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| | image = <!-- Only free images may be used in biographies of living people. Please do not add fair use images here. --> | | image = https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/bf/David_Wicks_2012.jpg/200px-David_Wicks_2012.jpg <!-- Only free images may be used in biographies of living people. Please do not add fair use images here. --> | ||
| | caption = | | caption = Michael playing David Wicks | ||
| | name = Michael French | | name = Michael French | ||
| | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1962|09|17|df=y}} | | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1962|09|17|df=y}} | ||
Revision as of 16:44, 3 October 2013
For other people named Michael French, see Michael French (disambiguation).
| Michael French | |
|---|---|
| Michael playing David Wicks | |
| Born | Michael Clark (1962-09-17) 17 September 1962 (age 62) Bow, London, England |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1993–present |
Michael French (born Michael Clark, 17 September 1962, Bow, London) is an English actor, most notable for his role as consultant Nick Jordan in Casualty and former cardiothoracic registrar in Holby City. He also played the role of David Wicks on EastEnders. He returned to EastEnders in September 2013 as French has agreed to return as a regular character.
Early life
French (took surname to get an Equity Card), was born Michael Clark to parents David (a greengrocer) and Sheila in East London, but grew up in Theydon Bois, Essex. where he attended Theydon Bois County Primary School. He was soon appearing in school productions, while weekends and evenings were spent at dancing classes and rehearsals for shows put on by the local drama club. He then attended West Hatch Technical High School in Chigwell, Essex where he was a main contributor to school plays.
At the age of 20, French landed a job as an entertainer ("blue coat") at the Holiday Club International in Majorca.
When he returned to Britain, at the age of 22, French got his first acting break in the musical Godspell at the Kenneth More Theatre in Ilford, London. Bit parts on stage followed, including playing the Genie in Aladdin in a Christmas pantomime.
He spent the next three years touring in small productions, before becoming disillusioned with his lack of success and taking a job as an Air Steward for British Airways. However, he was unable to lose his desire to act and French quit his job as an air steward with British Airways and began taking acting lessons. He was trained at the Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts and graduated in 1992.
Career
After graduating from acting school, French was primarily employed in West End musicals. He was in West Side Story, Chicago, Joseph — playing romantic juvenile leads — and then played Javert in Les Misérables.
French became well known for appearing in the BBC soap opera EastEnders. French was spotted by an EastEnders casting agent whilst on stage in the musical Les Misérables. He was subsequently offered a role in the popular soap opera and first appeared in 1993, playing the womanising car-dealer, David Wicks. French quit the soap in 1996. 19 million viewers tuned in to watch the character's exit from Albert Square.
Other regular TV roles include Nick Jordan in Casualty (1998, 2005, 2008-2013) and its sister programme, Holby City (1999–2000; 2005–2006); The Fabulous Bagel Boys (2001); Gary Lescott in Dalziel and Pascoe (2005); Jeff Slade in Crime Traveller (1997) and Tom Gilder in Born and Bred (2001–2004).
Among his other stage credits include Art (2000) as Marc and Sacred Heart (1999) as Jerry. He also replaced John Barrowman as Billy Flynn in the London run of Chicago from 13 December 2004, but resigned suddenly on 2 May 2005 amid rumours of differences with his co-star Brooke Shields.
On 13 May 2008 it was confirmed Michael French would be returning to his role of Nick Jordan for a third stint, but this time in the Holby City parent programme Casualty. French left Casualty in early February, for other television careers.
French returned to EastEnders as David Wicks in 2012 after more than 15 years away for the departure of Pam St Clement, who played his on-screen mother, Pat Butcher. His return was aired on New Year's Day 2012 and he again departed the soap on 13 January 2012.
In 2013, it was revealed by the Daily Mirror that French had agreed to return to EastEnders as David Wicks, as a regular character. He returned on 26 September 2013.
Filmography
| Year | Show | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993–1996, 2012, 2013– | EastEnders | David Wicks | Series regular |
| 1997 | Crime Traveller | Detective Jeff Slade | 8 part series |
| 1998 | Casualty | Nick Jordan | Series Regular |
| 1999–2000 | Holby City | Series regular | |
| 2001 | The Fabulous Bagel Boys | DS Alexander Murchison | |
| The Gentleman Thief | Ellis Bride | ||
| 2004 | The Afternoon Play | Hardy Rose | 1 episode: Sons, Daughters and Lovers |
| 2001–2005 | Born and Bred | Dr. Tom Gilder | Series regular |
| 2005 | Casualty@Holby City | Nick Jordan | 2 episodes: Deny Thy Father (Parts 1&2) |
| 2006 | Holby City | Recurring; 16 episodes | |
| Dalziel and Pascoe | Gary Lescott | 1 episode: Wrong Place, Wrong Time | |
| 2008—2013 | Casualty | Nick Jordan | Series regular |
| 2010 | Holby City | 1 episode: Downstairs, Upstairs |
References
- General
- Specific
- ^ Sutton, Caroline (17 March 1996). "French connection". Sunday Mirror. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
- ""People would shout 'We love you'. But I didn't like myself". Evening Standard.
- "Drama faces: Michael French actor profile", BBC. URL last accessed on 2007-02-13.
- "FRENCH AND JOHNSTON; PARTNERS IN TIME", Sunday Mirror. URL last accessed on 2007-02-13.
- "Michael French Resigns From London", Playbill. URL last accessed on 2006-02-11.
- "and co-star isn't a fan either", Evening Standard. URL last accessed on 2007-02-13.
- "Role is deja vu for French". The Sun Online. 13 May 2008. Retrieved 13 May 2008.