Ray Brooks
Encyclopedia
Ray Brooks is an English
actor possibly best known for his narration work for children's TV show Mr Benn
.
and played Terry Mills in the series Taxi with Sid James
(1963). He then rose to prominence in the UK after starring alongside Michael Crawford
and Rita Tushingham
in The Knack …and How to Get It. The film, directed by Richard Lester
won the Palme d'Or
at the Cannes Film Festival
in 1965. Brooks followed up this success starring in the groundbreaking television drama Cathy Come Home
.
Through the 1960s he also had small roles in a number of other cult television series including The Avengers
, Danger Man
, and Doomwatch
. He played the major role of David Campbell in the Doctor Who
film Daleks - Invasion Earth 2150 AD
.
Major film roles in the 1970s were less numerous; among his roles was a supporting part in comedy Carry On Abroad
(1972). In this decade he built a career doing voiceovers for television advertisements. He also released an album of his own songs.
comedy drama Big Deal
(1984–1986), where he co-starred with Sharon Duce
. After Big Deal ended, Duce and Brooks starred together, as different characters, in the popular Growing Pains
(1992) about a pair of middle-aged foster parents.
Brooks was also the narrator of the well known children's animations by David McKee
: Mr Benn
and King Rollo
. He was the original 'next stop' announcement voice of the Croydon Tramlink system, before being replaced by Nicholas Owen
.
In 1987 the BBC chose Brooks as one of the principal character voices for the acclaimed French animated science fiction film "Les Maitres du Temps" which the BBC had co-produced in 1982.
.
He joined the cast of soap opera
EastEnders
as Joe Macer
in 2005.
On 30 September 2006 it was announced that Brooks' EastEnders character would depart in January 2007 following the departure of Joe's wife, Pauline Fowler
(Wendy Richard
), at Christmas. His final appearance was on 26 January when his character confessed to killing Pauline before falling from a window to his death.
His son Will Brooks, a former football journalist, is currently engineering the MyFootballClub
initiative.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
actor possibly best known for his narration work for children's TV show Mr Benn
Mr Benn
Mr Benn is a character created by David McKee who appears in several children's books, and an animated television series of the same name transmitted by the BBC in 1971 and 1972. Whether in a book, or on television, Mr Benn's adventures take on a similar pattern...
.
Early work
Ray Brooks began as a television actor. He appeared in the long-running soap Coronation StreetCoronation Street
Coronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
and played Terry Mills in the series Taxi with Sid James
Sid James
Sid James was an English-based South African actor and comedian. He made his name as Tony Hancock's co-star in Hancock's Half Hour and also starred in the popular Carry On films. He was known for his trademark "dirty laugh" and lascivious persona...
(1963). He then rose to prominence in the UK after starring alongside Michael Crawford
Michael Crawford
Michael Crawford OBE is an English actor and singer. He has garnered great critical acclaim and won numerous awards during his career, which covers radio, television, film, and stagework on both London's West End and on Broadway in New York City...
and Rita Tushingham
Rita Tushingham
-Career:Born in Liverpool, Tushingham began her career as a stage actress at the Liverpool Playhouse. Her screen debut was in A Taste of Honey...
in The Knack …and How to Get It. The film, directed by Richard Lester
Richard Lester
Richard Lester is an American film director based in Britain. Lester is notable for his work with The Beatles in the 1960s and his work on the Superman film series in the 1980s.-Early years and television:...
won the Palme d'Or
Palme d'Or
The Palme d'Or is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival and is presented to the director of the best feature film of the official competition. It was introduced in 1955 by the organising committee. From 1939 to 1954, the highest prize was the Grand Prix du Festival International du...
at the Cannes Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
in 1965. Brooks followed up this success starring in the groundbreaking television drama Cathy Come Home
Cathy Come Home
Cathy Come Home is a 1966 BBC television play by Jeremy Sandford, produced by Tony Garnett and directed by Ken Loach, about homelessness. An industry poll rated it as the best British television drama ever made. Filmed in a gritty, realistic drama documentary style, it was first broadcast on 16...
.
Through the 1960s he also had small roles in a number of other cult television series including The Avengers
The Avengers (TV series)
The Avengers is a spy-fi British television series set in the 1960s Britain. The Avengers initially focused on Dr. David Keel and his assistant John Steed . Hendry left after the first series and Steed became the main character, partnered with a succession of assistants...
, Danger Man
Danger Man
Danger Man is a British television series that was broadcast between 1960 and 1962, and again between 1964 and 1968. The series featured Patrick McGoohan as secret agent John Drake. Ralph Smart created the program and wrote many of the scripts...
, and Doomwatch
Doomwatch
Doomwatch is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC, which ran on BBC One between 1970 and 1972. The series was set in the then present-day, and dealt with a scientific government agency led by Doctor Spencer Quist , responsible for investigating and combating various...
