---
name: "Phil Davis"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/phil-davis"
fi1m_id: "phil-davis"
imdb_id: "nm0205289"
tmdb_id: 26854
wikidata_id: "Q915916"
roles: ["Actor","Director"]
born: "30 July 1953"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 15
average_fi1m_score: 76
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 13
updated: "2026-10-07T16:05:42.974732+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."
---

# Phil Davis

## Identity

Phil Davis

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/phil-davis
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** phil-davis
- **IMDb ID:** nm0205289
- **TMDB ID:** 26854
- **Wikidata ID:** Q915916
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Davis_(actor), https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q915916, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0205289/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/26854

Actor and director. Born 30 July 1953 in Highgate, London, England, UK.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor, Director
- **Born:** 30 July 1953, Highgate, London, England, UK
- **Active:** 1982–present
- **Also known as:** Phil Davies, Philip Davis, Фил Дэвис, فیل دیویس
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 15: 13 acting, 1 directing, 1 other
- **Frequently works with:** [Craig Fairbrass](https://film.one/person/craig-fairbrass.md), [Mike Leigh](https://film.one/person/mike-leigh.md)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 76, as actor, over 13 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1970s 55 (1), 1980s 69 (1), 1990s 80 (4), 2000s 75 (4), 2010s 76 (4), 2020s 82 (1)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 79 to 73 across 9 titles
- **Score spread:** 5 at 80+, 8 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 2 of 6 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 12, Comedy 2, Crime 2, Romance 2, Action 1, Horror 1
- **Screen time:** 15 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $342m across 7 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Davis_(actor), https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q915916, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0205289/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/26854

## Streaming the US now

- **Apple TV:** [*Prime Suspect*](https://film.one/tv/prime-suspect.md) (88)
- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Another Year*](https://film.one/film/another-year.md) (87)
- **The Roku Channel:** [*Vera Drake*](https://film.one/film/vera-drake.md) (84)
- **Netflix:** [*Poldark*](https://film.one/tv/poldark.md) (77)
- **Disney+:** [*Silk*](https://film.one/tv/silk.md) (71)
- **Pluto TV:** [*Juliet, Naked*](https://film.one/film/juliet-naked.md) (70)

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

## Fi1m on Phil Davis

> Phil Davis does less than almost anyone else in the frame and is often the person we end up watching. Across six films with Mike Leigh and a long line of rogues for television, the small, exact gesture is the whole method, and it holds.

Stan, the husband in *Vera Drake* (2004), sits at the family table and says almost nothing. The rest of the household talks, and Phil Davis listens, and what he does while listening tells us more about the marriage than a page of dialogue could. That has been the method for close to fifty years. He is cast as the disreputable, the working-class and the scheming, and now and then as the gentle, and he plays all of them the same way: from the inside, thoroughly, without an accent to hide behind.

He began on stage in the mid-1970s, took the lead in Barrie Keeffe's *Gotcha* in 1977, and was Chalky, one of the mods, in *Quadrophenia* (1979). For a decade after that he was the tough or the streetwise one, the actor directors reached for when they needed a man who might hit you, and Yeti in Alan Clarke's *The Firm* (1989), opposite Gary Oldman, is the best of that line. Mike Leigh saw something else. Their work together runs from the late 1970s across six films, and in *High Hopes* (1988) Leigh made him Cyril, a gentle socialist motorcycle courier, about as far from Yeti as an actor can travel in a year.

The Leigh films are where he is most himself, because Leigh builds a character through improvisation and Davis wants the time. "I love his way of working; you have the opportunity to explore a character in as much detail as possible," he has said. *Vera Drake* belongs to Imelda Staunton, who has the busier part, but the family scenes hold because Davis is so still beside her, and we were moved by him more than we were prepared for: not by anything he says, but by the care with which he attends to his wife, and by how little he needs to do to make the marriage believable. *Another Year* (2010), in which he is Jack, is a smaller part in a film we count among Leigh's best; he does not stand out from the ensemble, and in a Leigh film that is the job.

Television has had a different use for him since. Smallweed, the moneylender in *Bleak House* (2005), Jeff the murderous cab driver in the first episode of *Sherlock* (2010), Jud Paynter, the drunken and unreliable servant in *Poldark* (2015): rogues and grotesques, each grounded in enough plain detail that they stay people rather than turns. Our reservation is with the parts rather than the playing. A face this useful for villainy gets asked for it again and again, and the early typecasting never quite let go; it moved up a class and into costume. He has directed too, the feature *I.D.* (1995) and episodes of *Prime Suspect* in 1996, from the later, patchier years of a series we still rate highly.

