Stephen Vincent McGann (born 2 February 1963) is a British actor, best known for portraying Dr Patrick Turner in the BBC One medical period drama series Call the Midwife. He is one of a family of acting brothers, the others being Joe, Paul, and Mark.[1]
Stephen McGann | |
|---|---|
 McGann in 2017 | |
| Born | Stephen Vincent McGann 2 February 1963 Kensington, Liverpool, England |
| Alma mater | Imperial College London |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1983–present |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 1 |
| Family |
|
McGann was born in Kensington, Liverpool, and began his professional acting career in 1982, starring in the West End musical Yakety Yak. He has since worked extensively in British theatre and on screen.[2]
Early life
editStephen's father Joe was a Royal Naval Commando who died in 1984, and his mother Clare was a teacher. Along with his acting brothers Paul, Mark, and Joe who's named after his father, he also has a younger sister named Clare after their mother.[3][4]
Career
editActing
editIn 1989, he starred as Mickey in the West End hit musical Blood Brothers. In 1990, he played Johann Strauss in the international mini-series, The Strauss Dynasty.[5] In 1993, he created, co-produced and starred in the award-winning BBC drama The Hanging Gale. He portrayed the character of Sean Reynolds in Emmerdale from 1999 to 2002.[6]
In 2003, he starred with Jamie Theakston in the hit West End play 'Art'.[7][8] In 2006, he played the role of the Reverend Shaw in the original West End cast of the musical Footloose.[9] He can currently be seen playing Dr. Turner in BBC TV series Call the Midwife.[10]
Science communicator
edit
In addition to his acting, McGann is a public speaker and science communicator. He graduated from Imperial College London with a Master's degree in Science Communication.[11]
He was a guest speaker at the Cambridge Science Festival in March 2015.[12] He published a guest essay in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine in April 2015, discussing issues of medical accuracy and communication in Call the Midwife.[13]
In January 2016, McGann published a companion book to Call the Midwife called Doctor Turner's Casebook, in which he revisits key medical cases featured in the TV series and discusses their historical and social contexts.[14] The BBC screened a documentary special based on the book, titled Call The Midwife: The Casebook, on 15 January 2017.[15]
In July 2017, McGann published Flesh and Blood: A History of My Family in Seven Maladies, a personal history of his family over a century and a half as told through the medical ailments they suffered.[16][17]
McGann was a member of the judging panel for the 2019 Royal Society Insight Investment Science Book Prize.,[18] and holds an honorary doctorate from the University of Liverpool and the University of Chester in recognition of his contribution to public health communication and drama[19][20]
Personal life
editStephen McGann is married to screenwriter and Call the Midwife creator Heidi Thomas. They have one son, Dominic.[21]
Filmography
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Business As Usual | Terry Flynn | |
| 1998 | Milk | Ralph | Short |
| 1999 | The Harpist | Henry Kennedy | |
| 2006 | Turning Shadows | Son | Short |
| 2016 | Game Day | Jeremy | Short |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Juliet Bravo | Simon Bailey | 1 episode: "Simple Simon" |
| 1984 | Missing from Home | Butch | TV mini-series, 1 episode |
| 1985 | Brookside | David Hargreaves | 2 episodes |
| 1985 & 1989 | Bergerac | Harry / Pepe Mendoza | 2 episodes |
| 1986 & 1988 | Help! | Tex | 8 episodes |
| 1987 | Boon | Kevin McGillivray | 1 episode: "Fiddler on the Roof" |
| 1988 | Screenplay | Brendan | 1 episode: "Home Front" |
| 1989 & 1992 | Streetwise | Bob Street | 17 episodes |
| 1991 | Stay Lucky | Dylan Jones | 1 episode: "The Food of Love" |
| 1991 | The Strauss Dynasty | Johann 'Schani' Strauss, Jnr. | TV mini-series, 8 episodes |
| 1994 | The Lifeboat | Mark Cowley | 1 episode: "Three Men in a Boat" |
| 1994 | Grushko | Andrei | 3 episodes |
| 1994 | Where the Buffalo Roam | Jimmy Dunn | TV movie |
