Phil Davis
Davis in 2016
Born
Philip Davis

(1953-07-30) 30 July 1953
Highgate, London, England
Occupations
  • Actor
  • writer
  • director
  • narrator
Spouse
​
(m. 2002)​
Children2

Philip Davis (born 30 July 1953) is an English actor, writer, director and narrator. His early work as a director earned awards for Life’s a Gas (1992) and ID (1995). As an actor, he starred in Quadrophenia (1979), The Bounty (1984), The Firm (1989), In the Name of the Father (1993), North Square (2000), Vera Drake (2004), Bleak House (2005), Whitechapel (2009–2013), Sherlock (2010), Brighton Rock (2010), Merlin (2011), Silk (2012–2014), Poldark (2015), Mad Dogs (2015–2016), Trying (2020–2022), and Platform 7 (2023).

Early life

Davis was born in Highgate, London, and brought up in South Ockendon in Thurrock, Essex.[1] His father worked for Procter & Gamble in a soap factory and his mother was a hospital dining room supervisor. From the age of eight, he was interested in acting.[1] After failing his eleven-plus,[1] he attended Ockendon Courts County Secondary School in South Ockendon, Essex, where he was distracted in class, although he enjoyed school plays.

He was also a member of both the National Youth Theatre and Joan Littlewood's Theatre Workshop.[1]

Career

In 1977, he was cast in the lead role of the play Gotcha! about an under-achieving student who holds two teachers hostage on his last day at school.[1] An early film role was as Chalky, a mod who is knocked off his scooter by a rocker in Quadrophenia (1979).[1] He then landed the role of midshipman Edward "Ned" Young in The Bounty (1984);[1] co-star Daniel Day-Lewis later rated him as one of his greatest inspirations.[1] He appeared in the TV series To Have and to Hold with Amanda Redman. He began a long association with Mike Leigh with roles including Cyril the motorcycle courier in High Hopes in 1988. In 1989, he starred opposite Gary Oldman in the BBC's football violence based film The Firm as 'Yeti', the rival gang leader to the protagonist.[2]

In 2004, Davis played Stanley, the husband of the abortion care provider in Vera Drake (2004).[1] He portrayed the mean money lender Smallweed in the BBC adaptation of Bleak House (2005),[1] and as Jeff Hope, a cab driver in the first episode of Sherlock (2010).[1]

In 2012, he starred as crime family solicitor Micky Joy in Silk,[1] then in 2015 as Jud, the malevolent servant in Poldark alongside Aidan Turner and Eleanor Tomlinson.[3]

In 2017, Davis played a main role as DI Ray Miles in the ITV1 four-part series Whitechapel starring alongside Rupert Penry Jones and Steve Pemberton.[4] From November 2017 until February 2018, Davis played Ebenezer Scrooge in David Edgar's new adaptation of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol at the Royal Shakespeare Company.[5]

In 2023, Davis played a main role in the ITV1 psychological thriller Platform 7, alongside actors Jasmine Jobson and Toby Regbo.[6]

Personal life

Davis married actress Eve Matheson in Hackney, London in 2002.[1] They have a daughter, Amy Elisabeth (born 2002).[1] Davis also has a son, Hugo (born 1996), by a previous partner.[7]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1972 The Canterbury Tales Second homosexual lover Uncredited
1973 Orson Welles Great Mysteries Johnny Sheeham Episode: "In the Confessional"
1974 Death or Glory Boy Tpr. Smiff Episode: "Early Arrival"
1975 The Old Curiosity Shop Tom Scott
1977 Target Ray Episode: "Vandraggers"
1978 The Professionals Billy Turner Episode: "Old Dog with New Tricks"
1979 Quadrophenia Chalky
1980 BBC2 Playhouse Dick Episode: "Grown-Ups"
1980 Play for Today 2nd Youth 5 episodes
1982 Pink Floyd – The Wall Roadie
1983 Bergerac Eric Episode: "A Message for the Rich"
1984 The Bounty Midshipman Edward "Ned" Young
1985 The Doctor and the Devils Billy Bedlam
1985 Underworld Lazarus
1985–1986 Robin of Sherwood Prince John 3 episodes
1986 Comrades Young (John) Standfield
1987 Truckers Cowboy 7 episodes
1988 High Hopes Cyril
1978–1982 Rumpole of the Bailey Tony Timson Episode: "Rumpole and the Tap End"
1989 Screen Two Yeti

