David Haig

David Haig Collum Ward MBE (born 20 September 1955) is an English actor and playwright. He has appeared in West End productions and numerous television and film roles over a career spanning four decades.

David Haig MBE
Born	David Haig Collum Ward 20 September 1955 Aldershot, Hampshire, England
Occupation	Actor, playwright
Years active	1978–present
Spouse(s)	Julia Gray ​ ​ (m. 2010)​
Children	5

Haig wrote the play My Boy Jack, which premièred at the Hampstead Theatre on 13 October 1997. On Remembrance Day 2007, ITV broadcast a television drama based on the play, in which Haig played Rudyard Kipling and Daniel Radcliffe played Kipling's son, John. He went on to star as the Player in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead alongside Radcliffe in 2017.

Haig's second play The Good Samaritan was also first staged at the Hampstead Theatre, opening on 6 July 2000. His third play Pressure premiered at the Chichester Festival in 2014, before being revived in 2018 on a UK Tour and then in the West End at the Ambassadors Theatre. In 2018, he portrayed Bill in the critically acclaimed BBC America thriller series Killing Eve.

Haig was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2013 Birthday Honours for services to drama.[1]

Early life

Haig was born on 20 September 1955 in Aldershot, Hampshire, the son of opera singer Shirley R. C. (née Brooks) and army officer (and later director of the Hayward Gallery) Francis W. He grew up in Rugby, Warwickshire, where he was educated at Rugby School.[2]

Career

Film and television

Haig appeared in the 1994 film Four Weddings and a Funeral and had a supporting role in the BBC television sitcom The Thin Blue Line playing Inspector Grim, the inept foil to Rowan Atkinson's Inspector Fowler. In 2002 he played the brother of Four Weddings' co-star Hugh Grant in the romantic comedy Two Weeks Notice. In 2007, he appeared in a Comic Relief sketch called "Mr. Bean's Wedding" as the bride's father, reuniting with Atkinson.

Other TV work includes Doctor Who story The Leisure Hive (1980); Blake's 7 episode "Rumours of Death" (1980); Campion story Sweet Danger (1990); Inspector Morse episode "Dead on Time" (1992); and Cracker. In the 1990s he appeared in series 1 of the TV series Soldier Soldier.

He appears in the Richard Fell adaptation of the 1960s science fiction series A for Andromeda, on the UK digital television station BBC Four. Haig wrote the play My Boy Jack and later appeared in the television adaptation as Rudyard Kipling, with Daniel Radcliffe playing Kipling's son, John.

In 2008, he appeared in the BBC film Dustbin Baby and The 39 Steps. He also appeared in the Midsomer Murders episode "The Glitch". In 2009 he appeared as Steve Fleming in BBC TV's The Thick of It and as Jon, husband to former MP Mo Mowlam in the drama Mo opposite Julie Walters. Also in 2009, he appeared in two episodes as the headmaster of Portwenn Primary School, Mr Straine on ITV comedy drama Doc Martin.

In January 2013 Haig started appearing as Jim Hacker in a re-make of classic 1980s comedy series Yes Prime Minister, broadcast on Gold TV in the United Kingdom.

In 2012 a new sitcom pilot, starring Haig and written by Ben Elton, was filmed for the BBC.[3] Filming for a full six-part series of the sitcom, The Wright Way (formerly known as Slings and Arrows) was completed in March 2013, and began airing on BBC One on 23 April.[4]

An August 2018 announcement indicated that Haig would be among the new cast to join the original actors in the Downton Abbey film which started principal photography at about the same time.[5] In September 2018 he appeared in the critically acclaimed BBC series Killing Eve.

Radio

In 2008, he played Maurice Haigh-Wood in the BBC Radio adaptation of Michael Hastings' play Tom and Viv, and 2010 he starred as Norman Birkett in "Norman Birkett and the Case of the Coleford Poisoner" on BBC Radio 4's Afternoon Play series. He also played Lewis Eliot in C. P. Snow's "Strangers and Brothers" on Radio 4 in 2003, repeated on Radio 4 Extra February 2013.

Stage

He also won an Olivier Award in 1988 for Actor of the Year in a New Play, for his performance in Our Country's Good at the Royal Court in Sloane Square.[6] He toured Britain with the stage version of My Boy Jack, which he wrote, and in which he played Rudyard Kipling and directed a production of Private Lives by Noël Coward, which made a national tour in 2005.

Haig has appeared in several stage productions in London's West End, including Hitchcock Blonde at the Royal Court, Life X 3 at the Savoy Theatre, as the character Osborne in R.C. Sherriff's play Journey's End at the Comedy Theatre, and as Mr George Banks in Mary Poppins at the Prince Edward Theatre for which he received an Olivier Award nomination. He was also nominated for playing Christopher Headingley in a revival of Michael Frayn's comedy Donkeys' Years at the Comedy Theatre. Having appeared in the role of Pinchwife in the comedy The Country Wife at the Royal Haymarket Theatre in London, he appeared in The Sea at the same theatre. Haig's next role was Truscott in the Joe Orton black farce Loot at London's Tricycle Theatre from 11 December 2008 to 31 January 2009 and at Theatre Royal, Newcastle, 2 to 7 February 2009.

