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Charles Dale, actor from Tenby, Pembrokeshire

  • Person's Name: Charles Dale
  • Fame as?: Actor from Tenby
  • Fame Hilite: Welsh actor best known as Dennis Stringer in Coronation Street and Big Mac in Casualty.
  • Birth info: Born 4 February 1963 in Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales.
  • Body Text 2:

    Dale's 354-episode run as Big Mac made him one of the longest-serving cast members in Casualty's history, spanning close to a decade and a half on screen. Tenby remains proud of its connection to the actor, with residents recalling him working in his father's record shop long before he found fame.
  • Career Highlights:
    • Career Highlight: Played Dennis Stringer in ITV's Coronation Street, 2000-2002, 167 episodes
    • Career Highlight: Played Big Mac in BBC One's Casualty, 2007-2021, 354 episodes
    • Career Highlight: Played chef Gary Alcock in the BBC drama The Lakes, 1997-1999
    • Career Highlight: Trained at LAMDA after starting as assistant stage manager at the Torch Theatre, Milford Haven
    • Career Highlight: Played DS Gareth Rees in ITV's The Pembrokeshire Murders, 2021
  • Show Comment Form: No, don't show form
  • Connection: Born and raised in Tenby, Pembrokeshire, where his father ran a record shop in the town.
  • Related Material:
  • Location String: Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales
  • Connection Place Map: 51.6729,-4.7059
  • Comments:
    • Comment By: cliftonj , This Comment: Charles understudied Robert Lindsay in 'Cyrano de Bergerac' at the Haymarket theatre in the nineties. I luckily saw him and his performance brought me to tears at the end. The best stage actor I have ever seen.
    • Comment By: sianjj , This Comment: He's also done four series of the drama 'Belonging' for BBC Wales.
    • Comment By: wingding , This Comment: I remember Charles when he had a cute pageboy hair cut, in his dad's music shop. He has come a very long way since those days. A very fine actor and Tenby is proud of him.

Christian Bale, actor born in Haverfordwest

  • Person's Name: Christian Bale
  • Fame as?: Actor born in Haverfordwest
  • Fame Hilite: Academy Award-winning actor born in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, though raised in England from early childhood.
  • Birth info: Born 30 January 1974 in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, Wales.
  • Body Text 2:

    Bale's parents divorced in 1991, and at seventeen he moved to Los Angeles with his father and sister. He has since become one of Hollywood's most respected leading men, working with directors including Christopher Nolan, David O. Russell and Adam McKay.
  • Career Highlights:
    • Career Highlight: Empire of the Sun (1987) — breakthrough role as a child actor, directed by Steven Spielberg
    • Career Highlight: Batman Begins, The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises (2005–2012) — starred as Bruce Wayne / Batman
    • Career Highlight: Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for The Fighter (2011 ceremony)
  • Show Comment Form: No, don't show form
  • Connection: Born in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, but the family left Wales when he was two; Bale has said he does not consider himself Welsh.
  • Related Material:
  • Location String: Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, Wales
  • Connection Place Map: 51.8020,-4.9700
  • Comments:
    • Comment By: McVitie , This Comment: Didn't Mr. Bale go to school in Bournemouth, does he consider himself Welsh?
    • Comment By: LuckyMe , This Comment: Although I deeply admire Mr. Bale's acting (and he's not too sore on the eyes, either), he doesn't really acknowledge the fact that he was born in Wales and declares himself to be English.
    • Comment By: WagonWheel , This Comment: Only found out today that Christian Bale was Welsh. I am pleasantly surprised. A very good actor. Great site! keep up the good work.
    • Comment By: Tia-Megan , This Comment: Christian Bale is an astonishing actor for someone so young. His performance at the age of twelve in 'Empire of the Sun' was amazing! He is a versatile actor and has great screen presence.
    • Comment By: faither , This Comment: We love Christian Bale!
    • Comment By: Sweety101_3 , This Comment: Christian Bale is the most talented male actor I have ever heard of in my life. I enjoy watching his performances a great deal.
    • Comment By: jediqueen , This Comment: I've been a long-time fan of Christian Bale. I admire the films that he has chosen to be a part of. He seems more interested in independent films that spark creativity and always does an exceptional job in them. I also hope that he will be able to keep his privacy being part of the 'Batman' franchise now. I hope that everyone will be able to respect his privacy even now since he has been able to keep his privacy for the past twenty years in his career.
    • Comment By: maryanbiggs , This Comment: Among the actors that I have admired, Christian Bale is my most favorite. Although, i've only seen a few of his films. I would still describe him as a total performer. He does not only act but he sings and dances as well. Which makes him exceptional. I would love to see him dance and sing again!
    • Comment By: keiftas , This Comment: Christian Bale does tell people he is Welsh. Michael Caine said so in a recent interview.
    • Comment By: cymro666 , This Comment: The song that Christian Bale sings in "The Empire of the Sun" is a Welsh Lullaby and I know the person who did the English translation for him.
    • Comment By: MrPessimist , This Comment: In an interview on GMTV, Christian Bale admits that he doesn't consider himself to be a true 'Taffy'. Ed Says, Yes his family are not Welsh, they were in Wales when he was born. Having said that, who can say how influential discret influences like in this case, place of birth play in ones development. Both Cliff Richard and Spike Milligan were born in India and even though they had very British upbringing they have both stated this fact hence, one would assume there must be some influence however small.
Christian Bale was born on 30 January 1974 in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, Wales, the son of David Bale, an entrepreneur, and Jenny James, a circus performer. The family left Wales when Christian was two years old, moving through Portugal and Oxfordshire before eventually settling in Bournemouth, England, where he attended Bournemouth School. Bale's acting career began early: he appeared in a television commercial at the age of eight and made his breakthrough at thirteen in Steven Spielberg's Empire of the Sun...