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Todd Carty
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Todd Carty (born 31 August 1963, Limerick City, Ireland) is an Irish-born British-based actor and director, who has grown up on television screens in a variety of roles in the UK. His stage work has varied from pantomime to serious drama, as well as radio plays, voice overs, commercials, and narrations.
He is best known for his roles as schoolboy Peter "Tucker" Jenkins in Grange Hill, market trader Mark Fowler in EastEnders, and villainous policeman Gabriel Kent in The Bill.
in Limerick City, Ireland in 1963, his family emigrated to England, so Carty spent his early years in Kilburn, North London, before moving to Harrow in NW London when he was 8 years old.
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Encyclopedia
Todd Carty (born 31 August 1963, Limerick City, Ireland) is an Irish-born British-based actor and director, who has grown up on television screens in a variety of roles in the UK. His stage work has varied from pantomime to serious drama, as well as radio plays, voice overs, commercials, and narrations.
He is best known for his roles as schoolboy Peter "Tucker" Jenkins in Grange Hill, market trader Mark Fowler in EastEnders, and villainous policeman Gabriel Kent in The Bill.
Personal life
Born in Limerick City, Ireland in 1963, his family emigrated to England, so Carty spent his early years in Kilburn, North London, before moving to Harrow in NW London when he was 8 years old. As of 2008, Carty lives in Muswell Hill, North London. He has been in a relationship since 1992 with his childhood sweetheart and business partner, actress/writer and film producer Dina Clarkin - the daughter of Irish actor Tony Clarkin. The couple have two sons, James and Thomas. In an interview with the Daily Mirror, Carty explained how he first met Clarkin when she was a 5-year-old child actress and him a 14-year-old, through their parents. Carty describes Dina as his soul mate.
He is a West Ham United supporter, the West Ham team appearing as guests on the This is Your Life tribute to Todd Carty in the year 2000. Todd follows the fortunes of the Republic of Ireland, along with the Ireland rugby team, and the Munster Rugby team.
It was reported on BBC World News on 16 February 2008 that Todd Carty had collapsed on stage while performing in The Business of Murder, at The Gordon Craig Theatre, Stevenage. Some newspapers claimed that Carty had suffered a heart attack, though his agent strenuously denied this on BBC News, claiming the collapse was caused by a middle ear infection, and that the actor had run out of medication. Carty confirmed this while being interviewed on ITV's Loose Women, shortly after the event.
Career
Early career
His first television appearance in the UK was in an advertisement for Woolworths at the age of four. He also had other advertising roles, including one with Doctor Who actor Jon Pertwee and the "Green Cross Code".
He made his first stage appearance at the New London Theatre, Drury Lane, as the young Lionel in Lionel Bart's autobiographical musical Lionel; however, his television career in his youth was mostly defined by his role as Tucker Jenkins in Phil Redmond's popular BBC drama, Grange Hill (1978-1982), and the subsequent spin off series, Tucker's Luck (1983-1985). Carty also auditioned for a presenting job on the children's show Blue Peter in the 1980s.
During the 1970s and 1980s, Carty also appeared in Z Cars (1976), Our Mutual Friend, Drummer, and Headmaster, all for the BBC. And for German TV, Focus on Britain, and The Idle Bunch. His film work at the time included Professor Popper's Problems and Please Sir!. In 1983, he landed the role of Oswyn in the fantasy film Krull opposite Ken Marshall, Lysette Anthony, Liam Neeson, and Alun Armstrong, amongst others.
EastEnders
Carty took over the role of original character Mark Fowler in BBC's EastEnders in 1990, following the death of the original actor, David Scarboro. Carty's character was notable for being the first mainstream soap protagonist to be diagnosed as HIV-positive. Carty played the role for 13 years, becoming one of the longest-running male cast-members. In July 2002, the BBC announced that Mark Fowler was being written out of the serial, a mutual decision between the producers and Carty. Executive producer Louise Berridge said that Carty had made a "fantastic contribution" to the soap and Mark had been a "pivotal figure", but the character had finally run its course: "Todd and I have discussed this at some length and agreed that it was time for Mark to hang up his leather jacket for the last time. We will all miss Todd, who is one of our best-loved actors, and wish him every success in the future." Carty made his final appearance as Mark in February 2003. The character was subsequently killed off-screen in 2004, dying of an AIDS-related illness. Carty has since revealed that he broke his EastEnders contract a year earlier than planned to take another role, which resulted in Mark's off-screen death.
Other television and film appearances
Whilst still in EastEnders in 1997, Carty appeared with his friend and former EastEnders co-star Nick Berry in the Victorian period adventure film The Black Velvet Band, a spaghetti western-style drama.
Carty was the subject of a This Is Your Life tribute in 2000. Guests included Wendy Richard, Norman Wisdom, Nick Berry, his partner Dina Clarkin, sons James and Thomas, and his father-in-law, actor Tony Clarkin.
After leaving EastEnders in 2003, Carty went on to play "bent copper", PC Gabriel Kent, in ITV's The Bill. After leaving The Bill in 2005, he returned to the big screen as the aristocrat Harvey Van Bollingbroke in the movie The Treasure of Albion. Carty acted in The School That Roared as the eccentric Mr. Haig, for which he was also second unit director.
He has guest-starred as Ray Hallam in the Christmas special of the TV series Heartbeat, and in BBC's Holby City, as villain Cameron Cooke. In 2008, he guest-starred in BBC's Doctors, playing the part of Kev Blake.