In 2010 he played the role of Jim Hacker in the stage version of Yes, Prime Minister[7] at the Chichester Festival Gielgud Theatre, in London's West End from 17 September 2010.[8]

Personal life

Haig lives in South London with his wife, Julia Gray, who acts under the stage name Jane Galloway. They have five children and are patrons of SANDS, a charity which deals with stillbirth and neonatal death.

Filmography

Theatre

Year	Title	Role	Production	Notes
2018	Pressure by David Haig	James Stagg	Ambassadors Theatre, London
2017	Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead by Tom Stoppard	The Player	The Old Vic, London
2016	Blue/Orange by Joe Penhall	Robert	Young Vic
2015	Guys and Dolls by Frank Loesser	Nathan Detroit	Chichester Festival Theatre	Olivier Award Nomination
2015	Someone Who'll Watch Over Me by Frank McGuinness	Michael	Minerva Theatre, Chichester
2014	Pressure by David Haig	James Stagg	Royal Lyceum Theatre/Chichester Festival Theatre
2013	King Lear by William Shakespeare	Lear	Theatre Royal, Bath
2011–12	The Madness of George III by Alan Bennett[9]	George III	National Tour and Apollo Theatre	Olivier Award Nomination
2010–11	Yes, Prime Minister by Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn[10]	Jim Hacker	Chichester Festival Theatre and Gielgud Theatre
2009	Loot by Joe Orton[11]	Inspector Truscott	Tricycle Theatre
2008	The Sea by Edward Bond[12]	Hatch	Royal Haymarket Theatre
2007	The Country Wife by William Wycherley[13]	Pinchwife	Royal Haymarket Theatre
2006	Donkey's Years by Michael Frayn[14]	Chris Headlingly	Comedy Theatre	Olivier Award Nomination
2005	Mary Poppins by Julian Fellowes[15]	Mr Banks	Prince Edward Theatre	Olivier Award Nomination
2004	Journey's End by R.C. Sherriff[16]	Osborne	Comedy Theatre
2003	Hitchcock Blonde by Terry Johnson[17]		Royal Court and Lyric Theatre, West End
2002	Life x3 by Yasmina Reza[18]	Henri	Savoy Theatre
1997	"Art" by Yasmina Reza[19]	Ivan	Wyndham's Theatre and Broadway
1997	My Boy Jack by David Haig[20]	Rudyard Kipling	Hampstead Theatre
1994	Dead Funny by Terry Johnson	Richard	Hampstead Theatre and West End
1991	Measure For Measure by William Shakespeare[21]	Angelo	Young Vic and RSC tour
1988	Our Country's Good by Timberlake Wertenbaker	Ralph Clark	Royal Court	Olivier Award Best Actor in a New Play
1988	The Recruiting Officer by George Farquhar	Plume	Royal Court
1988	Greenland	Paul	Royal Court
1985	Tom and Viv by Michael Hastings[22]	Maurice	Royal Court and Broadway

