''Bloody Kids'' is a British

television film A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...

written by Stephen Poliakoff and directed by

Stephen Frears Stephen Arthur Frears (born 20 June 1941) is an English director and producer of film and television often depicting real life stories as well as projects that explore social class through sharply drawn characters. He's received numerous accola ...

, made by Black Lion Films for ATV, and first shown on ITV on 22 March 1980.

Cast

* Derrick O'Connor as Detective Ritchie (

Richard Beckinsale Richard Arthur Beckinsale (6 July 1947 – 19 March 1979) was an English actor. He played Lennie Godber in the BBC sitcom ''Porridge'' (along with its sequel series '' Going Straight'') and Alan Moore in the ITV sitcom ''Rising Damp''. He is t ...

originally cast before his sudden death) * Gary Holton as Ken * Richard Thomas as Leo Turner * Peter Clark as Mike Simmonds *

Gwyneth Strong Gwyneth Strong (born 2 December 1959) is an English actress. She has appeared in '' Shadows'' (1975), ''Angels'' (1976), ''Crown Court'' and ''Z-Cars'' (1977), ''Play for Today'' (1980-1984), ''Silent Witness'' (1996). However, she is best known f ...

as Jan, Ken's Girlfriend * Caroline Embling as Susan, Leo's Sister * Jack Douglas as Senior Police Officer * Billy Colvill as Williams * P.H. Moriarty as Police 1 * Richard Hope as Police 2 * Niall Padden as Police 3 * John Mulcahy as Police 4 * Terry Paris as Police 5 * Neil Cunningham as School Master 1 *

George Costigan George J. Costigan (born 8 August 1947) is an English actor who is best known for portraying Bob in the 1987 film ''Rita, Sue and Bob Too'' and for roles in TV series such as '' Happy Valley'' and '' So Haunt Me''. Early life Born in Portsmouth ...

as School Master 2 * Stewart Harwood as School's Security Guard * Tammy Jacobs as School 1 *

Daniel Peacock Daniel Peacock (born 2 October 1958) is an English actor, director, writer and carer. He has worked with the team of ''The Comic Strip, The Comic Strip Presents...'' and played "Mental Mickey" in ''Only Fools and Horses''. Early and personal ...

as School 2 * Paul Mari as School 3 *

Mel Smith Melvyn Kenneth Smith (3 December 1952 – 19 July 2013) was an English comedian, actor and director. Smith worked on the sketch comedy shows ''Not the Nine O'Clock News'' and ''Alas Smith and Jones'' with his comedy partner, Griff Rhys Jones. ...

as Disco Doorman * C.P. Lee as Club Manager *

Jimmy Hibbert James Christian Hibbert is an English actor and writer. He is best known for his voice work with the animation studio Cosgrove Hall Films. Early life James Christian Hibbert was born as the eldest of three children of author Christopher Hibbe ...

as Disco 3 * Kim Taylforth as Disco 4 *

Nula Conwell Nula Conwell (born 24 May 1959) is an English character actress. Career Conwell is best known for playing W.P.C/W.D.C. Viv Martella in the long-running crime UK series ''The Bill'' from 1984 to 1993, until her character was killed off. She ...

as Ken's Gang 1 * Madeline Church as Ken's Gang 2 * Peter Wilson as Ken's Gang 3 *

Gary Olsen Gary Olsen (born Gary Kenneth Grant; 3 November 1957 – 12 September 2000) was an English actor. He played Ben in the BBC television sitcom ''2point4 Children''. Biography Olsen was born in London and lived with an aunt and uncle after b ...

as Ken's Gang 4 (as Gary Olson) *

Jesse Birdsall Jesse Birdsall (born 13 February 1963) is an English actor, known for his roles as Marcus Tandy in the BBC1 soap opera '' Eldorado'', Nick Beckett in the adventure series '' Bugs'' (1995–1999), football manager Roger Webb in ''Footballers' Wiv ...

as Ken's Gang 5 *

Roger Lloyd-Pack Roger Anthony Lloyd-Pack (8 February 1944 – 16 January 2014) was an English actor. He is best known for playing Trigger in ''Only Fools and Horses'' from 1981 to 2003, and Owen Newitt in '' The Vicar of Dibley'' from 1994 to 2007. He later st ...

as Hospital Doctor *

Brenda Fricker Brenda Fricker (born 17 February 1945) is an Irish actress, whose career has spanned six decades on stage and screen. She has appeared in more than 30 films and television roles. In 1990, she became the first Irish actress to win an Academy Awar ...

as Nurse * June Watson as Nurse *

Colin Campbell Colin may refer to: * Colin (given name) * Colin (surname) * ''Colin'' (film), a 2008 Cannes film festival zombie movie * Colin (horse) (1905–1932), thoroughbred racehorse * Colin (humpback whale), a humpback whale calf abandoned north of Sydney, ...

as Conductor * Julian Hough as Reporter * Geraldine James as Ritchie's Wife * Pauline Walker - posh bird and dancing extra

Filming locations

Filmed in south east

Essex Essex () is a county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the River Thames to the south, and Grea ...

, with locations in

Southend-on-Sea Southend-on-Sea (), commonly referred to as Southend (), is a coastal city and unitary authority area with borough status in southeastern Essex, England. It lies on the north side of the Thames Estuary, east of central London. It is bordered ...

Westcliff Westcliff-on-Sea (often abbreviated to Westcliff) is an inner city area of the city of Southend-on-Sea, in the City of Southend-on-Sea, in the ceremonial county of Essex, England. It is on the north shore of the lower Thames Estuary, about 34 m ...

Leigh-on-Sea Leigh-on-Sea (), commonly referred to simply as Leigh, is a town and civil parish in the City of Southend-on-Sea, in the ceremonial county of Essex, England. In 2011, it had a population of 22,509. Geography Leigh-on-Sea is on the northern ...

and

Canvey Island Canvey Island is a town, civil parish and reclaimed island in the Thames estuary, near Southend-on-Sea, in the Castle Point district, in the county of Essex, England. It has an area of and a population of 38,170.Office for National Statistics. ( ...

, the opening five minutes are of the bridge down to Leigh-on-Sea's cockle sheds, with a lorry hanging over. Furtherwick Park School

, was used for the school scenes, and

Southend United Southend United Football Club is a professional association football club based in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, England. As of the 2022–23 season, the team competes in the National League, the fifth tier of English football. Southend are known as ...

's ground,

Roots Hall A root is the part of a plant, generally underground, that anchors the plant body, and absorbs and stores water and nutrients. Root or roots may also refer to: Art, entertainment, and media * ''The Root'' (magazine), an online magazine focusing ...

, was used for the stabbing scenes. Disco scenes in Southend are notable for an early television appearance of

playing the bouncer. Victoria Circus, Southend seafront and hospital are all used as locations, culminating in a climactic scene outside the Casino, Canvey Island, on a London double decker bus.

References

External links

* * 1979 television films 1979 films British television films Films scored by George Fenton Films directed by Stephen Frears {{UK-tv-film-stub