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Ray Burdis

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Ray Burdis
Born (1958-08-23) August 23, 1958 (age 66)
London, England
NationalityEnglish
Occupation(s)Actor, screenwriter, director, film producer
Years active1972–present
Notable workThe Krays, Final Cut, Love, Honour and Obey, The Wee Man, To Be Someone
RelativesMark Burdis (brother)

Ray Burdis (born 23 August 1958 in London) is an English actor, screenwriter, director and film producer.

Biography

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Burdis started acting at eleven years old when he attended drama school and trained at the Anna Scher Theatre in Islington, Greater London. In 1972, he made his screen debut in The Trouble with 2B by the Children's Film Foundation, a film series featuring the exploits of a class of schoolchildren and their science teacher Mr Potter (Richard Wilson).[1] Later in 1974, he appeared in a minor role in an episode of the classic BBC sitcom Steptoe and Son, but his first major acting role was at the age of sixteen, in the Thames Television series You Must Be Joking! , which he also co-created and wrote.[2][3] He also starred with Phil Daniels in 4 Idle Hands.[4]

In 1978 Burdis auditioned for a presenting job on the BBC children's program Blue Peter as a replacement for John Noakes. Richard Marson's book celebrating the show's fiftieth-anniversary records this fact,[5] and the film of the audition was shown at a BAFTA celebration in October 2008.[citation needed]

Burdis played the part of cowardly inmate Eckersley in the controversial movie Scum in 1979. He had played the same role two years earlier in a BBC television version of the story, although this was not transmitted until 1991 due to its graphic nature, hence the cinematic re-make.[6] He appeared as Kevin, in the BBC2 Playhouse story Mary's Wife in 1980.[citation needed]

Burdis appeared in the Minder episodes "Not a Bad Lad, Dad" and "Hypnotising Rita" and played Joe in the musical drama The Music Machine (1979). He later had a small role alongside Daniel Day-Lewis in the film Gandhi (1982).

Burdis then played a supporting role as Richard, a gay neighbour in Channel 4's short-lived sitcom Dream Stuffing in 1984. Later that year, Burdis appeared in an episode of The Gentle Touch, entitled "Do It Yourself", as a man with a learning disability. In 1985, he played ambitious photographer Nick Tyler in the BBC comedy Three Up, Two Down. His character was the son and son-in-law, respectively, of the two lead characters, played by Michael Elphick and Angela Thorne, the series went on for four series which were produced between 1985 and 1989.[7]

He went forward to produce the feature films The Passion of Darkly Noon, starring Brendan Fraser and Ashley Judd, and The Reflecting Skin starring Viggo Mortensen and Lindsay Duncan.

Burdis has subsequently concentrated more on writing, producing, and directing. He was the producer of The Krays (1990),[8] and also co-wrote-produced and directed the movies Final Cut (1998) and Love, Honour and Obey[9] (2000). He also created, co-wrote, produced, directed, and starred in the television police fly on the wall docu-comedy Operation Good Guys for three series. The series was awarded the Silver Rose for Best Sitcom and the Prix de la Presse, voted for by the International Press, at the Montreux Golden Rose Festival.[10]

He appeared in the BBC Two comedy-drama series Manchild for two seasons, along with Nigel Havers, Anthony Head and Don Warrington.[11]

In 2013, Burdis wrote and directed the film, The Wee Man starring Martin Compston and John Hannah, which won two Scottish BAFTAs.[12][13] In 2014 he wrote and directed the film Angel released in the spring of 2015 by Carnaby Films.

In 2021, he directed and wrote, To Be Someone, described by its distributors "a feel-good tale of modern-day mods, music, and scooter culture from the creator of The Krays, The Wee Man and Love, Honor and Obey and starring the original cast of the iconic, cult mods n’ rockers film, Quadrophenia."[14] It was filmed during 2019-20 and subsequently released on 9 July 2021. The film attracted negative reviews, Steve Rose noted "nothing really convinces or makes sense in this corny, amateurish nostalgia trip",[15] Mark Kermode described it as "a bunch of second stringers from Quadrophenia doing sub Guy Ritchie schtick",[16] and before it went into production, Roger Daltrey slammed it as "a blatant money making exercise."[17] Whilst conversely, Keith Haldon argued "it's British at its very core and it's a reminder that no matter the budget nobody does it better than us. Burdis has assembled a great cast that if you’re looking for that Quadrophenia nostalgia."[18] Burdis later stated in an interview that he never intended for the film to be in the style of Quadrophenia (1979) and it shouldn't have been taken too seriously.[19][20]

He has completed the film Miss the Kiss, starring Charlie Clapham, John Hannah, and Martin Kemp, which is currently in post-production.[21][22] His next project in the director's chair is Last Tandem in Paris, production started in Brussels in March 2024.

