Lenny McLean: The Tale of The Guv’nor | Documentary

Dive into the extraordinary life of Lenny McLean, a man whose name resonates with toughness and legend in the gritty streets of London. Known as “The Guv’nor,” McLean’s journey from a troubled childhood to becoming an iconic figure in the world of unlicensed boxing is a tale of resilience, power, and a complex character who lived life on his own terms.
In this documentary, we explore McLean’s early years marked by hardship and strife, his rise as a feared street fighter and a renowned bouncer, his notorious confrontations, and his eventual transition into the world of acting. From his infamous brawls to his stint in prison, every chapter of McLean’s life paints a picture of a man who was as enigmatic as he was feared.
#LennyMcLean #TheGuvnor #UnlicensedBoxing #LondonUnderworld #Documentary

[@s4squatch1]

His nickname was 'Ten Men Len'. My mum's nickname is 'Ten Men Lynn' .....which is strange because I have never seen her have a fight ? 🤔

[@DarkSleuthSecrets]

🤣🤣🤣

[@nishiki7047]

😂😂😂

[@supermancd1988]

Quality

[@snelgrave101]

😂😂😂

[@AnalEyesAnalyzeAnalLies]

😂😂😂

[@thesatisfiedcustomer4869]

He was a genuine classic London hardman.

[@michaelharrison3602]

I met him once in a villains pub in Islington im nobody and none of the villains knew me he accidentally bumped into me and politely apologised he was respectful to every person in the pub regardless of how big or small they were or how well-known or unknown proper manRIP Guvnor

[@erickdub5977]

Can you share anymore information? What was the people like around him? Was he chilled? Angry? Was it a weekend etc Amazing piece of history

[@guyellis9450]

Not a villians pub, called the cuckoo, all great people, still they know me as the "Accountant", worth more than than you do earn...few years ago, but was always well looked after

[@nobdayid]

Jackanory

[@4879daniel]

I met Lenny at a funeral once, he was surprisingly down to earth and VERY funny.

[@VinnyCarwash-js8op]

You met nobody.

[@sunriseboy4837]

As someone who endured 11 years of brutality, violence, and trauma, from my 'birth giver' and the psychopath she married when I was 5 - I get the amount of incandescant rage that drove him. I really get that!

[@noblemann4898]

You use your experience to give your children the childhood you never had.

[@r1bew42]

you've been through 'hell' and survived brother. Now use your experience if you can for good. RESPECT.

[@pppb9086]

@sunriseboy4837 Hi, sorry to hear you went through that, it is surely very traumatic. I don't know if you believe in God but please reach out to Him. Jesus Christ can hear you wherever you are and can heal you from the trauma you've experienced, Jesus loves you very, very much.

[@Df-li9mp]

@@noblemann4898exactly

[@paulwilliams9381]

Look how many clean shots Roy Shaw took from Lenny before dropping. Lenny might be the king, but damn.. Roy Shaw was one tough SOB. Respect to both warriors.

[@nishiki7047]

And Shaw was much smaller and older

[@paulwilliams9381]

@@nishiki7047 exactly! I think Roy, pound for pound, was the tougher fighter. Love both of those guys, though.. absolute legends!

[@mooseing22]

Pretty boy Roy. My mates (for a laugh) jumped him at the Epping Forest country club. Afterwards, they told me he was throwing them around like they were flies!! 🪰 Some were on his back, others holding his arms! 2 ended up being thrown over the bar, another got wrapped around the ceiling fan. Those that could walk forever after had to clean there teeth by putting the toothbrush up there arseholes! Mentle days.

[@paulwilliams9381]

@@mooseing22 Jesus.. your mates have a strange idea of a good time! If I had ever seen Roy Shaw I would have smiled, nodded and just kept walking.. if fact, I would probably have just kept my head down and kept walking, just in case he thought I was taking the p*ss 😆

[@rogermaynard2405]

@@paulwilliams9381cracked me up😂😂

[@PSUK]

Saw him fight at a London bare knuckle do. A monster. Unstoppable.

[@nme9879]

What an excellent video, wish it was on even longer, 👏👏👏

[@MrDaSoNe2009]

Really glad this popped up in the algorithm. Best documentary of this man mountain I’ve come across bar none 💪🏻

[@ShaunAddisonTCB]

This is one of the best little documentaries on Lenny Mclean that I've seen 👏 and I've seen a lot. Well done 🤝 I've subscribed to you for this.

