David Schofield (born 16 December 1951) is an English actor. He is best known for his role as Ian Mercer in the films Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006) and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007). Other credits include An American Werewolf in London (1981), Gladiator (2000), From Hell (2001), Valkyrie (2008), The Wolfman (2010), Da Vinci's Demons (2013), The Last Kingdom (2015–2017), Darkest Hour (2017), Mary Magdalene (2018), and Mad Heidi (2022).

Early life Schofield was born in Wythenshawe, Manchester, England on 16 December 1951, one of ten children in a working-class family. He attended St. John Fisher and Thomas More R.C. Primary School, along with his brother, Peter. His first acting experience was at Manchester Boys' School at the age of 12. In 1967 he was accepted as student assistant stage manager at a local repertory theatre. He worked in every department as a prop-maker, sound-man, writer, stage sweeper, waiter and tea-maker, putting in 14-hour days, six days a week. After two seasons, at the age of 19, he became a student of the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, which he left early to pursue his path as a working actor.

Career Film and television Schofield earned credits in TV series such as Band of Gold, Footballers' Wives, and Holby City, among many other TV productions. On the big screen he is best known as the paranoid darts player in the Slaughtered Lamb in An American Werewolf in London (1981), and his other films include The Dogs of War (1980), Tree of Hands (1989), The Last of the Mohicans (1992), Anna Karenina (1997), Gladiator (2000), From Hell (2001), and as Ian Mercer in the Pirates of the Caribbean films. He has also appeared in Valkyrie (2008), as anti-Hitler conspirator Erwin von Witzleben, The Wolfman (2010), F (2010), Burke and Hare (2010), Lord of Tears (2013), and as Peter Carmichael in the suspense thriller Last Passenger (2013). On TV he appeared alongside Jimmy Jewel in the ITV comedy-drama Funny Man (1981), played the title role Shackleton (1983), in Jekyll & Hyde (1990), alongside Michael Caine, and played DCS John Salway in the award-winning BBC series Our Friends in the North in 1996.

In 2008, he starred as Kirill, in the web series of the same name. In 2009 Schofield guest starred as King Alined in the BBC fantasy drama series Merlin. In 2011 he played the sinister Police Sergeant Foley in Hugo Blick's The Shadow Line, a seven-part series for BBC Two. In autumn 2015, he was seen as Odin in the episode "The Girl Who Died" in the ninth series of the BBC One series Doctor Who. In 2016 he appeared as Vivan Wolsey in the BBC series' Father Brown episode 4.1 "The Mask of the Demon" and The Coroner episode 2.6 "Life".

In 2017 he starred as Abbot Eadred in The Last Kingdom. In 2018, he appeared as Thomas the Apostle in the Helen Edmundson written film Mary Magdalene.

In 2022, he starred in a main role as Heidi's grandfather :de:Alpöhi in the Swiss comedy horror film Mad Heidi (2022).

Stage Schofield has performed for the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Royal National Theatre, and the Royal Exchange, Manchester. He developed the posture of, and performed the role of John Merrick, in the Bernard Pomerance play The Elephant Man for its premiere in 1977. He worked with Daniel Craig and Jason Isaacs in the National's 1993 production of Angels in America.

Radio In 2001–02 Schofield appeared as Javert in a BBC radio adaptation of Les Misérables. Since 2007 he has played Frank Twist in the BBC Radio 4 drama series Brief Lives set in a Manchester legal practice. In 2011, he played Tellwright in Helen Edmundson's adaptation of Anna of the Five Towns.

Selected filmography Year Title Role Notes 1980 The Dogs of War Endean's Man 1981 An American Werewolf in London Dart Player 1989 Tree of Hands Detective Inspector 1992 The Last of the Mohicans Sergeant Major 1997 Anna Karenina Nikolai Tangier Cop Omar Larbi 2000 The Miracle Maker Caiaphas Voice Gladiator Senator Falco 2001 Chunky Monkey Frank The Musketeer Rochefort, Richelieu Henchman From Hell McQueen Superstition Roberto Fallaci 2004 Unstoppable Dr. Collins 2006 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's ChestMr. Ian Mercer 2007 Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End Freebird Dart player scenes deleted 2008 Valkyrie Erwin von Witzleben 2010 The Wolfman Constable Nye Devil's Bridge Parry F Robert Anderson Burke & Hare Fergus 2011 Ghosted Donner 2013 All Things to All Men Police Commissioner Da Vinci's Demons Piero da Vinci Last Passenger Peter Carmichael Lord of Tears Owl Man 2016 Mindhorn Chief Inspector Derek Newsome 2017 Darkest Hour Clement Attlee 2015–2017 The Last Kingdom Abbot Eadred2018Mary Magdalene Thomas the Apostle2020 Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators Tony King Episode 3.2 "See Thyself, Devil!" The Adventures of Paddington Mr. Gruber Voice2022Mad HeidiAlpöhi

Theatre John Merrick, The Elephant Man at the Hampstead Theatre (1977) and at the Royal National Theatre, London (1981) Mick Plenty at the Lyttelton Theatre (1978) Mark Antony, Julius Caesar at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon (1983) Angelo, Measure for Measure at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon and then at the Barbican (1983) Duke of Buckingham, Henry VIII at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon (1983) Pompey, Antony and Cleopatra at the National Theatre, London (1987) Robb Lambert, Winding the Ball by Alex Finlayson at the Royal Exchange, Manchester (1989) John Proctor, The Crucible by Arthur Miller at the Royal Exchange, Manchester (1990) Macheath, The Beggar’s Opera by John Gay at the Royal Exchange, Manchester (1991) Lyle Britten, Blues for Mister Charlie by James Baldwin at the Royal Exchange, Manchester (1992) Roy M. Cohn, Angels in America by Tony Kushner at the National Theatre, London (1993) Archie Rice, The Entertainer by John Osborne at the Royal Exchange, Manchester (2009)

Personal life David Schofield's wife is Lally and their children are Fred and Blanche. Schofield is a patron of the Gesar Foundation.

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