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1-50 of 122
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Eddie Marsan was born in Stepney, East London, to a lorry driver father and a school employee mother, and raised in Bethnal Green. He served an apprenticeship as a printer before becoming an actor twenty years ago. During this time he has worked with directors such as Martin Scorsese, Michael Mann, Steven Spielberg, Terrence Malick, Woody Allen, Alejandro G. Iñárritu, J.J. Abrams, Peter Berg, Guy Ritchie and Richard Linklater.
He has collaborated with Mike Leigh on three films: Vera Drake (2004), for which he won the British Independent Film Award for Best Supporting actor; Happy-Go-Lucky (2008), for which he also won a BIFA for best supporting actor as well as the London Film Critics Circle Award and the National Society Of Film Critics; and he has just completed Mike Leigh's latest film, A Running Jump (2012). He was nominated for an Evening Standard Film Award for best actor for The Disappearance of Alice Creed (2009).
He is a patron for the School of the Science of Acting and Kazzum, a children's theatre company that promotes the acceptance of diversity.
He is married to the make-up artist Janine Schneider (aka Janine Schneider-Marsan) and they have four children.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Nicola Jane Walker is an English actress, known for her starring roles in various British television programs from the 1990s onward, including that of Ruth Evershed in the spy drama Spooks from 2003 to 2011 and DCI Cassie Stuart in Unforgotten from 2015 to 2021. She has also worked in theatre, radio and film. She won the 2013 Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actress for the play The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, and has twice been nominated for the BAFTA TV Award for Best Supporting Actress for the BBC drama Last Tango in Halifax.- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Terence was born in London and spent his early years watching American films and dreamed of being like the stars on the screen, He was awarded a scholarship for the Webber Douglas School of Dramatic Art. In his second year, during an audition, Peter Ustinov signed him for the title role in Billy Budd (1962). This was not only his remarkable film debut but his performance earned him his first and only Oscar nomination too in 1962 and marked the start of his international stardom. He consolidated his career by working with some of the top directors such as William Wyler (The Collector (1965)), Joseph Losey (Modesty Blaise (1966)), John Schlesinger (Far from the Madding Crowd (1967)), Ken Loach (Poor Cow (1967)) and Pier Paolo Pasolini (Teorema (1968)). He then took a break from films and traveled around the world returning to cinema in a variety of films including, among others, Superman (1978), Meetings with Remarkable Men (1979), Superman II (1980), The Hit (1984) (for which he was awarded the Grand Medaille de Vermeil in Paris), Legal Eagles (1986), The Sicilian (1987), Wall Street (1987), Young Guns (1988), Alien Nation (1988), The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994), Valkyrie (2008) and Unfinished Song (2012). He has also published the first two instalments of his autobiography, Stamp Album, which became a best seller.- She was born in the district of Bow in London to her parents Anne, a seamstress and father, a cutter in a dress factory and had a younger sister. She left school at 16 with 4 O levels and had a string of jobs including insurance clerk, and model for C and A (a clothes chain.) When young she'd taught singing and tap dancing and joined an amateur drama group. When 20 she won a grant for a drama school which lasted 3 years and then spent the next 13 years touring around the country in repertory companies, one of which was The Citizens Theatre in Glasgow., pantomimes, the odd West End show and television including a maid in Nanny, Lois, Jim Davidson's girlfriend in Up the Elephant and Round the Castle and other odd shows before getting a major role in BBC's long running serial Eastenders.
- Actor
- Writer
- Director
Highly acclaimed English actor, playwright, author and director continues to set the benchmark in stunning, intense performances on both stage and screen. Berkoff was born in Stepney, London in August 1937 and received dramatic arts training in both Paris and London and then moved on to performing with several repertory companies, before he formed the London Theatre Group in 1968. Berkoff had actually been appearing in uncredited roles in UK cinema since 1959, and started to get noticed by casting agents with his performances in Hamlet at Elsinore (1964), Nicholas and Alexandra (1971), A Clockwork Orange (1971) and Barry Lyndon (1975).
Mainstream film fans are probably most familiar with Steven Berkoff via his portrayal of a trio of ice cold villains in several big budget Hollywood productions of the 1980s. Firstly, he played a rogue general plotting to launch a war in Europe in Octopussy (1983), then a drug smuggling art dealer out to kill Detroit narcotics officer Eddie Murphy in Beverly Hills Cop (1984), and thirdly as a sadistic Russian commando officer torturing Sylvester Stallone in Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985).
