Bloody Kids is a British television film written by Stephen Poliakoff and directed by Stephen Frears, made by Black Lion Films for ATV, and first shown on ITV on 22 March 1980.
Contents
Cast
Derrick O'Connor as Detective Ritchie (Richard Beckinsale originally cast before his sudden death)
Gary Holton as Ken
Richard Thomas as Leo Turner
Peter Clark as Mike Simmonds
Gwyneth Strong as Jan, Ken's Girlfriend
Caroline Embling as Susan, Leo's Sister
Jack Douglas as Senior Police Officer
Billy Colvill as Williams
P.H. Moriarty as Police 1
Richard Hope as Police 2
Niall Padden as Police 3
John Mulcahy as Police 4
Terry Paris as Police 5
Neil Cunningham as School Master 1
George Costigan as School Master 2
Stewart Harwood as School's Security Guard
Tammy Jacobs as School 1
Daniel Peacock as School 2
Paul Mari as School 3
Mel Smith as Disco Doorman
C.P. Lee as Club Manager
Jimmy Hibbert as Disco 3
Kim Taylforth as Disco 4
Nula Conwell as Ken's Gang 1
Madeline Church as Ken's Gang 2
Peter Wilson as Ken's Gang 3
Gary Olsen as Ken's Gang 4 (as Gary Olson)
Jesse Birdsall as Ken's Gang 5
Roger Lloyd-Pack as Hospital Doctor
Brenda Fricker as Nurse
June Watson as Nurse
Colin Campbell as Conductor
Julian Hough as Reporter
Geraldine James as Ritchie's Wife
Pauline Walker - posh bird and dancing extra
Filming locations
Filmed in south east Essex, with locations in Southend-on-Sea, Westcliff, Leigh-on-Sea and Canvey Island, the opening five minutes are of the bridge down to Leigh-on-Sea's cockle sheds, with a lorry hanging over.
Furtherwick Park School Canvey Island, was used for the school scenes, and Southend United's ground, Roots Hall, was used for the stabbing scenes.
Disco scenes in Southend are notable for an early television appearance of Mel Smith playing the bouncer. Victoria Circus, Southend seafront and hospital are all used as locations, culminating in a climactic scene outside the Casino, Canvey Island, on a London double decker bus.