After initially working in psychiatry, David was selected to join the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain, leading to his West End debut at age 16.
He went on to study performing arts at Leicester Polytechnic (now De Montfort University), where he directed the Mobil Winning New Play, Woundings, and won contributions to the National Student Drama Festival with Ode to St Cecilia.
They also wrote screenplays for Hartswood Films, Quentin Morrissey, and Buffalo Pictures, as well as working on Shakespearean productions at the Open Air Theatre, Regent’s Park, London.
Cooper's Bar, co-created by David Conolly with Nick Morton and Hannah Davis, was picked up by AMC after debuting in the Episodic TV section of SXSW.
It has run for two seasons on AMC+ and IFC, and was nominated for an Emmy and the Hollywood Critics Awards He co-wrote and co-directed the feature film Mothers & Daughters (also known as Lovers & Other Problems in the US) with his wife, Hannah Davis.
Variety wrote, "Great performances, good pacing, sharp script," and the film was nominated for the Golden Hitchcock Award for Direction.
Additionally, Conolly co-wrote the feature film "Father Christmas Is Back," which was released on Netflix in November 2021 and became a top ten movie in 60 countries, reaching number 4 in the US.
Conolly is often seen in the Friday night show in The Main Room at The Comedy Store on Sunset Strip, Los Angeles, and has appeared at Stand Up NY in New York City, Zanies in Chicago, Flappers in Burbank, The Casablanca Resort and Casino in Mesquite, The Ice House in Pasadena, and The Improv in Irvine.