Charley Boorman
Encyclopedia
Charley Boorman is an English TV adventurer, travel writer and actor. He is well known for his association with motorcycles and enthusiasm for biking.
: St Gerard's School
in Bray
, Co Wicklow; St. Kilian's Deutsche Schule (English name: 'St. Kilian's German School') in Dublin; and Sibford School
, a Quaker school near Banbury
, Oxfordshire
, from 1980 until 1983.
Boorman is the son of German
costume designer Christel Kruse and film director
John Boorman
. He is married to Olivia with whom he has two daughters, Doone and Kinvara. Resides in Barnes, South-West London.
, appearing in three films directed by his father.
He first appeared in Deliverance
(1972
).
He returned to cinema as a young Mordred
in Excalibur
(1981
), joined by his older sister Katrine Boorman
who played Ygraine, Mordred's grandmother (via her son Arthur and daughter Morgana, Modred's parents).
He was then in The Emerald Forest
(1985
) directed by his father.
In Hope and Glory (1987
), also directed by his father, he appears in a non-speaking role as the young German Luftwaffe pilot shot down, parachuting into the small village. His sister Katrine also appears in this film.
More recent films include The Serpent's Kiss
(1997
) on which he met Ewan McGregor
, and The Bunker
(2001
).
In 2011 the Charley Boorman Live show tours the UK and Ireland again. Similar format as his first tour but without support acts - see http://www.charleyboormanlive.com/
Boorman also began promoting African Adventures - on motorbikes. Using his biker profile, he has created two 17 day BMW bike adventures across Africa. Taking 50 riders from Cape Town to Victoria Falls, Boorman used various technologies to help promote the trip - including a GPS Satellite tracking device allowing thousands of fans to follow the trip day by day http://spotwalla.com/tripViewer.php?id=1ce64c6052180f8c5
, Long Way Down
and By Any Means
. In 2009, Boorman was made president of Dyslexia Action; being dyslexic himself, Boorman is very passionate about the cause and is keen to help the charity achieve its vision of a world where barriers are removed for those with dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties. Boorman has been on many visits to Dyslexia Action's regional centres and has been actively involved in the charity's latest appeal It's ME! and supports its whole school initiative P4L (Partnership for Literacy). Charley recently participated in a live web chat for the charity where he answered questions about his dyslexia and his various adventures.
In 2009 Charley went to Helmand Provence, Afghanistan and visited troops. Kandahar and Bastion were the two key camps he visited, just before Christmas. He was reported to be "humbled" by meeting the troops out there and has since been involved in various fund raising projects - in particular for 'Help For Heroes'.
to New York
via Europe and Asia with Ewan McGregor
in 2004. This was recorded, then later made into a television series, book and DVD. The series was shown around the world and the DVD and book became best sellers.
(from Long Way Round) and a motorcycle team, Boorman competed in the Dakar Rally
in January 2006. The event was filmed and the series Race to Dakar began on Sky2
in the United Kingdom on 17 October 2006. During the rally Boorman injured himself and was forced to retire from the race after five days.
in Scotland, to Cape Town
, South Africa. This was first televised on BBC2 on Sunday 28 October 2007. During this initial programme, it became public knowledge that Charley's wife was undergoing treatment for pneumonia, but had insisted that Charley complete the trip in any case. In 2007 Boorman also speculated on a future trip which involves starting at the tip of South America and ending in Alaska, entitled Long Way Up,
but as of 2010 this has still not happened.
, Ireland and ending in Sydney
, Australia. He set out to complete the journey "by any means" using local transportation appropriate to the area being travelled, on 22 July 2008. He travelled the world on various forms of transportation using air travel only when necessary, accompanied by producer Russ Malkin, and cameraman Paul Mungeam, nicknamed Mungo.
page that a sequel, tentatively named By Any Means 2 but later named Right to the Edge: Sydney to Tokyo By Any Means was in the works. This will take Charley and the team from Sydney
to Tokyo
via the Pacific Rim
. The Manly Daily newspaper issued an open invitation for fellow motorcyclists to join him on this first leg from Freshwater Park on the Northern Beaches of Sydney, leaving at 10:00 am on Monday 18 May 2009, heading up to the Central Coast of New South Wales. The newspaper reported approximately 1,500 riders took part. The trip ended on the Rainbow Bridge
in Tokyo on 9 August 2009, and has been shown on BBC2 in the UK.
