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Steven Berkoff

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Template:Short description Template:Use British English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox person Steven Berkoff (born Leslie Steven Berks; 3 August 1937) is an English actor, author, playwright, theatre practitioner and theatre director.

As a theatre maker he is recognised for staging work with a heightened performance style known as "Berkovian theatre",<ref>'Creating the "Berkovian" Aesthetic' by Craig Rosen on the Iain Fisher Steven Berkoff website</ref> which combines elements of physical theatre, total theatre and expressionism.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> His work has sometimes been viewed as an example of in-yer-face theatre, due to the intense presentation and taboo-breaking material in a number of his plays.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

As a screen actor, he is known for his performances in villainous roles, including the portrayals of General Orlov in the James Bond film Octopussy (1983), Victor Maitland in Beverly Hills Cop (1984), Lt. Col. Podovsky in Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985) and Adolf Hitler in War and Remembrance (1988–89).<ref name="BC">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="filmref">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Early lifeEdit

Berkoff was born Leslie Steven Berks on 3 August 1937, in Stepney in the East End of London,<ref name=BC/> the son of Pauline "Polly" (née Hyman), a housewife, and Alfred "Al" Berks, a tailor. He had an older sister, Beryl (1930–before 2010).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He comes from a Jewish family; his grandparents emigrated to England in the 1890s, his paternal grandparents from Romania, and his maternal grandparents from Russia.<ref name="bookref1">Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The family name was originally Berkowitz, but Steven's father anglicised it to Berks in order to aid the family's assimilation into British society. Steven (who had been known as Leslie growing up) later legally changed his surname to Berkoff and went by his middle name.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

During World War II, Berkoff, his sister and their mother were evacuated to Luton, Bedfordshire in 1942. In 1947 he and his family emigrated to the United States, sailing from Southampton aboard the Queen Elizabeth to live with relatives of Berkoff's mother in Nyack, New York. However, Berkoff's father struggled to find work, and after a few months the family returned to England. Berkoff attended Raine's Foundation Grammar School (1948–50)<ref name="www_davidaspencer_com5">Template:Cite press release</ref> and Hackney Downs School (1950–55).<ref name=Coveney>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 1952, he was arrested for stealing a bicycle and was sentenced to three months in borstal. He took drama courses at City Literary Institute (1957–58), trained as an actor at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art (1958–59), and later trained in physical theatre and mime at L'École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq, graduating in 1965.<ref name=Hollywood>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

CareerEdit

TheatreEdit

Berkoff started his theatre training in the Repertory Company at His Majesty's Theatre in Barrow-in-Furness, for approximately two months, in June and July 1962.<ref>Peter Purves' autobiography "Here's One I Wrote Earlier...", hardback edition, Green Umbrella Publishing, page 70. Template:ISBN.</ref>

As well as an actor, Berkoff is a noted playwright and theatre director.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> His earliest plays are adaptations of works by Franz Kafka: The Metamorphosis (1969); In the Penal Colony (1969), and The Trial (1971). In the 1970s and 1980s, he wrote a series of verse plays including East (1975), Greek (1980), and Decadence (1981), followed by West (1983) (later adapted and recorded at Limehouse Studios for transmission on Channel 4 in 1983), Harry's Christmas (Lunch) (also recorded at Limehouse Studios in 1983 but was never transmitted by C4 as it was considered "too dark"), Sink the Belgrano! (1986), Massage (1997), and The Secret Love Life of Ophelia (2001). Berkoff described Sink the Belgrano! as "even by my modest standards... one of the best things I have done".<ref>Steven Berkoff, "Free Association: An Autobiography", Faber and Faber, 1 July 1996, p.373. Template:ISBN</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Drama critic Aleks Sierz describes Berkoff's dramatic style as "In-yer-face theatre": Template:Bquote

