Martin Savage

Martin Savage was a prolific British stage and screen actor who was best known for his work in several movies directed by Academy Award nominee Mike Leigh. Savage's screen acting career began in the late '90s when he landed a major role in the Leigh-directed biographical comedy "Topsy-Turvy" (1999). Savage played the real life Victorian stage actor George Grossmith, giving a rousing performance that was lauded by both audiences and critics. The role catapulted Savage into the national spotlight in his native Britain, and throughout the 2000s, he made a name for himself by appearing in dozens of high-profile movies and TV shows, including "Extras" (2005-07) and "The Thick of It" (2005-12), both of which aired on the BBC. Having worked with the famed director on several of his films, in 2014 Savage appeared in his fifth Mike Leigh movie, "Mr. Turner." In the film, which chronicles the life of the eccentric British artist J.M.W. Turner, Savage played a friend of the painter's who later commits suicide. The film received unanimous praise upon its release, with Savage and the rest of the ensemble cast being singled out for their noteworthy performances. Martin Savage proved to be an accomplished character actor who could effortlessly drift between comedic and dramatic roles in both TV and movies.