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Season 2, Episode 1
Police drama, starring John Simm. Sam experiences visions that seem to suggest a return to the 21st century, but wakes to find himself still stuck in 1973. His mood lifts when he comes face to face with the younger version of a killer he arrested in 2006 and realises he has the chance to prevent a crime before it happens - but his unorthodox methods surprise colleagues at the station. With Philip Glenister and Marc Warren
General
Movie/Drama
Cast & Crew
John Simm
(Actor)
.. DI Sam Tyler
Philip Glenister
(Actor)
.. Gene Hunt
Liz White
(Actor)
.. WPC Annie Cartwright
Dean Andrews
(Actor)
.. Ray Carling
Marshall Lancaster
(Actor)
.. Chris Skelton
Noreen Kershaw
(Actor)
.. WPC Phyllis Dobbs
Tony Marshall
(Actor)
.. Nelson
Marc Warren
(Actor)
.. Tony Crane
Kevin R McNally
(Actor)
.. Supt Harry Woolf
Yasmin Bannerman
(Actor)
.. Eve Olawi
Jonathan Wright
(Actor)
.. Reporter
Craig Cheetham
(Actor)
.. Russell Askey
Steve Garti
(Actor)
.. Andy Eddows
Michael Atkinson
(Actor)
.. McKee
Julian Kay
(Actor)
.. Doctor
Gemma Wardle
(Actor)
.. Nurse
Cameron Roach
(Producer)
SJ Clarkson
(Director)
Matthew Graham
(Writer)
More Information
Did You Know..
John Simm
(Actor)
.. DI Sam Tyler
Born:
July 10, 1970
in
Leeds
Best Known For:
Playing Sam Tyler in Life on Mars
Early-life:
Born John Ronald Simm on July 10, 1970, in Leeds. He was raised in Nelson, Lancashire, and attended Edge End High School. He's the eldest of three children. His father Ronald, a local musician, taught him how to play the guitar and together they toured the region's working men's clubs. In 1986, aged 16, John enrolled at Blackpool Drama College, and two years later moved to London to study Stanislavsky's acting methods at London's Drama Centre.
Career:
Simm made his TV debut in a 1992 episode of Rumpole of the Bailey. He also appeared in Heartbeat, TV movie Meat, Dalziel and Pascoe's first drama A Pinch of Snuff, Cracker and the film Boston Kickout. Simm became a familiar face thanks to acclaimed series The Lakes. He went on to appear in such projects as Human Traffic, 24 Hour Party People, Spaced, White Teeth, State of Play and Sex Traffic. Simm's performance as troubled cop Sam Tyler in BBC hit Life on Mars made him a household name. Since then he's appeared in Doctor Who, Mad Dogs, The Village, Mad Dogs and Prey. While continuing his work as an actor, during the 1990s he was also a founder member of the rock band Magic Alex.
Quote:
On why he chose to make Life on Mars: "The mad twist at the start appealed to me. I thought, if I can make that believable I can make anything believable."
Trivia:
He's also played alongside his friend, Echo and the Bunnymen star Ian McCulloch, on albums and live on stage.
Philip Glenister
(Actor)
.. Gene Hunt
Born:
February 10, 1963
in
London
Best Known For:
Playing gruff copper Gene Hunt in Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes.
Early-life:
Philip Haywood Glenister was born on February 10, 1963, in London. Showbusiness was in his blood from an early age, especially as his father, John, is a TV director and his elder brother Robert is an actor. He went to Hatch End Comprehensive School, worked as a film publicist, and later studied at the Central School of Speech and Drama for three years, before appearing in 1990 stage play Mad Forest.
Career:
Glenister's first professional role was as Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet at the Lyceum, Edinburgh. He went on to star in Jonathan Harvey's acclaimed play Beautiful Thing at the Bush Theatre in London. On TV, Glenister honed his craft in Minder, Love Hurts, True Love, The Perfect Blue and Sharpe. However, it was roles in Clocking Off, The Hunt, State of Play and Island at War that boosted his profile. On the big screen he has appeared in ID, Calendar Girls, Kingdom of Heaven and Bel Ami. Award-winning BBC drama Life on Mars and its follow-up Ashes to Ashes turned him into a cult hero. He has also starred in the film Tuesday, and on TV in Cranford, Demons, Big School and Mad Dogs. He hosts the series For the Love of Cars.
Quote:
"The celebrity stuff really isn't me. I'm interested in the work: good writing, getting the part and the character right, pleasing the audience."
Trivia:
In 2008, he published a book on 1970s and 80s culture called Things Ain't What They Used to Be.
Liz White
(Actor)
.. WPC Annie Cartwright
Born:
November 05, 1979
in
Rotherham, South Yorkshire
Best Known For:
Playing Annie Cartwright in Life on Mars.
