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 actu ...
show all 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)_ , "Nicholas and Alexandria (1971)", "Clockwork Orange, A (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 1980's. 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 "The "War and Remembrance" (1988) (mini)", "Krays (1990)" and the haunting "Tell-Tale Heart, The (1991) (TV)". Further over the top villainous roles followed for the steely Berkoff in the woefully bad "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 Sumbags" 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 "Meditation on Metamorphis".
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