In 2003, Carty reprised the role of Tucker Jenkins in Grange Hill, as the uncle of one the pupils, Patrick "Togger" Johnson. He appeared in just this one episode, but he was brought back once again to film for Grange Hill's last ever series, broadcast in 2008 — a one-off special episode to celebrate the 30th birthday of the long-running BBC TV show. A movie of Grange Hill, which will star Todd Carty, has been announced, and is in the early stages of development. Carty appeared as Tucker in the last ever televised episode of Grange Hill, which was screened on Monday, 15 September, 2008 on BBC1.
Carty was a guest on the BBC1 show I'd Do Anything, in May 2008, with Cameron Mackintosh, helping to choose one of the selected boys to play Oliver Twist, for the new West End production of Oliver!.
Carty and his eldest son, James, filmed together in a factual television series for Five, "Dangerous Adventures For Boys", based on the book written by Conn and Hal Iggulden, The Dangerous Book for Boys. James Carty aged 11, became the youngest person to have ever driven a steam train across the North York Moors 18 mile line from Grosmont to Pickering, built in the 1830s. Carty and his son James were guests on a comedy sketch of the series on the Harry Hill TV Burp show on ITV1.
Dancing on Ice
Carty appeared in the fourth series of the UK version of Dancing On Ice, which began on 10 January 2009 and was a guest on GMTV on Monday 5 January 2009, as the first new contestant to be introduced. Carty partnered professional skater Susie Lipanova and was heavily criticised by the judging panel for his apparent lack of skating ability and in the weeks he and Lipanova competed, they have finished bottom of the leaderboard, scoring 7.5 in their first week,, 9.5 for their next appearance in week three and 7.5 and 8.5 for week four and five respectively. Carty and Susie Lipanova danced their week three routine to the song Help from The Beatles. During the routine in week three, Carty lost control on the ice so badly that he ended up stumbling into the off stage area, disappearing from public view, leaving Lipanova to complete the routine alone. Despite this, the public vote carried the couple through to the next round. Carty's public support has seen him compared to Strictly Come Dancing contestant John Sergeant, who was carried through several rounds of the reality contest despite much criticism from the judging panel about his dancing ability. Phillip Schofield told Carty at the end of his routine, "You have given me my most favourite moment ever on Dancing On Ice". Schofield then said the Tucker Jenkins catchphrase to Todd, "Flippin Eck Tucker". Tony Gubba, the shows commentator said, on the Carty performance. "Hilarious, I completely lost it. I have never lost it in 40 years of television. In all honesty, this programme is television Heaven, such fun. Because you never know what will happen". Carty was described by Richard Arnold on GMTV, as "hilarious, stumbling off the rink completely like Norman Wisdom". Todd Carty had over a million and a half hits on youtube for his spectacular and hilarious stumble off the ice rink set of Dancing On Ice. In week five, the couple performed a routine that Carty described as 'romantic'. Their chosen music was the Nat King Cole version of Smile. Carty claimed that Lipanova would still not allow him to lift her during their routine. The couple scored 8.5 for their performance, and were eliminated from the show after a skate-off with Ellery Hanley and his partner Frankie Poultney. In an interview on This Morning on Monday 9 February, Carty stated that he will take part in Dancing On Ice The Tour 2009.
Radio, presenting and stage
Carty's radio work includes such dramas as Les Misérables; The Three Loves of Ida Bliss; We Are Happy; Wavelength; Midweek; Jellybones;The London Particulars; and The Chocolate Frigate. Narration work includes Paddington Green; the story of New York subway's Guardian Angels,Scene in New York; The Fame Game; Driving Mum Crazy; Snapshot-Eddie Kidd; The Jungle Creatures; and many more.
In 1989, Carty reprised the role of Tucker in the musical stage version of the TV series Grange Hill, Grange Hill: Tucker's Return, at the Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch. Between 2007 and 2008, he toured the UK with the Richard Harris stage play, "The Business of Murder", as Police Detective Hallett.
Todd Carty and Wendy Richard (who famously played his screen mother Pauline in EastEnders) presented "50 Greatest Families" on Sky One in March 2008. Todd and his life time partner actress writer and film producer Dina Clarkin were special guests at the wedding of Wendy Richard and John Burns on Friday 10 October 2008.
Pantomimes
Carty has played Ali Baba in the BBC Christmas pantomime Aladdin, and starred as Buttons in Cinderella at "The Gatehouse Theatre Stafford" from December 14 1993 to the 2nd January 1994. And later starred with Barbara Windsor as the captain's mate in Dick Whittington at The Orchard Theatre, Dartford. He also appeared as "King Rat", with Basil Brush in the pantomime Dick Whittington at The Wycombe Swan Theatre, between 2005 and 2006. He reprised the role of King Rat in a new version of Dick Whittington, at The Capital Theatre, Horsham, which ran from 13 December 2007 to 6 January 2008. In December 2008, Carty will appear as the evil Ferdinand Fleshcreep (The Giant's Evil Assitant) in Jack and the Beanstalk at The Queens Theatre in Barnstaple. The show runs from Friday 12 December 2008 to Sunday 4 January 2009.
Directing and producing
Carty and his partner, actress/writer and film producer Dina Clarkin, set up a film production company, Swordfish Productions. In July 2007, Carty made his directorial debut as director of several episodes of the BBC's daytime soap opera, Doctors.
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