TV and film

Year	Film	Role	Notes
1978	The Moon Stallion	Todman	TV series
1980	Blake's 7	Forres	TV series (1 episode: "Rumours of Death")
	Doctor Who	Pangol	TV series (4 episodes of "The Leisure Hive")
1983	Chessgame	Colin Jenkins	TV series (1 episode: "Flying Blind")
	A Flame to the Phoenix	Mirek Grabinski
1984	Dark Enemy	Ash
1985	Morons from Outer Space	Palatial House Flunkey	Film
1986	The Alamut Ambush	Colin Jenkins	TV film
	Cold War Killers	Colin Jenkins	TV film
1989	Hannay	Conrad Smyth	TV series (1 episode: "The Good Samaritan")
	Dramarama	Bill Brock	TV series (1 episode: "Badger")
1990	Campion	Cully Randall/Guffy Randall	TV series (2 episodes)
	Portrait of a Marriage	Harold Nicolson	TV series (4 episodes)
1991	Chancer	Dr. Haselden	TV series (1 episode: "Remembrance")
	Soldier Soldier	Major Tom Cadman	TV series (7 episodes)
1992	Inspector Morse	Peter Rhodes	TV series (1 episode: "Dead on Time")
	Boon	Jim Fisk	TV series (1 episode: "Is There Anybody There?")
1993	The Darling Buds of May	Captain Robert Battersby	TV series (2 episodes)
	Alleyn Mysteries	Arthur Wilde	TV series (1 episode: "A Man Lay Dead")
	Cracker	Graham	TV series (2 episodes)
1994	Four Weddings and Funeral	Bernard, the Groom – Wedding Two
	The Bill	Brian Linton	TV series (1 episode: "Secrets")
	Love on a Branch Line	Lionel Virley	TV series (4 episodes)
	Nice Day at the Office	Chris Selwyn	TV series (6 episodes)
1995	Wycliffe	David Millar	TV series (1 episode: "Charades")
	The Four Corners of Nowhere	Nick
	The Thin Blue Line	D.I. Grim	TV series (14 episodes: 1995–1996)
1997	Keeping Mum	Richard Beare	TV series (16 episodes: 1997–1998)
1998	Talking Heads 2	Wilfred Paterson	TV mini-series (1 episode: "Playing Sandwiches")
1999	The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Tales of Innocence	Colonel Bonnet	video
2000	Dalziel and Pascoe	David Hallingsworth	TV series (1 episode: "A Sweeter Lazarus")
2001	Ivor the Invisible	Park Keeper	voice
	Station Jim	Riorden Jnr	TV film
2002	Crime and Punishment	Luhzin	TV film
	Rachel's Attic	Adam
	Two Weeks Notice	Howard Wade
2004	Hustle	Sir Anthony Reeves	TV series (1 episode: "The Last Gamble")
2006	A for Andromeda	General Vandenburg
2007	Comic Relief 2007: The Big One	Kate's Dad	TV film
	Church Going	Priest	short
	My Boy Jack	Rudyard Kipling	TV film
2008	Dickens Secret Lover	Charles Dickens	TV film
	Agatha Christie's Marple: Murder Is Easy	Major Hugh Horton	TV film
	Dustin Baby	Elliot	TV film
	The 39 Steps	Sir George Sinclair	TV film
2009	My Family	Jeremy Livingstone	TV series (1 episode: "The Guru")
	Midsomer Murders	George Jeffers	TV series (1 episode: "The Glitch")
	Doc Martin	Mr Straine (Headmaster of Portwenn Primary School)	TV series (2 episodes)
	The Thick of It	Steve Fleming	TV series (2 episodes)
2010	Mo	Jon Norton	TV film
2011	The Half-Light	Man	short
	Strike Back	Christopher Manning	TV series (2 episodes)
2013	Yes Minister	Jim Hacker	TV series (6 episodes)
2013	The Wright Way	Gerald Wright	TV series (6 episodes)
2016	Florence Foster Jenkins	Carlo Edwards
2016	The Witness for the Prosecution	Sir Charles Carter	TV mini series (2 episodes)
2018	Killing Eve	Bill Pargrave	TV series (3 episodes)
2019	Downton Abbey	Mr Wilson
2020	COBRA	Archie Glover-Morgan	Series regular

References

1. "No. 60534". The London Gazette (Supplement). 15 June 2013. p. 24.
2. Walker, Tim (18 April 2014). "David Haig says Rugby did not want him to become an actor". ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
3. "New sitcom from Ben Elton". TV Tonight. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
4. Patrick Munn (5 January 2013). "Kacey Ainsworth, Rufus Jones & Michael Falzon Cast in BBC One's Ben Elton Sitcom". Retrieved 28 January 2013.
5. McNary, Dave (30 August 2018). "Imelda Staunton, Geraldine James Join 'Downton Abbey' Movie".
6. "Olivier Winners 1988". The Society of London Theatre. Retrieved 30 September 2018.
7. "Stage plan for Yes Prime Minister". BBC News. 18 February 2010.
8. "Chicester Minister Bound for Gielgud, 17 Sep". Whats on Stage website. 11 June 2010. Archived from the original on 13 October 2012. Retrieved 12 June 2010.
9. Spencer, Charles (24 January 2012). "The Madness of George III". Telegraph. London. Retrieved 24 October 2012.
10. Benedictus, Leo (25 May 2010). "Yes Prime Minister". Guardian.co.uk. London. Retrieved 24 October 2012.
11. "Loot". Entertainment.timesonline.co.uk. Retrieved 24 October 2012.
12. Taylor, Paul (25 January 2008). "The Sea". Independent. London. Retrieved 24 October 2012.
13. "The Country Wife". Britishtheatreguide.info. Retrieved 24 October 2012.
14. "Donkey's Years". Britishtheatreguide.info. Retrieved 24 October 2012.
15. "Mary Poppins". Musicalheaven.com. Retrieved 24 October 2012.
16. "Journey's End". Indielondon.co.uk. Retrieved 24 October 2012.
17. "Hitchcock Blonde". Royalcourttheatre.com. Archived from the original on 17 January 2013. Retrieved 24 October 2012.
18. "Life x3". Whatsonstage.com. Archived from the original on 20 October 2012. Retrieved 24 October 2012.
19. "Art". Londontheatre.co.uk. Retrieved 24 October 2012.
20. "My Boy Jack". Nritishtheatreguide.info. Archived from the original on 7 February 2012. Retrieved 24 October 2012.
21. "Measure for Measure". Rscshakespeare.co.uk. Retrieved 24 October 2012.
22. "Tom and Viv". Thebeautifulchanges.co.uk. Retrieved 24 October 2012.

External links

• David Haig at IMDb
• SANDS website