Name: Lesley Steven Berks
DOB: 3rd August 1937
Location: Stepney, London, "a small flat in 104 Whitechapel Road, London"
Background: Jewish Russian, after his grandparents fled from Russia in 1890s to settle in England.
Growing up in London with his parents, Alfred (known as Al) who was a tailor for a shop in Leman Street, London and mother Pauline (known as Polly), Berkoff should have experienced a happy family life. He has a sister Beryl who is 7 years his senior. Al changed the family name from Berkowitz to Berks. Steven later changed it again to Berkoff.
In 1942, during the Second World War the Berk children were evacuated with their mother from the bombing of London to the relative safety of Luton. His Father having to stay for a while, as his business was deemed important so had to keep running. After the war they for a few months to Nyack, New York staying with relatives.
Lesley (Steven) and his mother returned to join Al in Anthony Street in London. Berkoff was educated at the Raines Foundation and Hackney Downs Grammar School, which was also Harold Pinter's old school. He is known to refer to his childhood as deprived and unhappy; "not getting anything I wanted was becoming awfully familiar", "not having a caring or loving Dad didn't help" He began to steal things and in 1952 at the age of 15 he was send to a Borstal after stealing a bike. This childhood could explain the sinister and disturbing adaptations he began to direct.
After studying at City Literary Institute from 1957-1958 and the Webber Douglas Academy