| 1995 | The Hanging Gale | Daniel Phelan | TV mini-series, all 4 episodes |
| 1995 | Catherine the Great | Alexis Orlov | TV movie |
| 1997 | Melissa | Waiter (uncredited) | TV mini-Series, 1 episode |
| 1999–2002 | Emmerdale | Sean Reynolds | 298 episodes |
| 2004 & 2007 | Casualty | Garry Lesser / Sam Roach | 2 episodes |
| 2006 | Doctors | Bernard Stephenson | 1 episode: "Sacrifice" |
| 2007 | The Bill | Simon Winstanley | 1 episode: "Identity Fraud" |
| 2012–Present | Call the Midwife | Dr. Patrick Turner | 104 episodes |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Melinda's Big Night In | Himself | Episode: "Not Melinda's Big Night In 3" |
| 2000 | The Richard Whiteley Show | Himself (Guest) | Episode: #3.6 |
| 2000 | Live Talk | Himself | Episode: #1.4 |
| 2000–2017 | Loose Women | Himself | 5 episodes |
| 2001 | Open House with Gloria Hunniford | Himself | Episode: 3 August 2001 |
| 2001 | Kelly | Himself | Episode: 21 September 2001 |
| 2015 | Children in Need | Himself (Contestant) | On Strictly Come Dancing |
| 2017 | Call the Midwife: The Casebook | Himself (Host) | TV movie documentary |
| 2018 | Sunday Brunch | Himself (Guest) | Episode: #7.1 |
| 2018 | Strictly Come Dancing | Himself (Audience member) | The Quarter-Final: Musicals Week & Results |
| 2019 | This Morning | Himself | Episode: 8 February 2019 |
| 2021 | This Morning | Himself | Episode: 12 November 2021 |
References
edit- ^ "The McGann Brothers". 8 May 2013. Retrieved 8 May 2013.
- ^ "Associated International Management". 8 May 2013. Retrieved 8 May 2013.
- ^ Shennan, Paddy (30 July 2017). "Surviving famine, the Titanic and D-Day - the amazing story of the McGanns". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
- ^ Dwyer, Ciara (21 August 2017). "McGann: 'I have their blood in my veins - but I own my story'". Independent Ireland. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
- ^ "IMDb:The Strauss Dynasty". IMDb. 8 May 2013. Retrieved 8 May 2013.
- ^ "The Guardian:Happy days - Stephen McGann". TheGuardian.com. 21 April 1999. Retrieved 8 May 2013.
- ^ Smith, Deirdre (24 February 2002). "Jamie Theakston Joins Art in London". Playbill. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
- ^ "BBC Entertainment:Theakston joins Art cast". 2 February 2002. Retrieved 8 May 2013.
- ^ Morris, Anne (7 January 2006). "McGann in fast-paced musical". Salisbury Journal. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
- ^ "Patrick Turner". PBS. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
- ^ "Call the Midwife actor Stephen McGann describes steps taken to depict accuracy and authenticity in medical TV drama". 22 April 2015. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
- ^ "Cambridge Science Festival Speaker spotlight - Stephen McGann". 22 March 2015. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
- ^ "From how to who: accuracy and authenticity in the portrayal of the medic in TV drama". 22 April 2015. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
- ^ "Actor McGann pens Dr Turner book for S&S". 22 October 2015. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
- ^ "BBC - Call the Midwife: The Casebook - Media Centre". BBC. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
- ^ Stephen McGann - official publisher page. Simon & Schuster. 27 July 2017. ISBN 9781471160806. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
- ^ Mohaupt, Hillary (13 November 2018). "Family Practice". Distillations. 4 (3). Science History Institute: 44–45. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
- ^ "2019 Royal Society Insight Investment Science Book Prize". Royal Society. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
- ^ "Honorary graduates for 2019 announced". University of Liverpool. 30 May 2019. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
- ^ "Call the Midwife star and Paralympian to be honoured alongside Chester graduates". The Chester Standard. 1 November 2022. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
- ^ Eden, Jenny (4 August 2001). "Interview: Steve McGann". Daily Mirror. Trinity Mirror. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
- ^ Stephen McGann Filmography