Martin Joseph Marquez (born 8 October 1964) is an English actor.
He is best known on television for his role as Gino Primirola, the head barman, in the British television comedy drama Hotel Babylon. He also played Danny Pearce in The Bill from 1993 to 1995, and Neil in EastEnders in 2002, and he has appeared in Doc Martin alongside his real life brother John Marquez. He has also appeared in The Catherine Tate Show, Murder Most Horrid, and Plastic Man.
Early life Marquez was born in Coventry, Warwickshire to a Spanish father and an English mother. Marquez's father formerly worked as a waiter at the Costa Brava Ritz Hotel and later opened a chip shop when the family moved to Binley Woods. Marquez attended King Henry VIII School in Coventry. He worked as a personal trainer and a barman, before beginning his career in acting.
Career Marquez first appeared on television in The Bill, where he portrayed Detective Sergeant Danny Pearce. He also had small roles in such series as Doc Martin, The Catherine Tate Show, Elizabeth I, The Business, EastEnders and Bedtime. From 2006 to 2009, he played the character of head barman on the television series Hotel Babylon. In 2013, he appeared in new ITV comedy drama The Job Lot, playing security guard Paul.
He is also known for his theatre work, including Trevor Nunn's revival of Anything Goes in 2002, in which he played Moonface Martin and Terry Johnson's play Insignificance. He has performed as a comedy team, The Brothers Marquez, with his brother John Marquez, who also portrayed his fictional brother in a "Doc Martin" episode. He has played the lead role of Dad in Billy Elliot the Musical at the Victoria Palace Theatre in London's West End since November 2010.
In October 2013, he went on to play the role of Captain Dana Holmes in From Here to Eternity the Musical.
Filmography
Film Year Film Role Notes 1999 Plastic Man Steve Persey TV film 2000 Dirty Tricks Garcia TV film 2001 Down Policeman #2 2005 The Business Pepe 2006 Stan Hal Roach TV film 2011 Holy Flying Circus Richard Klein TV film 2012 Les Misérables Ensemble 2013 Girl on a Bicycle Clive 2015 A Louder Silence Martin 2017 The Mercy Franchessi 2019 After Louise Ken 2020 7 Hours on Earth Mr. Merriweather
Television Year Title Role Notes 1991–1996 The Bill D.S. Danny Pearce Series regular1992 Desmond's Policeman Episode: "Too Young" In Suspicious Circumstances Episode: "An Uncommon Murder"1999 Murder Most Horrid Tony La Paglia Episode: "Whoopi Stone" Plastic Man Steve Persey 2 episodes 2001 Bedtime Sam 2 episodes2002 EastEnders Neil 4 episodes Heartbeat Joe Kidd S11E12: "Closing the Book"2005 Empire General CritoMini-series Elizabeth I Don Bernadino de Mendoza 2006 The Catherine Tate Show Taxi Driver Episode: "1951–2006" 2006–2009 Hotel Babylon Gino Primirola Series regular2007 Waking the Dead Harris Wall Episode: "Mask of Sanity" Children in Need Gino Primirola Hotel Babylon sketch Lead Balloon Tony Episode: "Hero" 2008 Heartbeat Rafael Episode: "Danse Macabre" 2009 Doc Martin Brother of Joe Penhale Episode: "Perish Together as Fools" 2010 New Tricks Danny Johnson Episode: "Where There's Smoke"2012 Twenty Twelve Kevin Thingle Episode: "Loose Things" Falcón Doctor Episode: "The Blind Man of Seville" 2013–2015 The Job Lot Paul Franks Series regular2015 Benidorm Juan Episode: "Walking on Broken Glass" Vera Michael Tennant Episode: "Old Wounds" SunTrap Mr. De Luca Episode: "Casino" The Javone Prince Show Policeman 1 episode2017 Bounty Hunters The Supplier 1 episode Modus Hunter Russell 4 episodes The Crown Royal Detective Episode: "Paterfamilias" 2018 Holby City Saul Vernon Episode: "Hold My Hand" 2019 Dead Pixels Barry Episode: "Patricide"2024HeartstopperAnt SpringEpisode: "Winter"
Personal life He has three sons and two daughters, including Ramona Marquez, who is known for playing Karen Brockman in Outnumbered.
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