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 (1938-02-23) 23 February 1938 (age 86)
Camberwell, London, England
Alma materEast 15 Acting School
OccupationActor
Years active1973–present

Early life

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Ford 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

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François 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

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Ford 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

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In 2006, Ford published his novel Thin Ice.[5] He said the book "evolved from a collection of anecdotes and actors' tales."[6]

In music

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Ford'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

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Ford has been a vegetarian since 1973.[1]

Filmography

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Film

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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

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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

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  1. ^ a b c d "Alan Ford profile". Alanford.info. Archived from the original on 10 August 2015. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
  2. ^ Wilcock, Jessica (23 April 2012). "Matt Di Angelo to star in Two Days in the Smoke | News | Screen". Screendaily.com. Retrieved 21 August 2012.
  3. ^ a b Alexander, Susannah (18 November 2023). "EastEnders to cast Hollywood star for Aunt Sals funeral". Digital Spy.
  4. ^ Rowan, Iona (28 December 2023). "EastEnders casts Alan Ford as Billy Mitchell's estranged dad". Digital Spy.
  5. ^ Ford, Alan. Thin Ice; Orion Publishing Group, Limited; ISBN 978-0-7538-2103-9; 2006, ISBN 978-0-297-84785-4
  6. ^ "Thin Ice". Alanford.info. Archived from the original on 10 August 2015. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
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