Steve Ralphs

Stephen Ralphs, or 'the bow and arrow man', is a traditional bowyer and film armorer. Born January 1955 in Plymouth, England and now currently residing in Norfolk, England.

Steve is a full time traditional bowyer and Grand Master of the Traditional Bowyers Guild: a closed society of Master craftsmen. He has manufactured archery equipment for such blockbusting cinematography as "Gladiator", "Kingdom of Heaven", "The 13th Warrior", "Eragon", "King Arthur" and many other productions. He trains actors, stuntmen and extras for their demanding roles in front of the camera and behind.

Also an actor, he can also be found playing two roles in Ridley Scotts' Gladiator. He is both the Fire Archer and the captain of the Felix Archers who calls the orders out before the archery volley.

His work has taken him all over the World to countries as far a field as Sweden, Morocco and Hungary. Steve is the last "Ralphs" Bowyer in a line that streatches back to medieval England and the 1400s when his ancestors lived in the village of Marton in Shropshire, England.

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Sources

[http://imdb.com/name/nm1948889/] [http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/T/timeteam/beau_longbow.html]