David Schofield (actor)

David Schofield (born 16 December 1951) is an English actor. He is best known for his role as Ian Mercer in the films '' Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest'' (2006) and '' Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End'' (2007). Other credits include ''An American Werewolf in London'' (1981), ''Gladiator'' (2000), '' From Hell'' (2001), ''Valkyrie'' (2008), '' The Wolfman'' (2010), ''Da Vinci's Demons'' (2013), '' The Last Kingdom'' (2015–2017), '' Darkest Hour'' (2017), ''Mary Magdalene'' (2018), and '' Mad Heidi'' (2022).

Early life

Schofield was born in Wythenshawe, Manchester, England on 16 December 1951, one of ten children in a working-class family. He attended St. John Fisher and Thomas More R.C. Primary School, along with his brother, Peter. His first acting experience was at Manchester Boys' School at the age of 12. In 1967 he was accepted as student assistant stage manager at a local repertory theatre. He worked in every department as a prop-maker, sound-man, writer, stage sweeper, waiter and tea-maker, putting in 14-hour days, six days a week. After two seasons, at the age of 19, he became a student of the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, which he left early to pursue his path as a working actor.

Career

Film and television

Schofield earned credits in TV series such as '' Band of Gold'', '' Footballers' Wives'', and ''Holby City'', among many other TV productions. On the big screen he is best known as the paranoid darts player in the Slaughtered Lamb in ''An American Werewolf in London'' (1981), and his other films include '' The Dogs of War'' (1980), '' Tree of Hands'' (1989), ''The Last of the Mohicans'' (1992), ''Anna Karenina'' (1997), ''Gladiator'' (2000), '' From Hell'' (2001), and as Ian Mercer in the ''Pirates of the Caribbean'' films. He has also appeared in ''Valkyrie'' (2008), as anti-Hitler conspirator Erwin von Witzleben, '' The Wolfman'' (2010), '' F'' (2010), '' Burke and Hare'' (2010), '' Lord of Tears'' (2013), and as Peter Carmichael in the suspense thriller '' Last Passenger'' (2013). On TV he appeared alongside Jimmy Jewel in the ITV comedy-drama '' Funny Man'' (1981), played the title role '' Shackleton'' (1983), in '' Jekyll & Hyde'' (1990), alongside Michael Caine, and played DCS John Salway in the award-winning BBC series ''Our Friends in the North'' in 1996.

In 2008, he starred as Kirill, in the web series of the same name. In 2009 Schofield guest starred as King Alined in the BBC fantasy drama series ''Merlin''. In 2011 he played the sinister Police Sergeant Foley in Hugo Blick's'' The Shadow Line'', a seven-part series for BBC Two. In autumn 2015, he was seen as Odin in the episode " The Girl Who Died" in the ninth series of the BBC1 series ''Doctor Who''. In 2016 he appeared as Vivan Wolsey in the BBC series' ''Father Brown'' episode 4.1 "The Mask of the Demon" and ''The Coroner'' episode 2.6 "Life".

In 2017 he starred as Abbot Eadred in '' The Last Kingdom''. In 2018, he appeared as Thomas the Apostle in the Helen Edmundson written film ''Mary Magdalene''.

In 2022, he starred in a main role as Heidi's grandfather :de:Alpöhi in the Swiss comedy horror film '' Mad Heidi'' (2022).

Stage

Schofield has performed for the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Royal National Theatre, and the Royal Exchange, Manchester. He developed the posture of, and performed the role of John Merrick, in the Bernard Pomerance play ''The Elephant Man'' for its premiere in 1977. He worked with Daniel Craig and Jason Isaacs in the National's 1993 production of ''Angels in America''.

Radio

In 2001-02 Schofield appeared as Javert in a BBC radio adaptation of ''Les Misérables''. Since 2007 he has played Frank Twist in the BBC Radio 4 drama series ''Brief Lives'' set in a Manchester legal practice. In 2011, he played Tellwright in Helen Edmundson's adaptation of '' Anna of the Five Towns''.

Selected filmography

Theatre

*John Merrick, ''The Elephant Man'' at the Hampstead Theatre (1977) and at the Royal National Theatre, London (1981)
*Mick '' Plenty'' at the Lyttelton Theatre (1978)
*Mark Antony, ''Julius Caesar'' at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon (1983)
*Angelo, ''Measure for Measure'' at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon and then at the Barbican (1983)
*Duke of Buckingham, ''Henry VIII'' at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon (1983)
*Pompey, ''Antony and Cleopatra'' at the National Theatre, London (1987)
*Robb Lambert, ''Winding the Ball'' by Alex Finlayson at the Royal Exchange, Manchester (1989)
*John Proctor, ''The Crucible'' by Arthur Miller at the Royal Exchange, Manchester (1990)
*Macheath, '' The Beggar’s Opera'' by John Gay at the Royal Exchange, Manchester (1991)
*Lyle Britten, '' Blues for Mister Charlie'' by James Baldwin at the Royal Exchange, Manchester (1992)
*Roy M. Cohn, ''Angels in America'' by Tony Kushner at the National Theatre, London (1993)
*Archie Rice, '' The Entertainer'' by John Osborne at the Royal Exchange, Manchester (2009)

Personal life

David Schofield's wife is Lally and their children are Fred and Blanche. Schofield is a patron of the Gesar Foundation.

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Schofield, David
1951 births
Living people
20th-century English male actors
21st-century English male actors
Alumni of the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
English male film actors
English male stage actors
English male television actors
English male video game actors
Male actors from Manchester
People from Wythenshawe
Royal Shakespeare Company members