Trevor John Eve (born 1 July 1951) is an English actor. In 1979, he gained fame as the eponymous lead in the detective series Shoestring (1979–1980) and is also known for his role as Detective Superintendent Peter Boyd in the long-running BBC television drama Waking the Dead (2000–2011). He is the father of three children, including actress Alice Eve. He is the winner of two Laurence Olivier Awards in theatre.
Early life Eve was born in Sutton Coldfield,Birmingham, the son of Elsie (née Hamer) and Stewart Frederick Eve. His father, a publican, was English, and his Welsh mother was from Glynneath. Educated at Bromsgrove School, he had little acting experience during his school days. He studied architecture at Kingston Polytechnic (now Kingston University) in London. He lost interest and dropped out of the course to pursue acting. He enrolled at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, graduating in 1973 with a diploma in acting.
Career Eve portrayed Paul McCartney in Willy Russell's 1974 play John, Paul, George, Ringo ... and Bert at the Lyric Theatre in London's West End, which won The Evening Standard Award and London Critics Awards for Best Musical. Eve appeared in Hindle Wakes (1976) directed by Laurence Olivier as part of the Laurence Olivier Presents TV series. In 1977, Eve joined the cast of Franco Zeffirelli's Filumena, in London's West End, where he met future wife, Sharon Maughan.
From 1979 to 1980, he played the role of the private investigator Eddie Shoestring in Shoestring. He then went on to his first major film role in the 1979 Dracula directed by John Badham, playing Jonathan Harker, alongside Laurence Olivier. In 1982, Eve won the Laurence Olivier Award for Actor of the Year in a New Play, playing James Leeds in Children of a Lesser God.
After appearing at The Royal Court Theatre in The Genius in 1982, he returned to the West End in 1986 to star in Cole Porter's High Society with Natasha Richardson and Stephen Rea, followed by his portrayal as Paolino in the 1989 Royal National Theatre production of Man, Beast And Virtue, directed by William Gaskill.
In television, he appeared in A Sense of Guilt in 1989, and the 1992 BBC production of A Doll's House with Juliet Stevenson, whom he also worked alongside in the BAFTA and International Emmy Award-winning political drama The Politician's Wife. He co-starred in the short-lived 1985 ABC series Shadow Chasers. In 1991, he co-starred with Francesca Annis in the BBC miniseries Parnell and the Englishwoman portraying the Irish politician Charles Stewart Parnell. Eve won the 1997 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his portrayal of Dr Astrov in Uncle Vanya.
He then went on to star in the 1998 Carlton Television/WGBH Boston television series Heat of the Sun, which was filmed in Zimbabwe, and portrayed the titular character's wicked stepfather Edward Murdstone in BBC's 1999 adaptation of David Copperfield opposite Daniel Radcliffe and Maggie Smith. In September 2000, Eve starred in the BBC drama series Waking the Dead, in the role of Detective Superintendent Peter Boyd. Eve continued to play Boyd throughout the subsequent nine series of the drama.
Eve was one of the artists who recited Shakespearian sonnets on the 2002 album When Love Speaks. That same year, Eve played Cropper in Possession, directed by Neil LaBute, and continued his work in film in Troy, directed by Wolfgang Petersen in 2004, and The Family Man in 2006.
In April 2008, Eve starred as game show host and TV personality Hughie Green in the BBC Four biographical film Hughie Green, Most Sincerely. In 2010, Eve played the father of the female lead, his real-life daughter, Alice, in She's Out of My League, and starred as Peter Manson in the ITV/Mammoth Screen remake of Bouquet of Barbed Wire. In January 2011, he starred in the three-part ITV drama Kidnap and Ransom, filmed on location in South Africa, and reprised his role as Dominic King in 2012 for the second series.
After co-founding Projector Productions in 1995, Eve has produced TV movies Cinderella, featuring Kathleen Turner, Alice through The Looking Glass, starring Kate Beckinsale, and Twelfth Night starring Chiwetel Ejiofor. Eve also served as executive producer on his successful series Kidnap and Ransom, and The Body Farm with Tara Fitzgerald.
He also starred in a three-part drama on ITV called Lawless. Eve played the part of Judge Sir Selwyn Hardcastle in the BBC's Death Comes to Pemberley in December 2013, and as Roach in The Interceptor in 2014. Eve also worked on son Jack Eve's debut feature film as writer-director, Death of a Farmer.
On 19 February 2014, Eve was part of the invited audience at Buckingham Palace to celebrate the centennial of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. He and his wife were asked to perform in front of the Queen in the Investiture Room, along with Hugh Laurie, Sir Tom Courtenay and Dame Helen Mirren. Eve played Professor Higgins in an extract from Pygmalion.
In 2018, Eve played the part of Gerbert d'Aurillac in the TV-series A Discovery of Witches.