[@DarkSleuthSecrets]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the sub!🙏

[@scarred10]

Lenny was a braindead idiot

[@johners1964]

Met him when he was on the door at Camden Best decision I ever made was not to act up when he approached me, didn’t know who he was then but you could tell this wasn’t someone to fuck about with

[@EveLovesChristJesus]

Lenny was very protective of women when he was on the door at Camden. An absolute gent of a man! Having said that my ex's brother had scars either side of his nose where lenny bit him and my ex had every tooth smacked out of his mouth and left in the gutter. As I said a true gent and protector of women

[@timshipman6395]

Never met the legend sadly.. but truly admire the man👍💯🥊🥊RIP G’UVNOR👍💪💪

[@dappergent9422]

Superb video with many things I never knew. My family back in the day used to live around the corner where he used to train.

[@paulnolan7867]

I like learning about things people like Lenny.

[@davehoward22]

Allways amazes me he wasnt even 50 years old when he died

[@rayhoughton8046]

Looks about 70

[@user-zz5wk8dr3w]

He lived life hard and fast,also was a 60 a day smoker

[@davehoward22]

@@user-zz5wk8dr3w Ive smoked most of my life,drank ,done drugs, and im in my 50s,and me,or anyone i know of my vintage,dont look anywhere near his age

[@thomasfisher5742]

@@user-zz5wk8dr3w your right...60 a day is " IS ROLLIN" THE DICE"

[@ProfessorM-he9rl]

Great post, thank you.

[@johnmccormack4498]

Well rounded documentary

[@llamedosr7843]

Outstanding research.

[@JunaWaAmin]

My grandfather was in London in the 70s to visit our young Prince who was layed to rest somewhere there, i think St. Mary church... He told me stories about Mr. McLean's fights in & out of the ring. My Grandpa was also a renouned fighter where we're from. Says Mr. McLean was very tough. But he was also a nice guy. A nice guy not to fuck with.

[@redrum4100]

Great artwork.

[@edwardodonnell6857]

A legend violence was Lennys proffesion.Having a reputation must have brought a lot of hassle to Lenny he was a formidable man Street fighting is in a dangerous league.

[@gerryd7027]

Man was a legend hands down

[@virginiakras7136]

Never keep your hands down ask any boxer.

[@jfilm7466]

Met a few geezas with that look in their eyes, never seen an actor emulate that, so in Lock Stock he shined.

[@williamrogers9004]

I love that quote "i respond to kindness with kindness and i respond to violence with violence" i've often found myself trying to explain how i act whereas almost every co-worker of mine sees me as a nice guy, too nice maybe, yet when shit hits the fan , i don't want them to see what i will do , and have done, when faced with rude, disrespectful, ignorant people who forget they're in "RL" when they run off at the mouth, cause i won't talk back, my action will do my talking at that point, and they hopefully learn a lesson after hospital

[@BF3lol]

Ok tough guy 😂 whatever you say.

[@DawleyDude]

I read his book many years ago, a great story of a great man. His audiobook is great, it's my "go to" when I'm having a long boring shift at work. It's really sad that those mugs took his money and fled when they were meant to be working on his movie, a man with his legacy should have more footage and more attention from Hollywood!

[@sly_tendencies87]

Lenny is the king of the cobbles. Love that guy.

[@johngilmore697]

He was a total bell

[@BeefTaco60]

@@johngilmore697🤣

[@CooteRJ_84]

That was good. Could you do one on his rival, Roy Shaw?

[@Seneca384]

I am reading his book poor wee Kreugar his life , I respect him!

[@erickdub5977]

My old boxing coach trained at the same gym as Lenny badk in the day, said he was lovely to those he knew. But nobody else,

[@theunemployedtrucker]

Lenny is a legend and a gentleman and will always be loved and remembered in the UK as Britain's hardest man ❤🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@noelht1]

I do a bit of poetry. He was actually responsible for the Vogon poetry in hitchhikers guide to the Galaxy.

[@rickchapman3707]

really liked that clip

[@jamiechapman310]

Absolute legend

[@richardwilliams3369]

In Frank Warren's words who happened to be his cousin he said he was a terrible bully.!

[@michaelharrison3602]

No. He weren't He just fucked up other people trying to be bullies 😂

[@richardwilliams3369]

@@michaelharrison3602 Frank Warrens words not mine his relative who would have a good insight and it’s Franks opinion.