Education
Boorman was educated at three independent schools, two in the Republic of IrelandRepublic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
: St Gerard's School
St Gerard's School
St. Gerard's School is a Catholic co-educational fee-paying day school in Bray, Ireland. The student population is around 730, with 480 in the Senior School and 230 in the Junior School, and 20 in the Montessori. The school is administered by a Board of Governors as a charitable trust...
in Bray
Bray
Bray is a town in north County Wicklow, Ireland. It is a busy urban centre and seaside resort, with a population of 31,901 making it the fourth largest in Ireland as of the 2006 census...
, Co Wicklow; St. Kilian's Deutsche Schule (English name: 'St. Kilian's German School') in Dublin; and Sibford School
Sibford School
Sibford School is a British co-educational independent school in Sibford Ferris, west of Banbury in Oxfordshire, linked with the Religious Society of Friends. The school has both day and boarding pupils between the ages of 3 and 18.-Overview:...
, a Quaker school near Banbury
Banbury
Banbury is a market town and civil parish on the River Cherwell in the Cherwell District of Oxfordshire. It is northwest of London, southeast of Birmingham, south of Coventry and north northwest of the county town of Oxford...
, Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
, from 1980 until 1983.
Personal life
Born in England, Boorman spent much of his formative years in County Wicklow, Ireland.Boorman is the son of German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
costume designer Christel Kruse and film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
John Boorman
John Boorman
John Boorman is a British filmmaker who is a long time resident of Ireland and is best known for his feature films such as Point Blank, Deliverance, Zardoz, Excalibur, The Emerald Forest, Hope and Glory, The General and The Tailor of Panama.-Early life:Boorman was born in Shepperton, Surrey,...
. He is married to Olivia with whom he has two daughters, Doone and Kinvara. Resides in Barnes, South-West London.
Acting career
Thanks to his father he got an early start in the film business as a child actorChild actor
The term child actor or child actress is generally applied to a child acting in motion pictures or television, but also to an adult who began his or her acting career as a child; to avoid confusion, the latter is also called a former child actor...
, appearing in three films directed by his father.
He first appeared in Deliverance
Deliverance
Deliverance is a 1972 American thriller film produced and directed by John Boorman. Principal cast members include Jon Voight, Burt Reynolds, Ronny Cox and Ned Beatty in his film debut. The film is based on a 1970 novel of the same name by American author James Dickey, who has a small role in the...
(1972
1972 in film
The year 1972 in film involved some significant events.-Top grossing films :- Awards :Academy Awards:*Avanti!, directed by Billy Wilder, starring Jack Lemmon and Juliet MillsB...
).
He returned to cinema as a young Mordred
Mordred
Mordred or Modred is a character in the Arthurian legend, known as a notorious traitor who fought King Arthur at the Battle of Camlann, where he was killed and Arthur fatally wounded. Tradition varies on his relationship to Arthur, but he is best known today as Arthur's illegitimate son by his...
in Excalibur
Excalibur (film)
Excalibur is a 1981 dramatic fantasy film directed, produced and co-written by John Boorman that retells the legend of King Arthur and the knights of the Round Table. Adapted from the 15th century Arthurian romance, Le Morte d'Arthur by Thomas Malory, Excalibur features the music of Richard Wagner...
(1981
1981 in film
-Events:*January 19 - Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer acquires beleaguered concurrent United Artists. UA was humiliated by the astronomical losses on the $40,000,000 movie Heaven's Gate, a major factor in the decision of owner Transamerica to sell it....
), joined by his older sister Katrine Boorman
Katrine Boorman
Katrine Boorman is an English actress noted for her portrayal of the character Igrayne in the Arthurian legend film, Excalibur, directed by her father, John Boorman...
who played Ygraine, Mordred's grandmother (via her son Arthur and daughter Morgana, Modred's parents).
He was then in The Emerald Forest
The Emerald Forest (film)
-External links:* - a British Library recording....
(1985
1985 in film
-Events:* 3 December - Roger Moore steps down from the role of James Bond after twelve years and seven films. He is replaced by Timothy Dalton.* The Academy Award for Best Picture was won by Out Of Africa, while the highest grossing film was Back to the Future.* Bliss wins AFI Award for best Movie...
) directed by his father.
In Hope and Glory (1987
1987 in film
-Events:*January 31 - The Cure for Insomnia premieres at The School of the Art Institute in Chicago, Illinois, to officially become the world's longest film according to Guinness World Records....