Start with *Vera Drake* and watch the husband rather than the wife for a stretch. Then find *The Firm* and check that it is the same man.

## Biography

Phil Davis is an English actor, writer, director and narrator. Born on 30 July 1953 in Highgate, London, he grew up in Essex and trained at the National Youth Theatre before beginning his career in theatre and film.

As an actor he is known for roles in *Quadrophenia* (1979), *The Bounty* (1984), *The Firm* (1989), *In the Name of the Father* (1993), *Vera Drake* (2004) as Stan, *Bleak House* (2005), *Sherlock* (2010) and *Poldark* (2015–2016). He has a long association with director Mike Leigh. Davis has also directed television episodes including *Prime Suspect* (1996) and feature films such as *I.D.* (1995), for which his work earned awards.

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

## On Fi1m (15)

### Performed in (13) — the average rests on these

- *Slow Horses* (2022), Fi1m 82, as Dickie Bow — [page](https://film.one/tv/slow-horses.md)
- *Juliet, Naked* (2018), Fi1m 70, as Mayor Terry Barton — [page](https://film.one/film/juliet-naked.md)
- *Poldark* (2015), Fi1m 77, as Jud Paynter — [page](https://film.one/tv/poldark.md)
- *Silk* (2011), Fi1m 71, as Micky Joy — [page](https://film.one/tv/silk.md)
- *Another Year* (2010), Fi1m 87, as Jack — [page](https://film.one/film/another-year.md)
- *Five Days* (2007), Fi1m 76, as Mic Danes — [page](https://film.one/tv/five-days.md)
- *Notes on a Scandal* (2006), Fi1m 75, as Brian Bangs — [page](https://film.one/film/notes-on-a-scandal.md)
- *Bleak House* (2005), Fi1m 65, as Smallweed — [page](https://film.one/tv/bleak-house.md)
- *Vera Drake* (2004), Fi1m 84, as Stan — [page](https://film.one/film/vera-drake.md)
- *Secrets & Lies* (1996), Fi1m 88, as Man in Suit — [page](https://film.one/film/secrets-and-lies.md)
- *In the Name of the Father* (1993), Fi1m 83, as Detective — [page](https://film.one/film/in-the-name-of-the-father.md)
- *Alien³* (1992), Fi1m 62, as Kevin — [page](https://film.one/film/alien3.md)
- *Pink Floyd: The Wall* (1982), Fi1m 69, as Roadie — [page](https://film.one/film/pink-floyd-the-wall.md)

### Directed (1)

- *Prime Suspect* (1991), Fi1m 88, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/prime-suspect.md)

### Also credited (1) — thanks, archive footage, uncredited

- *The Canterbury Tales* (1972), Fi1m 55, as 2nd Homosexual Lover (uncredited) — [page](https://film.one/film/the-canterbury-tales.md)

