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David Calder

David Calder

Actor · Born August 1, 1946 (80) · Portsmouth, Hampshire, England, UK

David Calder (David Ian Calder) – English actor, born 1 August 1946 in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England. Trained at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, active since 1970 with over 110 credits. His most notable film roles include a Crewman in Superman (1978), Sir Robert King in The World Is Not Enough (1999), Roger Wilson in The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008), Louis Stanley in Rush (2013), Hugh Bell in Queen of the Desert (2015), Mr. Fairchild in The Lady in the Van (2015), Terry Perkins in The Hatton Garden Job (2017), and Father Michael in The Last Front (2024). On television he is best known for Det. Insp. George Resnick in Widows (1983–1985), Nathan Spring in Star Cops (1987), Captain Edward Smith in Titanic (2012, ITV), and guest appearances in Spooks, Midsomer Murders, Hustle, Waking the Dead, A Touch of Frost, Call the Midwife (2018), and The Moonstone (2016). On stage he is a veteran of the National Theatre and Royal Shakespeare Company, with roles in Hamlet (as Polonius), King Henry IV (as Falstaff), and A Doll's House, and was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
August 1, 1946 (80)
From
Portsmouth, Hampshire, England, UK
Works as
Actor
Titles
57 on MovieCove · 118 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 37% in 30 days

What are David Calder's films like?

Across their 19 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Self.

Genres

Crime4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 78th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Drama4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 82nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Biography3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 96th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 33rd percentile
: browse their Action movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
26%
Self
20%
Survival
17%
Power
15%
Society
10%
Bonds
9%
Ideas
4%
Justice6 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival5 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity5 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception4 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition3 titles, browse their movies with this themePower3 titles, browse their movies with this themeOppression2 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 16 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Dark: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their dark movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 1 · Serious 2 · Dark 13

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 10 · Stylized 5 · Heightened 1

Intense: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their intense movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 0 · Charged 7 · Intense 9

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

A split, not a type: Steady 8 · Shifting 6 · Whiplash 2

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 14 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 0

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 7 · Even-paced 9 · Relentless 0

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 1 · Engaged 11 · Full focus 4

Heavy: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their heavy movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

Easy watch 1 · Affecting 5 · Heavy 10

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

A split, not a type: Resolved 8 · Open-ended 6 · Ambiguous 2

Roles they play

6 analyzed roles

Usually the Mentor: 3 of 6 analyzed roles.

Mentor
3 of 6
Threshold guardian
1 of 6
Herald
1 of 6
Shadow
1 of 6

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
17
Melancholic
10
Dread
7
Contemplative
5
Romantic
2
Other
12

How their films linger

Thought-provoking9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteInfuriating2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Bittersweet13
  • Tragic5
  • Ambiguous1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch David Calder's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 49 of their 57 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for David Calder's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

118 credits, 57 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • Rivals(2024)

    Show 6 episodes · as Rev. Fergus Penney

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows

  • The Last Front(2024)

    as Father Michael

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • The Trick(2021)

    as Sir David King

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Time(2021)

    Show 3 episodes · as John Cobden

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Exposed: The Church's Darkest Secret (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Show 2 episodes · as Archbishop George Carey

  • Jerk (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    Show 4 episodes · as Great Uncle Thomas

  • National Theatre Live: Julius Caesar(2018)

    as Julius Caesar

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators(2018)

    Show 1 episode · as Harold Hamworthy

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all shows

  • Motherland(2016)

    Show 1 episode · as Geoff

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows

  • The Hatton Garden Job(2017)

    as Terry Perkins

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • The Lost City of Z(2016)

    as Secretary Bryce

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Emerald City(2017)

    Show 2 episodes · as King Ev

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all shows

  • The Moonstone(2016)

    Show as Mr. Bruff

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all shows

  • The Lady in the Van(2015)

    as Mr Fairchild

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Queen of the Desert(2015)

    as Hugh Bell

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • The Scandalous Lady W(2015)

    as Lord Chief Justice Mansfield

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • Houdini(2014)

    Show 2 episodes · as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all shows

  • Inside No. 9(2014)