), also directed by his father, he appears in a non-speaking role as the young German Luftwaffe pilot shot down, parachuting into the small village. His sister Katrine also appears in this film.
More recent films include The Serpent's Kiss
The Serpent's Kiss
The Serpent's Kiss is a 1997 film directed by Philippe Rousselot. It is a story about a Dutch garden architect named Meneer Chrome who has been hired by a wealthy metalworker to create an extravagant garden. The film also stars Greta Scacchi and Richard E...
(1997
1997 in film
-Events:* The original Star Wars trilogy's Special Editions are released.* Production begins on Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.* Titanic becomes the first film to gross US$1,000,000,000 at the box office making it the highest grossing film in history until Avatar broke the record in 2010.*...
) on which he met Ewan McGregor
Ewan McGregor
Ewan Gordon McGregor is a Scottish actor. He has had success in mainstream, indie, and art house films. McGregor is perhaps best known for his roles as heroin addict Mark Renton in the drama Trainspotting , young Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars prequel trilogy , and poet Christian in the...
, and The Bunker
The Bunker (2001 film)
The Bunker is a 2001 horror film directed by Rob Green, written by Clive Dawson and starring Jason Flemyng.-Plot:In late 1944 the remnants of a platoon of German Panzergrenadiers from the Großdeutschland Division are caught in an Ambush by American troops. In their retreat, they find a bunker,...
(2001
2001 in film
The year 2001 in film involved some significant events, including the first of the Harry Potter series and also the first of The Lord of the Rings trilogy...
).
Theatre show
In 2007 Charley appeared on stage in Newcastle upon Tyne - The Tyne Theatre. A fully produced 'evening with' style show. After a couple more shows, the production went on a successful tour around the UK and Ireland in 2010. Just about this time Charley revealed he had testicular cancer. Caught early, he had a testicle removed and has since been a strong supporter of 'Movember' - an organisation that focuses on this disease. Boorman, 43, has now been given the all-clear, but has been telling audiences across the country about his ordeal, and is encouraging more men to be aware and get checked out early if there was any concern.In 2011 the Charley Boorman Live show tours the UK and Ireland again. Similar format as his first tour but without support acts - see http://www.charleyboormanlive.com/
Boorman also began promoting African Adventures - on motorbikes. Using his biker profile, he has created two 17 day BMW bike adventures across Africa. Taking 50 riders from Cape Town to Victoria Falls, Boorman used various technologies to help promote the trip - including a GPS Satellite tracking device allowing thousands of fans to follow the trip day by day http://spotwalla.com/tripViewer.php?id=1ce64c6052180f8c5
Charity work
Boorman has been actively supporting the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) since 2004. Since then he has been on a number of visits to UNICEF projects, the majority of which have been integrated into his television programmes Long Way RoundLong Way Round
Long Way Round is a documentary television series, DVD set and book documenting the journey of Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman from London to New York on motorcycles...
, Long Way Down
Long Way Down
"Long Way Down" is a single by the Goo Goo Dolls from their breakthrough album, 1995's A Boy Named Goo. This song is often overshadowed by the low-key ballad "Name", which launched the band to household names...
and By Any Means
By Any Means
By Any Means, also known as Ireland to Sydney by Any Means, is a television series following Long Way Round and Long Way Down star Charley Boorman...
. In 2009, Boorman was made president of Dyslexia Action; being dyslexic himself, Boorman is very passionate about the cause and is keen to help the charity achieve its vision of a world where barriers are removed for those with dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties. Boorman has been on many visits to Dyslexia Action's regional centres and has been actively involved in the charity's latest appeal It's ME! and supports its whole school initiative P4L (Partnership for Literacy). Charley recently participated in a live web chat for the charity where he answered questions about his dyslexia and his various adventures.
In 2009 Charley went to Helmand Provence, Afghanistan and visited troops. Kandahar and Bastion were the two key camps he visited, just before Christmas. He was reported to be "humbled" by meeting the troops out there and has since been involved in various fund raising projects - in particular for 'Help For Heroes'.
Long Way Round
Boorman took part in Long Way Round, an international motorcycle trip from LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
via Europe and Asia with Ewan McGregor
Ewan McGregor
Ewan Gordon McGregor is a Scottish actor. He has had success in mainstream, indie, and art house films. McGregor is perhaps best known for his roles as heroin addict Mark Renton in the drama Trainspotting , young Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars prequel trilogy , and poet Christian in the...
in 2004. This was recorded, then later made into a television series, book and DVD. The series was shown around the world and the DVD and book became best sellers.
