Andrew Paul

Andrew Paul (born Paul Andrew Herman; 17 March 1961 in Mile End, East London) is an English actor best known for playing PC Dave Quinnan in the ITV drama The Bill for 13 years.

For the Australian biathlete, see Andrew Paul (biathlete).

Andrew Paul
Born
Paul Andrew Herman

(1961-03-17) 17 March 1961
Mile End, East London, England
OccupationActor
Years active1975–present

Career

Paul grew up in Manor House, North London, attending Clissold Park Secondary School, Hackney, from the age of 11. He played a member of a gang in "The Destructors", a 1975 episode of the TV series Shades of Greene.[1] At the age of 14 he enrolled at the Anna Scher Theatre School.[2] He appeared in the film Bugsy Malone at 14,[3] and in an episode of police drama The Sweeney at the age of 16. In 1978, he played Paul Ross in Trevor Preston's innovative crime drama Out.[1] A year later, he took the background role of convict Betts in the cinematic re-make of controversial borstal film Scum.[1] Betts' character was notable in the film, as he was the only one seen to be released - albeit temporarily, for his wedding.

He spent much of the 1980s on stage, working with the Royal Shakespeare Company, and played a major role in Going Out,[1] about a group of teenagers in the Portsmouth area. He took a part in lukewarmly-received ITV sitcom Tripper's Day[1] in 1984. Set in a supermarket, this was the final television work undertaken by distinguished British actor Leonard Rossiter prior to his sudden death. Paul stayed in the series when it was re-cast with Bruce Forsyth two years later and renamed Slinger's Day.

The Bill

In 1989, he joined The Bill,[1] the long-running police serial, as PC Dave Quinnan. He had previously appeared as a witness to a crime in series 3, in the episode entitled "Missing, Presumed Dead". When the series decided to focus more on the officers themselves and less on crime, Quinnan was given a number of serious story lines. These included being kicked almost to death by a gang of thugs and having to spend several weeks in hospital on a drip, falling in love with a colleague's girlfriend and having an affair with her (and marrying her after the affair became public), and then having an extramarital relationship himself with PC Polly Page (played by Lisa Geoghan). The character was eventually transferred after successfully undertaking undercover work. This tied in with Paul's decision to leave The Bill after 13 years.[4] In 2019, actor Andrew Paul shared his memories of the series during an in-depth interview about his life and career for The Bill Podcast

Later work

He briefly played Maxwell Moon in the popular BBC soap opera EastEnders and went on to be a regular cast member in Where the Heart Is, playing Billy Boothe, until the series was axed in 2006. He has recently guest starred in City Homicide and Dracula. He appeared in the ITV series of Lewis shown on ITV and ITV3 in 2014.

In June 2015, Paul started appearing in Coronation Street as brewery worker Dan Jones,[5] a love interest for Liz McDonald.[6]

On 29 October 2016 he made a guest appearance in Casualty. In 2017, he guest starred in the fifth and final season of Episodes. In 2018, in an episode of ITV's Endeavour entitled Quartet, he played Joe Dozier, a tobacconist/drinker/wife-beater. part of an embedded spy ring in Oxford. This appearance makes him one of the few actors to have had parts in all three Inspector Morse TV series.[7]

Trivia

In 1980 he appeared in "On His Back" a UK government public information film discouraging drinking and driving. He played the role of a formerly disqualified driver struggling to get insurance.[8]

Personal life

Andrew has been married to Laura Paul since 1985. They have three boys together[4] whom he has kept out of the public domain.[9]

Filmography
Year Title Role Notes
1976Bugsy MaloneO'Dreary
1979ScumBetts
1983The Pirates of PenzancePirate #10
1987Bellman and TrueYoung Security Guard
2012The TelemachyAntony

References
  1. Padman, Tony (25 October 2014). "Whatever happened to… The Bill's PC Dave Quinnan?". Express.co.uk. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
  2. Hayward, Anthony (1996). Who's who on Television. Boxtree. p. 196. ISBN 9780752210674.
  3. "The Bugsy Malone Cast: Then and Now". uk.lifestyle.yahoo.com. 14 April 2015. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
  4. Cunningham, Tessa (23 February 2002). "Why Andrew Copped Out: Interview - Andrew Paul; The Bill's Andrew Paul reveals why he has quit the TV police drama after 12 years. - Free Online Library". The Mirror. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
  5. Jefferies, Mark (6 May 2015). "Andrew Paul joins Coronation Street: The Bill star to shake up Liz McDonald's world". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 9 July 2015.
  6. Brown, David (7 May 2015). "Coronation Street: The Bill star Andrew Paul to play new love interest for Liz McDonald". Radio Times. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
  7. Goodall, Reece (6 March 2018). "The Boar TV". The Boar. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
  8. "On His Back - Andrew Paul 1980 - UK Public Information Film". 30 July 2017. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
  9. Briggs, Zoe (17 January 2017). "Remember The Bill's PC Dave Quinnan? Actor makes surprising career decision". OK! Magazine. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
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