Ian Mercer


Ian Cameron Mercer is an English actor. He is known for playing Gary Mallett in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street from 1995 to 2000, having previously appeared in 1987 as a different character. His other television credits include Brookside, Cracker, and The Street.

Career

Mercer was born in Oldham, Lancashire. On leaving school Mercer trained as an electrical engineer but decided to become an actor when he became an assistant stage manager at the Oldham Coliseum in 1979. His first television appearance was as a butcher in the film Blue Money in 1985.
Mercer went on to work in such stage productions as Bent, Spend Spend Spend, Saturday Night, Sunday Morning, Billy Liar, Stop The Children's Laughter, Welcome Home, Romeo and Juliet, The Fancy Man, The York Realist, Beauty and the Beast and Revengers Tragedy.
His television and film acting credits include leading roles in Starting Out,, a series made by ATV for schools and written by Grazyna Monvid, Coronation Street, Shackleton, Heartbeat, The Monocled Mutineer, A Touch of Frost, Cracker, Common As Muck, Peak Practice, New Tricks and '. In 2009 he appeared in an episode of Doctors and two episodes of Waking the Dead. He appeared as Blackbeard's chief zombie henchman in '. During August and September 2015 he returned to Doctors playing the recurring role of Andy Weston in an ongoing sub-plot.
In 2007 he completed three years of study at Northumbria University, gaining a degree in English and Art History. He lives in Northumberland with his two daughters, Scarlett Rae and Ruby Mae.
In 2018, Mercer appeared in the Mike Leigh film, Peterloo, playing the "buffoonish" Dr Healey.

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2003'Mr. Hollar, Boatswain
2005LassieYorkshire Policeman
2009The Boat That RockedTransfer BoatmanAKA: Pirate Radio, Good Morning England, Radio Rock Revolution, Rock Wave & I Love Radio Rock
2009CreationGoodman
2011'QuartermasterBased on Thomas Miller
2016The Legend of TarzanFreckled Force Publique

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1982–1983BrooksideDemon Duane5 episodes
1984Crown CourtMichael Rofe1 episode
1984Weekend PlayhouseBrian1 episode
1984–1985How We Used to LiveFreddy Selby3 episodes
1985One by OneColin2 episodes
1986–1990ScreenplayBrad
Peters		1 episode
1 episode
1986The Monocled MutineerWheelchair1 episode
1987–2000Coronation StreetPete Jackson
Gary Mallett		13 episodes
424 episodes
1991The BillD.S. Dave Lindsay1 episode
1993CrackerD.C./D.S. George Giggs4 episodes
1994Screen TwoLocal Reporter
Probation Officer		1 episode
1 episode
1994Peak Practice"Clarkey" Clarke2 episodes
1994Common As MuckGuy Simmons6 episodes
1995The Final CutGraham Glass1 episode
1996A Touch of FrostP.C. Craven3 episodes
2003Sweet MedicineTony Durston1 episode
2006The Afternoon PlayEddie Connolly1 episode
2006DoctorsBilly Collis
Damien Giggs
Lenny Aston
George Arnott
Jim Grove
Andy Weston		1 episode
1 episode
1 episode
1 episode
1 episode
15 episodes
2007New TricksPaul Wilmslow1 episode
2007HeartbeatRonald Kirby1 episode
2007The ChaseD.I. Proctor1 episode
2007The StreetRichard Watts2 episodes
2009Red Riding: In the Year of Our Lord 1974Paul BoskerTV Movie
2009Red Riding: In the Year of Our Lord 1983Paul BoskerTV Movie
2009Holby CityKen O'Dowd2 episodes
2009StanfordTV Movie
2009Waking the DeadJason Bloch2 episodes
2010ShamelessRoscoe2 episodes
2010LewisLester Garvey1 episode
2012The ScapegoatFincherTV Movie
2014Scott & BaileyFrankie Waddington1 episode
2016Churchill's SecretSgt MurrayTV Movie
2016In the ClubMickey2 episodes

Theatre

YearTitleRoleVenue
2001–2002The York RealistArthurThe Lowry
Bristol Old Vic
Royal Court Theatre
Strand Theatre