Martin Clunes – did you know?
Katherine Hall
Family drama
Alexander Martin Clunes was born on 28th November 1961, to Alec Clunes and his wife Daphne. He also has an older sister called Amanda. Martin’s family has a dramatic heritage, with both of his parents being involved in the world of showbusiness – his father was a classical actor and his mother became a board member of the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, once worked for Orson Welles, and was the cousin of the actor Jeremy Brett, who portrayed Sherlock Holmes on British TV screens in the ‘80s and ‘90s.Early appearances
Martin’s first television appearance was in the Doctor Who story ‘Snakedance’, playing a character called Lon, but his presence on the small screen was assured with a recurring role as Nigel Crabtree in the BBC’s mid-80s sitcom No Place Like Home.Modeling
Whilst waiting to hit the big time, Clunes supplemented his acting income by working as a photographic model for acclaimed contemporary artists Gilbert and George. His image can be seen in their 1983 artwork ‘World’.Enfield connection
As well as working on TV, Clunes also regularly undertook theatre work. He became friends with Harry Enfield after the comedian watched him in a play at the Hampstead Theatre, and Martin went on to appear in Enfield’s hugely-successful sketch shows.Behaving badly
After TV writer Simon Nye wrote Men Behaving Badly and Harry Enfield was cast, Martin’s old pal recommended him for a co-starring role in the sitcom. Although Enfield left after series one and was replaced by Neil Morrissey, Clunes stayed and later stormed to BAFTA success as the hapless, lager-guzzling Gary Strang.Mr. TV
Clunes is one of the best-known faces on British TV. He’s starred in numerous hit shows, most notably ITV’s production of James Hilton’s classic novel Goodbye Mr. Chips, popular sitcoms William and Mary and Doc Martin, and in the title role of the 2009 re-make of classic 1970s British sitcom The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin.Big Screen
In addition to his numerous appearances on television, Mr. Clunes has also appeared in a number of feature films, including Shakespeare in Love (1998), The Acid House (1998), Saving Grace (2000) and the 1993 flick Staggered, which he also directed.Charity work
Clunes has been a supporter of a number of charities over the years, including the Terrence Higgins Trust, Survival International and Comic Relief. As a patron of the Born Free Foundation, he even auctioned off his beloved camper van in order to raise money for the wildlife charity at one of their fundraising balls.Man’s best friend
A well-known animal lover, Clunes has three dogs, Mary Elizabeth Clunes (a cocker spaniel), Tina Audrey Clunes (another cocker spaniel), and Arthur Colin Clunes (a black Labrador). He also made a two-part documentary about the relationship between man and dogs called Martin Clunes: A Man and His Dogs, when he visited a stuffed dog museum in Hertfordshire, watched a team of terriers hunting rats on a farm in Kent and observed a pack of wolves feasting on an elk carcass in Yellowstone Park, Wyoming.