John Thomson (actor)

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John Thomson
Birth name Patrick Francis McAleer
Born April 2, 1969 (1969-04-02) (age 38)
Salford, England
Spouse(s) Samantha Sharp (2005 - present)

John Patrick Thomson (born Patrick Francis McAleer, April 2, 1969) is an English actor and stand-up comedian, known for his roles in The Fast Show and Cold Feet.

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Thomson was born in 1969 in Salford, England to Mary McAleer, who would give him up six weeks later. He was adopted from a Catholic Rescue Centre by Andrew and Marita Thomson, a businessman and a bookseller from Didsbury.[1][2] He has one younger brother, Ben (born to his adoptive parents).[3] He attended All Hallows Catholic High school near Preston, leaving with three O-levels. He then attended Runshaw College between 1985 and 1987, studying for four A-levels, including theatre studies. He was described as "clearly [having] a talent for comedy".[4]

Following this, he turned down a scholarship in America to study drama at Manchester Polytechnic.

Thomson as Louis Balfour, host of Jazz Club, in the The Fast Show. bbc.co.uk describes Balfour as "one of the most memorable of the Fast Show characters, with one of the best haircuts".
Thomson as Louis Balfour, host of Jazz Club, in the The Fast Show. bbc.co.uk describes Balfour as "one of the most memorable of the Fast Show characters, with one of the best haircuts".[5]

While at university, Thomson met Steve Coogan, who secured him a job on Spitting Image.[3] They would continue to collaborate on such programmes as Coogan's Run , the Paul and Pauline Calf video diaries and Knowing Me, Knowing You... with Alan Partridge, which he also contributed to writing. He also appeared in Coogan's live shows as compere Bernard Righton and the two would be reunited in the 2002 film 24 Hour Party People. The two won the Perrier Comedy Award in 1992 for their act at the Edinburgh Fringe.[3]

In 1994 Thomson appeared in the BBC sketch series The Fast Show, remaining with it until it ended in 2001. Thomson played memorable characters such as Chip Cobb, the deaf stuntman, and Roger the Nouveau football fan but it is "Jazz Club" host Louis Balfour that he is most remembered for, with the catchphrase, "Nice!"[3][6] He also appeared in The Fast Show Live and the spin-off Ted & Ralph.

In 1995 Thomson played a paramedic in the very first episode of the ITV sitcom Is It Legal?

In 1996 he appeared opposite Maureen Lipman as Bob Acres in The Rivals at the Royal Exchange, Manchester.[7][8]

He made guest appearances on various series such as Soldier Soldier and Men Behaving Badly in the 1990s before being cast as Pete Gifford in the ITV comedy drama Cold Feet. Thomson was known to the producers, who had previously cast him in a one-off drama called The Perfect Match. A series was commissioned that ran until 2003 and earned him a nomination for Best TV Comedy Actor at the British Comedy Awards 2001.

After Cold Feet wrapped, Thomson auditioned for the David E. Kelley series The Brotherhood of Poland, New Hampshire[9] before returning to the Royal Exchange to appear in Hobson's Choice (helped by his acclaimed performance in The Rivals[8]). The Independent described his performance as Willie as "an extremely well-judged performance. With the slightest physical gesture and merest facial expression he conveys disbelief, reluctance, panic, and finally acceptance of his fate at the hands of manipulative Maggie".[10] His performance led to a Manchester Evening News Award nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role.[11]

That same year he participated in the BBC series Comic Relief does Fame Academy. He was the fourth "student" to be "expelled".[12][13] He lent his voice to the revived BBC children's series Bill and Ben and a character in Wallace & Gromit in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit. Another television series, New Street Law, about a Manchester chambers, started in 2006. Thomson plays "lovable rogue" barrister Charlie Darling alongside co-star John Hannah. The second series began in January 2007.[14]

In February 2007 he played Sir Alan Prentice, in Kombat Opera Presents... The Applicants, a spoof opera of the BBC series The Apprentice. The programme attracted 700,000 viewers according to unofficial overnights.[15] In March 2007 he appeared as hypnotherapist Ray Bould in the three-part ITV thriller, Mobile. The producers had Thomson lined up for the role of DI Fleming, but he wanted to read for Bould because he "was up against a friend for the same part".[16]

Thomson married long-term girlfriend Samantha Sharp in 2005 and they have one daughter, Olivia (born 2002).