Race to Dakar
Along with producer Russ MalkinRuss Malkin
Russ Malkin is a British film producer and creative director. He produced and directed three motorcycle adventure TV documentaries; Long Way Round and Long Way Down featuring Charley Boorman and Ewan McGregor, and Race to Dakar featuring Boorman. The format of these programmes meant that he also...
(from Long Way Round) and a motorcycle team, Boorman competed in the Dakar Rally
Dakar Rally
The Dakar Rally is an annual rally raid type of off-road automobile race, organised by the Amaury Sport Organisation...
in January 2006. The event was filmed and the series Race to Dakar began on Sky2
Sky2
Sky2 is a British television channel originally launched on 2 December 2002 as Sky One Mix. Sky2 is now available on Sky, Virgin Media, Smallworld Cable and TalkTalk TV platforms in the UK. It is also available in the Republic of Ireland on the UPC Ireland platform.-Rebrand:Sky One Mix was...
in the United Kingdom on 17 October 2006. During the rally Boorman injured himself and was forced to retire from the race after five days.
Long Way Down
On 12 May 2007, he started another journey with McGregor: this time taking part in Long Way Down, a trip from John o' GroatsJohn o' Groats
John o' Groats is a village in the Highland council area of Scotland. Part of the county of Caithness, John o' Groats is popular with tourists because it is usually regarded as the most northerly settlement of mainland Great Britain, although this is not a claim made by the inhabitants...
in Scotland, to Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
, South Africa. This was first televised on BBC2 on Sunday 28 October 2007. During this initial programme, it became public knowledge that Charley's wife was undergoing treatment for pneumonia, but had insisted that Charley complete the trip in any case. In 2007 Boorman also speculated on a future trip which involves starting at the tip of South America and ending in Alaska, entitled Long Way Up,
but as of 2010 this has still not happened.
By Any Means
On 12 April 2008, Charley Boorman started By Any Means, which has taken him all around the world starting in his home town in County WicklowCounty Wicklow
County Wicklow is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Wicklow, which derives from the Old Norse name Víkingalág or Wykynlo. Wicklow County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Ireland and ending in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia. He set out to complete the journey "by any means" using local transportation appropriate to the area being travelled, on 22 July 2008. He travelled the world on various forms of transportation using air travel only when necessary, accompanied by producer Russ Malkin, and cameraman Paul Mungeam, nicknamed Mungo.
Right to the Edge: Sydney to Tokyo By Any Means
On 22 March 2009, Charley announced on his TwitterTwitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
page that a sequel, tentatively named By Any Means 2 but later named Right to the Edge: Sydney to Tokyo By Any Means was in the works. This will take Charley and the team from Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
to Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
via the Pacific Rim
Pacific Rim
The Pacific Rim refers to places around the edge of the Pacific Ocean. The term "Pacific Basin" includes the Pacific Rim and islands in the Pacific Ocean...
. The Manly Daily newspaper issued an open invitation for fellow motorcyclists to join him on this first leg from Freshwater Park on the Northern Beaches of Sydney, leaving at 10:00 am on Monday 18 May 2009, heading up to the Central Coast of New South Wales. The newspaper reported approximately 1,500 riders took part. The trip ended on the Rainbow Bridge
Rainbow Bridge (Tokyo)
The is a suspension bridge crossing northern Tokyo Bay between Shibaura Pier and the Odaiba waterfront development in Minato, Tokyo, Japan.Construction started in 1987 and was completed in 1993. The bridge is long with a main span of . Officially called the "Shuto Expressway No...
in Tokyo on 9 August 2009, and has been shown on BBC2 in the UK.
Future trips
Boorman has said that the third installment of the Long Way series, Long Way Up, is planned with McGregor for 2011, he says "it should be crazy stuff riding up through South America. I'm expecting jungles, bandidos and drug lords"Filmography
- DeliveranceDeliveranceDeliverance is a 1972 American thriller film produced and directed by John Boorman. Principal cast members include Jon Voight, Burt Reynolds, Ronny Cox and Ned Beatty in his film debut. The film is based on a 1970 novel of the same name by American author James Dickey, who has a small role in the...
