Alan Ford (actor)

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Alan Ford
Born (1938-02-23) 23 February 1938 (age 87)
Camberwell, London, England
Alma mater East 15 Acting School
OccupationActor
Years active1973–present

Alan Ford (born 23 February 1938) [1] is an English actor. He is best known for his roles in Guy Ritchie gangster movies Snatch and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels , and for appearing as separate characters in eight episodes of The Bill .

Contents

Early life

Ford was born on 23 February 1938 in Camberwell, South London, the eldest son of a seamstress and a taxi driver, and grew up in Elephant and Castle. He left school at the age of 15 and took on various jobs, ending with two years of national service in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps. [1]

Studies and training

François Truffaut cast Ford as one of the firemen in his Fahrenheit 451 . Next, Ford secured a place at East 15 Acting School. For three years he studied drama in all its forms: Shakespeare, Chekhov, restoration, commedia dell'arte , pantomime, music, dance, fencing, Stanislavski and improvisation. [1] One of his tutors there at that time was the then unknown Mike Leigh.

Acting career

Ford has appeared on stage at the National Theatre, Royal Court Theatre, the Theatre Royal Stratford East and many repertory theatres.

Ford appeared in Exorcist: The Beginning and, much earlier, as Roosta in the original radio version of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy , along with a small speaking role in The Long Good Friday .

Ford played Clifford Harding in G.F. Newman's Law & Order in 1978, then had a brief role in the film An American Werewolf in London , where he plays the taxi driver who says the line, "It puts you in mind of the days of the old demon barber of Fleet Street, doesn't it?" in response to the recent wave of murders around London. He has also proven himself a comic actor. He was involved in the Armando Iannucci production Knowing Me, Knowing You with Alan Partridge , playing a boxing promoter called Terry Norton; and he worked again with Iannucci playing the 'East End Thug' in The Armando Iannucci Shows . He later appeared as a priest in every episode of Snuff Box . In 2015, he played former Thotch band manager 'Big' Basil Steel in Brian Pern: 45 Years of Prog & Roll .

In 1998, Ford narrated and appeared in the Guy Ritchie directed crime comedy Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels , and, in 2000, he appeared as the crime boss 'Brick Top' in Ritchie's film Snatch .

In 2003, Ford provided the voice of Goliath in the British version of JoJo's Circus .

Ford was featured in the 2010 music video "For He's a Jolly Good Felon" by The Lostprophets.

In 2011 he starred as crime boss 'Carter' in the film noir Jack Falls alongside his Lock, Stock co-stars Jason Flemyng and Dexter Fletcher, while in 2014, he was cast in the crime thriller Two Days in the Smoke alongside fellow Lock, Stock actor Stephen Marcus. [2]

In 2013 Ford had a guest role in the Norwegian-American TV show Lilyhammer as crime family boss 'Uncle Terry'.

In 2018, Ford appeared in a primary supporting role as Dale Jacobs in the psychological thriller Winter Ridge .

It was announced in November 2023 that Ford was to be cast in EastEnders as Billy Mitchell's (Perry Fenwick) father Stevie Mitchell. The character first appeared for the funeral of the character Aunt Sal (Anna Karen). [3] [4]

Writer

In 2006, Ford published his novel Thin Ice. [5] He said the book "evolved from a collection of anecdotes and actors' tales." [6]

In music

Ford's voice is featured in the dubstep song "Cockney Thug" by Rusko, "Well 'Ard" by Caspa and The Others, "Crunch" by Flux Pavilion and Datsik, "Damien" by Modestep & Funtcase, the death metal song "A Child Is Missing" from the Illdisposed album The Prestige and the hip-hop song "Sinister" by Aesop Rock, Vast Aire and Yeshua from the 2001 Centrifugal Phorce compilation Euphony.

Personal life

Ford has been a vegetarian since 1973. [1]

Filmography

Film

YearFilmRoleNotes
1977 The Squeeze Taff
1980 The Long Good Friday Jack
1981 Venom Peters
An American Werewolf in London Taxi Driver
1991 Buddy's Song Phil
1992 Chaplin Warder
1998 Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels Alan/Narrator
2000 Snatch Brick Top
Furry StoryFredglob (voice)
2002The Great Dome RobberyNarrator
2004 Exorcist: The Beginning Jefferies
2008NightDragonHansen
2009 Dead Man Running Sol
2010 Mission London Sibling
The Ballad of Mulla and MullinsJohnsonShort Film
2012 The Sweeney Harry
Cockneys vs Zombies Ray Macguire
Airborne Max
Strippers vs Werewolves Harry
2011LethalSimonpost-production
Jack Falls Carter
2013 The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared Pim
2014Two Days in the SmokeJack
UndercoverHimself
2015 Skin Traffik Paul Hamilton
2016Alice, Through the Looking The Chairman
2018 Winter Ridge Dale Jacobs
GambleNarrator
2019Riot ClubEddie BeaumontShort
2022The Kicked DogAlanShort

