David Scarboro
Encyclopedia
David Timothy Scarboro was a British actor
who was best known for portraying Mark Fowler
in the popular British
soap opera
EastEnders
.
.
soap opera
EastEnders
. The actor did not respond well to the sudden fame the role brought him, and later became very concerned when the writers decided that the character of Mark should become a racist
.
Things came to a head one day when the script called for a scene where Mark was to deliver racist abuse to Paul J. Medford
's character, Kelvin Carpenter
. Scarboro firmly refused to play the scene. After this it was decided he should leave the show. His character was abruptly written out of the storyline: one morning his family arose to discover he had secretly moved away during the night. Mark was not seen nor heard from for several months.
In December 1985 Scarboro briefly returned to the series in a special storyline where Mark was reunited with his parents. His parents had travelled to visit him in Southend-on-Sea
where he had settled with an older woman who had children from an earlier relationship.
Scarboro subsequently returned for brief return stints in 1986 and 1987, but never returned to the series on a permanent or on-going basis. Scarboro's last appearance in the series was on Christmas Day, 1987.
On the 19 February 2010 footage of Mark, played by David Scarboro, was seen in video footage watched by Ian and Dot to celebrate the show's 25th anniversary.
discovered that Scarboro was in a psychiatric
unit, and published photographs of the place. Scarboro subsequently left the unit because he could no longer get adequate treatment, and inaccurate stories about his condition were being published.
He committed suicide
in 1988 by throwing himself from Beachy Head
. A documentary on his life was produced by the BBC
in 1988 titled My Brother David and was presented by his brother Simon. His parents left the country soon after their son's death.
The role of Mark Fowler was subsequently taken by Todd Carty
in 1990 and continued in EastEnders as a regular character until 2003.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
who was best known for portraying Mark Fowler
Mark Fowler
Mark Albert Fowler is a fictional character from the popular British BBC soap opera EastEnders. Mark was an original regular character in the series starting February 1985 but became a semi-regular after his original portrayer David Scarboro was written out of the role in April 1985. Scarboro made...
in the popular British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
EastEnders
EastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
.
Early career
David made his acting debut in a little-known television film titled Good Neighbours which aired in 1984. The following year, he appeared as an extra in Series 7 of the school drama series Grange HillGrange Hill
Grange Hill is a British television drama series originally made by the BBC. The show began in 1978 on BBC1 and was one of the longest running programmes on British television...
.
EastEnders
From its inception in February 1985 until April of that same year, Scarboro played the part of Mark Fowler in the BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
EastEnders
EastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
. The actor did not respond well to the sudden fame the role brought him, and later became very concerned when the writers decided that the character of Mark should become a racist
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
.
Things came to a head one day when the script called for a scene where Mark was to deliver racist abuse to Paul J. Medford
Paul J. Medford
Paul J. Medford is a British actor and performer of Barbadian descent. He is best known for playing the role of Kelvin Carpenter in the BBC soap opera EastEnders from the show's inception in 1985 to 1987...
's character, Kelvin Carpenter
Kelvin Carpenter
Kelvin Carpenter is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Paul J. Medford.Kelvin was a bright spark and full of initiative. He opened several businesses in Albert Square and even formed a band. He was a bit of a heartbreaker in EastEnders early years, but he ended up...
. Scarboro firmly refused to play the scene. After this it was decided he should leave the show. His character was abruptly written out of the storyline: one morning his family arose to discover he had secretly moved away during the night. Mark was not seen nor heard from for several months.
In December 1985 Scarboro briefly returned to the series in a special storyline where Mark was reunited with his parents. His parents had travelled to visit him in Southend-on-Sea
Southend-on-Sea
Southend-on-Sea is a unitary authority area, town, and seaside resort in Essex, England. The district has Borough status, and comprises the towns of Chalkwell, Eastwood, Leigh-on-Sea, North Shoebury, Prittlewell, Shoeburyness, Southchurch, Thorpe Bay, and Westcliff-on-Sea. The district is situated...
where he had settled with an older woman who had children from an earlier relationship.
Scarboro subsequently returned for brief return stints in 1986 and 1987, but never returned to the series on a permanent or on-going basis. Scarboro's last appearance in the series was on Christmas Day, 1987.
On the 19 February 2010 footage of Mark, played by David Scarboro, was seen in video footage watched by Ian and Dot to celebrate the show's 25th anniversary.
Media intrusion and suicide
Elements of the UK tabloid press reported that Scarboro had been fired from the show for turning up late for filming and being uncooperative on set. Away from the series Scarboro initiated libel proceedings after several national papers published inaccurate stories about his private life, but the press continued to pursue him and his family. The News of the WorldNews of the World
The News of the World was a national red top newspaper published in the United Kingdom from 1843 to 2011. It was at one time the biggest selling English language newspaper in the world, and at closure still had one of the highest English language circulations...
discovered that Scarboro was in a psychiatric
Psychiatry
Psychiatry is the medical specialty devoted to the study and treatment of mental disorders. These mental disorders include various affective, behavioural, cognitive and perceptual abnormalities...
unit, and published photographs of the place. Scarboro subsequently left the unit because he could no longer get adequate treatment, and inaccurate stories about his condition were being published.
He committed suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
in 1988 by throwing himself from Beachy Head
Beachy Head
Beachy Head is a chalk headland on the south coast of England, close to the town of Eastbourne in the county of East Sussex, immediately east of the Seven Sisters. The cliff there is the highest chalk sea cliff in Britain, rising to 162 m above sea level. The peak allows views of the south...
. A documentary on his life was produced by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
in 1988 titled My Brother David and was presented by his brother Simon. His parents left the country soon after their son's death.
The role of Mark Fowler was subsequently taken by Todd Carty
Todd Carty
Todd Carty is an Irish actor and director, who has grown up on television screens in a variety of roles. His stage work has varied from pantomime to serious drama, as well as radio plays, voiceovers, commercials, narrations, and films...
in 1990 and continued in EastEnders as a regular character until 2003.