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Mick Ford

Mick Ford

Actor and writer, also producer · Born August 1, 1952 (74) · Croydon, Surrey, England, UK

BAFTA Award nominee

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Mick Ford (born 1 August 1952; in Croydon, Surrey, England, United Kingdom) is a British actor, screenwriter and playwright, best known for his portrayal of intellectual convict Archer in the cinema version of Scum. He also played Chico Barnes in the TV series based on the Dick Francis racing thrillers. Ford was educated at John Ruskin Grammar School, Croydon, and was a member of the National Youth Theatre, along with appearing in the premiere of The Secret Rapture. Ford has written and starred in numerous British drama serials, theatrical productions, and has been used for many voiceovers and advertising campaigns. He had regular roles in the BBC drama series Silent Witness and Fish, and in the comedy Big Bad World. He has also written the critically acclaimed television dramas The Passion and William and Mary. He is the writer of Single Father, starring David Tennant. Description above from the Wikipedia article Mick Ford, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
August 1, 1952 (74)
From
Croydon, Surrey, England, UK
Works as
Actor and writer, also producer
Titles
18 on MovieCove · 54 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 22% in 30 days

What are Mick Ford's films like?

Across their 12 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Survival.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
26%
Survival
25%
Bonds
21%
Morality
11%
Power
8%
Society
5%
Ideas
5%
Family bonds6 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival2 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief2 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception2 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeTruth2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 4 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 3 · Stylized 0 · Heightened 1

Intense: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their intense movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 0 · Charged 2 · Intense 2

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

A split, not a type: Steady 1 · Shifting 1 · Whiplash 2

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 2 · Some laughs 1 · Funny 1

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 0 · Even-paced 4 · Relentless 0

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 2 · Engaged 2 · Full focus 0

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 1 · Affecting 1 · Heavy 2

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 4 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

2 analyzed roles
  • Allyas Archer in Scum (1979)
  • Mentoras Archer in Scum (1979)

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
8
Melancholic
8
Dread
5
Warm
2
Bittersweet
2
Other
6

How their films linger

Unsettling7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 5 with a twist

  • Happy1
  • Bittersweet3
  • Ambiguous8

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Mick Ford's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 15 of their 18 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on BritBox (7).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Mick Ford's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

54 credits, 18 with a MovieCove page.

  • Lazarus(2025)

    Show 1 episode · Writer

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all shows

  • Fear (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Show 3 episodes · Executive Producer · Writer

  • After the Flood(2024)

    Show 6 episodes · Creator · Executive Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all shows

  • Stay Close(2021)

    Show Writer

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all shows

  • The Stranger(2020)

    Show 2 episodes · Writer

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all shows

  • Next Week (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    as Grandad

  • Safe(2018)

    Show Writer

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all shows

  • The Boy with the Topknot(2017)

    Writer · as Laura's Father

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Living the Dream(2017)

    Show 6 episodes · Creator · Executive Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all shows

  • The Five (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Show 3 episodes · Writer

  • The Last Weekend (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Show 3 episodes · Writer

  • Single Father(2010)

    Show 4 episodes · Creator · Writer

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows

  • Hunter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Show 2 episodes · Writer

  • Inspector George Gently(2007)

    Show 1 episode · Writer

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • Ashes to Ashes(2008)

    Show 1 episode · Writer

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Big Bad World (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Show 16 episodes · Actor

  • The Passion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Writer

  • Midsomer Murders(1997)

    Show 1 episode · as Frank Lightbourne

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Silent Witness(1996)

    Show 8 episodes · as Peter Ross

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • Degrees of Error (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Show 4 episodes · as Malcolm

  • Sharman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Show 1 episode · Writer

  • The Only Way Out(1993)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Harry (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Show 8 episodes · Writer · as Archer

  • A Touch of Frost(1992)

    Show 1 episode · as Bill Ford

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • Shoot the Revolution (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Story

  • One Way Out (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Writer

  • Screen One (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Show 1 episode · Writer

  • How to Get Ahead in Advertising(1989)

    as Richard

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • The Fourth Protocol(1987)

    as Sergeant Bilbow

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Naming the Names (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Jack

  • Love Match (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Writer · as Bob

  • The Gourmet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as David

  • Screen Two (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 1 episode · as Jack McHenry

  • A Woman of Substance(1984)

    Show 3 episodes · as Frank Harte

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all shows

  • The Late Nancy Irving (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    as Tony Graham

  • Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Show 1 episode · as Tony Graham

  • Kim (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    as Cpl. Bruce

  • Desert of Lies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    as Jake

  • Doll’s Eye (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as Voiceover

  • Bad Hats (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Writer · as Chapin

  • The Tractor Factor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Actor

  • Light Years Away (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    as Jonas

  • Caleb Williams (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    as Caleb Williams

  • Caleb Williams (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Show 4 episodes · as Caleb Williams

  • The Adventures of Frank: Seeds of Ice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    as Frank

  • The Adventures of Frank: Everybody's Fiddling Something (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    as Frank

  • Cribb (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Show 1 episode · as Peter Brand

  • The Racing Game (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Show 6 episodes · as Chico Barnes

  • Scum(1979)

    as Archer

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • The Knowledge (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    as Chris Matthews

  • The Sailor's Return (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Tom Madgwick

  • Hitting Town (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    as Ralph

  • Plays for Britain (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Show 1 episode · as Ralph

  • Play for Today (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Show 2 episodes · as Frank

Career shape

Star power in the 75th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 52 titles from 1970 to 2025; peak year 1979.

Biggest box office

How to Get Ahead in Advertising (1989)

$418K worldwide

Highest rated

Scum (1979)

Midcredits 95th

Most popular right now

Lazarus (2025)

Film career

19702025

Peak 1979 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

  • 1979Screen debut· Scum

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting35 of 52: 31 only acting, 4 with another role · typical Midcredits score81stWriting21 of 52: 13 only writing, 8 with another role · typical Midcredits score63rdProducing3 of 52: 0 only producing, 3 with another roleOther crew3 of 52: 0 only other crew, 3 with another role

52 titles, 8 with more than one role — acting and writing overlap on 4 of them.

By decade

1970s7 · acting1980s22 · 20 acting · 4 crew1990s10 · 6 acting · 5 crew2000s3 · crew2010s6 · 2 acting · 5 crew2020s4 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

Awards

Nominated for a BAFTA Award in 2004, Best Drama Series.

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Mick Ford's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 69th percentile, the median of all 5; across a limited sample of 4 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 71st percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

71stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 4

Approval · how many liked their films

71stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 4

Reach · how many have seen their films

63rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 4

Midcredits score across 18 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up8
  • 50th to 74th5
  • 25th to 49th4
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

9 of their 18 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved4
  • Crowd Pleaser9
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed3

Most divisive · writer

The Only Way Out (1993)

69th percentile spread · 24% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Scum (1979)

Midcredits 95th · 85% liked

Reviewers score the acting 81/100 in their films, across 4 reviewed titles; fans 87, detractors 36. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Mick Ford's work okay for kids?

Across up to 6 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, profanity, alcohol & drugs and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore5 titles54–86 · median 64 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity5 titles17–67 · median 34 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity6 titles62–82 · median 69 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs5 titles39–74 · median 48 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense5 titles51–85 · median 69 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Mick Ford work with?

People who share at least 2 of Mick Ford's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Nicola Shindler shares the most, 5.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers