Gavin Richards

Gavin Richards (born 3 July 1946 in London) is a British actor, writer and director.

He is best known for adapting, directing and starring in the West End production of Dario Fo's Accidental Death of an Anarchist. He also played Captain Alberto Bertorelli in the BBC sitcom 'Allo 'Allo! from 1987 to 1989, and Terry Raymond in the BBC soap opera EastEnders between 1996 and 2002.

Early life

Gavin was born in Tufnell Park, Islington, north London. His mother was Margaret Richards, who worked for many years as an assistant to Hugh "Binkie" Beaumont, the British theatrical producer at H M Tennent Limited. She went on to become secretary to Roy Strong at the Victoria & Albert Museum and later worked for the Greater London Arts Association. His late father was music critic Denby Richards, who wrote for the Hampstead and Highgate Express, the early British version of Music and Musicians and later became emeritus editor of Britain's oldest classical music magazine, Musical Opinion.

Gavin attended the Burleigh Road School in Tufnell Park and later the Quintin Grammar School in St John's Wood (now the Quintin Kynaston Community Academy). He trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School from 1964–66.