Geoffrey McGivern
Encyclopedia
Geoffrey McGivern is an English actor in film, radio, stage and television. He was born in Balham
, South London and grew up in York
. There he attended Archbishop Holgate's School
, where he was made Head Boy
. He studied at Christ's College
, Cambridge, where he was involved in the renowned Footlights
society and the Marlowe Society
.
He played Ford Prefect
in the radio series
(1978–80) and subsequent LP releases of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
by Douglas Adams
, whose role he reprised for the three new series
broadcast on BBC Radio 4
between 2004 and 2005. A more recent radio appearance was in The Ape That Got Lucky
and has appeared in TV shows such as Press Gang
, Chef!
, Big Train
, Blackadder
the Third: Dish and Dishonesty, Chelmsford 123
, Jonathan Creek
, 15 Storeys High
, Armstrong and Miller. and series three of Peep Show
.
For the 1998 radio SciFi drama Paradise Lost in Cyberspace (Colin Swash, BBC) McGivern teamed up with old Hitchhiker's
colleague Stephen Moore
and Lorelei King
(member of cast in the 2005 Hitchhiker's radio show sequel). He later played the Supreme Ruler in BBC2's Sci-Fi comedy Hyperdrive
(2006–). In 2007 he appeared in the BBC Radio 4 comedy Peacefully in their Sleeps
and in 2008 he appeared as Professor John Mycroft in the BBC2 science sitcom Lab Rats
. He also appeared in episode 5 of season 3 of the TV series "A Bit of Fry and Laurie."
In 2009 he played the role of Barry in Trebor Mint adverts.
Balham
Balham is a district of London, EnglandBalham can also refer to:*Balham, Ardennes, a commune in France*Balham station, railway and tube station in Balham, London*Balaam, a Biblical figure...
, South London and grew up in York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
. There he attended Archbishop Holgate's School
Archbishop Holgate's School
Archbishop Holgate's School is a voluntary aided Church of England, coeducational secondary school in York, England.-Admissions:The school has two main specialist statuses - Science College and Leading Edge. The current headmaster is Andrew Daly...
, where he was made Head Boy
Head boy
Head Boy and Head Girl are terms commonly used in the British education system, and in private schools throughout the Commonwealth.-United Kingdom:...
. He studied at Christ's College
Christ's College, Cambridge
Christ's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.With a reputation for high academic standards, Christ's College averaged top place in the Tompkins Table from 1980-2000 . In 2011, Christ's was placed sixth.-College history:...
, Cambridge, where he was involved in the renowned Footlights
Footlights
Cambridge University Footlights Dramatic Club, commonly referred to simply as the Footlights, is an amateur theatrical club in Cambridge, England, founded in 1883 and run by the students of Cambridge University....
society and the Marlowe Society
Marlowe Society
The Marlowe Society is a Cambridge University theatre club for Cambridge students. It is dedicated to achieving a high standard of student drama in Cambridge...
.
He played Ford Prefect
Ford Prefect (character)
Ford Prefect is a fictional character in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by the British author Douglas Adams. He is the only character other than the protagonist, Arthur Dent, to appear throughout the entire Hitchhiker's saga.-Name:Although Ford had taken great care to blend into Earth...
in the radio series
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (radio series)
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a science fiction comedy radio series written by Douglas Adams . It was originally broadcast in the United Kingdom by BBC Radio 4 in 1978, and afterwards on global short wave radio on the BBC World Service, National Public Radio in the U.S. and CBC Radio in...
(1978–80) and subsequent LP releases of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a science fiction comedy series created by Douglas Adams. Originally a radio comedy broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 1978, it was later adapted to other formats, and over several years it gradually became an international multi-media phenomenon...
by Douglas Adams
Douglas Adams
Douglas Noel Adams was an English writer and dramatist. He is best known as the author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which started life in 1978 as a BBC radio comedy before developing into a "trilogy" of five books that sold over 15 million copies in his lifetime, a television...
