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 from appearing as separate characters in eight episodes of The Bill.
Alan Ford | |
|---|---|
| Born | 23 February 1938 Camberwell, London, England |
| Alma mater | East 15 Acting School |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1973–present |
Early life
editFord 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
editFrançois 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
editFord 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
editIn 2006, Ford published his novel Thin Ice.[5] He said the book "evolved from a collection of anecdotes and actors' tales."[6]
In music
editFord'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
editFord has been a vegetarian since 1973.[1]
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 Story | Fredglob (voice) | ||
| 2002 | The Great Dome Robbery | Narrator | |
| 2004 | Exorcist: The Beginning | Jefferies | |
| 2008 | NightDragon | Hansen | |
| 2009 | Dead Man Running | Sol | |
| 2010 | Mission London | Sibling | |
| The Ballad of Mulla and Mullins | Johnson | Short Film | |
| 2012 | The Sweeney | Harry | |
| Cockneys vs Zombies | Ray Macguire | ||
| Airborne | Max | ||
| Strippers vs Werewolves | Harry | ||
| 2011 | Lethal | Simon | post-production |
| Jack Falls | Carter | ||
| 2013 | The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared | Pim | |
| 2014 | Two Days in the Smoke | Jack | |
| Undercover | Himself | ||
| 2015 | Skin Traffik | Paul Hamilton | |
| 2016 | Alice, Through the Looking | The Chairman | |
| 2018 | Winter Ridge | Dale Jacobs | |
| Gamble | Narrator | ||
| 2019 | Riot Club | Eddie Beaumont | Short |
| 2022 | The Kicked Dog | Alan | Short |
Television
edit| Year | TV Show | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | EastEnders | Stevie Mitchell | Recurring role[3] |
| 2020 | The Kemps: All True | Alan Ford | Television film |
| 2017 | Thunderbirds Are Go | Light Fingered Fred | |
| 2015 | Unforgotten | Tommy Pinion | 1 episode: "Episode 3" |
| Toast of London | Alan the Fear Therapist | 1 episode: "Over the Moon" | |
| 2014 | Toast of London | Alan the Homeopath | 1 episode: "Fool in Love" |
| Pod Prikritie | Himself | episode 9 | |
| 2013 | Lilyhammer | Terence | |
| Toast of London | Mick Carriage | 1 episode: Vanity Project | |
| 2011 | Casualty | Norman Danvers | 1 episode: Partners |
| 2010 | Hotel Trubble | Delgado | 1 episode: Hello Dolly |
| 2009 | My Almost Famous Family | Terry | 2 episodes: Beat Surrender / The Girl Is Mine |
| Doctors | George Swade | 1 episode: Mr Jelly | |
| The Legend of Dick and Dom | King of Kong | 1 episode: Rock Hard | |
| 2008 | Hotel Babylon | Terry McCaffrey | 1 episode: Episode No.3.5 |
| Casualty | Tony Tillings | 1 episode: Thicker Than Water | |
| 2007 | The Real Outlaws | Himself – Presenter | |
| 2006 | The Bill | Davey Rolfe | 1 episode: 470 |
| Jane Hall | Dougie Stringer | 1 episode: Episode No.1.1 | |
| Snuff Box | Rick – Priest | 5 episodes | |
| 2004 | Passer By | Publican | TV |
| Keen Eddie | Longfellow | 1 episode: Sticky Fingers | |
| The Bill | George Dooley | 1 episode: 188 | |
| 2003 | Waking the Dead | Jack Ely | 2 episodes: Walking on Water: Part 1 / Walking on Water: Part 2 |
| William and Mary | Taxi Driver | 1 episode: Episode No.1.1 | |
| 2001 | The Armando Iannucci Shows | East End Thug | 4 episodes |
| 2000 | Hero to Zero | Ron Warley | TV series |
| 1998 | Mosley | Prison Officer | 1 episode: Beyond the Pale |
| An Unsuitable Job for a Woman | City Receptionist | 1 episode | |
| 1997 | The Bill | Jimmy Robson | 1 episode: Joker |