Awards In 1982, Eve was awarded the Laurence Olivier Award for Actor of the Year in a New Play (1981 theatre season), for his performance in Children of a Lesser God.
In 1997, he was awarded the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his 1996 performance in Uncle Vanya at the Noël Coward Theatre.
Personal life Eve met Sharon Maughan in 1979, when they both had parts in the West End production of Filumena. They married in 1980 and have three children: actress Alice Eve, Jack and George. In 2010, Trevor, Sharon and Alice all appeared in She's Out of My League playing father, mother and daughter respectively.
Eve is a patron of the charity Child Hope UK.
Filmography +Key Denotes projects that have not yet been released Film Year Film Role Notes 1976 Children Man in Shower Short film 1979 Dracula Jonathan Harker 1989 Scandal Douglas Fairbanks Jr. 1992 In the Name of the Father Knight Short film 1993 Aspen Extreme Karl Stall 1994 Don't Get Me Started Jack Lane 1996 Soup Lucifer Short film 1998 Appetite Jay Next Birthday Mike Short film 2002 Possession Cropper 2004 Troy Velior 2010 She's Out of My League Mr. McCleish 2014 Death of a Farmer Gordon 2017 Bees Make Honey Commissioner 2025 Red Sonja Maester Crudelis
Television Year Title Role Notes 1974 2nd House Paul McCartney Episode: "John, Paul, George, Ringo ... and Bert" 1976Hindle WakesAlan JeffcoteTelevision film1977 The Sunday Drama Jim Episode: "The Portrait" London Belongs to Me Bill Davenport Recurring role; 4 episodes 1979–1980 Shoestring Eddie Shoestring Series regular; 21 episodes 1983 Jamaica Inn Jeremiah "Jem" Merlyn Miniseries; 2 episodes A Brother's Tale Gordon Taylor Miniseries; 3 episodes 1984 Lace Tom Schwartz Miniseries; 2 episodes 1985The Corsican BrothersLouis / Lucien de FranchiTelevision film 1985–1986 Shadow Chasers Dr. Jonathan MacKensie Series regular; 14 episodes 1987A Wreath of RosesRichardTelevision film1988Life on the FlipsideTripper Day Beryl Markham: A Shadow on the Sun Denys Finch Hatton Miniseries 1989 Dear John USA Ricky Fortune Recurring role; 2 episodes The Stone AgeDave StoneTelevision film1990 A Sense of Guilt Felix Cramer Series regular; 7 episodes Coup de foudre Alphonse Malard Episode: "Adolphe et les menteuses" 1991 Parnell and the Englishwoman Charles Stewart Parnell Miniseries; 4 episodes 1992 Murder, She Wrote Julian Fontaine Episode: "Tinker, Tailor, Liar, Thief" Jack's Place Max Kendall Episode: "I See Cupid, I See France" The President's ChildPaul LaFloreTelevision filmA Doll's HouseTorvald Helmer 1994 Screen One Malcolm Iverson Episode: "Murder in Mind" 1995 The Politician's Wife Duncan Matlock Miniseries; 3 episodes Screen Two Alex Fisher Episode: "Black Easter" 1996Ivana Trump's For Love AloneMarkTelevision film 1998 Heat of the Sun Albert Tyburn Miniseries; 3 episodes The TribeKanahan1999 An Evil Streak Alex Kyle Miniseries; 3 episodes David Copperfield Edward Murdstone Miniseries; 2 episodes DoomwatchNeil TannahillDoomwatch: Winter Angel 2000–2011 Waking the Dead Peter Boyd Series regular; 92 episodes 2004 Lawless John Paxton Miniseries; 2 episodes 2006 The Family Man Patrick Stowe Miniseries; 3 episodes 2008Hughie Green, Most SincerelyHughie GreenTelevision film2009FramedQuentin Lester 2010 Bouquet of Barbed Wire Peter Manson Miniseries; 3 episodes 2011The Family FirmJudge HamiltonTelevision 2011–2012 Kidnap and Ransom Dominic King Series regular; 6 episodes 2012 Playhouse Presents Robert Episode: "The Other Woman" 2013 Death Comes to Pemberley Sir Selwyn Hardcastle Miniseries; 3 episodes 2015 The Interceptor Roach Miniseries; 8 episodes Unforgotten Sir Phillip Cross Series regular; 6 episodes 2017–2018 Strike Back: Retribution Morgan Ives Recurring role; 4 episodes 2018–2022 A Discovery of Witches Gerbert d'Aurillac Series regular; 19 episodes 2019My Best Friend's ChristmasWinston SeeverTelevision film 2021 The American Guest J. P. Morgan Miniseries; 4 episodes 2025 I, Jack Wright Jack Wright Miniseries; 1 episode
References
External links
Trevor Eve at the BBC Drama Faces