{{Short description|English actor (born 1948)}} {{Use British English|date=August 2011}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}} {{Infobox person | honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|BEM}} | name = Chris Chittell | birth_name = Christopher John Chittell | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1948|5|19|df=y}} | birth_place = [[Aldershot]], [[Hampshire]], England | occupation = Actor | years_active = 1964–present | known_for = Role of [[Eric Pollard]] in ''[[Emmerdale]]'' | spouse = }}

'''Christopher John Chittell''' (born 19 May 1948) is an English actor, known for his role as [[Eric Pollard]] in the [[ITV (TV channel)|ITV]] soap opera ''[[Emmerdale]]''. He has portrayed the role since 1986, making him the longest-serving cast member in the soap's history.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Dainty |first1=Sophie |title=Emmerdale star Chris Chittell would leave if Eric Pollard stopped getting decent storylines |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/emmerdale/a834699/emmerdale-chris-chittell-exit-comments/ |access-date=26 February 2021 |work=[[Digital Spy]] |publisher=[[Hearst Magazines UK]] |date=3 August 2017}}</ref>

==Biography== ===Early life=== Chittell was born in [[Aldershot]], [[Hampshire]]. His father served in the [[British Indian Army|Indian Army]], and on leaving school Chittell intended to join the [[Royal Navy]], but instead, he became a model.<ref name=Orion/> His first acting stint was in 1964, with the National Theatre, at Chichester Festival Theatre, in Peter Shaffer's ''[[The Royal Hunt of the Sun]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://theatricalia.com/person/ymh/christopher-chittell|title=Christopher Chittell &#124; Theatricalia|website=theatricalia.com}}</ref>

===Career=== He appeared as Potter in the 1967 film ''[[To Sir, with Love]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/film/fj5jhd/to-sir-with-love/|title=To Sir, with Love – review &#124; cast and crew, movie star rating and where to watch film on TV and online|website=Radio Times}}</ref> In 1968 he appeared as a Trooper in ''[[The Charge of the Light Brigade (1968 film)|The Charge of the Light Brigade]]'', and made an uncredited appearance in ''[[If....]]'' .<ref name=bfi/> This was followed by a starring role as one of the ''[[Freewheelers]]'', made as an action/adventure children's serial by [[Southern Television]] between 1968 and 1973.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aveleyman.com/ActorCredit.aspx?ActorID=33116|title=Chris Chittell|website=www.aveleyman.com}}</ref>

Chittell acted for two seasons in the 1970s science fiction TV drama ''[[The Tomorrow People]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b77a63640|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200920203529/https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b77a63640|url-status=dead|archive-date=20 September 2020|title=A Rift in Time[11/03/74] (1974)|website=BFI}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b8229f8cc|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210122023818/https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b8229f8cc|url-status=dead|archive-date=22 January 2021|title=Secret Weapon[19/03/75] (1975)|website=BFI}}</ref> His other film appearances included roles in ''[[The Beast in the Cellar]]'' (1970), ''[[The Weekend Murders]]'' (1971), ''[[The Raging Moon]]'' (1971), ''[[The Last Valley (1970 film)|The Last Valley]]'' (1971), ''[[Erotic Inferno]]'' (1975), ''[[Golden Rendezvous]]'' (1977), ''[[Zulu Dawn]]'' (1979) and ''[[Game for Vultures]]'' (1979).<ref name=bfi>{{Cite web|url=https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2ba137bcec|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170929042256/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2ba137bcec|url-status=dead|archive-date=29 September 2017|title=Christopher Chittell|website=BFI}}</ref> He also appeared in a number of Swedish sex films in the 1970s including ''Swedish Sex Games'' (aka ''The Intruders'' and ''Let Us Play Sex'') in 1975 (which also featured a young [[Stellan Skarsgård]]).

He performed on stage at the [[Old Vic]] in ''[[Macbeth]]'' with [[Peter O'Toole]].<ref name=Orion>Hayward, Anthony '' The Emmerdale Companion'' Published by Orion Publishing Co. (1997) {{ISBN|0-7528-1043-X}}</ref><ref>[http://www.emmerdale.org/emmerdale/profiles/eric/chris.htm] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100620103422/http://emmerdale.org/emmerdale/profiles/eric/chris.htm|date=20 June 2010}} Chittell on the ''[[Emmerdale]]'' website</ref> In 1972, Chittell appeared in the untransmitted ''[[Doomwatch]]'' episode "Sex and Violence", playing Dick Burns, widely believed to be a parody of [[Cliff Richard]] and Richard's part in the [[Nationwide Festival of Light]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b8815acad|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190406203001/https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b8815acad|url-status=dead|archive-date=6 April 2019|title=Sex and Violence (1972)|website=BFI}}</ref> The "Sex and Violence" episode was included as part of the ''Doomwatch'' DVD box set release in April 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2016/apr/07/doomwatch-bbc-box-set-review|title=Doomwatch box set review: vintage 70s apocalypse drama still has the power to chill|date=7 April 2016|website=the Guardian}}</ref>

==Honours== He was awarded the [[British Empire Medal]] (BEM) in the [[2019 Birthday Honours]] for services to drama and charity.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=62666|supp=y|page=B25|date=8 June 2019}}</ref>

==Filmography== {{incomplete list|date=May 2020}} {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes |- |1967|| ''[[To Sir, with Love]]'' || Potter || |- |1968|| ''[[The Charge of the Light Brigade (1968 film)|The Charge of the Light Brigade]]'' || Trooper || |- |1968|| ''[[The Avengers (TV series)|The Avengers]]'' || Bassin || |- |1968|| ''[[If....]]'' || Senior || Uncredited |- |1970|| ''[[The Breaking of Bumbo]]'' || The Prisoner || |- |1970|| ''[[The Weekend Murders]]'' || Georgie Kemple || |- |1971|| ''[[The Raging Moon]]'' || Terry || |- |1971|| ''[[The Last Valley (1970 film)|The Last Valley]]'' || Svenson || |- |1971|| ''[[The Beast in the Cellar]]'' || Baker || |- |1971|| ''[[They Call Him Cemetery]]'' || John McIntire || |- |1972|| ''[[Doomwatch]]'' || Dick Burns || 1 episode || |- |1974 || ''The Intruders'' || Richard || |- | 1974 || ''Man About The House'' || Alan || |- |1975|| ''[[Erotic Inferno]]'' || Martin Barnard || |- |1977|| ''Molly'' || Peter || |- |1977|| ''Ta mej i dalen'' || Richard || |- |1977|| ''[[Golden Rendezvous]]'' || Rogers || |- |1978|| ''[[The Wild Geese]]'' || Philips || Uncredited |- |1978|| ''Night Ride'' || TV movie || |- |1979|| ''[[Zulu Dawn]]'' || Lt. Milne || |- |1979|| ''[[Game for Vultures]]'' || McAllister || |- |1980|| ''Les Visiteurs (The Visitors)'' || L'interprète (The Interpreter) || TV Mini Series. Episode entitled: Pirvii |- |1982|| ''Triangle'' || Lorry Driver || TV series. Series 2. Episode 17 |- |1984 || ''[[Tucker's Luck]]'' || Junior || TV series. Recurring role |- |1986–present || ''[[Emmerdale]]'' || [[Eric Pollard]] || ITV Soap Opera. Series regular |}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{IMDb name}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Chittell, Chris}} [[Category:English male soap opera actors]] [[Category:English male film actors]] [[Category:English male stage actors]] [[Category:1948 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Male actors from Aldershot]] [[Category:Recipients of the British Empire Medal]] [[Category:20th-century English male actors]] [[Category:21st-century English male actors]]