---
name: "Derek Thompson"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/derek-thompson"
fi1m_id: "derek-thompson"
imdb_id: "nm0860054"
tmdb_id: 3426
wikidata_id: "Q5262402"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "4 April 1948"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 3
average_fi1m_score: 79
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 3
updated: "2026-10-07T11:25:52.486845+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Derek Thompson

## Identity

Derek Thompson

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/derek-thompson
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** derek-thompson
- **IMDb ID:** nm0860054
- **TMDB ID:** 3426
- **Wikidata ID:** Q5262402
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derek_Thompson_(actor), https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5262402, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0860054/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/3426

Actor. Born 4 April 1948 in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 4 April 1948, Belfast, Northern Ireland
- **Active:** 1976–present
- **Also known as:** Elain and Derek, Elaine and Derek
- **Average Fi1m score:** 79, as actor, over 3 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1980s 78 (2), 2020s 82 (1)
- **Score spread:** 2 at 80+, 1 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 0 of 2 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 3, Crime 2, Soap 1, Thriller 1
- **Screen time:** 2 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $1m across 1 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derek_Thompson_(actor), https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5262402, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0860054/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/3426

## Streaming the US now

- **HBO Max:** [*The Long Good Friday*](https://film.one/film/the-long-good-friday.md) (88)
- **Apple TV:** [*Casualty*](https://film.one/tv/casualty.md) (68)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Derek Thompson is a Northern Irish actor born on 4 April 1948 in Belfast. He is best known for playing Charlie Fairhead in the BBC medical drama *Casualty* from its first episode in 1986 until 2024, with a guest return in 2026. He is the longest-serving cast member of the series.

Before *Casualty*, Thompson appeared in films including *Yanks* (1979) and *The Long Good Friday* (1980), in which he played Jeff. He had earlier worked as a singer in the folk duo Elaine and Derek with his twin sister in the 1960s, and they appeared together in the film *Gonks Go Beat* (1965). His television credits also include *The Gentle Touch* (1980–1982) and *Blue Lights* (2024).

Thompson trained and worked in theatre, including productions at the National Theatre. He is married to actress Dee Sadler.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (3)

- *Blue Lights* (2023), Fi1m 82, as Robin Graham — [page](https://film.one/tv/blue-lights.md)
- *Casualty* (1986), Fi1m 68, as Charlie Fairhead — [page](https://film.one/tv/casualty.md)
- *The Long Good Friday* (1980), Fi1m 88, as Jeff — [page](https://film.one/film/the-long-good-friday.md)

## Complete filmography (26)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Blue Lights* (2023), series, as Robin Graham — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/tv/blue-lights.md)
- *Penny From Heaven* (2017), as Homeless Man
- *Vera* (2011), series, as Gordon Spencer — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/tv/vera.md)
- *Holby Blue* (2007), series, as Charlie Fairhead
- *Holby City* (1999), series, as Charlie Fairhead
- *Resurrection Man* (1998), as Herbie Ferguson
- *Casualty* (1986), series, as Charlie Fairhead — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/tv/casualty.md)
- *Fighting Back* (1986), as Bruce Curran
- *Wild Geese II* (1985), as Hourigan
- *The Price* (1985), series, as Frank Crossan
- *The Price* (1985), as Frank Crossan
- *Brookside* (1982), series, Actor
- *Harry's Game* (1982), series, as Billy Downes
- *Bergerac* (1981), series, as Wyatt
- *The Long Good Friday* (1980), as Jeff — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/film/the-long-good-friday.md)
- *Breaking Glass* (1980), as Andy
- *The Gentle Touch* (1980), series, as DS Jimmy Fenton
- *Minder* (1979), series, as Harry — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/minder.md)
- *Yanks* (1979), as Ken
- *The Danedyke Mystery* (1979), as Tom Richards
- *Me! I'm Afraid of Virginia Woolf* (1978), as Skinner
- *A Photograph* (1977), as Chet
- *Rock Follies* (1976), series, as Harry Moon
- *Gonks Go Beat* (1965), as Singer (Derek and Elaine)
- *The Input Problem*, as Ted
- *Danny Boy*, as Clive

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/derek-thompson