Ray Burdis

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

Biography

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). 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. He also starred with Phil Daniels in ''4 Idle Hands''.

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, and the film of the audition was shown at a BAFTA celebration in October 2008.

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.
He appeared as Kevin, in the ''BBC2 Playhouse'' story ''Mary's Wife'' in 1980.

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.

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), and also co-wrote-produced and directed the movies '' Final Cut'' (1998) and ''Love, Honour and Obey'' (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.

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

In 2013, Burdis wrote and directed the film, '' The Wee Man'' starring Martin Compston and John Hannah, which won two Scottish BAFTAs. 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''." 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", Mark Kermode described it as "a bunch of second stringers from ''Quadrophenia'' doing sub Guy Ritchie schtick", and before it went into production, Roger Daltrey slammed it as "a blatant money making exercise." 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." 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.

He has completed the film ''Miss the Kiss'', starring Charlie Clapham, John Hannah, and Martin Kemp, which is currently in post-production. 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."

Filmography

Personal life

He is the older brother of Mark Burdis.

References

External links

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Ray Burdis
at British Comedy Guide

{{DEFAULTSORT:Burdis, Ray
Actors from the London Borough of Islington
1958 births
Living people
English male television actors
English male film actors
English film producers
English screenwriters
English male screenwriters
Alumni of the Anna Scher Theatre School