[@dundaz1]

Because Frank warrens never lied 🤣

[@Phantom-sj7zg]

Frank Warren is a known liar

[@richardwilliams3369]

@@Phantom-sj7zg Most bouncers are bully’s it goes with the territory so what Frank says could well be true I’ve seen people beaten to a pulp by bouncers for no reason it is what it is.!

[@davidrogerson428]

Lennie was never the governor, he was nocked out twice by Cliff Fields and twice by Johnny Waldron. Lennie himself said on more than one occasion that he could beat any man in London except Cliff Fields

[@skerriesrockart]

Kevin Paddock decked him too

[@Phantom-sj7zg]

In the ring yes but on the cobbles I doubt they would have beaten lenny

[@LeniWLenihan79]

It's his reputation not his boxing Lenny was animal with them fists on the cobbles

[@colinlock-lv9vv]

i know he was one of hardest in day but to me personally to say he had between 2000 and 3000 fights nobody can varify that, and he did lose he lost to cliff fields. but nobody would have wanted to meet him down a dark alley.

[@anonamous7108]

3000 fights means including when he was working the doors of clubs. Several fights a night, chucking people out.

[@timvella1817]

A man from Canning Town named Bill the bomb/ Billy Williams is a man Lenny wouldn't play with. People saw it when they met.

[@user-kl4bh4lq6r]

Remember him the film 🎥 lock stock and a uk tv Series called the knock This bloke was the real deal a true hard man

[@KathleenGotdon]

I've read his book it's a very interesting read

[@Mephistopholies]

Good show.

[@scottallan1441]

"He credited them for the self control he exhibited during his fights" 😂😅

[@shirleydrury5565]

I would not have liked to cross him . He would have knocked me in the ground like a tent peg. R.i.P .LEN regards 😊❤

[@davidpicken8788]

Read Lenny’s book the governor great read RIP Lenny

[@allendunlea7458]

Know one is unbitable but Lenny marched on no matter what God bless Lenny and family

[@user-pg2kj7ps7o]

I heard Lennie and Dougie Harley met with Azim Khan and his crew behind the “Ten bells” in Commercial street. Seemingly Khan told him what’s what and Lennie got the message.😮

[@TraitorVek]

Check out Lenny and his Unlicensed Record - Go On

[@TraitorVek]

Check out his actual fighting record

[@schmatever]

A respectful and well made biography. Well done.

[@cavewaller]

I’ve never managed to find any of his poetry; I’d like t get some. (did lenny do the brilliant drawings btw?)

[@markblackburn5572]

No but his nemesis Johnny Walden was not a bad artist

[@richardmullins1883]

2:22 That bloke headbutted him. Then he headbutted the planet.

[@lostinberlinofficial8998]

Would loved have seen a prime Lenny McLean vs a prime Kimbo Slice

[@poindextertunes]

@@Argon-Windows-And-Doors-LtdI feel like Lenny is a better boxer and has better stamina but if Kimbo touches him? He going to sleep

[@g.m.3285]

Fantasy land, who knows? I'd love to have seen it! At their prime, sorry but for me it would have been "The Guv'nor" that wasn't mma you don't do ground work, you went down and your head got stamped on! 10 men Len. They had one great principle that they shared. They hated "bullying" Warriors for the weak. Respect!

[@billybattsshinebox8559]

​@g.m.3285 what you talking about lenny was a terrible bully😂

[@g.m.3285]

​@billybattsshinebox8559 go get your shine box

[@g.m.3285]

​​​@@billybattsshinebox8559Anyone with half a finger can stick their opinions on this load of old "shite"

[@hardtailharry6812]

The part about the car salesman offering him a fight for a car reminds me of snatch , they get a caravan the wheels fall off . They end up fighting for it , i wonder if that was where they got the inspiration for that part of snatch .

