Stanley Baker The First Angry Young Man

Listen to CHMTCs last instalment of the series "the British Are Coming" about the life and career of the late, great Stanley Baker.

Stanley Baker was born in the impoverished community driven  coalmining region of Ferndale in Wales. Like his contemporary Richard Burton, he was discovered by a local school teacher, who cast him in school plays and encouraged him to develop a real career in acting. This he did with considerable success, becoming  a powerful actor and producer in British and American movies in the 50s, 60s and 70s. It all culminated in the creation of a fine body of work, much of which has become an integral part of British popular culture.

A life long labour supporter, Baker fought for roles that showed the inner workings of the new working class young man. Despair, disappointment, anger, intelligence and ambition, in a British movie landscape that still believed that heroes were stiff upper lip pretty boys, who gave orders rather than took them.  

With films like Hell Drivers, Zulu, The Italian Job and The Accident, Stanley Baker showed a range and ability which took him to the top of the film business.

Have a listen to the fascinating life and career of this too often forgotten Welsh actor, who remains in the eyes of many the first of the great Angry Young Men of British film, stage and TV screen.

Also hear about the lives and personalities of some of the stars who were around in Stanley's day, making their own mark on the movies of their time.