Berkoff continued to contribute scintillating performances and was quite memorable as Adolf Hitler in War and Remembrance (1988), The Krays (1990) and the haunting The Tell-Tale Heart (1991). Further villainous roles followed for the steely Berkoff in Fair Game (1995) and the Jean-Claude Van Damme kick flick Legionnaire (1998). He excelled in the camp comedy 9 Dead Gay Guys (2002), played UK crime figure Charlie Richardson Snr. in Charlie (2004) and then appeared in the passionate Greek film about mail order brides simply titled, Brides (2004) ("Brides").
His screen performances are but one part of the brilliance of Steven Berkoff, as he has additionally built a formidable reputation for his superb craftsmanship in the theatre. Berkoff has written and performed original plays including "Decadence", "Harry's Christmas Lunch" "Brighton Beach Scumbags" and "Sink the Belgrano", as well as appearing in productions of "Hamlet", "Macbeth" and "Coriolanus" to rapturous audiences right across the globe. Furthermore, he has authored several highly entertaining books on the theatre and his life including "The Theatre of Steven Berkoff", "Coriolanus in Deutscheland", "A Prisoner in Rio", "I am Hamlet" and "Meditations on Metamorphosis".- Actor
- Soundtrack
Matthew Garber was a British child actor. Both of his parents were theatrical actors, but neither was particularly famous.
In 1963, Garber came to the attention of actor Roy Dotrice (father of Karen Dotrice) who was seeking potential child actors. Roy recommended Garber to the casting department of the Disney company, where young Garber's "artful dodges, like squinting, screwing up his nose, and brushing his hair back with one hand" were thought likely to make him stand out. He was cast in the film "The Three Lives of Thomasina" (1963), as the character Geordie McNab, a playmate to the Scottish girl Mary MacDhui (played by Karen Dotrice).
Garber next received a bigger role as the character Michael Banks in "Mary Poppins" (1964), one of the two charges of the protagonist nanny. Jane Banks, Michael's sister, was played by Karen Dotrice. The film was the greatest hit of Garber's career and is the role for which he is most remembered.
In 1967, Garber had his third and last film role, as the character Rodney Winthrop in "The Gnome-Mobile". In the film, Rodney and his sister Elizabeth Winthrop (played by Karen Dotrice) are trying to prolong the life of a 943-year-old gnome, who has lost the will to survive.
Following his brief film career, Garber returned to his school studies. He attended first St Paul's Primary School in Winchmore Hill, and then Highgate School in Highgate, North London. He graduated in 1972.
In 1976-1977, Garber was in India and contracted hepatitis. He returned to London in June 1977, seeking better medical treatment. It was too late as the disease had infected his pancreas. He died soon after, the official cause being hemorrhagic necrotizing pancreatitis. He was only 21-years-old. He was single and had no known children.
Garber's remains were cremated at St. Marylebone Crematorium, in East Finchley, London. Both of his parents died within a decade following his death. Fergus Garber, a surviving younger brother of Matthew, was never informed whether there was any memorial erected for his brother. Garber was posthumously named a Disney Legend in 2004.- Laila Rouass was born in London to Moroccan/Indian parents. Laila studied in Britain but decided to drop her studies and travel in India for a few months. A few months turned into six years. Whilst living in Bombay, she worked for MTV, BBC, and TNT. Her step into movies came when she was spotted by Italian director Aditya Bhattacharya and whisked off to Messina to shoot Senso unico (1999).
- Ann comes from a talented family with her sister Heather being a star actress in her own right and her father being a doctor. Ann made her television debut in 1956 and her film debut a year later. Her television work started in 1956 and includes appearances in such series as 'Emergency Ward 10','The Flying Doctor' and 'The Grove Family' while films include'The Bridge on the River Kwai', 'Crash Dive' and 'She Always Gets Their Man'.
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Ruth Sheen was born in 1950 in Stepney, London, England, UK. She is an actress, known for Another Year (2010), Vera Drake (2004) and Run Fatboy Run (2007).- Marsden's credits are numerous and span a half century of widely, and wildly, different genres and character types. Not the least is his portrayal of the mysterious and mystical character John Stockton in the long-running ITV series The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes (1991) starring Jeremy Brett. In The Last Vampyre (1993) Marsden brings, literally to life, Sir Conan Doyle's take on the ages' old, indeed historic, legend most known to modern viewers through Bram Stoker's 1897 Gothic horror novel "Dracula."
- Actor
- Soundtrack
A RADA scholar who was spotted by Laurence Olivier, Bernard Bresslaw got professional security from the "Carry On" films but was typecast (as TV's The Army Game (1957) had done earlier). He was beginning to extend himself through stage work when, in 1993, just before a performance in "The Taming Of The Shrew" in Regent's Park, London, he had a heart attack and died at the age of 59.- Ann Mitchell was born on 22 April 1939 in Stepney, London, England, UK. She is an actress, known for The Deep Blue Sea (2011), Widows (2018) and Lady Chatterley's Lover (1981).
