David Cann
Acting • Born 1956-11-12
Biography
David Cann is an actor with a diverse and successful career in both theatre and television. After training at RADA he served his apprenticeship in the repertory system, appearing at many of Britain's grand old theatres in a wide range of roles. In plays ancient and modern, Shakespearean drama, musicals and pantomime, David developed into a leading man and character actor with a strong vocal technique and a firm grasp of many artistic styles; from the extreme naturalism of Lawrence's 'A Collier's Friday Night' through the high comedy of Sheridan's 'A School for Scandal' to the classical verse (not to mention the athletic sword-fighting) in 'Romeo and Juliet'. Moving into television David appeared in many shows including 'Sapphire and Steel' and 'Grange Hill'. In between these, he worked in small fringe theatres, such as the Gate in Notting Hill and the Croydon Warehouse, where such heart-warming pieces as Barrie Keeffe's 'My Girl' showed his subtlety in the more intimate space of studio theatre. In the mid-90’s David auditioned for a small part in a new type of comedy pioneered by Chris Morris. The resulting series, 'Brass Eye', was hailed as a major breakthrough in TV style; satirising TV itself. Morris subsequently asked David to join a small team to develop the award-winning BBC radio series 'Blue Jam' and, in 1999, some of this material was filmed for television as 'Jam'. It is for his work in this surreal and iconic series that David is best known. Over many years David has developed a strong reputation working with new and emerging talent, helping writers to develop their scripts through workshops and rehearsed readings. This led to David working with young director Tamara Harvey who later asked David to take the leading role in Laura Wade's charming play about the Welsh poet WH Davies in the highly-praised production of 'Young Emma' at the Finborough Theatre in London in 2003. For the BBC David became part of a notable storyline as Dot Cotton's cancer specialist in 'EastEnders' and again as Doctor Casper in the disturbing, futuristic drama-documentary 'If...we could stop the violence David’s film work includes appearances in 'Run, Fat Boy, Run', 'Attack The Block', 'The Iron Lady', 'Greed' and 'Rebecca'. On television David has appeared in 'Spooks' and 'Psychoville', 'Silent Witness' and 'The Javon Prince Show', but more recently 'Sex Education', 'It’s Kevin', 'Sally4Ever', 'Sick Note', 'Killing Eve' and 'The Baby'.
Filmography
88 credits
Run Fatboy Run
Movie • 2007
Marathon Official
Nineteen Eighty-Four
Movie • 1984
Martin
Les Misérables
Movie • 2012
Magistrate
Jeremy: A Nightmare
Movie • 2023
Professor Calrusian
The Kármán Line
Movie • 2014
Dr. Behringer
On a Moonlit Night
Movie • 1989
Lizzie and Sarah
Movie • 2010
John
Albatross
Movie • 2011
Grumpy Man
Attack the Block
Movie • 2011
Detective Superintendant
Bridget Jones's Diary
Movie • 2001
Cameraman
Crooked House
Movie • 2017
Coroner
The Iron Lady
Movie • 2011
TV Interviewer
The Murder of Stephen Lawrence
Movie • 1999
Forensic Scientist
Biggles
Movie • 1986
Sapper Officer
Chromophobia
Movie • 2006
Policeman
The Eagleman Stag
Movie • 2010
Peter Eagleman
Wet Job
Movie • 1981
Cawthorne
Knights & Emeralds
Movie • 1986
Albert Brimble
Rebecca
Movie • 2020
Lord Crowan
The Truth
Movie • 2006
Male Walker
Greed
Movie • 2019
Fat Cat
The Buckingham Murders
Movie • 2024
Alan
Moonmonkeys
Movie • 2007
Anthony Meloney
Captive
Movie • 2008
The Chairman
Dog Eat Dog
Movie • 2001
Police chief
The Bill
TV • 1984
Jam
TV • 2000
Various
Bad Girls
TV • 1999
Francis Cowan
Sex Education
TV • 2019
Quiz Moderator
Campion
TV • 1989
Ropey
Beast
TV • 2000
Solicitor #1
Pie in the Sky
TV • 1994
Farm Worker
Sick Note
TV • 2017
Gordon Glass
Still Open All Hours
TV • 2014
Cliff Bridges
Uncle
TV • 2014
Chaplain
Black Books
TV • 2000
Eddie
Saxondale
TV • 2006
Male Dinner Guest
Sally4Ever
TV • 2018
Alan
House of the Dragon
TV • 2022
Dragonkeeper
Killing Eve
TV • 2018
Len
Bad Education
TV • 2012
School Governor
Spooks
TV • 2002
Chief of Airstaff
The Baby
TV • 2022
Avery
Not Going Out
TV • 2006
Dr Rhodes
London Belongs To Me
TV • 1977
Process Server
Armchair Thriller
TV • 1978
Rodgers
The Tomorrow People
TV • 1973
Chaircreature
Blake's 7
TV • 1978
Star One Technician
Sapphire & Steel
TV • 1979
Pilot
Shine on Harvey Moon
TV • 1982
Spiv 2
One by One
TV • 1984
Brian
A Dark Adapted Eye
TV • 1994
Albert March
Between the Lines
TV • 1992
Insp. Rooney
Frontiers
TV • 1996
No Bananas
TV • 1996
Man in Pub
Berkeley Square
TV • 1998
Recruiting Sergeant
People Like Us
TV • 1999
Sergeant
High Stakes
TV • 2001
Pearce
Lee Evans: So What Now?
TV • 2001
Chairman
Mr Charity
TV • 2001
Consultant
15 Storeys High
TV • 2002
Public Attorney
The Green Green Grass
TV • 2005
Farm Inspector
The Commander
TV • 2003
DCI Tom Fuller
Lead Balloon
TV • 2006
Mr. Randall
Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps
TV • 2001
Solicitor
Benidorm
TV • 2007
Maitre D'
Psychoville
TV • 2009
Dr. Flint
It's Kevin
TV • 2013
Various
The Javone Prince Show
TV • 2015
Policy Commitee Member
Silent Witness
TV • 1996
Incident Commander
Silent Witness
TV • 1996
DI Murray Porter
Doctors
TV • 2000
Mr. Lee
Doctors
TV • 2000
Clem Thornton
Doctors
TV • 2000
Johnny Morton
Doctors
TV • 2000
Gordon Willet
Hold the Sunset
TV • 2018
Counsellor
Four Weddings and a Funeral
TV • 2019
Headmaster Mould
EastEnders
TV • 1985
Mr. Randall
Grange Hill
TV • 1978
Mr. Bentley
Hard Cases
TV • 1988
Steve Ridgely
True Crimes
TV • 1992
Reenactment
Brass Eye
TV • 1997
Donaldus Matthews / Vicar
Brass Eye
TV • 1997
Ripp Candy
Brass Eye
TV • 1997
Alan Fortune-Vatch
Brass Eye
TV • 1997
Vicar
Shine on Harvey Moon
TV • 1982
Spiv
If...
TV • 2004
Professor Casper
tlc
TV • 2002
DI Crighton