Lorcan Cranitch is an Irish actor. He became known for playing Jimmy Beck in the British series Cracker (1993-1995) and has had many roles in British television. More recently, he was seen in series 3 of the Northern Irish police drama series Blue Lights in November 2025.
Early life and education Born in Dublin, Lorcan Cranitch became involved in drama while a student. He attended secondary school at Terenure College. Note, no content related to the article text appears, apart from subscription access.
In 1980 he moved to London, where he trained at Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Note, the URL provided has no working archived link at Internet Archive, and the incompleteness of the citation makes its tracing impossible.
Career
Cranitch had a role on British television in a series eventually presented on Masterpiece Theater, Parnell and the Englishwoman, a 1991 BBC drama series, with his portrayal of Tim Healy being his first television role. He had a recurring role in the British series Cracker, and it was through his prtrayal of the troubled DS Jimmy Beck (1993-1995) that he became a familiar face to viewers. He then played a recurring rile in the series Ballykissangel, Note, in order to reveal the content relevant to this article, one must click on the graphic thumbnail at the source, with the legend, "The Blockaltester", which then presents information on Lorcan Cranitch. which marked his return to the BBC, in the role of Sean Dillon, a part specially written for him.
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. Cranitch appeared in the American series, Rome, in 2005, in the villainous role of the underworld baron Erastes Fulmen, an HBO/BBC production. He played Melvin in the series, New Tricks (episode, "Communal Living"), in 2008, and in the 2009 BBC drama, Best: His Mother's Son, he played Dickie Best, the father of footballer George Best. In 2011 he appeared as Liam Cullen in the episode "The Gift of Promise", in the series, Lewis. He appeared in the BBC series Death in Paradise, 2016, and in 2017 he played Assistant Chief Constable Nicholls in the first part of the final series of the BBC drama ,Inspector George Gently.
In February 2021, Cranitch took a lead role as Detective Chief Superintendent Jackie Twomey in the BBC crime drama series Bloodlands.
Cranitch has appeared in several other British television dramas, including briefly as DI Littlejohn in the Sky Atlantic series Fortitude, and as 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.
Other work
Film
He has appeared in feature films, including Dancing at Lughnasa with Meryl Streep, as well as in The Playboys, and Titanic Town.
Stage
Cranitch has combined his on screen work with stage work, including with The Royal National Theatre, The Royal Shakespeare Company, Donmar West End, The Abbey and The Gate Theatre in Dublin.Abbey Theatre: Lorcan Cranitch
Personal life Cranitch married Susan Jackson, a journalist and newsreader with RTÉ."Super Susan reads the RTE news in hoodie and T-shirt", herald.ie, 18 May 2013. Accessed 7 Nov 2014 They adopted an Ethiopian child in 2010,"Lorcan's biggest role", independent.ie, 8 May 2011. Accessed 7 Nov 2014 but separated in 2016.
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes, Refs.1987 The Magic Toyshop Francie Empire State Richard 1991 Chernobyl: The Final Warning Chernov Television film1992 The Playboys Ryan / John Joe You, Me and Marley Father Tom Television film1997 The Heart Surgeon Larry Duggan Television film Food of Love Luke1998 Macbeth Macduff Television film Titanic Town Tony Night Train Billy Dancing at Lughnasa Danny Bradley2000 McCready and Daughter Michael McCready Television film My Fragile Heart Bernard Cleve Television film2003 LoyaltyWolfe Television film Duty Television film2004 Magic Circle Clerk Short film Omagh Ronnie Flanagan Television film The Queen of Sheba's Pearls Harold Bradley2008 Summer of the Flying Saucer Ciaran God on Trial Blockaltester Television film 2009 Best: His Mother's Son Dickie Best Television film2012 Come On Groom Short film Flying Blind Duncan Morehouse 2013 The Food Guide to Love Eddie2014 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 film2020 Herself Michael Drifting Diarmuid Short film2021 Ship of Souls Michael Short film Christmas at Castle Hart Patrick O'Reilly Television film2022 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
Television Year Title Role Notes, Refs. 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 episodes2001 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 episodes2007 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 episodes2008 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 episodes2010 1916 Seachtar na Cásca James Connolly Miniseries; 7 episodes Law & Order: UK 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 episodes2014 The Crimson Field Aloysius McCafferty Episode: "Episode 3" Penny Dreadful Inspector Granworthy Recurring role; 2 episodes 2014–2015 Atlantis Cilix Series regular; 7 episodes2015 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 episodes2016 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 episodes2019 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" 2025 Trespasses Police Sergeant Reid
Further reading
References
External links