Chris Chittell
{{Short description|English actor (b. 1948)}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2011}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|BEM}}
| name = Chris Chittell
| birth_name = Christopher John Chittell
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1948|5|19|df=y}}
| birth_place = Aldershot, Hampshire, England
| occupation = Actor
| years_active = 1964–present
| known_for = Role of Eric Pollard in Emmerdale
| spouse = {{plainlist|
- {{Marriage|Caroline Hunt|1979|2005|reason=div}}
- {{marriage|Lesley Dunlop|2016}}
}}
| children = 2
}}
Christopher John Chittell BEM (born 19 May 1948) is an English actor, known for his role as Eric Pollard in the ITV soap opera Emmerdale. He has portrayed the role since 1986, making him the longest-serving cast member in the soap's history.{{cite news |last1=Dainty |first1=Sophie |title=Emmerdale star Chris Chittell would leave if Eric Pollard stopped getting decent storylines |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/emmerdale/a834699/emmerdale-chris-chittell-exit-comments/ |access-date=26 February 2021 |work=Digital Spy |publisher=Hearst Magazines UK |date=3 August 2017}}
Biography
=Early life=
Chittell was born in Aldershot, Hampshire. His father served in the Indian Army, and on leaving school Chittell intended to join the Royal Navy, but instead, he became a model. His first acting stint was in 1964, with the National Theatre, at Chichester Festival Theatre, in Peter Shaffer's The Royal Hunt of the Sun.{{Cite web|url=https://theatricalia.com/person/ymh/christopher-chittell|title=Christopher Chittell | Theatricalia|website=theatricalia.com}}
=Career=
He appeared as Potter in the 1967 film To Sir, with Love.{{Cite web|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/film/fj5jhd/to-sir-with-love/|title=To Sir, with Love – review | cast and crew, movie star rating and where to watch film on TV and online|website=Radio Times}} In 1968 he appeared as a Trooper in The Charge of the Light Brigade, and made an uncredited appearance in If.... . This was followed by a starring role as one of the Freewheelers, made as an action/adventure children's serial by Southern Television between 1968 and 1973.{{Cite web|url=https://www.aveleyman.com/ActorCredit.aspx?ActorID=33116|title=Chris Chittell|website=www.aveleyman.com}}
Chittal acted for two seasons in the 1970s science fiction TV drama The Tomorrow People.{{Cite web|url=https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b77a63640|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200920203529/https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b77a63640|url-status=dead|archive-date=20 September 2020|title=A Rift in Time[11/03/74] (1974)|website=BFI}}{{Cite web|url=https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b8229f8cc|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210122023818/https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b8229f8cc|url-status=dead|archive-date=22 January 2021|title=Secret Weapon[19/03/75] (1975)|website=BFI}} His other film appearances included roles in The Beast in the Cellar (1970), The Weekend Murders (1971), The Raging Moon (1971), The Last Valley (1971), Erotic Inferno (1975), Golden Rendezvous (1977), Zulu Dawn (1979) and Game for Vultures (1979).{{Cite web|url=https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2ba137bcec|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170929042256/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2ba137bcec|url-status=dead|archive-date=29 September 2017|title=Christopher Chittell|website=BFI}} He also appeared in a number of Swedish sex films in the 1970s including Swedish Sex Games (aka The Intruders and Let Us Play Sex) in 1975 (which also featured a young Stellan Skarsgård).
He performed on stage at the Old Vic in Macbeth with Peter O'Toole.Hayward, Anthony The Emmerdale Companion Published by Orion Publishing Co. (1997) {{ISBN|0-7528-1043-X}}[http://www.emmerdale.org/emmerdale/profiles/eric/chris.htm] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100620103422/http://emmerdale.org/emmerdale/profiles/eric/chris.htm |date=20 June 2010 }} Chittell on the Emmerdale website In 1972, Chittell appeared in the untransmitted Doomwatch episode "Sex and Violence", playing Dick Burns, widely believed to be a parody of Cliff Richard and Richard's part in the Nationwide Festival of Light.{{Cite web|url=https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b8815acad|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190406203001/https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b8815acad|url-status=dead|archive-date=6 April 2019|title=Sex and Violence (1972)|website=BFI}} The "Sex and Violence" episode was included as part of the Doomwatch DVD box set release in April 2016.{{Cite web|url=http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2016/apr/07/doomwatch-bbc-box-set-review|title=Doomwatch box set review: vintage 70s apocalypse drama still has the power to chill|date=7 April 2016|website=the Guardian}}
Personal life
Chittell is married to his Emmerdale co-star Lesley Dunlop, who plays Brenda Walker.
Honours
He was awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) in the 2019 Queen's Birthday Honours List for services to drama and charity.{{London Gazette|issue=62666|supp=y|page=B25|date=8 June 2019}}
Filmography
{{incomplete list|date=May 2020}}
| class="wikitable" | |||
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | To Sir, with Love | Potter | |
| 1968 | The Charge of the Light Brigade | Trooper | |
| 1968 | The Avengers | Bassin | |
| 1968 | If.... | Senior | Uncredited |
| 1970 | The Breaking of Bumbo | The Prisoner | |
| 1970 | The Weekend Murders | Georgie Kemple | |
| 1971 | The Raging Moon | Terry | |
| 1971 | The Last Valley | Svenson | |
| 1971 | The Beast in the Cellar | Baker | |
| 1971 | They Call Him Cemetery | John McIntire | |
| 1974 | The Intruders | Richard | |
| 1974 | Man About The House | Alan | |
| 1975 | Erotic Inferno | Martin Barnard | |
| 1977 | Molly | Peter | |
| 1977 | Ta mej i dalen | Richard | |
| 1977 | Golden Rendezvous | Rogers | |
| 1978 | The Wild Geese | Philips | Uncredited |
| 1978 | Night Ride | TV movie | |
| 1979 | Zulu Dawn | Lt. Milne | |
| 1979 | Game for Vultures | McAllister | |
| 1980 | Les Visiteurs (The Visitors) | L'interprète (The Interpreter) | TV Mini Series. Episode entitled: Pirvii |
| 1982 | Triangle | Lorry Driver | TV series. Series 2. Episode 17 |
| 1984 | Tucker's Luck | Junior | TV series. Recurring role |
| 1986–present | Emmerdale | Eric Pollard | ITV Soap Opera. Series regular |
| 2016 | Doomwatch | Dick Burns | 1 episode |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chittell, Chris}}
Category:English male soap opera actors
Category:English male film actors
Category:English male stage actors
Category:Male actors from Aldershot
Category:Recipients of the British Empire Medal