Brendan's biography
A short biography of Brendan Coyle
by Stacy L.A. Stronach, © 2004, 2012 (updated)
(This article is only as accurate as the sources I pulled the information from. Please be aware there may be errors, and that there certainly are omissions, herein.)
David Coyle (later to take the stage name of Brendan Coyle) was born in Corby, Northamptonshire on 2 December 1963* to an Irish father and Scottish mother; his parents moved to Corby from County Tyrone, Ireland. Brendan has at least one brother. Brendan holds Irish citizenship and has previously lived in Dublin and London. However, according to a video clip from the site for "Rockface" he currently resides in Norfolk His mother and brother both still live in the Corby area. Brendan is still single,(and available) as of September 2011.
Brendan is also the great nephew of football (ie soccer) legend Sir Matt Busby of Manchester United fame. "Brendan was hit hard by Sir Matt's death in January 1994. 'I was in America when he died and the shock didn't hit me until saw the newspapers a day later. He was on the front of all of them. There were pictures of children crying outside Old Trafford and I was amazed to see what an impact he'd had on these kids. Sadly, I couldn't get to the funeral but I was incredibly moved by the turnout. I get a lump in my throat even now. I still miss him. He was a gracious and humble man who emanated such charisma.' "
Brendan's father was a butcher, and he worked in his dad's shop for a year after he left school, and he had no real plans to become an actor. "I'd always worked in my father's shop so I had some skills when I took the job. I trained as a trimmer which meant I had to get rid of the gristle and fat and make it into presentable meat. I didn't like the job. Cows would come in at one end and go out in boxes at the other. Now I'm a vegetarian." His father died when Brendan was a young man, and he says, " 'When my father died, I became disillusioned and needed something in my life. Although I'd never acted at school, I had been impressed by going to see Richard III on stage while I was doing my '0' Levels. I got turned on by the thought of acting and heard about this aunt in Dublin who ran a theatre there. I rang her up and finished up at drama school.' "
The drama school in Dublin, founded in the late 1960s as the Focus Theatre, was co founded by his cousin (aunt?)** Mary Elizabeth Burke-Kennedy. Brendan started there in 1981 and then received a scholarship to Mountview Theatre School in England in 1983. He has since directed at least two plays at Mountview since leaving there.
"Brendan still has fond memories of his stage debut. 'I toured Ireland as a stage manager with a company called Trapdoor and did a number of bit parts. The first was as a waiter in a P.G. Wodehouse play where I had to walk on carrying a tray with a glass of port on it. I was so nervous I nearly spilt it. I became a comedy shaking waiter, I think the audience thought it was part of the play! I also had to make pig noises offstage...' "
Since that time, Brendan has done a number of stage, television, and movie productions, including the play "The Weir" for which he won an Olivier award Best Supporting Performance for his portrayal of the barkeeper, Brendan. To see some of his other credits, please visit the Credits page of this site.
*His date of birth, 2nd December was provided by Christina who asked him. The year of birth is from an article which stated he was 35 in spring of 99 (which means he turned 35 in 98, thus 1963).
** One article said it was a cousin, while another quoted Brendan as saying it was an aunt, in Dublin.
This biography was compiled by Stacy L.A. Stronach from various sources, with a very special "Thank you" to Christina for asking Brendan some pertinent questions. And to Brendan for answering them!:)
