Once Upon A Time...
The Early Years
I’m an Englishman from Yorkshire, which is often referred to as God’s Own County. I was born in the industrial town of Bradford. As I entered my early adulthood, I found myself thinking, “How can I get the hell out of here?” – Determined to do just that, I decided to complete my A-levels and attend university to study English and Drama.
After earning my BA, I faced a decision – a six-month theatre tour or joining a rock band and touring Europe. No contest! Who could resist the allure of sex, drugs, and rock & roll? The picture shows my band, EXCEL, performing in Germany in 1980!
The tours were long… the fun eventually faded… and global stardom remained just out of reach. When we finally called it quits, I packed up and moved to London—where else?
The London Years
Endless auditions for casting directors, agents and theatre companies began to pay off, and work started coming in. Theatre included Rocky Horror Show (Brad) in Germany, Sting in the Tale (George) UK Tour, Oliver (Sykes) at the Plymouth Theatre Royal.
My first TV breakthrough was as Judge Jugular in ‘‘For Amusement Only,’ a 13-episode children’s series produced by the BBC. I even found an old image from the BBC promotional archive – It’s hard not to love a man in a uniform! As time went on, I experienced some good, some bad and some downright ugly years. Eventually, I reached a point where I wanted to make a change. So, I moved to Berlin. – Why? Because my wife, Katrin, said so!
The Berlin Years
Since moving to Berlin, I’ve had the chance to work on some fantastic projects. Here are a few highlights: My first gig was the sci-fi web series MISSION BACKUP EARTH, which earned critical acclaim and picked up multiple awards on the festival circuit.
In 2015, I landed two roles in Denmark: LAND OF MINE, a WWII drama about clearing mines on the Danish coast (directed by Martin Zandvliet), and SUMMER OF ’92, based on Denmark’s legendary Euro ’92 victory (directed by Kasper Barfoed). Both are true stories; both are hugely successful worldwide.
Fast-forward to 2019, and I took on the role of Sponge, a violent and unpleasant man in BEYOND FURY, a Giallo-style action film featuring the late Italian horror star Giovanni Lombardo Radice. Directed by Darren Ward, it was the final instalment in his trilogy and a joy to be part of.
As mentioned on my homepage, Avalon Productions is wrapping up two mini-series, LAND OF SMILES and 8 BILLION, directed by Harald Franklin and releasing in ternationally in 2025.
With over 40 years in film, TV, theatre, and commercials, I’m always looking for new projects. Feel free to Contact Me or drop me a line at anthony@straeger.co.uk