    Show 1 episode · as Percy

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • Rush(2013)

    as Louis Stanley

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Plebs(2013)

    Show 1 episode · as Senator Varus

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all shows

  • Edward VIII: The Plot to Topple a King (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Cosmo Gordon Lang

  • Utopia(2013)

    Show 1 episode · as Dobri Gorski

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Father Brown(2013)

    Show 1 episode · as Sir Aaron Armstrong

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • Cuckoo(2012)

    Show 2 episodes · as Charles

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all shows

  • Titanic (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Show 4 episodes · as Captain Smith

  • Call the Midwife(2012)

    Show 1 episode · as Donald

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Trollied (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Vera(2011)

    Show 1 episode · as Frank McAffee

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • United(2011)

    as Harold Hardman

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • National Theatre Live: Hamlet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Polonius

  • On Expenses (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Stuart Bell

  • Red Riding: The Year of Our Lord 1980(2009)

    as Sir John Marsden

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor(2008)

    as Roger Wilson

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • The Last Enemy(2008)

    Show 3 episodes · as Lord Cawston

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all shows

  • Inspector Lewis(2006)

    Show 1 episode · as Andrew Lipton

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • The Cult of Star Cops (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Actor

  • Goya's Ghosts(2006)

    as Monk 1

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Perfume: The Story of a Murderer(2006)

    as Bishop of Grasse

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Wallis & Edward (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as Winston Churchill

  • Cold Blood(2005)

    Show 5 episodes · as Professor Robert Kerr

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all shows

  • Friends Reunited (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as Denny Flemyng

  • Lawless (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Show 2 episodes · as DCI Pete Chambers

  • Julian Fellowes Investigates: A Most Mysterious Murder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Show 6 episodes · Actor

  • Hustle(2004)

    Show 1 episode · as Victor Maher

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • New Tricks(2003)

    Show 1 episode · as Sid Lestade

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Family (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 6 episodes · as Ted Cutler

  • Death in Holy Orders(2003)

    Show 1 episode · as Sir Alred Treeves

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all shows

  • The Commander (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 17 episodes · Actor

  • MI-5(2002)

    Show 1 episode · as Sergei Lermov

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • The Inspector Lynley Mysteries(2001)

    Show 1 episode · as Richard Martin

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • Love or Money (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as Mario

  • Anybody's Nightmare (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as Anthony Glass QC

  • Mr In-Between(2001)

    as Tattooed Man

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • The Mists of Avalon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Show 2 episodes · as Uriens

  • Waking the Dead(2000)

    Show 2 episodes · as Commander Bill Drake

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all shows

  • The King Is Alive(2000)

    as Charles

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Jason and the Argonauts(2000)

    Show 2 episodes · as Argos

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all shows

  • The World Is Not Enough(1999)

    as Sir Robert King

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • The Murder of Stephen Lawrence(1999)

    as Sir Paul Condon

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • FairyTale: A True Story(1997)

    as Harold Snelling

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Drovers' Gold (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Show 5 episodes · as Vaughan

  • Midsomer Murders(1997)

    Show 1 episode · as George Hamilton

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Henry IV (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Falstaff

  • Dangerous Lady (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Show 4 episodes · Actor

  • Bramwell(1995)

    Show 27 episodes · Actor

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all shows

  • Cracker(1993)

    Show 2 episodes · as Father Michael Harvey · as Michael Harvey

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • A Touch of Frost(1992)

    Show 1 episode · as Kenneth Shaw

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • A Doll's House (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Nils Krogstad

  • Between the Lines (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

  • Friday on My Mind (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Show 3 episodes · as Donahue

  • Heartbeat(1992)

    Show 1 episode · as DI Ludlow · as Saul Arkwright

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all shows

  • The Count of Solar (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Abbé de L'Epée

  • A Question of Attribution (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    as Chubb

  • Performance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Show 1 episode · as Nils Krogstad

  • Chimera (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Show 4 episodes · as Dr. Jenner

  • Sleepers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    as Victor Chekhov

  • Sleepers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Show 4 episodes · as Victor Chekhov

