 17 September 1962) is an English actor, known for his roles as David Wicks in ''EastEnders''; Nick Jordan, a consultant and Clinical Lead, Senior Consultant in emergency medicine in '' Casualty'' and former ...
). Meyer's catchphrase is "Walk with me", an instruction he issues to his staff while, according to '' The Mirror'' Jim Shelley, "sneer ngimperiously" and "saunter ngaround the wards like a Roman emperor, suavely saving lives and damning other doctors with their own inadequacies." Irving was dismayed by the storyline which saw Meyer shot in a road rage incident, describing filming the scenes as an "unpleasant experiences", the worst aspect being that Meyer loses his
spleen The spleen (, from Ancient Greek '' σπλήν'', splḗn) is an organ (biology), organ found in almost all vertebrates. Similar in structure to a large lymph node, it acts primarily as a blood filter. The spleen plays important roles in reg ...
as a result of his injuries. Of the later storyline which sees Meyer investigated by Tom Campbell-Gore on behalf of the hospital Board,
Denis Lawson Denis Stamper Lawson (born 27 September 1947) is a Scottish actor. He is known for his roles as Wedge Antilles in the original ''Star Wars'' trilogy (1977–1983) and as John Jarndyce in the television miniseries ''Bleak House'' (2005), the l ...
explained: " ampbell-Goreactually rather fancies Meyer's job but if he finds against him in the investigation he cannot get the job because it's a conflict of interest. So he has to play a rather clever game, which he does." On taking over as head of the cardiothoracic surgery department, he commented: "George is fantastic in the show, but obviously I'm going to do something very, very different, so I don't feel that I'm stepping into his shoes." After four years in the role, Irving decided to leave ''Holby City'' and return to performing in theatre. Of his decision to leave, Irving explained that, while he enjoyed Meyer's sureness and confidence, he found it difficult to "switch off" the character outside of work, and had been forced to "put the rest of his life on hold" whilst part of the series, deeming it to be an "intense experience." He felt that, had he stayed in the series, Meyer could not have remained enigmatic much longer, and believed: "you have to stop when a character's time is through." Following Irving's departure from ''Holby City'', Benji Wilson of the ''
Radio Times ''Radio Times'' is a British weekly listings magazine devoted to television and radio programme schedules, with other features such as interviews, film reviews and lifestyle items. Founded in September 1923 by John Reith, then general manage ...
'' questioned whether he would ever consider returning. Irving responded: "I don't know—my feeling is that Meyer was of his time. He's the kind of character that belongs at the launch of series like ''Holby'' and I think that's where he should remain. The memory of Meyer is important to me and I want it to stay as it is."


Reception

The broadcast of the first episode brought positive comments for Irving and Meyer from television critics. In the ''Birmingham Post'', Graham Keal called Irving's portrayal "a charismatic combination of autocratic arrogance and dry wit", and noted that the character's interactions with Nick Jordan "form the programme's primary double act". Andrew Billen in the ''
New Statesman ''The New Statesman'' (known from 1931 to 1964 as the ''New Statesman and Nation'') is a British political and cultural news magazine published in London. Founded as a weekly review of politics and literature on 12 April 1913, it was at first c ...
'' called Meyer the most compelling character of the series, while Kathleen Morgan of the '' Daily Record'' similarly deemed Meyer the star of the show, writing that Irving: "gave a chilling performance as a man who saves lives simply to boost his ego." Following the broadcast of the second episode, ''Daily Mirror'' critic Charlie Catchpole wrote that Irving gave the best performance in a hospital drama as "a rude, eccentric, conceited, arrogant bully" since
Tom Baker Thomas Stewart Baker (born 20 January 1934) is an English actor and writer. He is best known for having played the Fourth Doctor, fourth and longest-serving incarnation of The Doctor (Doctor Who), the Doctor in the science fiction television ...
in ''Medics''. John Russell of ''The People'' disliked the storyline which saw Meyer operate on his own sister, describing it as "something between a carve up and a cock up", and commenting that he was "so disturbed" he "switched the tripe off", however, fellow ''People'' critic Shane Donaghey lauded Meyer as the only reason to watch ''Holby City''. Tony Purnell of ''The Mirror'' gave a poor review when Meyer did not appear for several episodes, commenting that the show was in "very poor health" in his absence, and "the sooner he returns, the better." Purnell praised Meyer's return two episodes later, however was concerned by his Motor Neurone Disease scare, deeming Meyer "the lifeblood of the series" and writing that ''Holby City'' could "ill afford to lose him". Jim Shelley of ''The Mirror'' similarly hoped for Meyer to "get well soon and resuscitate the series." Shelley selected the character as a runner-up for his 2001 "Man of the Year" award, and upon the character's exit from ''Holby City'', described him as "a study in arrogance and laconic authority ..one of the best characters on television in recent years." Meyer has been particularly well received by female ''Holby City'' fans, elevating Irving to sex-symbol status. Irving felt that this was "fairly predictable in terms of the nature of Meyer—tough and masterful—combined with the aphrodisiac of power, and the life and death aspects of his job." He commented that he was surprised by the positive reaction to his character, explaining: "He seems to have captured people's imaginations, but it's difficult to put your finger on what he has. I think it's got something to do with being a character who says exactly what he means all the time. He's got integrity, which I admire anyway, and I expect the audience responds to that. Surgeons seem to like him too. I find that particularly gratifying. He's got the courage to do what's right for his work and his patients and not worry about popularity or being liked." Conversely, Irving noted that after assuming the role, members of the public would sometimes "give a kind of shudder" upon encountering him, associating him with his character.


References


External links


Anton Meyer
at
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Anton Meyer
on
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Meyer, Anton Holby City characters Fictional Hungarian people Television characters introduced in 1999 Fictional cardiac surgeons Male characters in soap operas