David Learner
Encyclopedia
David Learner is a British actor who is most famous for his portrayal of Marvin the Paranoid Android
in the TV show and stage adaption of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
and his performance as Pickle in the popular CITV
Adventure Gameshow Knightmare
.
alongside Alan Rickman
and Trevor Eve
and has appeared in over 100 Stage Plays and numerous Radio Productions.
He played Marvin for 2 National Tours of Hitchhiker's, including the Rainbow Theatre in 1980 and finally at the opening of the Drum Theatre, Plymouth in 1982. He also appeared in the 1981 TV Adaption of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy too. But he only appeared in costume providing the movements for Marvin. Stephen Moore
(who played him on the radio series) was brought back to provide the voice. He also appeared in series 8 of Countdown
for 2 episodes in 1986.
In 1990 he appeared in 38 episodes of The Satellite Game for BSB, playing the host "Larry the Robot". It was during this time that he met up with producer Tim Child
for the first time. Knightmare had already been running for 3 years at that point, and Learner asked Child if he'd thought of getting an assistant for Treguard (the show's host), and if so could he audition for it. Child agreed, and he found out he got the part weeks later.
Learner later said in an interview, "I thought I was only going to do 1 series, I ended up staying for 3".
He portrayed the character of Pickle in 47 episodes of Knightmare from 1990-1992. Pickle was a Wood Elf; his role in the show was to help out teams and provide a bit of comic relief to make teams more relaxed. He would sometimes break the rules of the Dungeon, by sneaking food into the Knapsack, which would infuriate Treguard, and at one point he actually stepped into the game to fend off an enemy who was about to attack a Dungeoneer. The role of Treguard was played by Hugo Myatt
whom he had already met in acting school. After 3 series he decided to leave, and was replaced by a Female Arabian Genie called Majida, who was played by Jackie Sawiris
.
In 1993 he appeared in "The Making of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy", in which he went into extensive detail about his time on the show, and also told some funny anecdotes about the filming process.
He also played Belial the main enemy in the 1997 Live Action/Video Game Realms of the Haunting
, and in the same year he appeared in an episode of The Famous Five
for CITV entitled "Five Have a Wonderful Time". He played "Alfredo, the Fire Eater".
David retired from Acting in 1999, in 2001 he presented a Sunday Afternoon show on X-CEL FM (before it was re-named Star 107.9).
He then went on to pursue a career in Sales and Marketing and in 2004 he became a Marketing Executive for Alliance in Bury St. Edmunds, on their official site he says "It's great to be joining Alliance at such an exciting time in the company's history.Many people think the subject of business risk management is dull - it's part of my job to disprove that myth and educate the market about risk management - a 'hitchhiker's guide to risk' if you like."
In 2004 he was back on TV as part of Sky 1
's "Top Ten Sci-Fi Robots", where he was interviewed about playing Marvin the Paranoid Android alongside fellow Robot Actors such as Robert Llewellyn
(Kryten
) and John Leeson
(K-9
). Marvin came 7th on the list.
He still appears now and again at Sci-Fi Conventions.
Marvin the Paranoid Android
Marvin, the Paranoid Android, is a fictional character in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series by Douglas Adams. Marvin is the ship's robot aboard the starship Heart of Gold...
in the TV show and stage adaption of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a science fiction comedy series created by Douglas Adams. Originally a radio comedy broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 1978, it was later adapted to other formats, and over several years it gradually became an international multi-media phenomenon...
and his performance as Pickle in the popular CITV
CITV
CITV is a British television channel from ITV Digital Channels Ltd, a division of ITV plc. It broadcasts content from the CITV archive, as well as commissions and acquisitions. CITV itself is the programming block on the main ITV Network .The CITV channel broadcasts from 06:00 to 18:00...
Adventure Gameshow Knightmare
Knightmare
Knightmare is an English television program for children, produced by Broadsword Productions for Anglia Television and was broadcast on ITV from 7 September 1987 to 11 November 1994...
.
Career
He studied at RADARada
Rada is the term for "council" or "assembly"borrowed by Polish from the Low Franconian "Rad" and later passed into the Czech, Ukrainian, and Belarusian languages....
alongside Alan Rickman
Alan Rickman
Alan Sidney Patrick Rickman is an English actor and theatre director. He is a renowned stage actor in modern and classical productions and a former member of the Royal Shakespeare Company...
and Trevor Eve
Trevor Eve
Trevor John Eve is a British film and television actor. In 1979 he gained fame as the eponymous lead in the detective series Shoestring and is also known for his role as Detective Superintendent Peter Boyd in BBC television drama Waking the Dead.-Early life:Eve was born in Sutton Coldfield,...
and has appeared in over 100 Stage Plays and numerous Radio Productions.
He played Marvin for 2 National Tours of Hitchhiker's, including the Rainbow Theatre in 1980 and finally at the opening of the Drum Theatre, Plymouth in 1982. He also appeared in the 1981 TV Adaption of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy too. But he only appeared in costume providing the movements for Marvin. Stephen Moore
Stephen Moore
Stephen Moore may refer to:* Stephen Moore , Irish politician*Stephen Moore * Stephen Moore , English actor* Stephen Campbell Moore , English actor...