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Rylan Clark was born on 25 October 1988 in Stepney, London, England, UK. He is an actor, known for Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie (2016), The Archers (2007) and The Keith Lemon Sketch Show (2015). He has been married to Dan Neal since 7 November 2015.- Harry Landis was an English character actor of Polish parentage, born in impoverished circumstances in the Jewish East End of London. As a youngster, he worked a variety of short-lived jobs, including in a café pouring tea, as a window cleaner and as a milkman. His love of theater eventually led him to performing with a variety troupe during the war years, mostly in parks and air raid shelters. At the age of twenty and having completed his military service, Landis received a grant from the London County Council to study for three years at the Central School of Speech and Drama. He then acted with the Elizabethan Theatre Company (in Shakespearean roles) and in repertory theatre before making his screen bow in 1955. Landis was essentially regarded as a 'working class actor' and cast accordingly. One of his first leading roles was in Arnold Wesker's play The Kitchen. He later also turned to direction, notably with Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman at the Unity Theatre in 1966 and in the capacity of artistic director of the Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury. On the screen, he tended to portray army privates, barkeeps, tradesmen, passengers and generally unassuming average Joe's. More specifically, Landis has been familiar to television audiences as the insufferable Mr. Morris in the sitcom Friday Night Dinner (2011) and as Polish barber Felix Kawalski in 53 episodes of EastEnders (1985). He also played Fagin's accomplice Toby Crackit in Oliver Twist (1962) and popped up multiple times as different characters in Dixon of Dock Green (1955). His film resume includes small roles in such wartime dramas as Hell in Korea (1956) (with a very young Michael Caine far down in the cast list), Bitter Victory (1957), Dunkirk (1958) and Private Potter (1963). Landis was president of the actor's union Equity from 2002 to 2008. Between 1994 and 2001 he also served as director of the Equity Charitable Trust.
- Actress
- Additional Crew
Amanda is currently one of Australia's most successful and highly sought after actresses in theatre, with appearances in Private Lives, Shirley Valentine, HMS Pinafore, Soulmates, Steaming, The Lion The Witch And The Wardrobe, Book Club, Rough Gallop and Master Class (in which she played opera diva Maria Callas) to name but a few. Born in London, Amanda emigrated to Australia in 1974.- Danielle Isaie is as beautiful as she is talented. Her career blossomed at a young age after being spotted by a children's agent at the renowned drama school Anna Schear. Danielle was quickly invited to play Rochelle in the children's program "The Crust" on BBC1, Candice in "Sugar Rush", a popular show on Channel 4, and Tanya in a BBC2's Drama "If.. Drugs Were Legal". To support her passion and drive for her career Danielle decided to enhance her talents by training at London's The Poor School.
Right after graduation, Danielle landed a stand out role in the UK's popular favorite "The Bill" as the small time drug dealer Jade Morris, and Cherice in the award winning BBC 3 comedy, "Gavin and Stacey". Danielle's career quickly flourished with ITV showcasing her first film "Caught in a Trap", playing the feisty Felicia. Audiences fell in love with Danielle's performance and her fan base quickly grew. Danielle was snapped up to be a series regular in the popular children's BBC 1 show "The Legend of Dick and Dom". Danielle soon moved into the world of commercials staring in a Burger King advert, and shined in a role for the high rating medical drama on BBC1, "Casualty". Most recently Danielle heated up the screens playing a sexy fashion student in the up-to-date comedy "Off the Hook" for BBC 3. - Christine Noonan was born on 8 March 1945 in Stepney, London, England, UK. She was an actress, known for If.... (1968), Babylon 5 (1993) and Mystery and Imagination (1966). She was married to Lawrence Dennett and Denis Noonan. She died on 6 August 2003 in Hackney, London, England, UK.
- Dependable British character actor Stanley Meadows became popular as talent agent Laurie Frazer on the long-running soap Coronation Street (1960). Meadows was born and raised in the London East Borough of Stepney. A younger brother, whom he described as 'a frustrated actor', ended up becoming a barrister and died at age 44. The family moved to Bayswater when Stanley was 14. He loved the cinema from early childhood. It seemed the only escape from the drudgery of daily life in the East End. He particularly idolised Hollywood star James Cagney.
