Little Known Spaghetti Western Actors ~ Steven Berkoff

[These daily posts will cover little known actors or people that have appeared in more recent films and TV series. Various degrees of information that I was able to find will be given and anything that you can add would be appreciated.]

Leslise Steven Berks was born in Stepney, London, England on August 3, 1937. His parents were Alfred (who called himself Al and is sometimes listed as Abraham) who was a tailor with a shop in Leman Street, London and Pauline (who called herself Polly).  He had a sister Beryl [1930-20??].  Al changed the family name from Berkowitz to Berks.  Steven later changed it again to Berkoff. He attended Raines Foundation and Hackney Downs Grammar School then studied at City Literary Institute from 1957-1958 and the Webber Douglas Academy 1958-1959.  He then went to the Laban School of Dance in Morely College.

Berkoff was at first a struggling actor, with roles in provincial theatres and bit parts in British films. His first role in a film was in 1959's “The Sheriff of Fractured Jaw”. In Tales from an Actor's Life Berkoff says “Sharing the scene with none other than the glorious, the sexy, the cute, Jayne Mansfield" and his role was "just flopping around the set like grimy drunken cowboys". His first role on stage was in 1959 in Arthur Miller's “A View from the Bridge” as Louis, performed in the Finsbury Park Empire in London.

In 1968 Berkoff formed the London Theatre Group and started his career with adaptations of Kafka and Poe such as “Metamorphosis”, “The Trial” and “The Fall of the House of Usher”.

Berkoff currently lives in Limehouse, London in an apartment on the Thames with his partner the classical pianist, actress Clara Fischer.

BERKOFF, Steven (Leslie Steven Berkowitz) [8/3/1937, Stepney, London, England, U.K. -     ] – producer, director, author, writer, playwright, theater, film, radio, TV actor, father of Mylea [195?-    ] with?, father of Sarah [195?-    ] with ?, married to designer, painter Alison J. Minto (1970-1975), married to choreographer, actress Shelley S. Lee (1976-1999), founded the London Theatre Group [1968].

The Sheriff of Fractured Jaw – 1958 (young cowboy)