The Only Major Actors Still Alive From A Clockwork Orange
Based on the novel by Anthony Burgess, Stanley Kubrick's 1971 film "A Clockwork Orange" is set in the not-too-distant future when roving British teenage gangs have mutated into bizarre, ultra-violent, morals-free hedonists who commit crimes to their hearts' content. The protagonist is Alex DeLarge (Malcolm McDowell) a 15-year-old punk who drinks drug-laced milk before taking to the street with his gang of droogs to savagely and gleefully beat and assault anyone who passes into their field of vision. Alex is eventually arrested and put into prison where the government subjects him to bizarre new rehabilitation techniques in an attempt to turn his mind away from violence.
Throughout, Alex is depicted as clearly beyond redemption. He has no compassion and will never have compassion. When he reads about Jesus Christ being crucified, he imagines himself to be the Roman soldier whipping him. The government's brainwashing techniques only instill in him a forced Pavlovian response to violence; rather than choosing to be good and compassionate, he becomes physically nauseated at the thought of harming others. He still wants to hurt people, but his gut prevents him. For the government, that's good enough. The film ends when the government uses Alex as a mouthpiece by giving him his dark, violent impulses back.
Kubrick argues that society doesn't know what to do with outwardly evil people. Instead of confronting obvious, harmful evil, we tend to — in a very cowardly, squirrely way — weaponize it for political or financial gain. One can see how violence persists and politicians who spew violent rhetoric are allowed to persist. "A Clockwork Orange" remains timely.
Only a few of the cast members of "A Clockwork Orange" are still with us today. Let us catch up with them.
Malcolm McDowell (Alex DeLarge)
Malcolm McDowell carries "A Clockwork Orange," and the 80-year-old has appeared in multiple striking, outsize roles in his career.
Prior to "A Clockwork Orange," he appeared in Lindsay Anderson's 1968 school shooting film "If..." as a troubled young man named Mick Travis. McDowell would play the same role in Anderson's two celebrated sequels, including 1973's "O Lucky Man!," a "Candide"-like spinoff, as well as 1982's "Britannia Hospital," a surreal "Frankenstein"-like story. McDowell also infamously played the title role in the pornographic epic "Caligula" in 1979, but also played the shy, sensitive, and unassuming H.G. Wells in the speculative sci-fi film "Time After Time." In that film, Wells wasn't merely the author of "The Time Machine," but an engineer who actually built a real time machine. He uses it to chase Jack the Ripper (David Warner) into the present day.
McDowell has always been versatile, appearing in both prestige pictures and genre shlock, always wholly dedicated to his role. He played villains in "Class of 1999," "Cyborg 3: The Recycler," "Star Trek: Generations," and "Tank Girl." He also played Dr. Albert Schweitzer in a 1990 biopic, and starred in adult dramas like "Bopha!" He had a cameo as himself in Robert Altman's "The Player," and regularly turns up in low-budget American indie films. In recent years, McDowell has fallen in with Rob Zombie and played Dr. Loomis in the director's two "Halloween" movies as well as Father Murder in "31."
In 2019, McDowell played Rupert Murdoch in the Oscar bait film "Bombshell." He has racked up 13 credits in the last three years. At age 80, McDowell has never been busier.
James Marcus (Georgie)
In the picture above, Georgie is the one standing above the chair. Georgie was one of Alex's Droogs, the one who was keen to challenge Alex when he became a little too violent, even for the gang's taste.
Marcus has enjoyed a modest acting career in his native England where he spent most of his active years appearing in multiple high-profile British TV shows. He appeared on "UFO," "The Sweeney," "Doctor Who," "Minder," and "Casualty." He also had a regular role on the series "London's Burning," appearing in 22 of its 172 episodes. He also appeared in four episodes of the long-running series "The Bill" and one episode of the famed soap opera "East Enders." His most recent TV acting credit is for the 2005 series "The Last Detective."
