Lenny McLean facts for kids

Leonard John McLean (born April 9, 1949 – died July 28, 1998) was an English man known for many things. He was an unlicensed boxer, a bouncer, a bodyguard, a businessman, and an actor. People often called him "The Guv'nor" or "the hardest man in Britain."

Lenny McLean became famous in the East End of London for his fighting skills from the late 1960s to the late 1980s. He once said in his book that he took part in about 2,000 to 3,000 fights that were not official. When he was at his strongest, McLean was 6 feet 3 inches (191 cm) tall and weighed over 20 stone (127 kg). Many people thought he was the "unofficial heavyweight champion of Great Britain."

Besides being an unlicensed boxer, McLean also worked as a bouncer in London's busy nightclubs. He helped manage security at popular places where celebrities went in the 1980s.

Later in his life, Lenny McLean started acting. He was praised for his role as Barry the Baptist in the 1998 movie Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. He passed away in July 1998, just before the movie was released.

Early Life of Lenny McLean

Lenny McLean grew up in a large family in Hoxton, a part of the East End of London. His father, Leonard John McLean Sr., was a soldier in the Royal Marines during the Second World War. Sadly, his father died when Lenny was only four years old.

Lenny's mother, Rose, later married again to a man named Jim Irwin.

Unlicensed Boxing Career

Lenny McLean's first fight happened by chance when he was a teenager. He became friends with Kenny Mac, a car salesman, who later became his boxing manager for many fights.

In the 1970s, a group called the National Boxing Council was formed. This allowed tough fighters in Britain to compete in fights that were legal but not officially approved by the main boxing groups. McLean joined this world of unlicensed boxing. He quickly became very well-known and had a scary reputation.

McLean, who was very tall and heavy, often said he could beat anyone. He was known to have lost some fights, but he always said he never lost a fight "on the cobbles" or outside the ring. In his autobiography, McLean claimed he fought almost 4,000 times over 30 years and won most of them.

Other Jobs and Interests

Because he was so famous as an unlicensed boxer, Lenny McLean became known as "The King of Bouncers" in many clubs and pubs across London. He also owned a pub in the East End of London called the "Guv'Nors."

McLean also worked as a bodyguard for famous people like Mike Reid and Boy George. He also helped keep the casts of TV shows like EastEnders and The Bill safe. His name was so well-known that it often helped to prevent trouble.

In 1992, McLean even released an album of songs by Elvis Presley. The album was called Lenny Sings.... He hoped it would be a big hit, but his first song, "Blue Suede Shoes," did not become popular, and the album was not released widely.

Lenny McLean's Acting Roles

Lenny McLean appeared in a TV show about nightclub security called Bounce: Behind The Velvet Rope. He started acting after his friends, who were in show business, introduced him to an acting agent. He also met many people in the entertainment world by helping to keep TV show casts safe.

He had a small, uncredited role in the movie The Krays in 1990. Later, he played a gangster named Eddie Davies in the TV show The Knock and a small part as a police chief in The Fifth Element (1997). His biggest and most famous role was in Guy Ritchie's movie Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998). In this film, he played a character called 'Barry the Baptist'.

Personal Life and Family

When Lenny was 12 years old, he was 4 feet 2 inches tall and weighed 8 stone. Later, when he was twenty, McLean married Valerie. They had two children together, a son named Jamie and a daughter named Kelly.

Lenny McLean's Death

While filming Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Lenny McLean became unwell. He thought he had the flu. Doctors later found out he had pleurisy, which is a problem with the lungs. More tests showed he had lung cancer, which had spread. He passed away soon after, on July 28, 1998, in Bexley, London. This was just a few weeks before his movie was released. The film's director, Guy Ritchie, dedicated the movie to Lenny and changed the movie posters to feature him as a tribute.

Films About Lenny McLean

Lenny McLean wrote in his autobiography that several movie studios were interested in making a film about his life as an unlicensed boxer. McLean wanted the actor Craig Fairbrass to play him because he knew Craig and thought he looked like a younger version of himself. McLean even went to Hollywood to talk about it, but the studios wanted Sylvester Stallone for the role. Because of this, McLean stopped the talks.

A documentary about McLean's life, called The Guv'nor, was released in 2016. It showed his life through the eyes of his son, Jamie. Another drama film, My Name Is Lenny, came out in 2017. In this movie, Australian actor Josh Helman played Lenny McLean.