Murray Melvin Biography

Tall, soulful-eyed British actor Murray Melvin had the look of a sensitive "punker" at a time when such youths were called "Teddy Boys." Melvin received his training and first blush of prominence with the Theatre Workshop. In films since 1960, Melvin's most conspicuous early assignment was as the sympathetic homosexual in 1962's A Taste of Honey. Back in those days, a role of this nature was but one step away from flamboyance; Melvin took that one step, and has spent most of his career in extroverted, often outrageous roles. Evidently a favorite of enfant terrible director Ken Russell, Murray Melvin was shown to excellent advantage in such Russell-directed films as The Devils (1970), The Boy Friend (1971) and Lisztomania (1974). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi