Mark Heap
Encyclopedia
Mark Heap is an English actor
. He began his acting career in the 1980s as a member of the Medieval Players, a touring company performing medieval and early modern theatre, and featuring stilt-walking, juggling and puppetry. After its demise, he became part of the street theatre duo The Two Marks (with Mark Saban) who appeared on television shows Ghost Train
and 3-2-1
. He is perhaps best known for a variety of television comedy
roles, often playing obsessive and self-deluded characters, including struggling artist Brian Topp in Spaced
, the pompous Dr. Alan Statham
in Green Wing
, and various roles in the sketch
show Big Train
. He has worked in a number of ventures with Chris Morris
, appearing in Jam
, its radio predecessor Blue Jam
, and the documentary parody series Brass Eye
.
Heap voiced the lead character of Eric in the animated comedy Stressed Eric
. Other recurring roles included Terry Roche in Paul Whitehouse
's comedy-drama Happiness
and Derek Few in How Do You Want Me?
. He played Eliza's husband in 2006 Radio 4
play The Eliza Stories and appeared as Marmite the Dwarf in the short-lived Radio 4 sitcom The Sofa of Time
.
Heap played Harry in the short-lived Rob Grant
TV series The Strangerers
, aired in 2000. In the film About a Boy
, Heap played a school teacher. Alongside Kevin Eldon, he played 'Man with dog' in Tim Burton
's 2005 film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
. He also guested in the second series of the BBC comedy Look Around You
as Leonard Hatred, and starred in the music video for Four Tet
's single "Smile Around The Face
" in 2005. Heap also played a minor role in the 2006 film Confetti as the marriage registrar. He played an injured fairground patron in Tunnel of Love (2004), which also starred Jack Dee
. In March 2007 he appeared in the BBC One
drama Hotel Babylon
as an unsuccessful businessman who became a bellboy. He plays the part of the prince Tertius in the 2007 film Stardust. Between 2008 and 2010 he appeared in 32 episodes of the BBC period drama Lark Rise to Candleford
as head postman Thomas Brown, as well as super villain Lightkiller in an episode of the sitcom No Heroics
. He also appears as the father of Chris Miles
in the Channel 4
programme Skins
. Heap played the love interest of the main character in the second series of the BBC comedy Love Soup
. In 2008 he co-starred in the surreal science fiction film Captain Eager and the Mark of Voth
.
In 2008 Heap played the role of Widmerpool in a Radio 4 serialisation of A Dance to the Music of Time
. He played the role of Charles Dickens
in the 2009 BBC Two
drama Desperate Romantics
, as well as appearing as a car salesman in a SEAT
television advert. Also in 2009 he played Jessica Hynes' husband in the comedy pilot Lizzie & Sarah, written by Hynes and Julia Davis
.
In 2010 he appeared as the leader of a rambling group in the BBC4 series The Great Outdoors
. He also appeared as a psychiatrist
in Miranda Hart
's comedy Miranda
on BBC2. In October 2010 he appeared as Robin in the four-part BBC drama Single Father.
Heap voices the fox in the Old Speckled Hen
adverts sponsoring comedy on Dave and offered a multitude of character voices in the audiobook "Do Ants Have Arseholes?".
In 2011 Heap played Jim in the Channel 4 sitcom Friday Night Dinner
alongside Simon Bird
and Tamsin Greig
.
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
. He began his acting career in the 1980s as a member of the Medieval Players, a touring company performing medieval and early modern theatre, and featuring stilt-walking, juggling and puppetry. After its demise, he became part of the street theatre duo The Two Marks (with Mark Saban) who appeared on television shows Ghost Train
Ghost Train (TV series)
Ghost Train was a children's television programme broadcast on ITV, between 1989 and 1991, produced by Tyne Tees Television in association with various ITV regional stations including Border Television, Television South West, Ulster Television, Channel Television and Grampian...
and 3-2-1
3-2-1
3–2–1 was a popular British game show that was made by Yorkshire Television for ITV. It ran for ten years, between 29 July 1978 and 24 December 1988. Throughout its run, the show was hosted by former Butlins Redcoat Ted Rogers. It was based on a Spanish gameshow called Un, dos, tres.....
. He is perhaps best known for a variety of television comedy
Television comedy
Television comedy had a presence from the earliest days of broadcasting. Among the earliest BBC television programmes in the 1930s was Starlight, which offered a series of guests from the music hall era — singers and comedians amongst them...
roles, often playing obsessive and self-deluded characters, including struggling artist Brian Topp in Spaced
Spaced
Spaced is a British television sitcom written by and starring Simon Pegg and Jessica Stevenson, and directed by Edgar Wright. It is noted for its rapid-fire editing, frequent pop culture references and jokes, eclectic music, and occasional displays of surrealism and non-sequitur humour...
, the pompous Dr. Alan Statham
Alan Statham
Alan Statham is a fictional character in the British sitcom Green Wing, played by Mark Heap.- History :Alan is the consultant radiologist at East Hampton Hospital....
in Green Wing
Green Wing
Green Wing is a British sitcom set in the fictional East Hampton Hospital. It was created by the same team behind the sketch show Smack the Pony, led by Victoria Pile, and stars Tamsin Greig, Stephen Mangan and Julian Rhind-Tutt....
, and various roles in the sketch
Sketch comedy
A sketch comedy consists of a series of short comedy scenes or vignettes, called "sketches," commonly between one and ten minutes long. Such sketches are performed by a group of comic actors or comedians, either on stage or through an audio and/or visual medium such as broadcasting...
show 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...
. He has worked in a number of ventures with Chris Morris
Chris Morris (satirist)
Christopher Morris is an English satirist, writer, director and actor. A former radio DJ, he is best known for anchoring the spoof news and current affairs television programmes The Day Today and Brass Eye, as well as his frequent engagement with controversial subject matter.In 2010 Morris...
, appearing in Jam
Jam (TV series)
Jam was a postmodern British dark comedy series created, written and directed by Chris Morris, and broadcast on Channel 4 during March and April 2000...
, its radio predecessor Blue Jam
Blue Jam
Blue Jam was an ambient radio comedy programme created and directed by Chris Morris. It aired on BBC Radio 1 in the early hours of the morning from 1997 to 1999....
, and the documentary parody series Brass Eye
Brass Eye
Brass Eye is a UK television series of satirical spoof documentaries. A series of six aired on Channel 4 in 1997, and a further episode in 2001....
.
Heap voiced the lead character of Eric in the animated comedy Stressed Eric
Stressed Eric
Stressed Eric is a British/American/New Zealand cartoon series that was produced by Absolutely Productions for the BBC Two television channel in the United Kingdom and the Television New Zealand. The series revolves around Eric Feeble, a middle class man who is always stressed, because of his...
. Other recurring roles included Terry Roche in Paul Whitehouse
Paul Whitehouse
Paul Whitehouse is a Welsh actor, writer and comedian. He became known for his work with Harry Enfield and as one of the stars of the popular BBC sketch show, The Fast Show. In a 2005 poll to find The Comedian's Comedian, he was in the top 50 comedy acts voted for by comedians and comedy insiders...
's comedy-drama Happiness
Happiness (TV series)
Happiness was a British sitcom broadcast on BBC2 with dramatic, melancholy overtones written by Paul Whitehouse and David Cummings with Whitehouse in the lead role.There have been two series thus far, the first running in 2001 and the second in 2003...
and Derek Few in How Do You Want Me?
How Do You Want Me?
How Do You Want Me? is a British television sitcom, produced by Kensington Films & Television, written by Simon Nye, and directed by John Henderson....
. He played Eliza's husband in 2006 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...
play The Eliza Stories and appeared as Marmite the Dwarf in the short-lived Radio 4 sitcom The Sofa of Time
The Sofa of Time
The Sofa of Time was a BBC Radio 4 comedy drama written by and starring Nick Frost and Matt King. It was first broadcast in 2002.Milford and Parker get sacked from their jobs in a soft furnishings factory in Crouch End. As they are clearing out their lockers, they fall into the magical world of...
.
Heap played Harry in the short-lived Rob Grant
Rob Grant
Robert Grant is a British comedy writer and television producer, who was born in Salford and studied Psychology at Liverpool University for two years....
TV series The Strangerers
The Strangerers
The Strangerers is a British television science fiction comedy drama serial written by Rob Grant and was broadcast on Sky One between February and April 2000....
, aired in 2000. In the film About a Boy
About a Boy (film)
About a Boy is a 2002 comedy-drama film directed by brothers Chris Weitz and Paul Weitz, based on the novel of the same name by Nick Hornby. The film stars Golden Globe winner Hugh Grant as Will, Nicholas Hoult as Marcus, Academy Award nominee Toni Collette as Fiona, and Academy Award winner Rachel...
, Heap played a school teacher. Alongside Kevin Eldon, he played 'Man with dog' in Tim Burton
Tim Burton
Timothy William "Tim" Burton is an American film director, film producer, writer and artist. He is famous for dark, quirky-themed movies such as Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow, Corpse Bride and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet...
's 2005 film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a 1964 children's book by British author Roald Dahl. The story features the adventures of young Charlie Bucket inside the chocolate factory of the eccentric chocolatier, Willy Wonka....
. He also guested in the second series of the BBC comedy Look Around You
Look Around You
Look Around You is a British television comedy series devised and written by Robert Popper and Peter Serafinowicz, and, in the first series, narrated by Nigel Lambert...
as Leonard Hatred, and starred in the music video for Four Tet
Four Tet
Kieran Hebden is a post-rock and electronic musician. Hebden first came to prominence as a member of the band Fridge before establishing himself as a solo artist under the moniker of Four Tet....
's single "Smile Around The Face
Everything Ecstatic
Everything Ecstatic is the fourth album by Four Tet, released on 23 May 2005. It reached #59 in the UK charts.The video for lead single "Smile Around the Face" features actor Mark Heap.-Track listing:# "A Joy" – 3:07# "Smile Around the Face" – 4:30...
" in 2005. Heap also played a minor role in the 2006 film Confetti as the marriage registrar. He played an injured fairground patron in Tunnel of Love (2004), which also starred Jack Dee
Jack Dee
James Andrew Innes "Jack" Dee is an English stand-up comedian, actor and writer known for his sardonic, curmudgeonly, and deadpan style.-Early life:...
. In March 2007 he appeared in the BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
drama Hotel Babylon
Hotel Babylon
Hotel Babylon was a BBC television drama series based on the book of the same name by Imogen Edwards-Jones, that aired from 19 January 2006 to 14 August 2009, produced by independent production company Carnival Films for BBC One...
as an unsuccessful businessman who became a bellboy. He plays the part of the prince Tertius in the 2007 film Stardust. Between 2008 and 2010 he appeared in 32 episodes of the BBC period drama Lark Rise to Candleford
Lark Rise to Candleford (TV series)
Lark Rise to Candleford is a British television costume drama series, adapted by the BBC from Flora Thompson's trilogy of semi-autobiographical novels about the English countryside, published between 1939 and 1943. The first episode aired on 13 January 2008 on BBC One and BBC HD in the UK. In the...
as head postman Thomas Brown, as well as super villain Lightkiller in an episode of the sitcom No Heroics
No Heroics
No Heroics is a British superhero-comedy television series, which began on 18 September 2008. The show is ITV2's first original sitcom. It was nominated for Best New British TV Comedy of 2008 at the British Comedy Awards.-Setting:...
. He also appears as the father of Chris Miles
Chris Miles
Christopher "Chris" Miles is a fictional character in the television series Skins portrayed by Joe Dempsie.-Characterization:Chris's character was initially portrayed as being very into pills and as being something of a hedonist, but at the same time had other layers to his personality. According...
in the Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
programme Skins
Skins (TV series)
Skins is a BAFTA award-winning British teen drama that follows a group of teenagers in Bristol, South West England, through the two years of college. The controversial plot line explores issues such as dysfunctional families, mental illness , adolescent sexuality, substance abuse and death...
. Heap played the love interest of the main character in the second series of the BBC comedy Love Soup
Love Soup
Love Soup is a British television comedy-drama produced by the BBC and first screened on BBC One in the autumn of 2005. It stars Tamsin Greig as Alice Chenery and Michael Landes as Gil Raymond . The series is written by David Renwick of One Foot in the Grave fame, and was produced by Verity Lambert...
. In 2008 he co-starred in the surreal science fiction film Captain Eager and the Mark of Voth
Captain Eager and the Mark of Voth
Captain Eager and the Mark of Voth is a science-fiction/comedy directed by Simon DaVision, starring James Vaughan, Tamsin Greig, Mark Heap and Richard Leaf...
.
In 2008 Heap played the role of Widmerpool in a Radio 4 serialisation of A Dance to the Music of Time
A Dance to the Music of Time
A Dance to the Music of Time is a twelve-volume cycle of novels by Anthony Powell, inspired by the painting of the same name by Nicolas Poussin. One of the longest works of fiction in literature, it was published between 1951 and 1975 to critical acclaim...
. He played the role of Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic...
in the 2009 BBC Two
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
drama Desperate Romantics
Desperate Romantics
Desperate Romantics is a six-part television drama serial about the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, first broadcast on BBC Two between 21 July and 25 August 2009.-Overview:...
, as well as appearing as a car salesman in a SEAT
SEAT
SEAT, S.A. is a Spanish automobile manufacturer founded on May 9, 1950 by the Instituto Nacional de Industria , a state-owned industrial holding company....
television advert. Also in 2009 he played Jessica Hynes' husband in the comedy pilot Lizzie & Sarah, written by Hynes and Julia Davis
Julia Davis
Julia Davis is an English comedy writer and performer, best known for writing and starring in the BBC Three comedy Nighty Night.-Background:...
.
In 2010 he appeared as the leader of a rambling group in the BBC4 series The Great Outdoors
The Great Outdoors (UK TV series)
The Great Outdoors is a British television sitcom.The show follows the friendships of a misfit rambling club in Southern England in which vain group-leader Bob becomes embroiled in a battle of wills against new arrival and deputy group-leader Christine . The show ran for 3 episodes airing on...
. He also appeared as a psychiatrist
Psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. All psychiatrists are trained in diagnostic evaluation and in psychotherapy...
in Miranda Hart
Miranda Hart
Miranda Katharine Hart Dyke , known professionally as Miranda Hart, is an English actress, writer and stand-up comedienne. She writes and stars in the BBC sitcom Miranda...
's comedy Miranda
Miranda (TV series)
Miranda is a BBC television series co-written by and starring comedienne Miranda Hart, which first aired on BBC Two on 9 November 2009. The situation comedy also features Sarah Hadland, Tom Ellis, Patricia Hodge, James Holmes and Sally Phillips...
on BBC2. In October 2010 he appeared as Robin in the four-part BBC drama Single Father.
Heap voices the fox in the Old Speckled Hen
Old Speckled Hen
Old Speckled Hen is an English ale from the Morland Brewery, now owned by Greene King Brewery. Old Speckled Hen was first brewed in 1979 in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the MG car factory there. Since 2000, when Greene King bought Morland and closed down the...
adverts sponsoring comedy on Dave and offered a multitude of character voices in the audiobook "Do Ants Have Arseholes?".
In 2011 Heap played Jim in the Channel 4 sitcom Friday Night Dinner
Friday Night Dinner
Friday Night Dinner is a British television sitcom written by Robert Popper and starring Tamsin Greig, Paul Ritter, Simon Bird, Tom Rosenthal and Mark Heap. The first series aired from February 2011 on Channel 4. A second series has been commissioned by Channel 4. The series began airing in the U.S...
alongside Simon Bird
Simon Bird
Simon Antony Bird is an actor, writer and comedian. He is best known for playing Will McKenzie in E4’s BAFTA-winning TV comedy The Inbetweeners.-Early life:...
and Tamsin Greig
Tamsin Greig
Tamsin Greig is an English actress principally known for two Channel 4 television comedy parts: Fran Katzenjammer in Black Books and Dr. Caroline Todd in Green Wing...
.