(who played him on the radio series) was brought back to provide the voice. He also appeared in series 8 of Countdown
Countdown (game show)
Countdown is a British game show involving word and number puzzles. It is produced by ITV Studios and broadcast on Channel 4. It is presented by Jeff Stelling, assisted by Rachel Riley, with regular lexicographer Susie Dent. It was the first programme to be aired on Channel 4, and over sixty-five...
for 2 episodes in 1986.
In 1990 he appeared in 38 episodes of The Satellite Game for BSB, playing the host "Larry the Robot". It was during this time that he met up with producer Tim Child
Tim Child
Tim Child is a British television producer. He is most famous for creating and producing the cult children's television program Knightmare, a fantasy role-playing adventure game which pioneered virtual studio or blue-screen production....
for the first time. Knightmare had already been running for 3 years at that point, and Learner asked Child if he'd thought of getting an assistant for Treguard (the show's host), and if so could he audition for it. Child agreed, and he found out he got the part weeks later.
Learner later said in an interview, "I thought I was only going to do 1 series, I ended up staying for 3".
He portrayed the character of Pickle in 47 episodes of Knightmare from 1990-1992. Pickle was a Wood Elf; his role in the show was to help out teams and provide a bit of comic relief to make teams more relaxed. He would sometimes break the rules of the Dungeon, by sneaking food into the Knapsack, which would infuriate Treguard, and at one point he actually stepped into the game to fend off an enemy who was about to attack a Dungeoneer. The role of Treguard was played by Hugo Myatt
Hugo Myatt
Hugo Myatt is a British actor, best known for his role as dungeon master Treguard of Dunshelm in the children's game show Knightmare. He has often commented that he did not mind working with children on Knightmare as his first job was as an actor in children's theatre.In addition to numerous...
whom he had already met in acting school. After 3 series he decided to leave, and was replaced by a Female Arabian Genie called Majida, who was played by Jackie Sawiris
Jackie Sawiris
Jackie Sawiris is a Jordanian/Egyptian Actress, Writer and Film-maker who is best known in the for playing Majida in Knightmare and also her performance in Eyes Wide Shut as Roz.-Career :...
.
In 1993 he appeared in "The Making of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy", in which he went into extensive detail about his time on the show, and also told some funny anecdotes about the filming process.
He also played Belial the main enemy in the 1997 Live Action/Video Game Realms of the Haunting
Realms of the Haunting
Realms of the Haunting is a British adventure game, played from the first-person perspective, released in 1997 by Gremlin. The 3D engine used in this game was borrowed from Gremlin's own Normality.-Story:...
, and in the same year he appeared in an episode of The Famous Five
The Famous Five
The Famous Five may refer to:*The Famous Five , also known as "The Valiant Five," a group of Canadian women who were proponents in a landmark women's rights case....
for CITV entitled "Five Have a Wonderful Time". He played "Alfredo, the Fire Eater".
David retired from Acting in 1999, in 2001 he presented a Sunday Afternoon show on X-CEL FM (before it was re-named Star 107.9).
He then went on to pursue a career in Sales and Marketing and in 2004 he became a Marketing Executive for Alliance in Bury St. Edmunds, on their official site he says "It's great to be joining Alliance at such an exciting time in the company's history.Many people think the subject of business risk management is dull - it's part of my job to disprove that myth and educate the market about risk management - a 'hitchhiker's guide to risk' if you like."
In 2004 he was back on TV as part of Sky 1
SKY 1
The Box is an entertainment channel in New Zealand available on SKY Network Television.The channel shows are a variety of the most recent shows such as from the United States, for example CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, The Simpsons, Family Guy, World Wrestling Entertainments hit shows, and...
's "Top Ten Sci-Fi Robots", where he was interviewed about playing Marvin the Paranoid Android alongside fellow Robot Actors such as Robert Llewellyn
Robert Llewellyn
Robert Llewellyn is an English actor, presenter, and writer. He is best known as the mechanoid Kryten in the hit sitcom Red Dwarf, and for his role as presenter of Scrapheap Challenge.-Early career:...
(Kryten
Kryten
Kryten is a fictional character in the British science fiction situation comedy Red Dwarf. Kryten's registration code on Red Dwarf is "Kryten additional 001". The name Kryten is a reference to the head butler in the J.M...
) and John Leeson
John Leeson
John Leeson is a British actor who is best known for voicing K-9 on the television series Doctor Who from 1977 to 1979, and again in the 1980–1981 season. He was called back to do the voice of K-9 again for the 2006 episode "School Reunion" and again for the 2008 Doctor Who episode "Journey's End"...
(K-9
K-9 (Doctor Who)
K-9, or K9, is the name of several fictional robotic canines in the long-running British science fiction television series, Doctor Who, first appearing in 1977...
). Marvin came 7th on the list.
He still appears now and again at Sci-Fi Conventions.