In 1988, Berkoff directed an interpretation of Salome by Oscar Wilde, performed in slow motion, at the Gate Theatre, Dublin.<ref>"Steven Berkoff directing". Retrieved 2 September 2012.</ref> For his first directorial job at the UK's Royal National Theatre,<ref>"South Bank 1988–1996 – Stage by Stage – National Theatre" Template:Webarchive. Retrieved 2 September 2012.</ref> Berkoff revived the play with a new cast at the Lyttelton Auditorium; it opened in November 1989.<ref>"Past productions 1986–1990 – Past Events – National Theatre" Template:Webarchive. Retrieved 2 September 2012.</ref> In 1998, his solo play Shakespeare's Villains premièred at London's Haymarket Theatre and was nominated for a Society of London Theatre Laurence Olivier Award for Best Entertainment.<ref name="Society Of London Theatre">Society Of London Theatre</ref>

In a 2010 interview with guest presenter Emily Maitlis on The Andrew Marr Show, Berkoff stated that he found it "flattering" to play evil characters, saying that the best actors assumed villainous roles.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2011, Berkoff revived a previously performed one-man show at the Hammersmith Riverside Studios, titled One Man. It consisted of two monologues; the first was an adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe's short story The Tell-Tale Heart, the second a piece called Dog, written by Berkoff, which was a comedy about a loud-mouthed football fan and his dog. In 2013, Berkoff performed his play An Actor's Lament at the Sinden Theatre in Tenterden, Kent; it is his first verse play since Decadence in 1981.<ref name="Steven Berkoff's new play">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> His 2018 one-act play Harvey deals with the story of Harvey Weinstein.<ref name="guard_2018">Steven Berkoff: who will dare to stage my one-man Harvey Weinstein play?. Guardian, 20 November 2018.</ref>

FilmEdit

In film, Berkoff has played villains such as Soviet General Orlov in the James Bond film Octopussy (1983), the corrupt art dealer Victor Maitland in Beverly Hills Cop (1984), the Soviet officer Lieutenant Colonel Podovsky in Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985), and gangster George Cornell in The Krays (1990). Berkoff has stated that he accepts roles in Hollywood only to subsidise his theatre work, and that he regards many of the films in which he has appeared as lacking artistic merit.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In the Stanley Kubrick films A Clockwork Orange (1971) and Barry Lyndon (1975), Berkoff played, respectively, a police officer and a gambler aristocrat. His other films include the Hammer film Prehistoric Women (1967), Nicholas and Alexandra (1971), The Passenger (1975), Joseph Andrews (1977), McVicar (1980), Outland (1981), Coming Out of the Ice (1982), Underworld (1985), Revolution (1985), Absolute Beginners (1986), Prince's film Under the Cherry Moon (1986), Prisoner of Rio (1988), the Australian film Flynn (1993), Fair Game (1995), and Legionnaire (1998).

Berkoff was the main character voice in Expelling the Demon (1999), a short animation with music by Nick Cave. It received the award for Best Debut at the KROK International Animated Films Festival. He has a cameo in the 2008 film The Cottage. Berkoff appeared in the 2010 British gangster film The Big I Am as "The MC", and in the same year, portrayed the antagonist in The Tourist. Berkoff portrayed Dirch Frode, attorney to Henrik Vanger (Christopher Plummer), in David Fincher's 2011 adaptation of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Another 2011 credit is the independent film Moving Target. He also stars in Decline of an Empire (2014) playing the role of Liberius.

In 1994, he both appeared in and directed the film version of his verse play Decadence. Filmed in Luxembourg, it co-stars Joan Collins.

TelevisionEdit

In television, Berkoff had early roles in episodes of The Avengers, The Saint a number of episodes and UFO episodes "The Cat with Ten Lives" and "Destruction’ The Saint in 1970. Other TV credits include: Hagath, in the episode "Business as Usual" of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine; Stilgar, in the mini-series Children of Dune; gangster Mr. Wiltshire in one episode of Hotel Babylon; Dr. Paul Jorry in the episode "Deadline" of Space Precinct; lawyer Freddie Eccles in "By the Pricking of My Thumbs", an episode of Agatha Christie's Marple; and Adolf Hitler in the mini-series War and Remembrance. In 1998, he made a guest appearance in the Canadian TV series La Femme Nikita (in the episode "In Between"). In 2006, he played celebrity/criminal Ray Cook in the New Tricks episode "Bank Robbery".

In 2010, Berkoff played former Granada Television chairman Sidney Bernstein for the BBC Four drama, The Road to Coronation Street. In the same year, he presented the BBC Horizon episode To Infinity and Beyond. He has played the historical Florentine preacher Girolamo Savonarola in two separate TV productions: the 1990 TV film A Season of Giants and the 2011 series The Borgias. Berkoff appears as himself in the "Science" episode of the British current affairs satire Brass Eye (1997), warning against the dangers of the fictional environmental disaster "Heavy Electricity". In September 2012, Berkoff appeared in the Doctor Who episode "The Power of Three".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 2014, Berkoff played a supporting role in the second season of the Lifetime TV show Witches of East End as King Nikolaus, the patriarch of the Beauchamp family.

In 2016, he appeared in series 3, episode 1 of the Channel 4 sitcom Man Down as Mr. Klackov, a "terrifying" caretaker with an Eastern European accent "who makes covering [series protagonist] Dan's mistakes even more complicated" when his job as a schoolteacher is threatened.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Other workEdit

In 1996, Berkoff appeared as the Master of Ceremonies in a BBC Radio 2 concert version of Kander and Ebb's Cabaret. He provided the voice-over for the N-Trance single "The Mind of the Machine", which rose to No. 15 in the UK Singles Chart in August 1997. He appeared in the opening sequence to Sky Sports' coverage of the 2007 Heineken Cup Final, modelled on a speech by Al Pacino in the film Any Given Sunday (1999).

Berkoff voices the character General Lente, commander of the Helghan Third Army, in Killzone. He provides motion capture and voice performance for the PlayStation 3 game Heavenly Sword, as General Flying Fox.

Berkoff's 2015 novel Sod the Bitches was described by Guardian critic Stuart Jeffries as "a kind of Philip Roth-like romp through the sex life of a libidinous actor".<ref name="guard_2018" /> His 2014 memoir Bad Guy! Journal of a Hollywood Turkey records his time working on a Hollywood blockbuster.<ref name="guard_2018"/><ref>Steven Berkoff News at www.stevenberkoff.com</ref>

Berkoff appeared in the British Heart Foundation's two-minute public service advertisement, Watch Your Own Heart Attack, broadcast on ITV in August 2008.<ref name=brandrepublic>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He also presented two episodes of the BBC Two Horizon episodes: "To Infinity and Beyond..." (2010) and "The Power of the Placebo" (2014).

He is a patron of Brighton's Nightingale Theatre, a fringe theatre venue.<ref name=Nightingale>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Critical assessmentEdit

According to Annette Pankratz in her 2005 Modern Drama review of Steven Berkoff and the Theatre of Self-Performance by Robert Cross: "Steven Berkoff is one of the major minor contemporary dramatists in Britain andTemplate:Spaced ndashdue to his self-fashioning as a bad boy of British theatre and the ensuing attention of the media – a phenomenon in his own right."<ref name=Pankratz>Template:Cite journal</ref> Pankratz further asserts that Cross "focuses on Berkoff's theatre of self-performance: that is, the intersections between Berkoff, the public phenomenon and Berkoff, the artist."<ref name=Pankratz/>

Personal lifeEdit

Berkoff married Alison Minto in 1970, and Shelley Lee in 1976; both marriages ended in divorce. He lives with his wife Clara Fischer, a German pianist, in Limehouse, east London. Fischer appeared onscreen with Berkoff in his film Decadence. He has two daughters from previous relationships.<ref name=BC/><ref name=Hollywood/>

Defamation lawsuitEdit

In 1996, Berkoff won Berkoff vs. Burchill, a libel civil action that he brought against Sunday Times journalist Julie Burchill after she published comments suggesting that he was "hideously ugly". The judge ruled for Berkoff, finding that Burchill's actions "held him to ridicule and contempt."<ref name=LunneyOliphant>Template:Cite book</ref>

Political and religious viewsEdit

Berkoff has spoken and written about how he believes Jews and Israel to be regarded in Britain. In a January 2009 interview with The Jewish Chronicle, in which he discussed anti-Israel sentiment in the aftermath of the Gaza War, he said:Template:Cquote Interviewer Simon Round noted that Berkoff was also keen to express his view that right-wing Israeli politicians, such as Ariel Sharon and Benjamin Netanyahu, were "wretched".<ref name=JCcomJan2009 /> Asked if British antisemitism manifested itself in theatre, Berkoff responded: "They quite like diversity and will tolerate you as long as you act a bit Gentile and don't throw your chicken soup around too much. You are perfectly entitled occasionally even to touch the great prophet of British culture, Shakespeare, as long as you keep your Jewishness well zipped up."<ref name=JCcomJan2009 /> Berkoff also referred to the Gaza war as a factor in writing Biblical Tales: "It was the recent 'Gaza' war and the appalling flack that Israel received that prompted me to investigate ancient Jewish values."<ref>Steven Berkoff, "Press release for Biblical Tales", New End Theatre. Retrieved 17 October 2012.</ref>

Speaking to The Jewish Chronicle in May 2010, Berkoff criticised the Bible but added, "it inspires the Jews to produce Samsons and heroes and to have pride". Berkoff went on to say of the Talmud in the same article: "As Jews, we are so incredibly lucky to have the Talmud, to have a way of re-interpreting the Torah. So we no longer cut off hands, and slay animals, and stone women."<ref>Jessica Elgot, "The Bible, rewritten by Steven Berkoff", The Jewish Chronicle, 21 May 2010. Retrieved 17 October 2012.</ref>

In a Daily Telegraph travel article written while visiting Israel in 2007, Berkoff described Melanie Phillips' book Londonistan: How Britain Is Creating a Terror State Within, as "quite overwhelming in its research and common sense. It grips me throughout the journey."<ref>Steven Berkoff, "A Tale of Tel Aviv", The Daily Telegraph, 10 June 2007. Retrieved 17 October 2012.</ref>

In 2012, Berkoff, with others, wrote in support of Israel's national theatre, Habima, performing in London.<ref>Arnold Wesker, Ronald Harwood, Maureen Lipman, Simon Callow, Louise Mensch MP, Steven Berkoff, "Letters: We Welcome Israel's National Theatre", The Guardian, 10 April 2012. Retrieved 17 October 2012.</ref>

In 2015, Berkoff expressed his view that white actors should be allowed to play the classic Shakespearean role of Othello, referring to any efforts to restrict the character’s casting as "racism in reverse".<ref>Hugh Muir, "Should white actors be able to play Othello? Perhaps, but don’t black up", "The Guardian", 21 June 2015. Retrieved 18 December 2024.</ref>

References in popular cultureEdit

In the 1989 romantic comedy The Tall Guy, struggling actor Dexter King (Jeff Goldblum) auditions unsuccessfully for an imaginary "Berkoff play" called England, My England. In the audition, characters dressed as skinheads swear repetitively at each other and a folding table is kicked over. Afterwards, Dexter's agent Mary (Anna Massey) muses, "I think he's probably mad ..."

"I'm scared of Steven Berkoff" is a line in the lyrics of the song "I'm Scared" by Queen guitarist Brian May, issued on his 1993 debut solo album Back to the Light.<ref name=BTTL>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> May has declared himself to be an admirer of Berkoff<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and his wife, Anita Dobson, has appeared in several of Berkoff's plays.

FilmographyEdit

FilmEdit

Year Title Role Notes
1958 I Was Monty's Double Minor role uncredited
1958 The Sheriff of Fractured Jaw Teenage boy uncredited
1959 The Captain's Table Minor role uncredited
1959 The Devil's Disciple British corporal uncredited
1960 The Flesh and the Fiends Medical student uncredited
1961 Konga Student on field trip uncredited
1967 Prehistoric Women John
1969 Vendetta for the Saint Bertoli
1971 Nicholas and Alexandra Pankratov
1971 A Clockwork Orange Det. Const. Tom
1975 The Passenger Stephen
1975 Barry Lyndon Lord Ludd
1977 Joseph Andrews Greasy Fellow
1980 McVicar Ronnie Harrison
1981 Outland Sagan
1982 Coming Out of the Ice Atoman
1983 Octopussy General Orlov
1984 Beverly Hills Cop Victor Maitland
1985 Rambo: First Blood Part II Lieutenant Colonel Sergei T. Podovsky
1985 Underworld Hugo Motherskille
1985 Revolution Sgt. Jones
1986 Absolute Beginners The Fanatic
1986 Under the Cherry Moon Isaac Sharon
1988 Prisoner of Rio Jack McFarland
1990 The Krays George Cornell
1993 Flynn Klaus Reicher
1994 Decadence Steve / Les / Helen's Couturier
1995 Fair Game Colonel Ilya Pavel Kazak
1997 Love in Paris Vittorio DaSilva
1998 Legionnaire Sgt. Steinkampf
2000 Rancid Aluminium Mr. Kant
2001 Beginner's Luck Magic Bob
2002 Steal Surtayne
9 Dead Gay Guys Jeff
Bokshu – The Myth Professor Metcalf <ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

2003 Headrush The Uncle
2004 Action Man: Robot Atak Dr. X Voice
Charlie Charlie Richardson Snr.
Head in the Clouds Charles Bessé
Brides Karabulat
2005 The Headsman Inquisitor
Forest of the Gods Commandant Hoppe
2006 The Flying Scotsman Ernst Hagemann
Pu-239 Starkov
2007 Say It in Russian Oleg Rozhin
Medvezhya okhota
2008 The Cottage Arnie
2009 At World's End Jack Pudovski
44 Inch Chest Tippi Gordon
2010 Perfect Life The Elder
The Big I Am The MC
Just for the Record Mike Rosferry
Dead Cert Kenneth Mason
The Tourist Reginald Shaw
The Rapture The Controller
2011 Moving Target Lawrence Masters
Big Fat Gypsy Gangster Guru Shah
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Dirch Frode
2012 Strippers vs Werewolves Flett
2013 Red 2 Cobb
2014 Fall of an Empire Liberius
We Still Kill the Old Way Charlie Archer
2015 North v South Vic Clarke
Remembering Nigel Steven Berkoff Cameo
7 Cases Lawson
Rise of the Footsoldier Part II: Reign of the General Dr. Flint
2016 Manhattan Night Sebastian Hobbs
Titanium White Father Tornatore
2017 Riot Chief Constable
Transhuman Til
London Heist Alfie
Fanged Up Governor Payne
The Dot Man General West
2018 Point of No Return Evans
2019 Tell Tale Heart Edmund
Red Devil Lazarus
The Last Faust Dr. Goodfellow
2020 Righteous Villains Grandfather
2021 Creation Stories Alistair Crowley
Alice, Through the Looking The Executive Producer citation CitationClass=web

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2022 Exorcist Vengeance Bishop Canelo citation CitationClass=web

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Prizefighter: The Life of Jem Belcher Walter

