Michael Cronin (actor) facts for kids

Michael Cronin is a British actor, born in 1942. He is well-known for his roles in TV shows and films, and also for writing children's books.

About Michael Cronin

Early Life and Education

Michael Cronin was born in Cranfield, Bedfordshire, England, during World War II. He went to school at St Brendan's College in Bristol. Later, he studied English at the University of London.

Family Life

Michael Cronin is married and has two sons.

Michael Cronin's Acting Career

Michael Cronin has had a long career as an actor, appearing in many popular television shows, films, and plays.

Famous TV Roles

He is especially remembered for playing Geoff 'Bullet' Baxter, a tough but fair PE teacher, in the TV series Grange Hill. He was on the show from 1979 to 1986. He even made a special appearance as Bullet Baxter in The Grimleys in 2000.

Michael Cronin also appeared in the classic comedy Fawlty Towers. He played a character named Lurphy. Another notable role was Eliphaz in the 1977 TV miniseries Jesus of Nazareth.

He has also appeared in episodes of other well-known British TV shows. These include Foyle's War, Midsomer Murders, The Sweeney, and Bergerac. In 1989, he played Vyacheslav Molotov in the TV movie Countdown to War.

More Television Appearances

In 1990, Michael Cronin played Alfred Inglethorp in the Agatha Christie's Poirot film The Mysterious Affair of Styles. He also played Sergei in the 2000 TV version of Anna Karenina.

From 2008, he occasionally appeared in the BBC TV show Merlin. In this series, he played the character Geoffrey of Monmouth. He also appeared in an episode of Citizen Khan.

Other TV shows he has been in include:

• The Bill
• Wycliffe
• Goodnight Mr Tom
• Law & Order: UK

Film Roles

Michael Cronin has also acted in several films. Some of his film roles include:

• Hopscotch (1980)
• Captive (1986)
• The Hour of the Pig (1993)
• The Grotesque (1995)
• The Wolfman (2010)
• The Raven (2012)
• In the Heart of the Sea (2015)

Theatre Performances

Michael Cronin has a strong background in theatre. He has performed in many plays across the UK and even internationally.

From 1986 to 1991, he worked with the English Shakespeare Company. With them, he performed in many of William Shakespeare's plays. These included Richard II, Henry V, Henry VI, and Richard III. He toured with the company in the UK, Europe, Japan, the US, India, and Australia.

He has also appeared in plays like:

• Hamlet
• Hedda Gabler
• Caesar and Cleopatra
• The Merchant of Venice
• King Lear
• Romeo and Juliet
• Twelfth Night

Michael Cronin's Writing Career

Besides acting, Michael Cronin is also a talented writer.

Children's Novels

He has written three children's novels, which were published by Oxford University Press. His first novel, Against the Day, was very popular. It was even short-listed for the 1999 Angus Book Award.

The story of Against the Day is set after Second World War. It imagines an England that has been taken over by the Nazis. The book follows two boys who get involved in a secret resistance movement. A second book in the series, Through the Night, came out in 2003. The third book, In the Morning, was published in 2005.

Screenwriting

Michael Cronin has also written two film screenplays.

See also

In Spanish: Michael Cronin para niños