## Complete filmography (153)

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

- *Rise of the Footsoldier: Retribution* (2026), Actor
- *Shedites* (2026), as Harry
- *The Hack* (2025), series, as Alastair Morgan
- *Playing Nice* (2025), series, as John Riley
- *TUSKY* (2024), Actor
- *Truelove* (2024), series, as Nigel
- *Platform 7* (2023), series, as Edward Warren
- *Rise of the Footsoldier: Vengeance* (2023), as David Hexell
- *Deus* (2022), as Vance
- *Slow Horses* (2022), series, as Dickie Bow — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/tv/slow-horses.md)
- *Ragdoll* (2021), series, as Mayor Ray Turnbull
- *Viewpoint* (2021), series, as DI Liam Cox
- *Taj Mahal presents… A Short Film* (2021), as Old man
- *Knuckledust* (2020), as Happy
- *Trying* (2020), series, as Victor Ross, Vic Ross, Vic
- *Dial M for Middlesbrough* (2019), as Jed
- *Brighton* (2019), as Dave
- *The Great Train Robbery: The Hidden Tapes* (2019), as Narrator
- *Juliet, Naked* (2018), as Mayor Terry Barton — Fi1m 70, [page](https://film.one/film/juliet-naked.md)
- *We Can Be Heroes* (2017), as Granddad Evans
- *Hampstead* (2017), as Fyfe
- *Riviera* (2017), series, as Jukes
- *Broken* (2017), series, as Harry Parkinson
- *Golden Years* (2016), as Brian
- *Undercover* (2016), series, as Jimmy
- *Zero Sum* (2016), as Neumann
- *Black Work* (2015), series, as Tom Piper
- *Mr. Holmes* (2015), as Inspector Gilbert
- *Age Of Kill* (2015), as Bill Weybridge
- *Dough* (2015), as Sam Cotton
- *Peterman* (2015), as Grandad
- *Poldark* (2015), series, as Jud Paynter — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/tv/poldark.md)
- *Churchill:  100 Days That Saved Britain* (2015), as Charles McMoran Wilson
- *Inside No. 9* (2014), series, as Bill — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/inside-no-9.md)
- *Borrowed Time* (2013), as Philip
- *Having You* (2013), as Peter
- *Plebs* (2013), series, as Severus
- *The Town* (2012), series, as Tony Nicholas
- *Fast Girls* (2012), as Brian
- *Outside Bet* (2012), as Threads
- *Secrets and Words* (2012), series, as Ray Collins
- *Hacks* (2012), as Ray
- *Death in Paradise* (2011), series, as Jim Chandler
- *Case Histories* (2011), series, as Theo Wyre
- *Silk* (2011), series, as Micky Joy — Fi1m 71, [page](https://film.one/tv/silk.md)
- *Another Year* (2010), as Jack — Fi1m 87, [page](https://film.one/film/another-year.md)
- *Brighton Rock* (2010), as Frank Spicer
- *Vexed* (2010), series, as Ron Poynter
- *Sherlock* (2010), series, as Jeff — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/sherlock.md)
- *Identity* (2010), series, Actor
- *The Rapture* (2010), as Sir David
- *The Big I Am* (2010), as Stubbs
- *Collision* (2009), series, as Brian Edwards
- *Desperate Romantics* (2009), series, as Mr. Stone
- *Whitechapel* (2009), series, as Ray Miles
- *Dead Man Running* (2009), as Johnny Sands
- *Being Human* (2009), series, as Captain Hatch
- *Merlin* (2008), series, as The Gleeman
- *Inspector George Gently* (2008), series, Actor
- *The Curse of Steptoe* (2008), as Wilfrid Brambell
- *The Fixer* (2008), series, Actor
- *Ashes to Ashes* (2008), series, as Chas Cale — Fi1m 64, [page](https://film.one/tv/ashes-to-ashes.md)
- *Lark Rise to Candleford* (2008), series, Actor
- *Bike Squad* (2008), as CI Albert Custer
- *Cassandra's Dream* (2007), as Martin Burns
- *Comedy Showcase* (2007), series, as Sergeant
- *British Film Forever* (2007), series, Actor
- *Secret Life* (2007), as Rudi
- *Five Days* (2007), series, as Mic Danes — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/tv/five-days.md)
- *Notes on a Scandal* (2006), as Brian Bangs — Fi1m 75, [page](https://film.one/film/notes-on-a-scandal.md)
- *A Way of Life: Making Quadrophenia* (2006), Actor
- *Beau Brummell: This Charming Man* (2006), as Master Servant Robinson
- *Casanova* (2005), as Guardi
- *Bleak House* (2005), series, as Smallweed — Fi1m 65, [page](https://film.one/tv/bleak-house.md)
- *Footprints in the Snow* (2005), as Tim Perkins
- *Twenty Thousand Streets Under The Sky* (2005), series, as Ernest Eccles
- *Doctor Who* (2005), series, as Lucius — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/doctor-who-2005.md)
- *Like Father Like Son* (2005), as Paul Barker
- *Agatha Christie's Marple* (2004), series, as Kennedy
- *Vera Drake* (2004), as Stan — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/vera-drake.md)
- *Ready When You Are, Mr McGill* (2004), as Denis
