Derek Thompson (born 4 April 1948) is a British actor, most notable for playing Charlie Fairhead in the long-running BBC television medical drama series Casualty, playing the role since the series' inception in 1986, and his performance as Jeff in the British gangster film The Long Good Friday. Early life Thompson was born in Belfast and has a twin sister, Elaine Johns (née Thompson). During their teenage years, they combined to form the singing duo Elaine and Derek. They recorded four albums and 15 EPs together, singing in harmonies, and released one eponymously titled album on the Parlophone label in 1961. They then formed the folk trio Odin's People with Larry Johns, and recorded two singles in 1967. Derek appeared in the feature film Gonks Go Beat (1965). Career In the mid-1960s, Thompson worked as Stage Manager in the Nonentities Theatre in Kidderminster. and in rep. In the 1970s he appeared in several productions at the National Theatre. In the late 1970s and early 1980s Thompson became a regular face in BBC and ITV dramas. Appearances included Softly Softly, Play for Today, and Rock Follies of 77. He got a big break in Harry's Game, where he played the lead IRA gunman on the run following the assassination of a government minister. Later he played another IRA hitman in the TV series The Price and for a British mercenary gang in the Wild Geese II, both filmed in 1985. During late 1970s and early 1980s Thompson had minor film roles in Yanks (1979) and Breaking Glass (1980), and also played Jeff, Harold Shand's lieutenant, in the box office hit movie The Long Good Friday. Before he appeared in Casualty, he had a recurring role, as DS Jimmy Fenton, in the ITV police drama The Gentle Touch. Casualty Thompson began portraying Charlie Fairhead in Casualty in 1986. The following year he met his future wife, Dee Sadler, an actress playing the role of Maggie in an episode of the show's second series, a potholer who had to be rescued from a cave before hospitalisation. Thompson has currently played the role of Charlie for over 30 years, and is the only remaining character from the original cast. In 2004 his character went on a six-month sabbatical, which remains his most notable absence from the show. Currently, he is allowed a few months off from filming per year. Apart from Casualty, he has