| The Knock | Robbie Reynolds | 1 episode: Episode No.3.7 | |
| 1996 | London Bridge | Ron | Episode No.1.15 |
| No Bananas | Bernie Silver | 2 episodes: Sitzkreig / The Wedding | |
| Madson | Adrian | 1 episode: Episode No.1.2 | |
| 1994 | The Bill | Eric | 1 episodes: Ducking and Diving |
| Knowing Me, Knowing You with Alan Partridge | Terry Norton | 1 episode: Episode No.1.5 | |
| Little Napoleons | Gerald Nowell | 1 episode: The Big Interview | |
| Class Act | Geoff the Builder | 2 episodes: Episode No.1.2 / Episode No.1.3 | |
| Murder Most Horrid | First villain | 1 episode: Smashing Bird | |
| Minder | Bennett | 1 episode: Bring Me the Head of Arthur Daley | |
| Love Hurts | Punter | 1 episode: The Parent Trap | |
| 1993 | The Upper Hand | Barman | Minder |
| 1992 | The Bill | Maydell | 1 episode: On the Record, Off the Record |
| The Darling Buds of May | Danvers | 1 episode: Oh! To Be in England: Part 1 | |
| 1991 | The New Statesman | Police Inspector | 1 episode: Keeping Mum |
| 1990 | The Bill | Frank Litton | 1 episode: Old Wounds |
| Grange Hill | Mr Ratcliffe | 3 episodes: Episode No.12.2 / Episode No.13.19 / Episode No.13.20 | |
| 1989 | The Bill | Harry | 1 episode: Just for the Crack |
| Birds of a Feather | Prison Officer | 2 episodes: Substitute / Sailing | |
| 1988 | Bergerac | Sammy Kline | 1 episode: Private Fight |
| 1987 | Rockliffe's Babies | Tommy | 1 episode: It's All Happening |
| 1986 | C.A.T.S. Eyes | Taxi Driver | 1 episode: Tranmere Dan and Tokyo Joe |
| Running Scared | Ron Martin | unknown episodes | |
| The Best Years of Your Life | Father | TV | |
| 1985 | The Bill | Tony Kemp | 1 episode: Home Beat |
| Summer Season | Harold | 1 episode: Rachel and the Roarettes | |
| 1983 | Keep It in the Family | Van driver | 1 episode: A Touch of the Orient |
| Give Us a Break | Nobby Wilson | 4 episodes | |
| 1982 | BBC2 Playhouse | Actor | 1 episode: Jake's End |
| 1981–1982 | The Chinese Detective | Jack Arthur Bross | 2 episodes: Release / Oblomov |
| 1981 | Maybury | Mr Clegg | 1 episode: Maisie and Mac |
| Smuggler | Giles Sawney | 2 episodes: The Respectable Traitor: Part 1 / The Respectable Traitor: Part 2 | |
| 1980 | Strangers | Johnny James | 1 episode: Clowns Don't Cry |
| Play for Today | Mr Chancer | 2 episodes: The Adventures of Frank: Everybody's Fiddling Something / The Adventures of Frank: Seeds of Ice | |
| 1979 | Play for Today | Police sergeant | 1 episode: Waterloo Sunset |
| 1978 | Armchair Thriller | Bill | 1 episode: The Limbo Connection: Part 1 |
| Law & Order | Clifford Harding | 3 episodes: A Detective's Tale / A Villain's Tale / A Brief's Tale | |
| 1976 | Softly, Softly: Task Force | Micky Dixon | 1 episode: Say It with Flowers |
| 1974–1975 | Romany Jones | Ken | 5 episodes |
| 1973 | Softly, Softly: Task Force | Tommy Buckley | 1 episode: Slip of the Tongue |
References
edit- ^ a b c d "Alan Ford profile". Alanford.info. Archived from the original on 10 August 2015. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
- ^ Wilcock, Jessica (23 April 2012). "Matt Di Angelo to star in Two Days in the Smoke | News | Screen". Screendaily.com. Retrieved 21 August 2012.
- ^ a b Alexander, Susannah (18 November 2023). "EastEnders to cast Hollywood star for Aunt Sals funeral". Digital Spy.
- ^ Rowan, Iona (28 December 2023). "EastEnders casts Alan Ford as Billy Mitchell's estranged dad". Digital Spy.
- ^ Ford, Alan. Thin Ice; Orion Publishing Group, Limited; ISBN 978-0-7538-2103-9; 2006, ISBN 978-0-297-84785-4
- ^ "Thin Ice". Alanford.info. Archived from the original on 10 August 2015. Retrieved 1 March 2015.