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Lorcan Cranitch (born 28 August 1959) is an Irish people actor.
Born in Dublin, Cranitch became involved in drama while a student. In 1980 he moved to London, where he trained at RADA. Times Online interview He became known for the role of Jimmy Beck in the British series Cracker (1993-1995) and has had many roles in British television.
Following Cracker he returned to the BBC in a part specially written for him, as Sean Dillon in Ballykissangel. In 2001 he starred in the short-lived drama series McCready and Daughter, taking on a role originally intended for his former Ballykissangel co-star, Tony Doyle, who died shortly before the series was due to be filmed. He appeared in several other British television dramas, including Deacon Brodie (with Billy Connolly), Shackleton (as Frank Wild) with Kenneth Branagh, Omagh, Hornblower (with Ioan Gruffudd), The Street, Waking the Dead, Spooks, Silent Witness and New Tricks. In 2005 he took a villainous role in the HBO/BBC production of Rome, as the underworld baron Erastes Fulmen. In the 2009 BBC drama Best: His Mother's Son, he played Dickie Best, the father of footballer George Best. He also appeared in The Bill playing DCI Frank Keane.
Lorcan briefly appeared as DI Littlejohn in the Sky Atlantic series Fortitude.
On film he has appeared in Dancing at Lughnasa with Meryl Streep, The Playboys and Titanic Town.
He played Melvin in "New Tricks" "Communal Living" (S5:E7) in 2008. In 2011 he appeared as Liam Cullen in “The Gift of Promise”, (S5:E4) of Lewis. He appeared in the BBC series Death in Paradise (S5:E7), 2016. In 2017 he played Assistant Chief Constable Nicholls in the first part of the final series of the BBC drama Inspector George Gently, (S8.E1)
He has combined this with stage work with The Royal National Theatre, The Royal Shakespeare Company, Donmar West End, Abbey Theatre and Gate Theatre in Dublin. Abbey Theatre: Lorcan Cranitch
In February 2021, Cranitch took a lead role as Detective Chief Superintendent Jackie Twomey in the BBC crime drama series Bloodlands.
| 1987 | The Magic Toyshop | Francie | |
| Empire State | Richard | ||
| 1991 | Chernov | Television film | |
| 1992 | The Playboys | Ryan / John Joe | |
| You, Me and Marley | Father Tom | Television film | |
| 1997 | The Heart Surgeon | Larry Duggan | Television film |
| Food of Love | Luke | ||
| 1998 | Macbeth | Macduff | Television film |
| Titanic Town | Tony | ||
| Night Train | Billy | ||
| Dancing at Lughnasa | Danny Bradley | ||
| 2000 | McCready and Daughter | Michael McCready | Television film |
| My Fragile Heart | Bernard Cleve | Television film | |
| 2003 | Loyalty | Wolfe | Television film |
| Duty | Television film | ||
| 2004 | Magic Circle | Clerk | Short film |
| Omagh | Ronnie Flanagan | Television film | |
| The Queen of Sheba's Pearls | Harold Bradley | ||
| 2008 | Summer of the Flying Saucer | Ciaran | |
| God on Trial | Blockaltester | Television film | |
| 2009 | Dickie Best | Television film | |
| 2012 | Come On | Groom | Short film |
| Flying Blind | Duncan Morehouse | ||
| 2013 | The Food Guide to Love | Eddie | |
| 2014 | Love, Rosie | Dennis Dunne | |
| The Legend of Longwood | Lance Wicklow | ||
| 2015 | The Bloody Irish | James Connolly | Television film |
| 2016 | My Life for Ireland | Pump Man | Short film |
| 2017 | Take Me Swimming | Interviewer | Short film |
| 2018 | The Dig | Sean McKenna | |
| 2019 | Dad | Dad | Television film |
| 2020 | Herself | Michael | |
| Drifting | Diarmuid | Short film | |
| 2021 | Ship of Souls | Michael | Short film |
| Christmas at Castle Hart | Patrick O'Reilly | Television film | |
