Alan Ford (actor)

{{Infobox person

| image =

| name = Alan Ford

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1938|2|23|df=y}}

| birth_place = Camberwell, London, England

| death_date =

| death_place =

| occupation = Actor

| alma_mater = East 15 Acting School

| yearsactive = 1973–present}}

Alan Ford (born 23 February 1938){{cite web |url=http://alanford.info/alanfordprofile.html |title=Alan Ford profile |publisher=Alanford.info |access-date=2015-03-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150810053712/http://alanford.info/alanfordprofile.html |archive-date=10 August 2015 }} 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 for appearing as separate characters in eight episodes of The Bill.

Early life

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.

Studies and training

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. One of his tutors there at that time was the then unknown Mike Leigh.

Acting career

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.{{cite web|last=Wilcock |first=Jessica |url=http://www.screendaily.com/news/production/matt-di-angelo-to-star-in-two-days-in-the-smoke/5040818.article?blocktitle=Latest-news&contentID=276 |title=Matt Di Angelo to star in Two Days in the Smoke | News | Screen |publisher=Screendaily.com |date=23 April 2012 |access-date=2012-08-21}}

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).{{cite web|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/eastenders/a45882377/eastenders-casts-alan-ford-aunt-sal-funeral/|last=Alexander|first=Susannah|title=EastEnders to cast Hollywood star for Aunt Sals funeral|date=18 November 2023|work= Digital Spy}}{{cite web |last1=Rowan|first1=Iona|title=EastEnders casts Alan Ford as Billy Mitchell’s estranged dad|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/eastenders/a46241917/eastenders-alan-ford-billy-mitchell-dad/|website=Digital Spy|date=28 December 2023}}

Writer

In 2006, Ford published his novel Thin Ice.Ford, Alan. Thin Ice; Orion Publishing Group, Limited; {{ISBN|978-0-7538-2103-9}}; 2006, {{ISBN|978-0-297-84785-4}} He said the book "evolved from a collection of anecdotes and actors' tales."{{cite web |url=http://alanford.info/thinice.html |title=Thin Ice |publisher=Alanford.info |access-date=2015-03-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150810025906/http://alanford.info/thinice.html |archive-date=10 August 2015 }}

In music

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

Ford has been a vegetarian since 1973.

Filmography

=Film=

Year ! Film ! Role ! class="unsortable" \| Notes
class="wikitable sortable"
\| 1977 \|The Squeeze	Taff
\| 1980 \|The Long Good Friday	Jack
rowspan="2" \| 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
rowspan="2" \| 2000 \|Snatch	Brick Top
Furry Story	Fredglob (voice)
snathc, diamantes.	2002 \|The Great Dome Robbery	Narrator
\| 2004 \|Exorcist: The Beginning	Jefferies
\| 2008 \|NightDragon	Hansen
\| 2009 \|Dead Man Running	Sol
rowspan="2" \| 2010 \|Mission London	Sibling
The Ballad of Mulla and Mullins	Johnson	Short Film
rowspan="4" \| 2012 \|The Sweeney	Harry
Cockneys vs Zombies	Ray Macguire
Airborne	Max
Strippers vs Werewolves	Harry
rowspan="2" \| 2011 \|Lethal	Simon	post-production
Jack Falls	Carter
rowspan="1" \| 2013 \|The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared	Pim
rowspan="2" \| 2014 \|Two Days in the Smoke	Jack
Undercover	Himself
rowspan="1" \| 2015 \|Skin Traffik	Paul Hamilton
2016 \|Alice, Through the Looking	The Chairman
rowspan=2 \| 2018 \|Winter Ridge	Dale Jacobs
Gamble	Narrator
2019 \|Riot Club \|Eddie Beaumont \| Short
2022 \|The Kicked Dog \|Alan \| Short

=Television=

Year ! TV Show ! Role ! class="unsortable" \| Notes
class="wikitable sortable"
\| 2024 \| EastEnders	Stevie Mitchell	Recurring role
\| 2020 \|The Kemps: All True	Alan Ford	Television film
\| 2017 \|Thunderbirds Are Go	Light Fingered Fred
rowspan="2" \| 2015 \|Unforgotten	Tommy Pinion	1 episode: "Episode 3"
Toast of London	Alan the Fear Therapist	1 episode: "Over the Moon"
rowspan="2" \| 2014 \|Toast of London	Alan the Homeopath	1 episode: "Fool in Love"
Pod Prikritie	Himself	episode 9
rowspan="2" \| 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
rowspan="3" \| 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
rowspan="2" \| 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
rowspan="3" \| 2006 \|The Bill	Davey Rolfe	1 episode: 470
Jane Hall	Dougie Stringer	1 episode: Episode No.1.1
Snuff Box	Rick – Priest	5 episodes
rowspan="3" \| 2004 \|Passer By	Publican	TV
Keen Eddie	Longfellow	1 episode: Sticky Fingers
The Bill	George Dooley	1 episode: 188
rowspan="2" \| 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
rowspan="2" \| 1998 \|Mosley	Prison Officer	1 episode: Beyond the Pale
An Unsuitable Job for a Woman	City Receptionist	1 episode
rowspan="2" \| 1997 \|The Bill	Jimmy Robson	1 episode: Joker
The Knock	Robbie Reynolds	1 episode: Episode No.3.7
rowspan="3" \| 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
rowspan="7" \| 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
rowspan="2" \| 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
rowspan="2" \| 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
rowspan="2" \| 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
rowspan="3" \| 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
rowspan="2" \| 1985 \| The Bill	Tony Kemp	1 episode: Home Beat
Summer Season	Harold	1 episode: Rachel and the Roarettes
rowspan="2" \| 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
rowspan="2" \| 1981 \|Maybury	Mr Clegg	1 episode: Maisie and Mac
Smuggler	Giles Sawney	2 episodes: The Respectable Traitor: Part 1 / The Respectable Traitor: Part 2
rowspan="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
rowspan="2" \| 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

External links

{{IMDb name|0285495|Alan Ford}}

Category:1938 births

Category:Living people

Category:20th-century English male actors

Category:21st-century English male actors

Category:Actors from the London Borough of Southwark

Category:Alumni of East 15 Acting School

Category:English male film actors

Category:English male soap opera actors

Category:English male television actors

Category:Male actors from London

Category:Military personnel from the London Borough of Southwark

Category:Royal Army Ordnance Corps soldiers

Category:People from Camberwell

Category:People from Elephant and Castle