- *The Baby Juice Express* (2004), as Frank O'Reilly
- *Wall of Silence* (2004), as Tony Cottis
- *New Tricks* (2004), series, as Gavin Gibson
- *Nicholas Nickleby* (2002), as Brooker
- *The Safe House* (2002), as Det. Inspector Baird
- *Rose and Maloney* (2002), series, as Marion Maloney
- *White Teeth* (2002), series, as Archie
- *White Teeth* (2002), as Archie
- *Fields of Gold* (2002), series, Actor
- *Fields of Gold* (2002), as Roy Lodge
- *Murder in Mind* (2001), series, as Chaz Hadley
- *Trance* (2001), as Philip
- *North Square* (2000), series, Actor
- *Black Cab* (2000), series, as Nick
- *Hold Back the Night* (1999), Director
- *Births, Marriages and Deaths* (1999), series, as Graham
- *Still Crazy* (1998), as Limo Driver
- *Real Women* (1998), series, Director
- *Face* (1997), as Julian
- *Photographing Fairies* (1997), as Roy
- *Midsomer Murders* (1997), series, as Gary Cooper — Fi1m 66, [page](https://film.one/tv/midsomer-murders.md)
- *Different for Girls* (1996), as Cabbie
- *Crimetime* (1996), as Simon
- *Secrets & Lies* (1996), as Man in Suit — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/film/secrets-and-lies.md)
- *I.D.* (1995), as Custody Sergeant · Director
- *Moving Story* (1994), series, as Adrenalin
- *In the Name of the Father* (1993), as Detective — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/film/in-the-name-of-the-father.md)
- *Nice Town* (1992), series, as Paul Thompson
- *Blue Ice* (1992), as Westy
- *Alien³* (1992), as Kevin — Fi1m 62, [page](https://film.one/film/alien3.md)
- *Skulduggery* (1991), Director, Writer
- *Prime Suspect* (1991), series, Director — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/prime-suspect.md)
- *4 Play* (1989), series, Director
- *The Paradise Club* (1989), series, as Walter 'Wally' Fagin
- *Tales from the Crypt* (1989), series, as Henry
- *Howling V: The Rebirth* (1989), as Count Istvan
- *The Firm* (1989), as Yeti
- *High Hopes* (1989), as Cyril Bender
- *The First Kangaroos* (1988), as Young Reporter
- *Dead Lucky* (1988), as Finn
- *Truckers* (1987), series, as Lonesome Cowboy
- *Comrades* (1987), as Young John Stanfield
- *Inspector Morse* (1987), series, as Roland Sherman — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/inspector-morse.md)
- *Underworld* (1985), as Lazarus
- *The Doctor and the Devils* (1985), as Billy Bedlam
- *Screen Two* (1985), series, as Yeti, Finn · Director
- *The Bounty* (1984), as Edward Young
- *Robin of Sherwood* (1984), series, as Prince John
- *Dramarama* (1983), series, as Frog
- *Pink Floyd: The Wall* (1982), as Roadie — Fi1m 69, [page](https://film.one/film/pink-floyd-the-wall.md)
- *Bergerac* (1981), series, as Eric
- *The Flipside of Dominick Hide* (1980), as 2nd Youth (as Philip Davis)
- *Grown-Ups* (1980), as Dick
- *Pasmore* (1980), as Post office clerk
- *S.O.S. Titanic* (1980), as Crow's Nest Lookout (uncredited)
- *Dark Water* (1980), as Eddie
- *Quadrophenia* (1979), as Chalky
- *Who's Who* (1979), as Kevin
- *Sexton Blake and the Demon God* (1978), series, as Tinker
- *The Professionals* (1977), series, as Billy Turner
- *The Mayor's Charity* (1977), as Mr. Destry
- *Target* (1977), series, as Ray
- *Gotcha / Campion's Interview* (1977), as Kid
- *Rumpole of the Bailey* (1975), series, as Tony Timson
- *The Old Curiosity Shop* (1975), as Tom Scott
- *Playhouse* (1974), series, as Dick
- *Orson Welles' Great Mysteries* (1973), series, as Johnny Sheeham
- *Centre Play* (1973), series, as Steve
- *The Canterbury Tales* (1972), as 2nd Homosexual Lover (uncredited) — Fi1m 55, [page](https://film.one/film/the-canterbury-tales.md)
- *Play for Today* (1970), series, as 2nd Youth (as Philip Davis), Kid, Post Office Clerk, Mr. Destry
- *Merman*, Actor
- *Pegasus Bridge*, as General Bernard L. Montgomery

## Gallery

- ![Phil Davis](https://film.one/media/person/60593/gallery-910e87aa3358.png) Phil Davis — Eric HOUDAS, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/12/Phil_Davis_2016_cropped.png?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Phil Davis](https://film.one/media/person/60593/gallery-4a7a6d9335f7.jpg) Phil Davis — Image via TMDB
- ![Phil Davis](https://film.one/media/person/60593/gallery-434b2f7a363c.jpg) Phil Davis — Image via TMDB
- ![Phil Davis](https://film.one/media/person/60593/gallery-4f10278e86b0.jpg) Phil Davis — Image via TMDB

---
© 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/phil-davis