David Cardy | |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1970s–present |
| Television | Birds of a Feather |
David Cardy is an English actor. With a career on stage and screen spanning over five decades, he is known for portraying the role of Chris Theodopolopodous in the BBC sitcom Birds of a Feather (1989, 1997–1998, 2014) and has appeared in numerous stage productions, as well as various other television series and films including The Bill, The Chief and EastEnders.
Life and career
After beginning his career on stage, Cardy's first television role was in an episode of Rock Follies of '77.[1][2] In 1989, he was cast in the BBC sitcom Birds of a Feather as Chris Theodopolopodous, the imprisoned husband of main character Sharon Theodopolopodous (Pauline Quirke).[3] He departed the role after the first series, with Chris being recast to Peter Polycarpou; however, Cardy returned to the role for the penultimate and final series of the original BBC run between 1997 and 1998.[4] He reprised the role again for an episode in the ITV revival in 2014.[5][6] Cardy has had roles in numerous television shows and films, including numerous episodes of The Bill, before taking on a recurring role of Max Wyatt in 2003.[7][8] He also appeared in over sixty productions on stage including A Midsummer Night's Dream, King Lear and The Importance of Being Earnest.[9][10][11] In 2025, he starred in Ghost Stories at Peacock Theatre in the West End.[12][13][14]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Rock Follies of '77 | Punk Rock Group | Episode: "The Hype" |
| 1978 | Hazell | Harry | Episode: "Hazell and the Walking Blur" |
| 1978 | Crown Court | Johnny Jeffery | 3 episodes |
| 1982 | Saturday Night Thriller | Felix | Episode: "Broken Glass" |
| 1982 | Xtro | Michael | Film |
| 1983 | The Winds of War | Sgt. Johnson | Episode: "Defiance" |
| 1983 | The Keep | Alexandru's Son | Film role |
| 1984 | Play for Today | Tony | Episode: "Under the Hammer" |
| 1984 | The Bill | Lionel Dixon | Episode: "Rough in the Afternoon" |
| 1985 | Summer Season | Reporter | Episode: "Time Trouble" |
| 1985 | Honeymoon | Photographer | Television film |
| 1986 | C.A.T.S. Eyes | Customs Man | Episode: "Passage Hawk" |
| 1987 | Prick Up Your Ears | Brian Epstein | Film role |
| 1987 | Little Dorrit | 3 Thimble Man | Film role |
| 1988 | Campaign | Stephen Hallam | Regular role |
| 1989 | Vote for Them | Signalman Jacobs | 3 episodes |
| 1989 | Hard Cases | Tony Farmer | 2 episodes |
| 1989, 1997–1998, 2014 | Birds of a Feather | Chris Theodopolopodous | Recurring role |
| 1990 | Nightingales (TV series) | DC Martin | Episode: "Scrutiny of the Bounty" |
| 1990 | Stay Lucky | Ricardo | Episode: "Bigamy Blues" |
| 1990 | London's Burning | Ronnie | 1 episode |
| 1990–1991 | The Chief | Martin Stewart | 5 episodes |
| 1991 | The Bill | Billy | Episode: "Now We're Motoring" |
| 1992 | Fool's Gold: The Story of the Brink's-Mat Robbery | Tony Black | Television film |
| 1992 | The New Statesman | Arturo | Episode: H*A*S*H |
| 1992 | The Comic Strip Presents... | Trevor Moulton | Episode: "The Crying Game" |
| 1993 | The Comic Strip Presents... | Frank | Episode: "Queen of the Wild Frontier" |
| 1993 | The Bill | Mr. Dean | Episode: "Pride and Joy" |
| 1993 | Screenplay | Barry | Episode: "Safe" |
| 1994 | Minder | Harding | Episode: "Bring Me the Head of Arthur Daley" |
| 1994 | The Bill | Ken Graley | Episode: "Now We're Motoring" |
| 1994 | Jo Brand Through the Cakehole | Various | 1 episode |
| 1994 | Casualty | James Bowen | Episode: "Chasing the Dragon" |
| 1994 | Chef! | Grant | Episode: "Private Lives" |
| 1994 | EastEnders | Mr. Kelsey | 2 episodes |
| 1995 | Kavanagh QC | Alan Kendall | Episode: "Nothing But the Truth" |
| 1995 | The Glam Metal Detectives | Additional cast / Harry / Dave Rumbelow | 3 episodes |
| 1995 | Absolutely Fabulous | Candid Cameraman | Episode: "Fear" |
| 1995 | 3 Steps to Heaven | Hood 1 | Television film |
| 1996 | The Bill | Terry Makin | Episode: "With This Ring" |
| 2003 | The Bill | Max Wyatt | 13 episodes |
| 2001 | EastEnders | Mr. Hunter | 2 episodes |
| 1998 | Getting Hurt | Julian Rathbone | Television film |
| 1998 | No Sweat | Mickey Freeman | Episode: "Friends or Fortune?" |
| 1998 | Monk Dawson | Pimp | Film role |
| 2001 | Silent Witness | Tony Marks | 2 episodes |
| 2003 | A Touch of Frost | Len Morrison | Episode: Another Life |
| 2004 | The Baby Juice Express | Goldberg | Film role |
| Sources:[8][7] | |||
Stage
| Title | Role |
|---|---|
| Ghost Stories | Tony Matthews |
