Ray Burdis

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).^[1] 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.^[2][3] He also starred with Phil Daniels in 4 Idle Hands.^[4]

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,^[5] and the film of the audition was shown at a BAFTA celebration in October 2008.^{[citation needed]}

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.^[6] He appeared as Kevin, in the BBC2 Playhouse story Mary's Wife in 1980.^{[citation needed]}

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.^[7]

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),^[8] and also co-wrote-produced and directed the movies Final Cut (1998) and Love, Honour and Obey^[9] (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.^[10]

He appeared in the BBC Two comedy-drama series Manchild for two seasons, along with Nigel Havers, Anthony Head and Don Warrington.^[11]

In 2013, Burdis wrote and directed the film, The Wee Man starring Martin Compston and John Hannah, which won two Scottish BAFTAs.^[12][13] 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."^[14] 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",^[15] Mark Kermode described it as "a bunch of second stringers from Quadrophenia doing sub Guy Ritchie schtick",^[16] and before it went into production, Roger Daltrey slammed it as "a blatant money making exercise."^[17] 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."^[18] 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.^[19][20]

He has completed the film Miss the Kiss, starring Charlie Clapham, John Hannah, and Martin Kemp, which is currently in post-production.^[21][22] 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."^[23]

He is the older brother of Mark Burdis.