In film, Marcus appeared in only five features after "A Clockwork Orange," and none that made the splash that Kubrick's film did. His last film acting credit was for the 1980 film "Never Never Land" starring pop star Petula Clark. Marcus also directed a little-known 1989 crime thriller called "Tank Malling" starring Ray Winstone and Amanda Donohoe. Sadly, his film is not available to stream in North America.
It seems crime was Macus' beat.
Michael Tarn (Pete)
In the above picture, Pete, played by Michael Tarn, can be seen sitting behind Alex. Pete was perhaps the least of the four Droogs in "A Clockwork Orange," receiving no redemption or revisitation after the film's first half. Of the four actors to play the teenage Droogs, Tarn was the only one who was actually a teenager at the time of filming.
Like Marcus, Tarn stayed in his native England, staying mostly on British TV for his acting filmed career. He, too, appeared in an episode of "The Sweeney," as well as in the 1972 film "Made," and the short-lived TV series "Zigger Zagger" wherein he played the title role. Tarn's acting has mostly been on British stages where he has worked for the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theater Company. He has shared the stage with most of England's more famous actors.
He directed a few local stage productions as well. He was last reported as living in Spain. One would hope that he has earned enough money to buy a nice home on a Spanish beach and live in comfort in between gigs.
John Savident (Dolin)
He doesn't play a large role in "A Clockwork Orange," but prolific and talented actor John Savident can be seen as one of the conspirators who help the traumatized Frank Alexander (Patrick Magee) get revenge against Alex for a home invasion. He's the one who idly rolls billiard balls across the table while Frank tortures Alex with the music of Beethoven (an aversion he developed as part of his rehabilitation therapy).
Savident might best be known as Fred Elliott in the long-running British soap opera "Coronation Street," which he appeared in from 1994 to 2006. Fans of "Remains of the Day" might recognize him as Dr. Meredith. Fans of Andrew Lloyd Weber might know him as M. Firmin in the original production of "Phantom of the Opera." Fans of really goofy comedies might know him as the stuffy Edmund Lazlo in Dennis Dugan's underrated 1992 film "Brain Donors." He played the outsized auctioneer in "Hudson Hawk." He also turned up in "The Avengers," "Blake's 7," "Doctor Who," "The Saint," and "Danger Man." Like McDowell, Savident has remained busily employed for many, many years.
People watching "Coronation Street" in 2000 might recall when Fred appeared on the show with a bandage on his neck due to an off-screen butchering accident. This was actually a bandage covering a real-life stab wound that Savident received from a man he met in a bar. Despite his injury, Savident soldiered on. His attacker received seven years in prison.
As of this writing, Savident is about to celebrate his 86th birthday.
Clive Francis (The Lodger)
Also only possessing a small role, but in this case a significant one, Clive Francis portrayed the lodger who moves in with Alex's parents while he was away in prison. The lodger is a tall, strapping lad, well-dressed in a red sweater, and happy to confront Alex when he returns from his sentence. Alex's parents have become very fond of their lodger, and they explain that he has become something like a substitute son — and a well-behaved one — who will essentially serve as Alex's replacement. Alex is ultimately refused re-entry into his home because this lodger, outraged at Alex's past, will not be forced to move out.
Clive Francis, like so many British actors of his generation, has also continued to work regularly in England, appearing on TV or in films every year since 1965. He started as a teenager, playing Romeo in a TV version of "Romeo and Juliet." In terms of film, North American audiences may recognize him from some of his more recent films like Mike Leigh's "Mr. Turner" and James Gray's "The Lost City of Z." He also played an Archbishop in the 2020 film "Dolittle," but we won't hold that against him. He also appeared in 10 episodes of "The Crown," playing Lord Salisbury.
His filmography is a vast mixed bag of filmed plays, soaps, comedies, and crime dramas. Dedicated and prolific, Clive Francis continues to work to this day. As of this writing, he is 77 years old.