| One Man, Two Guvnors | Charlie Clench |
| The Importance of Being Earnest | Reverend Canon Chasuble |
| Breakfast at Tiffany's | O.J. Berman / Dr Goldman |
| The Inn at Lydda | Thrysullus |
| Tipping the Velvet | Chairman |
| Made in Dagenham | Monty |
| Not Now Darling / Caught in the Net | Harry McMichael / Stanley |
| Dreamboats and Petticoats | Phil / Older Bobby |
| Basket Case | James |
| Ghost Stories | Tony Matthews |
| Treasure Island | Billy Bones |
| All Quiet on the Western Front | Kat |
| The Changeling | Lollio |
| Dick Whittington | Fitzwarren / Sultan |
| Gadaffi | Reporter |
| Losing Louis | Reg |
| Presence | Ray |
| Playing God | Ed |
| King Lear | Various |
| Property | Bulldog Billy / Bollinger |
| Funny Money | Slater |
| King Lear | The Fool |
| Taking Steps | Lesley |
| Bones | Reg |
| What the Butler Saw | Sgt. Match |
| Why Me? | Arthur Hollis |
| Troilus and Cressida | Agamemnon |
| Chimes at Midnight | Pistol / Worcester |
| Don Juan / The Taming of the Shrew | Sganarelle / Petruchio |
| Nabokov's Gloves | Clerk of Chambers |
| The Wizard of Oz | Scarecrow |
| Measure for Measure | Pompey |
| The Shallow End | Budge |
| Pickwick | Sam |
| The Tempest | Caliban |
| The Comedy of Errors | Antipholus of Syracuse |
| The Comedians | Sammy Samuels |
| Penny Blue | Dougie |
| On the Razzle | Weinberl |
| Baby Love | Stewart |
| Arabian Nights | Sinbad |
| Double Take | Harry |
| Coriolanus | Citizen |
| The Three Musketeers | Athos |
| Twelfth Night | Fabian |
| As You Like It | Touchstone |
| Fertility Dance | Max |
| Men in Suits | Cottee |
| A Chorus of Disapproval | Ian Hubbard |
| On the Edge | Jimmy |
| One for the Road | Dennis |
| Sunday Morning / Up for None | Jeremy / Sneaky |
| Command or Promise / True Dare Kiss | Danny |
| The Rocky Horror Picture Show | Dr. Scott / Eddie |
| Progress | Mark |
| Can't Pay? Won't Pay! | Luigi |
| No End of Blame | Mr. Mik |
| Mephisto | Alex |
| Love's Labour's Lost / A Midsummer Night's Dream | Costard / Puck |
| The Taming of the Shrew | Haberdasher |
| Sources:[11][13] | |
References
- ^ "David Cardy Movies & TV Shows List | Rotten Tomatoes | Rotten Tomatoes". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on 14 December 2022. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
- ^ Guide, British Comedy. "David Cardy". British Comedy Guide. Archived from the original on 13 May 2025. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
- ^ "David Cardy". loucoulson.co.uk. Archived from the original on 21 May 2026. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
- ^ "Birds of a Feather cast now from addiction battle to devastating diagnosis". Essex Live. Archived from the original on 15 July 2026. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
- ^ "Chris Theodopolopodous is back! Actor David Cardy returns to Birds of a Feather". Daily Mirror. Archived from the original on 29 December 2023. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
- ^ "Birds of a Feather return for David Cardy". FemaleFirst. 28 January 2014. Archived from the original on 1 May 2017. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
- ^ a b "David Cardy". Plex.tv. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
- ^ a b "David Cardy List of Movies and TV Shows - TV Guide". TV Guide. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
- ^ "Theatre Review: Defence mechanisms". The Independent. 21 May 1998. Archived from the original on 3 December 2024. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
- ^ Lathan, Peter. "Theatre review: King Lear from English Touring Theatre at Gala Theatre, Durham". British Theatre Guide. Archived from the original on 18 July 2025. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
- ^ a b BWW, Team. "David Cardy (Actor) - Broadway & Theatre Credits, Current Shows, News, Bio". BroadwayWorld. Archived from the original on 6 March 2026. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
- ^ Editorial, West End Theatre (29 August 2025). "Ghost Stories casting announced for the West End's Peacock Theatre | West End Theatre". Archived from the original on 13 January 2026. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
- ^ a b "David Cardy stage roles". Theatricalia. Archived from the original on 13 August 2022. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
- ^ "David Cardy on the horror play Ghost Stories". Latest TV Brighton. 1 July 2025. Archived from the original on 23 January 2026. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
External links
- David Cardy at IMDb