Extra effort pays off for Mick

11:28am Thursday 17th July 2008

Long before Ricky Gervais won more awards for his comedy series about film support artistes - extras to you and me Keighley's Mick Thompson had given the T&A a glimpse into the realities of this line of work.

He's waited for hours on set and in bus stations. He's had bit parts in soap operas and comedy series, the latest being ITV's Monday Monday, starring Jenny Agutter, in which as a barman Mick, 38, has two lines of dialogue.

"But it was another good day's work. I have only this year had the chance to act as well as doing extras work, which is how I started five years ago, " he says.

"At Pinewood Studios I played the part of a prison guard in the Christopher Nolan production of Batman: The Dark Knight. That was two days' filming and I was booked to attend the aircraft hangar in Bedford, which they have used for Gotham City in the Batman films. These scenes were pulled and I was left gutted at that."

Ending up on the cutting room floor or else not used at all, are only to be expected in film-making because expectations change as the projects develops. What was considered essential in a script conference may be discarded without a second's thought when filming actually starts.

To be an extra epitomises the triumph of hope over experience, the dogged faith that, one day, a chance will come your way.

Recently Mick got the chance of playing Elvis - not the pelvis from Memphis, Tennessee - but "a bit of a Dingle-berry character", he said, in a 15-minute film by BAFTA-winning writer Roger Davison called The Prodigal Sons, which stars versatile comedian and actor Roy Hudd. Mick plays the part of a hooded villain.

"No probs for me there, coming from the largest council estate in Keighley. It was the best job of my life. It is also the biggest part I have had to date as an actor.

"It was the most prestigious thing I have done and something I will be proud of. Roy Hudd was a riot on set, a class apart in comedy, " he adds.

The film has been put in for The Times BFI Film awards, the BAFTA Short Films Awards and the Sundance Short Films Aw a rd s .

In a forthcoming episode of EastEnders you might catch sight of Mick waving a crowbar that's been used to break into the Tantastic salon. Max and Jack's sister turn up, and all hell's on. For this, Mick had four days of filming alongside Steve McFadden - Phil Mitchell.

Mick can also be seen and heard in two comedy series due out in September: Monday, Monday, and Sunshine, a new BBC comedy series starring Steve Coogan.

"I actually had to act out a couple of scenes with Mr Coogan. I was playing a bookie in an illegal gambling den and he tries to jump the queue, so I have to put him in his place." Mick says, and laughs. # Mick was also filmed for Channel 4's Charlotte Church Show in a role billed as "racing cross-dressing builder".

Michael said: "I was filmed along the cobbled streets of Brick Lane and attracted quite a crowd. The good news is I pulled!

"I'll have to wear my high heels on a night out in Keighley to see if it has the same effect."

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