TelevisionEdit

Year Title Role Notes
1959 The Third Man Toni Da Costa Episode: "Toys of the Dead"
1959 The Four Just Men Second Student Episode: "Panic Button"
1960 The Four Just Men Workman Episode: "Treviso Dam"
1963 Corrigan Blake Barman Episode: "Love Bird"
1963 Moonstrike Gunther Episode: "A Matter of Trust"
1964 Festival Messenger Episode: "Murder in the Cathedral"
1964 Hamlet at Elsinore Lucianus TV film
1964 ITV Play of the Week Pestryakov Episode: "Crime and Punishment"
1965 The Wednesday Play Councillor Episode: "Sir Jocelyn, the Minister Would Like a Word..."
1965 The Wednesday Play Private Gutkowski Episode: "The Pistol"
1965 The Avengers Sager Episode: "The Gravediggers"
1965 An Enemy of the State Defence Counsel 2 episodes
1967 Vendetta Spiru Episode: "The Lady's Man"
1967 Softly, Softly PC Archer Episode: "The Informant: Part 1: Rough Justice"
1967 Vendetta Niccolo Episode: "The Lady's Man"
1967 The Newcomers Poulton Episode: #1.196
1967 Dixon of Dock Green Dave Banks Episode: "The Climber"
1968 The Champions Carlos Episode: "The Iron Man"
1969 The Saint Bertoli 2 episodes
1969 The Saint Carl Episode: "The Man Who Gambled with Life"
1970–1971 UFO Captain Steve Minto 4 episodes
1971 The Expert Mike Barratt Episode: "The Coat"
1971 Thirty-Minute Theatre Bert Episode: "Psychological Warfare"
1981 Play for Today Kozlov Episode: "Beloved Enemy"
1982 Coming Out of the Ice Atoman TV film
1983 The Professionals Krasnov Episode: "A Man Called Quinn"
1986 Sins Karl Von Eiderfeld All 3 episodes
1988–1989 War and Remembrance Adolf Hitler 11 episodes
1989 Theatre Night Mr. Samsa Episode: "Metamorphosis"
1990 A Season of Giants Girolamo Savonarola TV film
1991 The Tell-Tale Heart The Man TV film
1992 Intruders Addison Leach Both 2 episodes
1994 Space Precinct Dr. Paul Jorry Episode: "Deadline"
1997 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Hagath Episode: "Business as Usual"
1998 La Femme Nikita Charles Sand / Carlo Giraldi Episode: "In Between"
2000 Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased) The Mouth Episode: "Mental Apparition Disorder"
2000 In the Beginning Potiphar Both 2 episodes
2001 Attila the Hun King Rua Both 2 episodes
2001 Jonathan Creek Herman Grole Episode: "Satan's Chimney"
2002 NCS: Manhunt George Rolf 2 episodes
2003 Children of Dune Stilgar All 3 episodes
2003 Seven Wonders of the Industrial World John A. Roebling Episode: "The Brooklyn Bridge"
2003 Hans Christian Andersen: My Life as a Fairytale Meisling TV film
2006 Marple Mr. Eccles Episode: "By the Pricking of My Thumbs"
2006 Hotel Babylon Mr. Wiltshire Episode: #1.8
2006 New Tricks Ray Cook Episode: "Bank Robbery"
2008 Template:Ill Conrad TV film
2010 The Road to Coronation Street Sidney Bernstein TV film
2011–2012 The Borgias Girolamo Savonarola 8 episodes
2012 Doctor Who Shakri Episode: "The Power of Three"
2014 Witches of East End King Nikolaus 5 episodes
2015 The Frankenstein Chronicles William Blake 2 episodes
2016 Barbarians Rising Augustus 2 episodes
2016 Man Down Mr. Klackov 2 episodes
2018 Lore Dr. Kristoff Brehovy Episode: "Prague Clock: The Curse of the Orloj"
2019–2020 Vikings King Olaf the Stout 12 episodes

