Stephen Berkoff

Leslie Steven Berks
1937 -
British born London

Highly acclaimed English actor, playwright, author and director continues to set the benchmark in stunning, intense performances on both stage and screen. Berkoff was born in Stepney, London in August 1937 and received dramatic arts training in both Paris and London and then moved on to performing with several repertory companies, before he formed the London Theatre Group in 1968. Berkoff had actually been appearing in uncredited roles in UK cinema since 1959, and started to get noticed by casting agents with his performances in _Hamlet (1964/III) (TV)_ , Nicholas and Alexandra (1971), A Clockwork Orange (1971) and Barry Lyndon (1975).Mainstream film fans are probably most familiar with Steven Berkoff via his portrayal of a trio of ice cold villains in several big budget Hollywood productions of the 1980s. Firstly, he played a rogue general plotting to kill Roger Moore as superspy 007 in Octopussy (1983), then a drug peddling art dealer out to eradicate Detroit narcotics officer Eddie Murphy in Beverly Hills Cop (1984), and thirdly as a sadistic Russian commando officer torturing Sylvester Stallone in Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985).Berkoff continued to contribute scintillating performances and was quite memorable in "War and Remembrance" (1988) (mini), The Krays (1990) and the haunting The Tell-Tale Heart (1991) (TV). Further over the top villainous roles followed for the steely Berkoff in Fair Game (1995) and the Jean-Claude Van Damme kick flick Legionnaire (1998). He excelled in the camp comedy _Nine Dead Gay Guys (2002)_ , played UK crime figure Charlie Richardson Snr. in Charlie (2004) and then appeared in the passionate Greek film about mail order brides simply titled, _Brides (2004)_ .His screen performances are but one part of the brilliance of Steven Berkoff, as he has additionally built a formidable reputation for his superb craftsmanship in the theatre. Berkoff has written and performed original plays including "Decadence", "Harry's Christmas Lunch" "Brighton Beach Scumbags" and "Sink the Belgrano", as well as appearing in productions of "Hamlet", "Macbeth" and "Coriolanus" to rapturous audiences right across the globe. Furthermore, he has authored several highly entertaining books on the theatre and his life including "The Theatre of Steven Berkoff", "Coriolanus in Deutscheland", "A Prisoner in Rio", "I am Hamlet" and "Meditations on Metamorphosis".

Moll Flanders (2007) , Say It in Russian (2006) , The Half Life of Timofey Berezin (2007) , The Flying Scotsman (2006) , "New Tricks" (2006) , "Hotel Babylon" (2006) , Marple: By the Pricking of My Thumbs (2006) , Forest of the Gods (2005) , The Headsman (2005) , Naked in London (2005) , Killzone (2004) , Nyfes (2004) , Head in the Clouds (2004) , Charlie (2004) , Headrush (2003) , "Children of Dune" (2003) , 9 Dead Gay Guys (2002) , Riders (2002) , "NCS Manhunt" (2002) , Bokshu the Myth (2002) , "Jonathan Creek" (2001) , Beginner's Luck (2001) , Attila (2001/I) , Hans Christian Andersen: My Life as a Fairy Tale (2001) , In the Beginning (2000) , "Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased)" (2000) , Rancid Aluminium (2000) , Legionnaire (1998) , In Between (1998) , Love in Paris (1997) , Business as Usual (1997) ,Doppelganger (1997) , Flynn (1996) , Fair Game (1995) , "Space Precinct" (1994) , Decadence (1994) , Intruders (1992) , A Season of Giants (1991) , The Tell-Tale Heart (1991) , The Krays (1990) , "Silent Night" (1990) , "Club X" (1989) , "War and Remembrance" (1988) , Prisoner of Rio (1988) , Metamorphosis (1987) , Under the Cherry Moon (1986) , Absolute Beginners (1986) , "Sins" (1986) , Revolution (1985) , Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985) , Underworld (1985) , Beverly Hills Cop (1984) , Octopussy (1983) , "The Professionals" (1983) , Coming Out of the Ice (1982) , Outland (1981) , Beloved Enemy (1981) , McVicar (1980) , Joseph Andrews (1977) , Barry Lyndon (1975) , Professione: reporter (1975) , A Clockwork Orange (1971) , Nicholas and Alexandra (1971) , "UFO" (1971) , Mindbender (1971) , Destruction (1970) , The Cat with Ten Lives (1970) , "The Champions" (1968) , Vendetta for the Saint (1968) , "Dixon of Dock Green"(1967) , The Informant: Part 1: Rough Justice (1967) , Slave Girls (1967) , "The Saint" (1966) , "An Enemy of the State" (1965) , "The Avengers" (1965) , The Pistol (1965) , Sir Jocelyn, the Minister Would Like a Word... (1965) , Hamlet (1964/I) , "Corrigan Blake" (1963) ,
The Devil's Disciple (1959) , The Captain's Table (1959) , The Flesh and the Fiends (1959) , The Sheriff of Fractured Jaw (1958) , I Was Monty's Double (1958)