In November 2024, Burdis admitted that he regretted "glamourising" Ronnie and Reggie Kray and was developing a new film to portray them as the thugs they were. "They weren't folk heroes," he told The Guardian. "They were just a pair of cowardly psychopathic bullies, who terrorised the East End of London in the 1960s."[23]

Filmography

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SELECTED ACTING ROLES
Year Title Role Notes
1972 The Trouble with 2B Todd Film (6 part serial)
1974 Steptoe & Son Teenager Episode: "Porn Yesterday"
Play for Today Danny Price "Eleanor"
The Tomorrow People Johnson "The Blue and the Green" (3 episodes)
1975-6 You Must Be Joking! Various 6 episodes
1976 4 Idle Hands Pete Sutton 6 episodes
Pressure Dave Film
1977 Headmaster Wilf Farley 1 episode
Nicholas Nickleby Master Cummins 1 episode (mini series)
Play for Today Eckersley "Scum!"
The Sunday Drama Zack "A Good Story"
1978 The Tomorrow People Blitz "Hitler's Last Stand" (2 episodes)
Twenty Times More Likely Alan Short film
1979 Graham's Gang Russ 1 episode
The Music Machine Joe Film
Scum! Eckersley Film
1980 BBC2 Playhouse Kevin "Mary's Wife"
Minder Disco Youth "Not a Bad Lad, Dad"
Play for Today Dunning "The Vanishing Army"
The Professionals Vince Episode: "Weekend in the Country"
1981 Going Out Rick Tinnersley 5 episodes
Triangle Wolcott 4 episodes
Wolcott PC Brock 2 episodes
1982 Gandhi Youth Film
1983 The Baker Street Boys PC Boot 2 episodes
1983-4 Now and Then Randall 13 episodes
1984 Dream Stuffing Richard 10 episodes
Minder Jimmy Randall "Hypnotising Rita"
The Gentle Touch Joey Felix Episode: Do It Yourself
The Kit Curran Radio Show Ray Episode: Bread and Circuses
1985 C.A.T.S. Eyes Mike Episode: The Double Dutch Deal
1985-9 Three Up, Two Down Nick Tyler 25 episodes
1994 Death Machine Dead Diner Film
1997-2000 Operation Good Guys DS Ash 19 episodes
1998 Final Cut Burdis Film
2000 Love, Honour and Obey Ray Film
Urban Gothic The Colonel Episode: The Boy's Club
2002-3 Manchild Gary 4 episodes
2003 The Afternoon Play Arnie Griffin "The Real Arnie Griffin"
2004 Casualty Alan 'Dusty' Binns Episode: "Fallen Hero"
2005 My Hero Detective Symes Episode: "Nothing to Hide"
2021 To Be Someone Dickson Film
2024 Miss the Kiss Detective Burke Currently in Post Production
DIRECTOR/ PRODUCER/ WRITER ROLES
Year Film Role Notes
1975-6 You Must Be Joking! Writer, Co-Creator 6 episodes
1979 You Can't Be Serious Writer
1987 Visiting Mr. Beak Exectuve Producer Short film
1988 The Fear Writer 5 episodes
The Universe of Dermot Finn Co-Producer Short film
1990 The Krays Producer
The Reflecting Skin Producer
1993-4 The Spooks of Bottle Bay Producer 18 episodes
1994 Death Machine Co-Producer
1995 The Passion of Darkly Noon Exectuve Producer
1997-2000 Operation Good Guys Director, Producer 19 episodes
1998 Final Cut Director, Producer, Writer
2000 Love, Honour and Obey Director, Producer, Writer
2013 The Wee Man Director, Writer
2015 Angel Director, Writer
2021 To Be Somebody Director, Producer, Writer
2022 Kick Out the Jams: The Story of XFM Director Documentary
2024 Last Kings of London Director, Writer Currently in Post Production
Miss the Kiss Director, Writer Currently in Post Production
2025 Last Tandem in Paris Director Currently in Production

Personal life

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He is the older brother of Mark Burdis.

References

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  1. ^ "The Trouble with 2B". Letterbox DVD.
  2. ^ "You Must Be Joking!". Nostalgia Central.
  3. ^ "You Must Be Joking!: The Complete Series". HMV. 29 May 2013.
  4. ^ "4 Idle Hands". Nostalgia Central.
  5. ^ Marson, Richard (2008). Blue Peter 50th Anniversary: The story of television's longest-running children's programme (1st ed.). London, UK: Hamlyn. ISBN 9780600617938.
  6. ^ Hobday, John. "Scum! (1977)". BFI Screenonline.
  7. ^ "Three Up, Two Down". British Comedy Guide.
  8. ^ Cooper, Sarah (9 December 2008). "Profile: Ray Burdis' Britflick Productions". Screen Daily. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  9. ^ "Love, Honour and Obey". Time Out London. 10 September 2012. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  10. ^ Swart, Sharon (30 April 1988). "Roses bloom for TV". Variety.
  11. ^ "Manchild". British Comedy Guide.
  12. ^ "Awards and Festivals: The Wee Man". MUBI.
  13. ^ Ferguson, Brian (21 March 2013). "Daniel Kerr gets BAFTA honour for Wee Man role". The Scotsman.
  14. ^ "To Be Someone". Kaleidoscope Film Distribution.
  15. ^ Rose, Steve (6 July 2021). "To Be Someone review – a Guy Ritchie ripoff two decades past its sell-by date". The Guardian.
  16. ^ Kermode, Mark (9 July 2021). "To Be Someone reviewed by Mark Kermode". BBC Radio 5 Live.
  17. ^ Hope, Hannah (14 June 2016). "Quadrophenia sequel director snubs The Who's 'over-exposed' music". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  18. ^ Haldon, Keith (8 August 2021). "To Be Someone, review". The Nerdly.
  19. ^ Mark, GingerBeard (11 September 2022). "Interviewing Ray Burdis". YouTube.
  20. ^ "Director of new 'Quadrophenia' film slammed by The Who defends his movie". NME. 20 June 2016. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  21. ^ "Miss the Kiss". British Comedy Guide.
  22. ^ Tabbara, Mona (19 February 2024). "UK sales and distribution venture Blue Eyes Film opens up". Screen Daily.
  23. ^ Alberge, Dalya (3 November 2024). "I regret glamorising the Kray twins, says producer of hit film" – via The Guardian.
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