Film Star Ray to Be Invited Back to Where It All Began

Organisers of a festival are hoping television and film hardman Ray Winstone will be guest of honour at this year’s annual event.

In recent years, Mr Winstone has starred in a number of blockbuster films, including Martin Scorsese’s Oscar-winning gangster thriller The Departed and last year’s special effects epic Beowulf.

But the early days of his acting career were a little more modest, with the Torbay-based That Summer among his early low- budget achievements.

Despite its humble origins, the film holds a special importance for Mr Winstone because his lead performance earned him a BAFTA Best Newcomer award.

He also met his wife, Elaine, during the filming in 1979. They are still together and have three children.

The movie’s plot followed Mr Winstone’s character as he left prison and travelled to Torquay for work.

He met a woman and entered the Torbay Long-Distance Swim.

Many local people managed to secure jobs as extras during filming, and among the locations which can be seen are Babbacombe Model Village, numerous Torquay roads and the harbour, a pool hall under the Union Street car park, Oddicombe Beach and Paignton’s Torbay Road.

To celebrate the cult film and its Torbay connections, organisers of the Babbacombe Festival are hoping to entice Mr Winstone to their annual week-long bash in June.

Festival committee chairman Arthur Christian, said: “It would be a real coup to get him here.

“If he would be prepared to come down, it would be amazing.

“The value to us would be immense. Of course, getting someone of his stature here would be difficult – but if he couldn’t be here, maybe he could film a little message for us.

“It’s a superb film. There was a lot of critical acclaim for it, and we’d like to show it in the marquee at the festival.

“There are lots of shots of Torbay in the film, so we’d like to get clips of the film on websites such as YouTube.

“That would bring great publicity to the bay.

“The soundtrack is brilliant. It’s got classics such as the Ramones’ Rockaway Beach and the Undertones’ Teenage Kicks.

“I bought three vinyl copies of the soundtrack, which are collectors’ items, and I’d like to auction them off at the festival.”

pgreaves@westernmorningnews.co.uk

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