Though Meadows had his sights set on acting, his path to getting there was circuitous. In 1948, he worked as a beach photographer in Brighton. He then entered the hospitality industry as a waiter/bartender - and hated it. His next job was in advertising. After getting the boot because the 'House of Ideas' did not appreciate his ideas, Meadows worked in the shipping industry during the day while attending acting school at might. From 1953, he studied at RADA. Two years later, he took his first steps on the repertory stage in Bournemouth, earning £8 a week. By 1957, he had progressed to serious dramatic roles at the Old Vic in classics like Measure for Measure, King Lear, Hamlet and Henry VI. Meadows particularly enjoyed working alongside John Gielgud.
On screen from 1953, Meadows came to the fore as a prolific face in TV shows of the 1960s and 70s. Frequently cast as detectives or public servants, he graced the cast of most of the major British crime and espionage dramas of the era, including The Saint (1962), The Avengers (1961), Softly Softly (1966), Paul Temple (1969), The Persuaders! (1971), Dixon of Dock Green (1955), The Professionals (1977) and Minder (1979). He has also often portrayed policemen on the big screen, notably in The Ipcress File (1965) (Inspector Pat Keightly) and Blood Beast from Outer Space (1965) (Detective Tom Grant). Meadows made his last screen appearance in 1984. - Music Department
- Writer
- Actor
The son of a Jewish Tailor in London's working class East End young Lionel had no formal musical education and never learned musical notation but his music teacher at school declared him to be a genius. He gained a scholarship to St Martin's School of Art at age 16 and started work as a set painter in the theatre. When he saw a notice asking for song writers it was to change his life. His new name was inspired on a bus journey past St. Bartholomew's Hospital (affectionately known as Barts). He wrote his first musical in 1958, Wally Pone of Soho. It was not a success. However, the songs he wrote for the early British rock'n'rollers Tommy Steele (Rock With the Caveman and Little White Bull) and Cliff Richard (Living Doll - at No. 1 for 6 weeks in 1959) brought Lionel his first taste of success. His first musical success was with "Fings Ain't Wot They Used T'Be". By the end of 1959 both "Fings" and "Lock Up Your Daughters" were running successfully in London's West End. In June 1960 he opened "Oliver!" which had been turned down by a dozen promoters and had to be financed by Bart himself. An immediate hit it received 16 curtain calls on the opening night and had advanced sales of 30,000 in the first week. Oliver! was followed by other fairly successful shows such as Blitz and Maggie May. Bart was just 30 and earning £16 a minute! To finance his next musical "Twang!!" (based on the Robin Hood story) he signed away all rights to Oliver! The new show flopped badly and Bart estimated he lost about one million pounds in that and in the lost rights to Oliver! He filed for bankruptcy in 1972 with debts of £73,000. By the late 1970s his heavy drinking had brought on diabetes. He stopped drinking but one third of his liver had been destroyed. Lionel Bart died aged 68 after suffering cancer for 6 months.- Writer
- Music Department
- Actor
Brought up on Northampton where he had his first job and played football for Northampton Town. He joined the RAF and on completing his service became a Butlin Redcoat and began to learn the rudiments of comedy which led him to become a professional. After 6 years he got his first big television break as host of 'Spot That Tune' then compere on 'Sunday Night at the London Palladium' In 1966 he compered the Royal Variety Show. His first record, 'Careless Hands' got to number 3 in the top ten, his second, 'I Pretend' also got into the top ten.- Alfie Curtis was born on July 28, 1930 in Stepney, London, England. Alfie began acting on various British television shows in 1973. With his tallish (5'10"), burly build, intimidating presence, and rough face (the latter was the result of a terrible childhood accident), Curtis was especially memorable as the belligerent Mos Eisley cantina-thug Dr. Cornelius Evazan who antagonizes Luke Skywalker ("I have the death-sentence on twelve systems") in Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977). Alfie lived in a semi-detached house in the Essex town of Billericay for the last fourteen years of his life. Alfie Curtis died at age 87 on November 30, 2017.
- Harry Meacher was born in 1945 in Stepney, London, England, UK. He is an actor, known for A Dirty Knight's Work (1976), The Devil and All His Works (2009) and The Lost Mantle of Elijah (2013). He has been married to Judi Bowker since 1979.
- Actor
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Kenny Lynch was born on 18 March 1938 in Stepney, London, England, UK. He was an actor, known for The Plank (1967), Room at the Bottom (1966) and Seaside Swingers (1964). He died on 18 December 2019 in the UK.- Actress
- Writer
Sandra Caron was born in 1936 in Stepney, London, England, UK. She is an actress and writer, known for Carry on Camping (1969), The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom (1968) and The Crystal Maze (1990). She has been married to Brian Greene since 1985.- Beverley Klein was born on 15 January 1954 in Stepney, London, England, UK. She is an actress, known for More of Loesser (2005), Ripper Street (2012) and Inspector Morse (1987).