Finn

 2 episodes
1989 Skulduggery Director and writer
1992 Inspector Morse Roland Sherman / Harold Manners Episode "Absolute Conviction"
1992 Alien 3 Kevin Credited as Philip Davis
1993 In the Name of the Father Detective
1995 I.D. Duty Sergeant Director
1994–1995 Moving Story Adrenalin 13 episodes
1996 Different for Girls Cabbie
1996 Secrets & Lies Man in Suit
1996 Prime Suspect 5: Errors of Judgment Director
1997 Face Julian
1997 Photographing Fairies Roy
1998 Real Women Director
1999 Births, Marriages and Deaths Graham 4 episodes
1999 Hold Back the Night Director
2000 North Square Peter McLeish 10 episodes
2002 Fields of Gold Roy Lodge Television film
2002 White Teeth Archie 4 episodes
2002 The Safe House Det. Inspector Baird Television film
2002 Nicholas Nickleby Brooker
2004 Wall of Silence Tony Cottis Television film
2004 The Baby Juice Express Frank O'Reilly
2004 Vera Drake Stan Drake
2005 Like Father Like Son Paul Barker Television film
2005 Twenty Thousand Streets Under the Sky Ernest Eccles 2 episodes
2005 Casanova Guardi
2002–2005 Rose and Maloney Maloney 11 episodes
2005 Bleak House Smallweed 10 episodes
2006 Agatha Christie's Marple Dr. Kennedy Episode: "Sleeping Murder"
2006 Beau Brummell: This Charming Man Master Servant Robinson Television film
2006 Notes on a Scandal Brian Bangs
2007 Five Days Mic Danes 3 episodes
2007 Midsomer Murders Gary Cooper Episode: "The Axeman Cometh"
2007 Inspector George Gently Joe Webster Episode: "Gently Go Man"
2007 Secret Life Rudi Television film
2007 All About Me Tony Conroy Television film
2008 Lark Rise to Candleford Ashlow Episode: #1.4
2008 Ashes to Ashes Chas Cale Episode: #1.6
2008 The Curse of Steptoe Wilfrid Brambell Television film
2008 Doctor Who Lucius Petrus Dextrus Episode "The Fires of Pompeii"
2009 Desperate Romantics Frank Stone 4 episodes
2009 Collision Brian Edwards 5 episodes
2009 Dead Man Running Johnny Sands
2010 The Big I Am Stubbs
2010 Another Year Jack
2010 My Family Carl Episode: "Slammertime"
2010 Sherlock Taxi Driver (Jeff)[8] 2 episodes
2010 Brighton Rock Spicer
2007 Cassandra's Dream Martin Burns
2011 Case Histories Theo Wyre 2 episodes
2011 Merlin Gleeman Episode: "The Wicked Day"
2011 Outside Bet Threads
2012 Fast Girls Brian
2012 Borrowed Time Philip
2013 Being Human Captain Hatch 5 episodes
2013 Having You Peter
2009–2013 Whitechapel DS Ray Miles 18 episodes
2014 Death in Paradise Jim Chandler Episode: "Rue Morgue"
2012–2014 Silk Mickey Joy 7 episodes
2014 New Tricks Gavin Gibson Episode: "In Vino Veritas"
2015 Mr. Holmes Inspector Gilbert
2015 Dough Mr Cotton
2015 Age of Kill Bill Weybridge
2015 Black Work DI Tom Piper 2 episodes
2015–2016 Mad Dogs Lawrence 10 episodes
2016 Golden Years Brian Credited as Philip Davis
2016 Undercover Jimmy 2 episodes
2015–2016 Poldark Jud Paynter 15 episodes
2017 Riviera Jules 9 episodes
2017 Hampstead Fyfe
2017 We Can Be Heroes Grandad Evans
2018 Juliet, Naked Mayor Terry Barton
2008–2020 Silent Witness Mick 4 episodes
2020 Inside No. 9 Bill Ryland Episode: "Thinking Out Loud"
2020 Knuckledust Happy
2022 Deus Vance
2022 Slow Horses Dickie Bow Episode: "Last Stop"
2023 Rise of the Footsoldier: Vengeance David Hexell
2023 Platform 7 Edward 3 episodes
2020–2022 Trying Victor Ross 12 episodes
2017–present Who Do You Think You Are? Narrator

Recording career

In 1980, Davis recorded "Blown It", which was released on the Elton John-owned label The Rocket Record Company.[9]

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Work Result Ref.
As director
1992 Torino International Festival of Young Cinema Prize of the City of Torino – Best Short Film Life's a Gas Nominated [10]
1995 Thessaloniki Film Festival Golden Alexander Award I.D. Nominated [10]
1996 Valenciennes Int Fest of Action and Adventure Films Audience Award (Director) Won [10]
As actor
2001 Broadcasting Press Guild Awards Best Actor North Square Nominated [10]
2001 Royal Television Society Awards Best Actor - Male Nominated [10]
2004 British Independent Film Awards Best Performance by an Actor in a British Independent Film Vera Drake Won [11][10]
2004 San Diego Film Critics Society Awards Best Supporting Actor Won [10]
2005 British Academy Film Awards Best Supporting Actor Nominated [12][10]
2005 Chlotrudis Awards Best Supporting Actor Nominated [10]
2005 London Critics Circle Film Awards Best British Supporting Actor Won [10]
2006 Online Film & Television Association Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture or Miniseries Bleak House Nominated [10]
2009 Clarence Derwent Awards Best Supporting Male (UK) The Philistines Won [10]
2012 Crime Thriller Awards Dagger Award - Best Supporting Actor Whitechapel and Silk Nominated [10]
2012 Monte-Carlo TV Festival Golden Nymph - Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series Whitechapel Nominated [10]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Read, Julian (12 October 2013). "An Actors Life For Me". Essexlife Magazine.
  2. ↑ "Firm, The (1988)". reelstreets.com/. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
  3. ↑ "Poldark - Jud and Prudie Paynter". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
  4. ↑ "Whitechapel". carnivalfilms.co.uk. Retrieved 16 December 2016.
  5. ↑ Rhodes, Peter (7 December 2017). "A Christmas Carol, Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford - review". shropshirestar.com.
  6. ↑ Marland, Sean (26 January 2023). "Platform 7: potential release date, plot, cast and all we know about the haunting thriller". whattowatch.com.
  7. ↑ "Births and Marriages England and Wales 1984–2006". findmypast.com. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
  8. ↑ Staff (24 January 2009). "Exclusive: Gossip from city filming of BBC drama Sherlock". South Wales Evening Post. Northcliffe Newspapers Group.
  9. ↑ "Phil Davis _ Blown It". Www.45cat.com. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 "Phil Davis Awards". IMDB (Index source only). Retrieved 6 February 2023.
  11. ↑ "Winners and Nominations British Independent Film Awards (BIFA 2004)". BIFA. 2004. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
  12. ↑ "British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA) 2005". BAFTA. 2005. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
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