
David Cann
Acting
David Cann is an actor with a diverse and successful career in both theatre and television. After training at RADA he served his apprenticeship in the repertory system, appearing at many of Britain's grand old theatres in a wide range of roles. In plays ancient and modern, Shakespearean drama, musicals and pantomime, David developed into a leading man and character actor with a strong vocal technique and a firm grasp of many artistic styles; from the extreme naturalism of Lawrence's 'A Collier's Friday Night' through the high comedy of Sheridan's 'A School for Scandal' to the classical verse (not to mention the athletic sword-fighting) in 'Romeo and Juliet'. Moving into television David appeared in many shows including 'Sapphire and Steel' and 'Grange Hill'. In between these, he worked in small fringe theatres, such as the Gate in Notting Hill and the Croydon Warehouse, where such heart-warming pieces as Barrie Keeffe's 'My Girl' showed his subtlety in the more intimate space of studio theatre. In the mid-90’s David auditioned for a small part in a new type of comedy pioneered by Chris Morris. The resulting series, 'Brass Eye', was hailed as a major breakthrough in TV style; satirising TV itself. Morris subsequently asked David to join a small team to develop the award-winning BBC radio series 'Blue Jam' and, in 1999, some of this material was filmed for television as 'Jam'. It is for his work in this surreal and iconic series that David is best known. Over many years David has developed a strong reputation working with new and emerging talent, helping writers to develop their scripts through workshops and rehearsed readings. This led to David working with young director Tamara Harvey who later asked David to take the leading role in Laura Wade's charming play about the Welsh poet WH Davies in the highly-praised production of 'Young Emma' at the Finborough Theatre in London in 2003. For the BBC David became part of a notable storyline as Dot Cotton's cancer specialist in 'EastEnders' and again as Doctor Casper in the disturbing, futuristic drama-documentary 'If...we could stop the violence David’s film work includes appearances in 'Run, Fat Boy, Run', 'Attack The Block', 'The Iron Lady', 'Greed' and 'Rebecca'. On television David has appeared in 'Spooks' and 'Psychoville', 'Silent Witness' and 'The Javon Prince Show', but more recently 'Sex Education', 'It’s Kevin', 'Sally4Ever', 'Sick Note', 'Killing Eve' and 'The Baby'.
Born: November 12, 1956 · Westminster, London, England, UK
Filmography (55)

The Buckingham Murders
2024

House of the Dragon
2022

The Baby
2022

Rebecca
2020

Greed
2019

Four Weddings and a Funeral
2019

Sex Education
2019

Sally4Ever
2018

Killing Eve
2018

Hold the Sunset
2018

Sick Note
2017

Crooked House
2017

Still Open All Hours
2014

The Kármán Line
2014

Uncle
2014

Les Misérables
2012

Bad Education
2012

The Iron Lady
2011

Albatross
2011

Attack the Block
2011

The Eagleman Stag
2010

Psychoville
2009

Run Fatboy Run
2007

Benidorm
2007

Not Going Out
2006

Lead Balloon
2006

Saxondale
2006

Chromophobia
2006

The Green Green Grass
2005

The Commander
2003

15 Storeys High
2002

Spooks
2002

Bridget Jones's Diary
2001

Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps
2001

Black Books
2000

Doctors
2000

Jam
2000

People Like Us
1999

Bad Girls
1999

Berkeley Square
1998

Brass Eye
1997

Silent Witness
1996

Pie in the Sky
1994

Between the Lines
1992

On a Moonlit Night
1989

Campion
1989

Biggles
1986

EastEnders
1985

Nineteen Eighty-Four
1984

The Bill
1984

Shine on Harvey Moon
1982

Sapphire & Steel
1979

Grange Hill
1978

Blake's 7
1978

The Tomorrow People
1973