. He played the major role of David Campbell in the Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
film Daleks - Invasion Earth 2150 AD
Daleks - Invasion Earth 2150 AD
Daleks – Invasion Earth: 2150 A.D. is the second of two films based on the British science-fiction television series Doctor Who. It was the sequel to Dr. Who and the Daleks , and starred Peter Cushing in his return to the role of the eccentric inventor and time traveller "Dr. Who". It also...
.
Major film roles in the 1970s were less numerous; among his roles was a supporting part in comedy Carry On Abroad
Carry On Abroad
Carry On Abroad is the twenty-fourth Carry On film, released in 1972. The film features series regulars Sid James, Kenneth Williams, Joan Sims, Bernard Bresslaw, Barbara Windsor, Kenneth Connor, Peter Butterworth and Hattie Jacques. It was the 23rd and final appearance for Charles Hawtrey. June...
(1972). In this decade he built a career doing voiceovers for television advertisements. He also released an album of his own songs.
The 1980s
Brooks returned to prominence with the BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
comedy drama Big Deal
Big Deal (TV Series)
Big Deal is a British television comedy/drama series produced by the BBC between 1984 and 1986. The series was created and written by Geoff McQueen who created several other major television series including Give Us a Break, Stay Lucky, and The Bill.Starring Ray Brooks and Sharon Duce, the series...
(1984–1986), where he co-starred with Sharon Duce
Sharon Duce
Sharon Duce is a British actress, .Her biggest role was alongside Ray Brooks in the BBC comedy drama Big Deal .She has also appeared in:*Wycliffe,*The Royle Family*London's Burning,...
. After Big Deal ended, Duce and Brooks starred together, as different characters, in the popular Growing Pains
Growing Pains (BBC)
Growing Pains was a short-running British television series aired by the BBC. It only played for two seasons, from September 1, 1992 to July 14, 1993. In this family comedy-drama a middle-aged couple, Tom and Pat Hollingsworth, decide to become foster parents...
(1992) about a pair of middle-aged foster parents.
Brooks was also the narrator of the well known children's animations by David McKee
David McKee
David McKee is a British author and illustrator, chiefly of children's books and animations. He has used the pseudonym Violet Easton. He is frequently referenced as David McKee.-Biography:...
: Mr Benn
Mr Benn
Mr Benn is a character created by David McKee who appears in several children's books, and an animated television series of the same name transmitted by the BBC in 1971 and 1972. Whether in a book, or on television, Mr Benn's adventures take on a similar pattern...
and King Rollo
King Rollo
King Rollo was a children's character created by David McKee in 1979, starring in a series of books, animations , and a comic strip in the magazine Buttons...
. He was the original 'next stop' announcement voice of the Croydon Tramlink system, before being replaced by Nicholas Owen
Nicholas Owen
Nicholas David Arundel Owen is a British journalist and television presenter. He now works for the BBC, presenting on the BBC News channel and BBC One.-Biography:...
.
In 1987 the BBC chose Brooks as one of the principal character voices for the acclaimed French animated science fiction film "Les Maitres du Temps" which the BBC had co-produced in 1982.
The 2000s
In 2002 he acted in BBC drama Two Thousand Acres of SkyTwo Thousand Acres of Sky
Two Thousand Acres of Sky was a TV drama which aired on BBC Television from 2001 to 2003. It is also syndicated in the United States on PBS. It was created and written by Timothy Prager. The Executive Producer was Adrian Bate....
.
He joined the cast of soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
EastEnders
EastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
as Joe Macer
Joe Macer
Joseph "Joe" Macer is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Ray Brooks. He made his first appearance on 19 August 2005 and left the show on 26 January 2007.-Storylines:...
in 2005.
On 30 September 2006 it was announced that Brooks' EastEnders character would depart in January 2007 following the departure of Joe's wife, Pauline Fowler
Pauline Fowler
Pauline Fowler is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, a long-running serial drama about working class life in the fictional London borough of Walford. She was played by actress Wendy Richard between 1985 and 2006. Pauline was created by scriptwriter Tony Holland and producer...
(Wendy Richard
Wendy Richard
Wendy Richard, MBE was an English actress best known for playing Miss Brahms in Are You Being Served? and Pauline Fowler in EastEnders...
), at Christmas. His final appearance was on 26 January when his character confessed to killing Pauline before falling from a window to his death.
His son Will Brooks, a former football journalist, is currently engineering the MyFootballClub
MyFootballClub
MyFootballClub is an English Industrial and Provident Society that sought, starting in August 2007, to recruit at least 50,000 football enthusiasts from across the world to purchase an English association football club. MyFootballClub's premise is to allow its paid members to control the club...
initiative.
External links
- Ray Brooks interview by Chris HuntChris HuntChris Hunt is a magazine editor, journalist and author. He has worked in journalism for over twenty years, most often writing about football or rock music. He was managing editor of Match from 1993 to 2001, a period that saw the weekly title become Britain's biggest selling football magazine...
, 1986, discussing his films of the Sixties - Ray Brooks Official Website
- Ray Brooks Interview at Best British TV