Kevin Allen

Kevin Edward Allen (born 15 September 1959) is a British actor, director, producer and writer. Allen came to prominence with the 1991 BBC film On the March with Bobby's Army, and for writing and directing his debut feature film, Twin Town, in 1997. He directed and co-wrote the movie adaptation of Dylan Thomas' "Under Milk Wood", submitted for Best Foreign Language Film at the 2015 Oscars ceremony but not nominated, the Hollywood feature films, The Big Tease and Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London, and the first series of ITV's Benidorm, along with numerous other films and documentaries. Allen assisted Swansea City Council's 2017 bid to become the 2021 UK City of Culture. He is often cited as a figure in the Cool Cymru era. Early life Allen is the son of Edward Charles Owen, a submarine engineer in the Royal Navy. He is the younger brother of comedian/actor Keith Allen, and uncle of both singer-songwriter Lily Allen and Game of Thrones actor Alfie Allen. He was born in Gosport, England, but spent most of his childhood in Wales and British military outposts such as Malta and Singapore, where he attended Royal Naval schools, before the family settled back in Loughor in West Glamorgan, Wales, in 1969. There he went to Penyrheol Comprehensive School. Allen made his stage debut in a Gang Show with the 1st Loughor Scout Troop and was a founding member of the West Glamorgan County Youth Theatre and a member of the National Youth Theatre of Wales, before choosing the Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts over completing his A levels. Career