  • The War That Never Ends(1991)

    as Cleon

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • American Friends(1991)

    as Pollitt

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Shoot to Kill (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as DCS John Thorburn

  • Shoot to Kill (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Show 2 episodes · as DCS John Thorburn

  • Nice Work (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Show 4 episodes · as Stuart Baxter

  • Tumbledown (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    as John Lawrence

  • Unreported Incident (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    as Douglas

  • The Play on One (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Show 1 episode · as Douglas

  • The New Statesman(1987)

    Show 1 episode · as Le Cul

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all shows

  • The Trial of Klaus Barbie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Maitre Verges

  • Star Cops (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Show 9 episodes · as Box (voice) · as Commander Nathan Spring

  • Good As Gold (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Dennis Barker

  • Casualty(1986)

    Show 1 episode · as Phillip Perry · as Roy Parks

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all shows

  • Defense of the Realm(1985)

    as Harry Champion

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Urban Jungle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    as Insp. Burton

  • Wynne and Penkovsky (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    as Greville Wynne

  • Wynne and Penkovsky (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 3 episodes · as Greville Wynne

  • Mitch (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Show 10 episodes · as Ben Hall

  • Mr. Palfrey of Westminster (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Show 1 episode · as Sgt. Margetson

  • Love and Marriage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Show 1 episode · as Ralph Blenchard

  • No Excuses (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Show 1 episode · as Stanmore

  • Widows (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Show 6 episodes · as D.I. George Resnick · as DI George Resnick

  • The Disappearance of Harry (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as Bracey

  • Moonlighting(1982)

    as Supermarket Manager

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Bergerac(1981)

    Show 1 episode · as Sir Clive Hamer

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all shows

  • Get Lost! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Show 4 episodes · as DS Tomlin

  • Bread or Blood (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    as Benson

  • Fox (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    as Detective Inspector Davin

  • Fox (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Show 2 episodes · as Detective Inspector Davin

  • The Black Stuff (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    as McKenna

  • Minder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Show 1 episode · as Micky 'The Fish' Metcalfe

  • Gossip from the Forest (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    as General Von Heldorff

  • Casting the Runes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    as John Marriott

  • Superman(1978)

    as 3rd Crewman

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Enemy at the Door(1978)

    Show 1 episode · as Hoffman

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • The Professionals (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Show 1 episode · as Insp. Shannon

  • Napoleon and Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Show 1 episode · as Marmont

  • Crown Court (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 3 episodes · as Donald Dowd · as Gordon Sibley · as Man In Corridor

  • Sentimental Education (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Show 4 episodes · as Deslauriers

  • Edward II (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    as Young Spencer

  • The Tragedy of King Richard II (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    as Lord Ross / Groom

Career shape

Star power in the 97th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 117 titles from 1970 to 2024; peak year 2014.

Biggest box office

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006)

$135M worldwide

Highest rated

Rush (2013)

Midcredits 99th

Film career

19702024

Peak 2014 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 1 MovieCove title. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting117 of 117: 117 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score76th

By decade

1970s11 · acting1980s26 · acting1990s24 · acting2000s26 · acting2010s25 · acting2020s5 · acting

Billing

usually 7th · top billed in 0% of 17 roles
820212

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do David Calder's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 67th percentile, the median of all 24; across their 16 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 64th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

64thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 16

Approval · how many liked their films

67thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 16

Reach · how many have seen their films

67thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 16

Midcredits score across 57 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up29
  • 50th to 74th17
  • 25th to 49th7
  • Below 25th4

Shape of the crowd

29 of their 57 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved15
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser29
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed10

Most divisive · actor

The War That Never Ends (1991)

80th percentile spread · 16% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Rush (2013)

Midcredits 99th · 92% liked

Reviewers score the acting 76/100 in their films, across 16 reviewed titles; fans 83, detractors 53. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is David Calder's work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 4 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Violence & Gore3 titlesmedian 57 · moderateMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity4 titlesmedian 61 · intenseMedian of all films: 32
Profanity3 titlesmedian 27 · mildMedian of all films: 36

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.

Who does David Calder work with?

People who share at least 2 of David Calder's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; William Shakespeare shares the most, 2.

Writers

Actors

Producers