Gary Beadle (born 8 July 1965) is a British actor.
Life and career Beadle was raised as one of five children in Bermondsey, South London, England, where he was baptised a Roman Catholic. As children, he and his elder brother Rikki produced a version of the 1976 youth musical-gangster film Bugsy Malone for Southwark London Borough Council. Directed by Rikki who starred as Talula, Gary played janitor Fizzy. Rikki tried to invite the original film's director Alan Parker to the performance, but his assistant did come, and used her connections to get Rikki, Gary and their younger sister into the community-based Anna Scher Theatre School.
After developing a love of hip hop, and especially Run-D.M.C. and the Sugarhill Gang, Beadle moved to New York City in his early twenties. On his return to London, using the moniker "Pretty Boy Gee", he formed a rap group called The City Limits Crew alongside "Little Stevie Bee". In 1985, the duo released two 12" singles, "Keep It On" (w/ "The Mutant Rockers") and "Fresher Than Ever" on the independent record label Survival Records. Also that year, the crew recorded a session on BBC Radio 1 for John Peel and performed at Electro Rock, an international hip hop event at the Hippodrome.
He also worked as a comedian but started to work as an actor, and appeared in The Young Ones (BBC 1984);The Young Ones - Time episode - Captain Blood Radio scene the 1986 film Absolute Beginners; Jerusalem, the 1987 short film starring the Style Council pop group; Making Out in 1989–91 as Simon; the BBC sitcom Absolutely Fabulous, where he played the gay lover of Eddie's (Jennifer Saunders) ex-husband Justin; the TV series Born to Run in 1997; the ITV police drama The Bill and BBC medical drama Casualty (2001).
In 2001, he started in the role of Paul Trueman in EastEnders. A loveable rogue, Beadle left the role when his contract was due to terminate - as he had not appreciated the director and script writers wanting his character to become a drug dealer. He therefore departed from the show and his exit featured the character being killed off by his gangland boss Andy Hunter (Michael Higgs).
Immediately after completing filming of EastEnders, Beadle playing the Evil Queen's henchman in the Qdos Entertainment production of Snow White at the Cliffs Pavilion in Southend-on-Sea, opposite Linda Lusardi. Since leaving EastEnders, Beadle has had roles in Holby City (2005), Doctors (2006) and the Jean-Claude Van Damme film Until Death, released in 2007.
In 2007, he appeared in BBC Three comedy Thieves Like Us. In 2008, he appeared in The Sarah Jane Adventures series 2 as Clyde Langer's father, Paul. In 2009, he appeared in Malice in Wonderland as DJ Felix Chester, a Cheshire Cat allusion. In 2010, he appeared in the Royal Court Theatre's Sucker Punch by Roy Williams.
In 2012, he appeared in Hustle as a police officer. In 2015, he played Docker in BBC One drama The Interceptor and also featured in the Ron Howard-directed film In the Heart of the Sea, which was released in December 2015.
In 2016, he performed as Abioseh, an ex-tribesman in the Royal National Theatre's production of Les Blancs. He also starred as a Detective Chief Inspector in an episode of Silent Witness.
In 2017, Beadle appeared as Archdeacon Gabriel Atubo, Rev. Sidney Chambers's boss in series 3 of Grantchester.
Filmography Film Year Film Role Notes1986 Absolute Beginners Johnny Wonder Playing Away Errol 1987 White Mischief African Servant 1996 The Imitators Rock 1998 Written in Blood Phill Hatton 2007 Until Death Mac 2009 Malice in Wonderland Felix Chester 2010 Fit Karmel's Dad 2011 Bashment The MC 2012 Cockneys vs Zombies Greg 2015 In the Heart of the Sea William Bond 2017 Hip Hop Cafe Hov Short film 2019 We Die Young Winslow 2020 Squall Ben Short film2021 The Toll Elton Demon David Blank Shores Lenny Short film Iniquity Rhys Short film2022 Persuasion Mr. Musgrove Suppression John Burns Short film2023 Rye Lane Peter Nandor Fodor and the Talking Mongoose Errol My Jerome Ruddy Short film2024 Opening Up Adam Short film Hard Truths Irate Motorist
Television Year Film Role Notes 1980 The Squad Gary Episode: "Wheels" 1981 Theatre Box Fergus Episode: "Death Angel"1982 Grange Hill Elroy Episode #5.13 Murphy's Mob Gonk 12 episodes 1983 Play for Today Victor Episode: "Shall I Be Mother?"1984 The Young Ones First Mate Episode: "Time" The Lenny Henry Show Various characters Episode #1.3 Stars of the Roller State Disco Derek Television film1985 Relative Strangers Steve Episode #1.9 Just Like Mohicans Barrington Television film Honeymoon Denver Television film 1987, 2001,2010 Casualty Denny / Steven Harris / Dom 3 episodes1988 Scene Paul Episode: "QPR Askey Is Dead" Blind Justice Boy on Train Episode: "White Man Listen" 1989–1991 Making Out Simon 19 episodes1990 I Love Keith Allen Various roles ScreenPlay Darren Episode: "Night Voice" 1990–2011 The Comic Strip Presents... Various characters 9 episodes 1992 Wail of the Banshee Gary Galahad Episode: "The Stone Round the Sword" 1992,1995–1996 Absolutely Fabulous Oliver 3 episodes1995 The Detectives Uniformed Constable Episode: "Flash" The Glam Metal Detectives Gary / Various roles / King 5 episodes Numbertime Terry / Bobby Cube / Sammy Shape 5 episodes 1996 Thief Takers John Boyd Episode: "Going Under" 1997 Born to Run Muff Muffin 4 episodes 1997–1999 Operation Good Guys Gary Barwick 9 episodes 1998 Lost Souls Stuart Markle Television film 1999 The Bill P.C. Banster Episode: "A Day to Remember"2001 Wit Code Team Blue 6 Television film The Big Impression Paul Trueman Episode: "Christmas Special 2001" 2001–2004 EastEnders Paul Trueman 375 episodes 2005 The First Black Britons Presenter Television film 2005, 2018 Holby City Tim Webster /Lennox 'Lennie' Jefferies 2 episodes 2006, 2009,2014 Doctors Sean Patterson / PC Wilson /Eugene Montgomery 5 episodes 2007 Thieves Like Us DS Haynes 4 episodes 2008 The Sarah Jane Adventures Paul Langer 2 episodes2012 Hustle Nick Episode: "The Con Is Off" Crime Stories David Green Episode #1.19 2013 Common Ground John Kettle Episode: "Patricia" 2015 The Interceptor Docker 7 episodes2017 Death in Paradise Samuel Palmer Episode: "The Impossible Murder" Silent Witness DCI Tony Underhill 2 episodes 2017–2021 Grantchester Archdeacon Gabriel Atubo 9 episodes 2018 Patrick Melrose Chilly Willy 2 episodes2019 Hatton Garden Shorty Episode #1.4 Summer of Rockets Courtney Johnson 6 episodes Dark Money Malcolm Danvers Episode: "Shattered Dreams" 2020 Mangrove Dol Isaacs Part of the Small Axe anthology series 2021 Around the World in 80 Days Bass Reeves Episode #1.72022 Skint Gary Episode: "Regeneration" Andor Clem Andor 3 episodes Plebs: Soldiers of Rome Actaeon Television film Midsomer Murders Damian Bennett Episode: "The Debt of Lies"2023 Best Interests Frank 3 episodes The Wheel of Time Elyas Machera 5 episodes 2024 The Gentlemen Thick Rick 3 episodes 2024 A Good Girl's Guide to Murder Victor Amobi 6 episodes 2026 Babies Kevin 3 episodes
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