Works as author (incomplete)Edit

Template:Col-begin Template:Col-2 Plays

  • In the Penal Colony (1968) - adaptation of the Franz Kafka short story of the same name.
  • Metamorphosis (1969) - adaptation of the Franz Kafka novella of the same name.
  • The Trial (1970) - adaptation of the Franz Kafka novel of the same name.
  • Agamemnon (1973) - adaptation of Aeschylus's play of the same name.
  • Miss Julie versus Expressionism - adaptation of August Strindberg's play Miss Julie.
  • Fall of the House of Usher (1974) - adaptation of the Edgar Allan Poe short story of the same name.
  • East (1975)
  • Greek (1980) - originally written in 1979. Inspired by Oedipus Rex by Sophocles.
  • Decadence (1981)
  • The Tell-Tale Heart (1981) - adapted from the Edgar Allan Poe short story of the same name.
  • West (1983) - originally written in 1978 as a TV play which was later filmed in 1984. Inspired by Beowulf. A companion piece to East.
  • Lunch (1983) - originally written in 1966.
  • Actor (1985)
  • Harry's Christmas (1985)
  • Kvetch (1986)
  • Sink the Belgrano! (1986) - inspired by the sinking of the ARA General Belgrano.
  • Acapulco (1990) - inspired by Berkoff's experience off-set on the film Rambo: First Blood Part II.
  • Brighton Beach Scumbags (1991)
  • Pitbull later renamed to Dog (1993)
  • Massage (1997)
  • Shakespeare's Villains (1998) - inspired by and exploring the villains in the plays of William Shakespeare.
  • The Bow of Ulysses (2001) - sequel to Lunch.
  • Dahling You Were Marvellous (2001) - originally an unproduced television play written in 1989.
  • Sturm und Drang
  • Messiah - Scenes From A Crucifixion (2000) - inspired by the New Testament.
  • Ritual in Blood (2001) - originally written in 1965 under the titles of Hep, Hep, Hep and Blood Accusation.
  • The Secret Love Life of Ophelia (2001) - reworking of Shakespeare's Hamlet.
  • Sit and Shiver (2004)
  • Purgatory (2009)
  • Biblical Tales (2010) - consisting of four short plays adapted from stories from the Old Testament:
    Adam and Eve,
    Samson and Delilah,
    David and Goliath,
    Moses and Pharaoh
  • Oedipus (2011) - a version of Oedipus Rex by Sophocles.
  • Six actors in Search of a Director (2012)
  • Religion & Anarchy (2013) - consisting of five short plays about Jews and the holocaust:
    Guilt,
    Roast,
    Line-up,
    How to Train an Anti-Semite,
    Gas
  • An Actor's Lament (2013)
  • Harvey - inspired by the Harvey Weinstein scandal and performed as a work-in-progress in 2019.

Template:Col-2 Film

  • West (1984) - TV movie written by Berkoff.
  • Metamorphosis - TV adaptation for Theatre Night of Berkoff's play of the same name. Also feature's Berkoff playing the role of Mr. Samsa.
  • Silent Night (1991) - TV film starring Berkoff, based on his one-man-play Harry's Christmas.
  • 7th November 1938 (1991) - short documentary film from the series The Day the World Changed. Presented by Berkoff talking about an important historical event of his choosing, which is Herschel Grynszpan's assassination of the German diplomat Ernst vom Rath.
  • Decadence (1994) - film written, directed by and starring Berkoff, based on his play of the same name.
  • Eat Dollink! (2017) - documentary written by and starring Berkoff.
  • Venice Beach (2017) - documentary directed, produced, written by and starring Berkoff.
  • Shakespeare's Heroes and Villains (2019) - documentary written by and starring Berkoff, based on his one-man-play Shakespeare's Villains.
  • Steven Berkoff's Tell Tale Heart (2019) - film starring Berkoff and adapted by Stephen Cookson from Berkoff's one-man-play The Tell-Tale-Heart.
  • Brighton (2021) - film adapted by Stephen Cookson from Berkoff's play Brighton Beach Scumbags.

Memoirs and essays

  • Steven Berkoff's America (1988) - poetry and essays.
  • I am Hamlet (1989) - based on Berkoff's working journal of his 1979 production of Shakespeare's Hamlet.
  • A Prisoner in Rio (1989) - Berkoff's diary whilst filming the movie Prisoner of Rio.
  • Coriolanus in Deutschland (1992) - Berkoff's journal of directing Shakespeare's Coriolanus in Munich.
  • Overview (1994) - memories of Berkoff's travels around the world.
  • Meditations on Metamorphosis (1995) - Berkoff's analysis of his various stage productions of Kafka's Metamorphosis.
  • Free Association (1996) - autobiography.
  • Shopping in the Santa Monica Mall (2000)
  • Tough Acts (2003) - memoirs of working with various high-profile actors and directors.
  • My Life in Food (2007) - Berkoff's memoirs about food.
  • Diary of a Juvenile Delinquent (2010) - autobiography.
  • Tales from an Actor's Life (2011) - autobiographical stories told in the third person.
  • Richard II in New York (2008) - writing on Berkoff's experience of directing Shakespeare's Richard II in New York.
  • A World Elsewhere (2019) - writings on Berkoff's work as an actor, director and playwright.

