Career
Born in Dublin, Lorcan Cranitch became involved in drama while a student, and in 1980, he moved to London where he trained at RADA. His first major role on British television was as Tim Healy in the 1991 British Broadcasting Corporation drama series, Parnell and the Englishwoman. lieutenant was as the troubled Doctor of Science Jimmy Beck in Cracker (1993-1995) that he became a familiar face to viewers. When he informed the producers of his intention to leave the show following the second season, his character was killed off in a spectacular suicide scene in October 1995.
Following Cracker, he returned to the British Broadcasting Corporation in a part specially written for him, as Sean Dillon in Ballykissangel.
He appeared in several other British television dramas, including Deacon Brodie (with Billy Connolly), Shackleton (as Frank Wild) with Kenneth Branagh, Omagh, Hornblower (with Ioan Gruffudd), The Street, Waking the Dead, Spooks, Silent Witness and New Tricks. In 2005, he took a villainous role in the Home Box Office/British Broadcasting Corporation production of Rome, as the underworld baron Erastes Fulmen.
In the 2009 British Broadcasting Corporation drama Best: His Mother"s Son, he played Dickie Best, the father of football player George Best. Lorcan briefly appeared as DI Littlejohn in the Sky Atlantic Series, Fortitude.
On film he has appeared in Dancing at Lughnasa with Meryl Streep, The Playboys and Titanic Town.
In 2016 he appeared in season 5 episode 7 of the British Broadcasting Corporation series Death in Paradise. He has combined this with stage work with The Royal National Theatre, The Royal Shakespeare Company, Donmar West End, and The Abbey and The Gate theatres in Dublin. The couple adopted an Ethiopian child in 2011.