Veteran British actor Billy Murray found himself in the depths of the British Museum on Friday at The Hidden Film Festival, where he was the recipient of the festival’s inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award. The well-loved actor, best known for his roles as Don Beech in The Bill and Johnny Allen in Eastenders was clearly moved as he was presented with the prestigious trophy.
Family and friends including Nick Moran, Jeanine Nerissa Sothcott, Adam Stephen Kelly, Reg Traviss and Jonathan Sothcott gathered to celebrate Billy’s career while cherished colleagues such as Lee Majors. Steve McFadden, Patsy Kensit, Shane Ritchie, Ian Ogilvy and Louis Mandylor paid tribute.
Murray’s career goes back to the 1960s and includes popular episodes of Minder and The Sweeney, the film McVicar opposite Roger Daltrey, The Rise of the Footsoldier series and in America the Call of Duty Modern Warfare video game series in which he voiced the iconic Captain Price character. The festival’s audience was clearly surprised to learn that the actor turned 81 the previous week.
Taking to the stage, a visibly moved Murray remained humble, saying: “At my age I’m grateful to get out of bed every day so this is a lovely surprise. As an actor I have always just done what the directors tell me – you go to work with what you see in the mirror in the morning. I’ve had a great career and am very happy with it.”
Producer Jonathan Sothcott, who has made a dozen films with Murray including Stalker, Nemesis and We Still Steal The Old Way said “Billy has been a familiar face on British television for almost half a century and is an exceptional actor whose iconic roles in two of the UK’s biggest shows cast a long shadow to this day. On the big screen he has added a touch of class to McVicar, Rise of the Footsoldier, One In The Chamber and Rollin’ With The Nines. He’s also my best friend and has been a huge support throughout my career. I’m thrilled that we’re paying tribute to him with this much-deserved award.”
Billy’s next film is Renegades co-starring Danny Trejo, which will be released in the UK in January.