| 2022 | Róise & Frank | Donncha | |
| Aisha | Peter Flood | ||
| Tarrac | Bear | ||
| Lakelands | Diarmuid | ||
| Burn It All | Mr. Barrett | Short film | |
| LOLA | Major General Norbury | ||
| Stumbling | Logan | ||
| 2023 | A Greyhound of a Girl | Make Judge | Voice only |
| 1978 | The Spike | Fiona's Boyfriend | Episode: "The Curtin Equation" |
| 1985 | Bergerac | Police Sniper | Episode: "Avenge O Lord" |
| 1987 | ScreenPlay | Mr. Scott | Episode: "The Venus de Milo Instead" |
| 1991 | Parnell and the Englishwoman | Timothy Healy | Miniseries; 4 episodes |
| 1993 | The Bill | Laurence Connor | Episode: "If It Isn't Hurting" |
| 1993–1995 | Cracker | DS Jimmy Beck | Series regular; 19 episodes |
| 1994 | Family | Tutorial Teacher | Episode: "John Paul" |
| 1995 | Screen Two | Leo Doyle | Episode: "Life After Life" |
| 1996 | The Bill | Trevor Davis | Episode: "Repossession" |
| 1997 | Screen Two | George Smith | Episode: "Deacon Smith" |
| 1998 | Close Relations | Stephen | Miniseries; 5 episodes |
| 1998–1999 | Ballykissangel | Sean Dillon | Series regular; 24 episodes |
| 2001 | McCready and Daughter | Michael McCready | Series regular; 5 episodes |
| Rebel Heart | Inspector Nelson | Miniseries; 2 episodes | |
| 2002 | Shackleton | Frank Wild | Miniseries; 2 episodes |
| 2002–2003 | Spooks | Patrick McCann | Recurring role; 2 episodes |
| 2003 | Hornblower | Wolfe | Recurring role; 2 episodes |
| 2005–2007 | Rome | Erastes Fulmen | Recurring role; 6 episodes |
| 2006 | The Bill | DCI Frank Keane | Recurring role; 7 episodes |
| 2007 | Trouble in Paradise | Doc Little | Recurring role; 2 episodes |
| The Last Detective | Patrick Cunningham | Episode: "The Dead Peasants Society" | |
| Rebus | Thomas Steele | Episode: "The First Stone" | |
| The Street | Danny Parr | Recurring role; 2 episodes | |
| 2008 | The Palace | Jonty Roberts | Series regular; 8 episodes |
| Waking the Dead | Victor Coleridge | Episode: "Wounds" | |
| New Tricks | Melvin | Episode: "Communal Living" | |
| 2009 | The Clinic | Diarmuid | Recurring role; 3 episodes |
| Paradox | Simon Manning | Miniseries; 5 episodes | |
| 2010 | 1916 Seachtar na Cásca | James Connolly | Miniseries; 7 episodes |
| Mike Jones | Episode: "Help" | ||
| Single-Handed | Niall O'Sullivan | Episode: "A Cold Heaven" | |
| 2011 | Silent Witness | DS Mansfield | Episode: "The Prodigal" |
| Lewis | Liam Cullen | Episode: "The Gift of Promise" | |
| 2013 | 1916 Seachtar Dearmadta | James Connolly | Miniseries; 7 episodes |
| Moonfleet | Meech | Miniseries; 3 episodes | |
| 2014 | The Crimson Field | Aloysius McCafferty | Episode: "Episode 3" |
| Penny Dreadful | Inspector Granworthy | Recurring role; 2 episodes | |
| 2014–2015 | Atlantis | Cilix | Series regular; 7 episodes |
| 2015 | Fortitude | DI Littlejohn | Recurring role; 4 episodes |
| Code of a Killer | DI Alan Madden | Miniseries; 2 episodes | |
| The Last Kingdom | Father Selbix | Recurring role; 2 episodes | |
| 2016 | Death in Paradise | Tosh Walker | Episode: "The Blood Red Sea" |
| Barbarians Rising | Avitus | Episode: "Ruin" | |
| 2017 | Inspector George Gently | ACC Nicholls | Episode: "Gently Liberated" |
| Acceptable Risk | James Nulty | Miniseries; 3 episodes | |
| 2019 | Les Misérables | Chief Inspector | Recurring role; 2 episodes |
| Vera | Roy Brewer | Episode: "Cuckoo" | |
| 2020 | Rig 45 | Adam | Series regular; 6 episodes |
| 2021–2022 | Bloodlands | Jackie Twomey | Series regular; 10 episodes |
| 2022 | Magpie Murders | Sir Magnus Pye / Max Ryeland | Recurring role; 4 episodes |
| 2023 | The Crown | Commissioner Stevens | Episode: "Hope Street" |
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