Ray Burdis

Ray Burdis: 

Affable Cockney bovver boy type who started out as a teen actor in the '70s, matured into a regular in TV comedy and drama in the '80s, and has since gone on to make a name for himself as a director of Brit hardcase and gangster movies. Early appearances include 'Four Idle Hands' (a sort of prototype 'Tucker's Luck' with a pre-'Quadrophenia' Phil Daniels), 'Graham's Gang', 'The Tomorrow People' and the Pauline Quirke/Flintlock kid's comedy vehicle 'You Must Be Joking'. He was also the lead in the bizarre 25-minute flashback Public Information Film 'Twenty Times More Likely' with a teenage Gillian Taylforth, as a doomed reckless biker.

In one of several biker-themed Public Information Films

A tense moment from 'The Professionals'

The big turning point seems to be Alan Clarke's hard hitting Borstal drama, 'Scum' (1979, and original TV version 1977) in which he plays opposite Ray Winstone. Other, less harrowing adult acting roles have included being Michael Elphick's son Nick in 'Three Up, Two Down', as well as 'Operation Good Guys' and the mid-life crisis sitcom 'Manchild'.




In 'Manchild'

These days he fits in a little bit of acting around his career as a writer, director and producer. He helmed the claustrophobic 'The Final Cut' in 1998 and 'Love Honour and Obey' in 2000, both with Ray Winstone, and there's some more in the pipeline for 2013. The boy done good.

Ray Burdis - imdb