Early-life:
Elizabeth White was born on November 5, 1979 in Rotherham, South Yorkshire. She moved to Devon at age nine and then to Liverpool years later, when she went to train at the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts. Her earliest TV roles were in episodes of Auf Wiedersehen, Pet and Always and Everyone in 2002.
Career:
In 2003, White appeared in the TV series Teachers. Her first feature film role came the year after in Vera Drake (2004) and she also appeared in TV series A Thing Called Love. She played Annie Cartwright in two seasons of BBC drama Life on Mars from 2006 until 2007 and then played Jess Mercer in The Fixer in 2008. White then went on to appear in episodes of Agatha Christie's Marple, Doctor Who, Line of Duty and New Tricks as well as the films Franklyn (2008), The Woman in Black (2012), U Want Me 2 Kill Him? (2013) and Pride (2014). She also played Lizzie Mottershead in Our Zoo. More recently, she has had roles in The Halcyon, Call the Midwife and Ackley Bridge.
Quote:
On keeping a private personal life: "I like to be invisible anyway but I think it's a wise choice for an actor. The less people know about you as a person, the more they can believe you as someone else."
Trivia:
She teaches yoga.
Dean Andrews
(Actor)
.. Ray Carling
Born:
August 06, 1963
in
Rotherham
Best Known For:
Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes.
Early-life:
Dean was born in Rotherham on August 6, 1963. His parents were publicans. He spent 20 years singing at holiday resorts and on cruise ships before his big break came when he successfully auditioned for a part in Ken Loach's The Navigators (2001), a film set in Sheffield.
Career:
Andrews went on to pick up guest roles in the likes of Buried, Clocking Off, No Angels, Casualty, Wire in the Blood and Shameless before landing his dream part as Ray Carling in the critically acclaimed Life on Mars. He played Carling in two series of Life on Mars and three series of spin-off show Ashes to Ashes. Since then, Andrews has rarely been off TV screens. He has starred in Marchlands, The Case, Being Eileen, Vera and Last Tango in Halifax.
Quote:
"I've been so lucky in my career as I was a late starter and I owe it all to film director Ken Loach."
Trivia:
In 2013, he got to sing in his first stage play, Victoria Wood's That Day We Sang at the Royal Exchange in Manchester.
Marshall Lancaster
(Actor)
.. Chris Skelton
Noreen Kershaw
(Actor)
.. WPC Phyllis Dobbs
Tony Marshall
(Actor)
.. Nelson
Born:
May 14, 1974
in
Manchester
Best Known For:
Playing Noel Garcia in Casualty.
Early-life:
Tony was born in Manchester on May 14, 1974. He made his TV debut in 1989 as a waiter in the TV drama Saracen. Minor roles followed in The Paradise Club, Second Thoughts, Only Fools and Horses and Nelson's Column.
Career:
Marshall had a recurring role on All Quiet on the Preston Front and went on to make guest appearances in the likes of Faith in the Future, The Bill, The Queen's Nose, Doctors, My Family, Judge John Deed and Holby City. He played the bartender Nelson in Life on Mars. His big break came in 2008 when he began playing receptionist Noel Garcia in Casualty.
Quote:
On his Casualty character: "He's a chancer! Cheeky, up for a laugh - looking out for ways to make money."
Trivia:
Away from acting, Marshall enjoys classic cars, football and comedy DVDs.
Marc Warren
(Actor)
.. Tony Crane
Born:
March 20, 1967
in
Northampton
Best Known For:
Hustle.
Early-life:
Marc was born in Northampton on March 20, 1967. He was a member of the National Youth Theatre and trained at the East 15 Acting School. His first major small-screen role came in the 1992 TV movie An Ungentlemanly Act. His first recurring role came in the children's drama Grange Hill.
Career:
Warren went on to make guest appearances in a number of TV shows, including Heartbeat, The Bill, A Touch of Frost and Wycliffe. He has also had recurring roles in Oliver Twist, The Vice, Band of Brothers, State of Play and Mutual Friends. He is perhaps best known for playing Danny Blue in Hustle. More recently, he has starred in The Good Wife, Mad Dogs, The Musketeers and Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell.
Quote:
"I've never thought of acting as rocket science - you put on the costume, get your hair cut and that's it really."
Trivia:
Warren was a stand-in for Ewan McGregor in Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace.
Kevin R McNally
(Actor)
.. Supt Harry Woolf
Yasmin Bannerman
(Actor)
.. Eve Olawi
Jonathan Wright
(Actor)
.. Reporter
Craig Cheetham
(Actor)
.. Russell Askey
Steve Garti
(Actor)
.. Andy Eddows
Michael Atkinson
(Actor)
.. McKee
Julian Kay
(Actor)
.. Doctor
Gemma Wardle
(Actor)
.. Nurse
Cameron Roach
(Producer)
SJ Clarkson
(Director)
Matthew Graham
(Writer)