Television

YearTV ShowRoleNotes
2024 EastEnders Stevie Mitchell Recurring role [3]
2020The Kemps: All TrueAlan FordTelevision film
2017 Thunderbirds Are Go Light Fingered Fred
2015 Unforgotten Tommy Pinion1 episode: "Episode 3"
Toast of London Alan the Fear Therapist1 episode: "Over the Moon"
2014 Toast of London Alan the Homeopath1 episode: "Fool in Love"
Pod Prikritie Himselfepisode 9
2013 Lilyhammer Terence
Toast of London Mick Carriage1 episode: Vanity Project
2011 Casualty Norman Danvers1 episode: Partners
2010 Hotel Trubble Delgado1 episode: Hello Dolly
2009 My Almost Famous Family Terry2 episodes: Beat Surrender / The Girl Is Mine
Doctors George Swade1 episode: Mr Jelly
The Legend of Dick and Dom King of Kong1 episode: Rock Hard
2008 Hotel Babylon Terry McCaffrey1 episode: Episode No.3.5
Casualty Tony Tillings1 episode: Thicker Than Water
2007 The Real Outlaws Himself – Presenter
2006 The Bill Davey Rolfe1 episode: 470
Jane Hall Dougie Stringer1 episode: Episode No.1.1
Snuff Box Rick – Priest5 episodes
2004 Passer By PublicanTV
Keen Eddie Longfellow1 episode: Sticky Fingers
The Bill George Dooley1 episode: 188
2003 Waking the Dead Jack Ely2 episodes: Walking on Water : Part 1 / Walking on Water: Part 2
William and Mary Taxi Driver1 episode: Episode No.1.1
2001 The Armando Iannucci Shows East End Thug4 episodes
2000 Hero to Zero Ron WarleyTV series
1998 Mosley Prison Officer1 episode: Beyond the Pale
An Unsuitable Job for a Woman City Receptionist1 episode
1997 The Bill Jimmy Robson1 episode: Joker
The Knock Robbie Reynolds1 episode: Episode No.3.7
1996 London Bridge RonEpisode No.1.15
No Bananas Bernie Silver2 episodes: Sitzkreig / The Wedding
Madson Adrian1 episode: Episode No.1.2
1994 The Bill Eric1 episodes: Ducking and Diving
Knowing Me, Knowing You with Alan Partridge Terry Norton1 episode: Episode No.1.5
Little Napoleons Gerald Nowell1 episode: The Big Interview
Class Act Geoff the Builder2 episodes: Episode No.1.2 / Episode No.1.3
Murder Most Horrid First villain1 episode: Smashing Bird
Minder Bennett1 episode: Bring Me the Head of Arthur Daley
Love Hurts Punter1 episode: The Parent Trap
1993 The Upper Hand BarmanMinder
1992 The Bill Maydell1 episode: On the Record, Off the Record
The Darling Buds of May Danvers1 episode: Oh! To Be in England: Part 1
1991 The New Statesman Police Inspector1 episode: Keeping Mum
1990 The Bill Frank Litton1 episode: Old Wounds
Grange Hill Mr Ratcliffe3 episodes: Episode No.12.2 / Episode No.13.19 / Episode No.13.20
1989 The Bill Harry1 episode: Just for the Crack
Birds of a Feather Prison Officer2 episodes: Substitute / Sailing
1988 Bergerac Sammy Kline1 episode: Private Fight
1987 Rockliffe's Babies Tommy1 episode: It's All Happening
1986 C.A.T.S. Eyes Taxi Driver1 episode: Tranmere Dan and Tokyo Joe
Running Scared Ron Martinunknown episodes
The Best Years of Your LifeFatherTV
1985 The Bill Tony Kemp1 episode: Home Beat
Summer SeasonHarold1 episode: Rachel and the Roarettes
1983 Keep It in the Family Van driver1 episode: A Touch of the Orient
Give Us a Break Nobby Wilson4 episodes
1982BBC2 PlayhouseActor1 episode: Jake's End
1981–1982 The Chinese Detective Jack Arthur Bross2 episodes: Release / Oblomov
1981MayburyMr Clegg1 episode: Maisie and Mac
Smuggler Giles Sawney2 episodes: The Respectable Traitor: Part 1 / The Respectable Traitor: Part 2
1980 Strangers Johnny James1 episode: Clowns Don't Cry
Play for Today Mr Chancer2 episodes: The Adventures of Frank: Everybody's Fiddling Something / The Adventures of Frank: Seeds of Ice
1979Play for TodayPolice sergeant1 episode: Waterloo Sunset
1978 Armchair Thriller Bill1 episode: The Limbo Connection: Part 1
Law & Order Clifford Harding3 episodes: A Detective's Tale / A Villain's Tale / A Brief's Tale
1976Softly, Softly: Task ForceMicky Dixon1 episode: Say It with Flowers
1974–1975 Romany Jones Ken5 episodes
1973Softly, Softly: Task ForceTommy Buckley1 episode: Slip of the Tongue

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Alan Ford profile". Alanford.info. Archived from the original on 10 August 2015. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
  2. ↑ Wilcock, Jessica (23 April 2012). "Matt Di Angelo to star in Two Days in the Smoke | News | Screen". Screendaily.com. Retrieved 21 August 2012.
  3. 1 2 Alexander, Susannah (18 November 2023). "EastEnders to cast Hollywood star for Aunt Sals funeral". Digital Spy .
  4. ↑ Rowan, Iona (28 December 2023). "EastEnders casts Alan Ford as Billy Mitchell's estranged dad". Digital Spy.
  5. ↑ Ford, Alan. Thin Ice; Orion Publishing Group, Limited; ISBN   978-0-7538-2103-9; 2006, ISBN   978-0-297-84785-4
  6. ↑ "Thin Ice". Alanford.info. Archived from the original on 10 August 2015. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
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