, whose role he reprised for the three new series
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Tertiary to Quintessential Phases
The Tertiary Phase, Quandary Phase and Quintessential Phase are radio adaptations of the books Life, the Universe and Everything, So Long, and Thanks For All the Fish and Mostly Harmless produced in 2003 and 2004 by Above the Title Productions for BBC Radio 4...
broadcast on BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
between 2004 and 2005. A more recent radio appearance was in The Ape That Got Lucky
The Ape That Got Lucky
The Ape That Got Lucky was a four-part radio series broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in August 2005. Written by Chris Addison and Carl Cooper, it was based around Chris Addison giving a lecture on the evolution of man from "ugly ape" into the all time "Top Species".Addison was supported in this spoof...
and has appeared in TV shows such as Press Gang
Press Gang
Press Gang is a British children's television comedy-drama consisting of forty-three episodes across five series that were broadcast from 1989 to 1993...
, Chef!
Chef!
Chef! is a British situation comedy starring Lenny Henry that aired as twenty episodes over three series from 1993 to 1996 on the BBC. The show was created and primarily written by Peter Tilbury based on an idea from Lenny Henry and produced for the BBC by Henry's production company, Crucial...
, Big Train
Big Train
Big Train is a surreal British television comedy sketch show created by Arthur Mathews and Graham Linehan, writers of the successful sitcom Father Ted...
, Blackadder
Blackadder
Blackadder is the name that encompassed four series of a BBC1 historical sitcom, along with several one-off instalments. All television programme episodes starred Rowan Atkinson as anti-hero Edmund Blackadder and Tony Robinson as Blackadder's dogsbody, Baldrick...
the Third: Dish and Dishonesty, Chelmsford 123
Chelmsford 123
Chelmsford 123 is a British television situation comedy produced for Channel 4 by Hat Trick Productions. It ran for two series, of six and seven episodes, in 1988 and 1990....
, Jonathan Creek
Jonathan Creek
Jonathan Creek is a British mystery series produced by the BBC and written by David Renwick. Primarily a crime drama, the show is also peppered with broadly comic touches...
, 15 Storeys High
15 Storeys High
15 Storeys High is a critically acclaimed British sitcom, set in a tower block. The main characters are Vince Clark, a misanthropic, cynical recluse played by Sean Lock, and Errol Spears, Vince's exact opposite and whipping boy, played by Benedict Wong....
, Armstrong and Miller. and series three of Peep Show
Peep Show (TV series)
Peep Show is a British sitcom starring David Mitchell and Robert Webb. The television programme is written by Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain, with additional material by Mitchell and Webb themselves, amongst others. It has been broadcast on Channel 4 since 2003. The show's seventh series makes it...
.
For the 1998 radio SciFi drama Paradise Lost in Cyberspace (Colin Swash, BBC) McGivern teamed up with old Hitchhiker's
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a science fiction comedy series created by Douglas Adams. Originally a radio comedy broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 1978, it was later adapted to other formats, and over several years it gradually became an international multi-media phenomenon...
colleague Stephen Moore
Stephen Moore (actor)
Stephen Moore is an English actor, known for his work on British television since the 1980s. He is known for his appearances in Rock Follies and other TV series such as The Last Place on Earth, the children's series The Queen's Nose and the drama Mersey Beat and the British TV comedy series Solo,...
and Lorelei King
Lorelei King
Lorelei King is a United States-born actress who has been based in the United Kingdom since 1981. She has narrated audiobooks, acted in radio plays for BBC Radio 4 and appeared on television.- Early life :...
(member of cast in the 2005 Hitchhiker's radio show sequel). He later played the Supreme Ruler in BBC2's Sci-Fi comedy Hyperdrive
Hyperdrive (TV series)
Hyperdrive is a British television science fiction sitcom series produced by the BBC created under the working title of "Full Power." BBC2 broadcast two series in 2006 and 2007, A third series is yet to be commissioned and the actor Kevin Eldon has indicated that is unlikely to be...
(2006–). In 2007 he appeared in the BBC Radio 4 comedy Peacefully in their Sleeps
Peacefully in their Sleeps
Peacefully in Their Sleeps is a BBC Radio 4 comedy series written by Chris Chantler and Howard Read. Paying tribute to fictional celebrities, it lampoons postwar popular culture using fake archive footage and interviews...
and in 2008 he appeared as Professor John Mycroft in the BBC2 science sitcom Lab Rats
Lab Rats
Lab Rats is a 2008 BBC 2 situation comedy set in a university science laboratory. It stars Chris Addison, who has co-written the series with Carl Cooper...
. He also appeared in episode 5 of season 3 of the TV series "A Bit of Fry and Laurie."
In 2009 he played the role of Barry in Trebor Mint adverts.