Trivia

Wrote an open letter to Daniel Radcliffe in 2001 warning him of the dangers that faced child stars.

As well as acting in Kes (1969), he helped train the kestrels and carried the cameraman's equipment.

Renovated an old chapel outside Bath.

Was not a good school student and had no idea what he wanted to do after school, except that he did not want to work in a mine like his father.

Occasionally watches Kes (1969), often with groups of students studying the film.

Said during auditions for Kes (1969) he was more excited by the free food and drink provided than the actual audition.

After he temporarily stopped acting, he tried several other things, including a board game, a television drama series and writing a film about medical ethics. All ideas failed to be successful.

At the age of 17 moved to London to pursue an acting career, after leaving school with no qualifications.

Stopped proper acting after he wasn't given as many weeks break from a theatre production as he had hoped for. Has since claimed this was probably a blessing as it stopped him from being too conceited.

Is keen on the teachings of the late Indian guru, Krishnamurti: "When I first heard him speak I wept buckets of tears."

In the 1980s he bought a church in the West Country and spent three years part-converting it into a home, but his co-investor didn't come up with the other 50%. Meanwhile, a play he was doing in the United States came to nothing when the producer didn't arrange for him to get a green card. He came back to the UK, and reluctantly sold the church.

Wrote a novel for children.

Father was a miner and mother was a seamstress.

Back in his home town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire (September 2006)

Had only been in school pantomimes before being cast as Billy Casper in Kes (1969).

Changed his name to his nickname 'Dai' as there was already a David Bradley registered with Equity. Dai initially tried to persuade the other David Bradley to change *his* name, on the grounds that people might otherwise think that he was the boy who had played Kes.

Won the lead role in Kes (1969) after an open audition held for thousands of school children in the district.