  1. ^ BBC Northern Ireland (2004) Patrick Kielty Almost Live John Thomson Profile. Retrieved on 2007-02-17
  2. ^ Hockney, Karen (2002) "Everything is coming up roses for John the flowerpot man", The Sun. Retrieved on 2007-02-17
  3. ^ a b c d Cooke, Rachel (2003-05-11) "Infamy, infamy ...", The Observer. Retrieved on 2007-02-17
  4. ^ Shimmon, Katie (2006-06-06) "College days", Guardian Unlimted. Retrieved on 2007-02-17
  5. ^ BBC - The Fast Show - Character Guide. bbc.co.uk. Retrieved on 2007-06-06.
  6. ^ Rampton, James (1999-01-02) "Staying In: Interview John Thomson: The very fast show", The Independent. Retrieved on 2007-02-17
  7. ^ Wainwright, Jeffrey (1996-02-17) "Theatre The Rivals, Royal Exchange, Manchester", The Independent. Retrieved on 2007-02-17
  8. ^ a b Bourke, Kevin (2003-04-25) "Thomson's Choice", Manchester Evening News. Retrieved on 2007-02-17
  9. ^ Bourke, Kevin (2003-04-25) "Cold Feet star set for city dates", Manchester Evening News. Retrieved on 2007-02-17
  10. ^ Walker, Lynne (2003-05-27) "Theatre: A choice evening of comic charm", The Independent. Retrieved on 2007-02-17
  11. ^ Anonymous (2003-11-11) "Manchester Evening News Awards 2003", The British Theatre Guide. Retrieved on 2007-02-17
  12. ^ Press release (2003-03-03) "Comic Relief Does Fame Academy – celebrity students revealed", BBC Press Office. Retrieved on 2007-02-17
  13. ^ Press release (2003-03-10) "Comic Relief Does Fame Academy – John Thomson packs his bags", BBC Press Office. Retrieved on 2007-02-17
  14. ^ Press release (2006-04-25) "John Thomson plays Charlie Darling", BBC Press Office. Retrieved on 2007-02-17
  15. ^ Deans, Jason (2007-02-26, "ITV's Lewis tops Sunday night TV", Guardian Unlimited. Retrieved on 2007-04-19
  16. ^ Press release (undated) "Exclusive interview with John Thomson", ITV Dramas. Retrieved on 2007-03-15

 v • d • e The Fast Show
Performers
Paul Whitehouse | Charlie Higson | Caroline Aherne | John Thomson | Simon Day | Arabella Weir | Mark Williams
Felix Dexter | Donna Ewin | Jeff Harding | Maria McErlane | Colin McFarlane | Eryl Maynard | Paul Shearer | Rhys Thomas
Writers
Jane Bussmann | Craig Cash | Dave Gorman | Graham Linehan | Arthur Mathews | Lise Mayer | Bob Mortimer | Henry Normal | David Quantick
Characters
Characters with spin-off shows: Ted and Ralph | Swiss Toni | Ron Manager | Billy Bleach
Other Characters:The Suit You Tailors | 'Unlucky' Alf | Arthur Atkinson | Rowley Birkin QC | Brilliant Kid | Bob Fleming | Chanel 9 | Chris the Crafty Cockney | Dave Angel, Eco-Warrior | Johnny Nice Painter | The Offroaders | The 13th Duke of Wybourne
Full List of Characters
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Thomson_%28actor%29"
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