(19721972 in filmThe year 1972 in film involved some significant events.-Top grossing films :- Awards :Academy Awards:*Avanti!, directed by Billy Wilder, starring Jack Lemmon and Juliet MillsB...
) - ExcaliburExcalibur (film)Excalibur is a 1981 dramatic fantasy film directed, produced and co-written by John Boorman that retells the legend of King Arthur and the knights of the Round Table. Adapted from the 15th century Arthurian romance, Le Morte d'Arthur by Thomas Malory, Excalibur features the music of Richard Wagner...
(19811981 in film-Events:*January 19 - Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer acquires beleaguered concurrent United Artists. UA was humiliated by the astronomical losses on the $40,000,000 movie Heaven's Gate, a major factor in the decision of owner Transamerica to sell it....
) - The Emerald ForestThe Emerald Forest (film)-External links:* - a British Library recording....
(19851985 in film-Events:* 3 December - Roger Moore steps down from the role of James Bond after twelve years and seven films. He is replaced by Timothy Dalton.* The Academy Award for Best Picture was won by Out Of Africa, while the highest grossing film was Back to the Future.* Bliss wins AFI Award for best Movie...
) - Hope and Glory (19871987 in film-Events:*January 31 - The Cure for Insomnia premieres at The School of the Art Institute in Chicago, Illinois, to officially become the world's longest film according to Guinness World Records....
) - Two Nudes BathingTwo Nudes BathingTwo Nudes Bathing is a 1995 British short film directed by John Boorman. It was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1995 Cannes Film Festival.-Cast:* John Hurt – Marquis de Prey* Charley Boorman – The Painter* Angeline Ball – Simone...
(19951995 in film-Top grossing films:-Events:* March 22 - The Dogme 95 movement is officially announced in Paris by Danish directors Lars von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg.* March 28 - Actress Julia Roberts and singer Lyle Lovett announce their plans for separation....
) - The Serpent's KissThe Serpent's KissThe Serpent's Kiss is a 1997 film directed by Philippe Rousselot. It is a story about a Dutch garden architect named Meneer Chrome who has been hired by a wealthy metalworker to create an extravagant garden. The film also stars Greta Scacchi and Richard E...
(19971997 in film-Events:* The original Star Wars trilogy's Special Editions are released.* Production begins on Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.* Titanic becomes the first film to gross US$1,000,000,000 at the box office making it the highest grossing film in history until Avatar broke the record in 2010.*...
) - The BunkerThe Bunker (2001 film)The Bunker is a 2001 horror film directed by Rob Green, written by Clive Dawson and starring Jason Flemyng.-Plot:In late 1944 the remnants of a platoon of German Panzergrenadiers from the Großdeutschland Division are caught in an Ambush by American troops. In their retreat, they find a bunker,...
(20012001 in filmThe year 2001 in film involved some significant events, including the first of the Harry Potter series and also the first of The Lord of the Rings trilogy...
) - I, Cesar (20032003 in filmThe year 2003 in film involved some significant events. Releases of sequels took place with movies like The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions, Pokémon Heroes, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines,...
) - In My CountryIn My CountryIn My Country is a 2004 English-language film directed by John Boorman, starring Samuel L. Jackson and Juliette Binoche. The screenplay, written by Ann Peacock, was based on Antjie Krog's memoir Country of My Skull....
(20042004 in filmThe year 2004 in film involved some significant events. Major releases of sequels took place. It included blockbuster films like Shrek 2, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Passion of the Christ, Meet the Fockers, Blade: Trinity, Spider-Man 2, Alien vs. Predator, Kill Bill Vol...
) - Famous and FearlessFamous and FearlessFamous and Fearless is a reality television game show series in which 8 celebrities competed in extreme sporting events to win money for their respective chosen charity. It aired in January 2011 on Channel 4 and was presented by Chris Evans and Clare Balding with Jack Osbourne appearing alongside...
(2011 television series) - Winner. Chosen charity: UNICEF - World's Most Dangerous Roads (2011 television series - with Sue PerkinsSue PerkinsSue Perkins is an English comedienne, broadcaster, actress, and writer.-Education:Perkins was educated at Croham Hurst School, an independent school for girls in Croydon in South London, at the same time as the BBC Breakfast News presenter Susanna Reid...
)
Awards
- Galaxy British Book Award for Long Way Down - 2007, Shared with Ewan McGregor.
- Best goatie in showbusiness - 2008, voted by readers of Now! magazine.