Short stories

  • Gross Intrusion and other stories (1979)
  • Graft: Tales of an Actor (1998) - semi-autobiographical short stories.

Published poetry

  • Steven Berkoff's America (1988) - poetry and essays.
  • Requiem for Ground Zero (2002) - inspired by the September 11 attacks.
  • You Remind Me of Marilyn Monroe (2009)
  • Poems for the Working Class (2021)

Novel

  • Sod the Bitches! (2015)

Photography books

  • The Theatre of Steven Berkoff (1992) - photographs of a variety of Berkoff's theatre productions, featuring written commentary by Berkoff.
  • East End Photographs (2012)
  • Gorbals 1966 (2018) - photographs of the Gorbals area of Glasgow during Berkoff's time working at the Citizens Theatre

Template:Col-end

Awards and honoursEdit

Awards

Year Award Ceremony Category Nominee Result Ref
2004 Helen Hayes Awards Outstanding Lead Actor, Non-Resident Production Shakespeare's Villains at the Studio Theatre, Washington, D.C. Template:Nom citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

2001 Bank of Scotland Herald Angel The Secret Love Life of Ophelia at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2001 Template:Won The Bank of Scotland Herald Angels"] Template:Webarchive. Retrieved 29 August 2012.</ref>
2000 Scotsman Fringe First Award Messiah, Scenes from a Crucifixion at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Template:Won <ref>"Berkoff's Messiah Tour Gets the Green Light", whatsonstage.com, 27 August 2001. Retrieved 29 August 2012.</ref>
LA Weekly Theater Award Award for Solo Performance Shakespeare's Villains at Odyssey Theatre Ensemble Template:Won <ref name=Hollywood/><ref>Steven Leigh Morris, "The 21st Annual L.A. Weekly Theater Awards", L.A. Weekly, 12 April 2000. Retrieved 29 August 2012.</ref>
1999 Stage Awards for Acting Excellence Stage Award for Best Ensemble work at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 25th-anniversary revival of East Template:Won
1999 Laurence Olivier Awards Laurence Olivier Award for Best Entertainment Shakespeare's Villains at the Theatre Royal Haymarket Template:Nom <ref name="Society Of London Theatre"/>
1997 Total Theatre Awards Lifetime Achievement Award Steven Berkoff Template:Won <ref>Total Theatre Award Past Winners. Retrieved 29 August 2012. Template:Webarchive</ref>
1994 Evening Standard Drama Awards Best Comedy Brighton Beach Scumbags Template:Nom <ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
1992 1992 Laurence Olivier Awards Best Theatre Choreographer The Trial at the Lyttelton at The National Theatre Template:Nom <ref>Olivier Winners 1992 webpage on the Official London Theatre website</ref>
The Observer Award for Outstanding Achievement Kvetch at the Garrick Theatre, London Template:Nom <ref name="Society Of London Theatre"/>
1991 Evening Standard Theatre Awards Best Comedy Kvetch Template:Won
Best Director The Trial Template:Nom
1980 The New Standard British Film Awards Most Promising Newcomer (Actor) Steven Berkoff for his portrayal of Ronnie Harrison in McVicar Template:Nom <ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Honours

The Berkoff Performing Arts Centre at Alton College, Hampshire, is named for Berkoff.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Attending the Alton College ceremony to honour him, he stated: Template:Cquote

ReferencesEdit

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SourcesEdit

External linksEdit

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