[@shaneduggan7901]

All the books

[@IanChrist-os3od]

Hi from Birmingham 😎

[@bazman2015]

Bartley Gorman documentary please

[@jasondow8885]

Simply the BEST

[@Murph168]

Lenny will always been known as the guvner true legend

[@alexblue6991]

My age 72yr old from Scotland in the 50s and 60s even the teachers were violent I started primary school at the age of 5yr old I was a sickly child but this didn't stop the young lady teacher's would make me hold out my hands and hit me with a thick leather belt sometimes up to 5 times at once this happened throughout my primary school life Alec from Scotland

[@jfilm7466]

My primary school teachers wanted to break me from being a naughty boy, the porky head dragged me up in front of assembly bent me over her lap and started spanking me, I started shouting big fat hippopotamus and all the kids started laughing. Never let them get you down😂

[@llamedosr7843]

My name is lenny is a film worth watching

[@JohnSmith-cs7jg]

It really isn’t 😂

[@protarget1]

Lenny had 12 unlicensed boxing matches. He won 6 lost 6 .He wasn't a boxer, he was a street fighter

[@davidandrews8963]

I REALLY ENJOYED THIS THESE GUYS ARE FASCINATING TO WATCH AND READ ABOUT BUT TO LIVE LIKE THAT I WOULDN'T LAST A DAY BRILLIANT FILM ME NEW SUBSCRIBER THANKS 🙈🙊🙉 OH JUST ONE MORE THING DOUGLAS BADER RAF WAS A LEGEND LENNIE WAS JUST A VERY ANGRY MAN WHO SCARED PEOPLE TO DEATH HIS FAMILY WERE HIS SALVATION HE WASN'T A LEGEND THAT TITLE IS USED WAY TOO MUCH NOWADAYS AND I DON'T KNOW WHY 🤘⭐😎

[@sammuslu2992]

Crazy he was younger than me when he died (im 51) but looked older

[@dc56789]

Frank Warren described Lenny as "a terrible bully".

[@Phantom-sj7zg]

Other people have labelled Frank Warren as a habitual liar

[@vordman]

I think they were related so Frank was probably given some slack by Lenny.

[@gert-janboot3928]

Frank Warren is a lying coward and nothing else

[@Spliff66]

Behind every bully boy there is childhood trauma usually at the hands of their bullying father or another male relative . IMO bullies are weak people ❤❤ Be nice people ❤

[@user-zz5wk8dr3w]

Reqd this legends book back on the 90s when it came out,was a follower ever since,he stole the film lock stock,would have been a big actor if he didnt get that shit cancer,really old school hard man,would also love to know more about his uncle jimmy spinks,seemed an interesting character

[@TraitorVek]

Love to Lenny - #RIP

[@TC_83]

12:20 - No those skittles!!!

[@Markinlondon]

Rest in peace

[@johnoriordan5695]

most shoplifted book from Foyle's bookshop.

[@SenorTucano]

“If you don’t want to be counting the fingers you don’t have… I suggest you get those guns”

[@user-yh9rw1jd4u]

I first heard of Lenny in my early 20’s, after I read The Guv’nor…A true legend

[@paulperrin2152]

No mention of Cliff Fields 🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔 wonder why

[@user-mi5op4si9b]

Ye it is a bit strange that 😂

[@garyjones7861]

Definitely a beast of a man..but Ali would smoke this dude.

[@Tonynotsoprano]

In a pub fight he would have his way with Ali. Forget the gloves 😉

[@garyjones7861]

@@Tonynotsoprano for sure..in a bar he probably kills Ali if he wants to

[@karlarsenalfciswhatitis6636]

Lenny McLean Vs Anne hegerty . Guvnor Vs guvness , I would run from both .

[@DarkSleuthSecrets]

😂😂😂

[@reeco355]

I saw Roy Shaw in his later years & he looked around 5’7, so am guessing he was around 5’9 in his prime. Roy beat Lennie fair & square in their 1st fight. Not to say that Lennie wasn’t a beast.! Other tough guys around that time: Cliff Fields, J Waldron, Ray Hill and Bill the bomb.

[@KingBluetooth66]

I thought he was in his 60s when he was in that movie

[@michaeltodd3914]

R.i.p the guvnor 💪👊

[@Bears84]

So Lenny broke a drunk guy's jaw as he was trying to stand up? Lovely chap...

[@user-mi5op4si9b]

If that's not a liberty taking bully what is,the sad thing is people talk about it like its something good

[@veritas4364]

I read that as 'as he was trying to do stand up'. To be fair stand-up is so awful it merits a broken jaw.

[@michaelharrison3602]

Don't get I need a fight with a big doorman when you're drunk simples 😂

[@theiceman4752]

​@@michaelharrison3602he didn't say the guy was looking for a fight he said he was drunk and fell over and while he was trying to stand up that piece of shit sucker punched him.

[@capone6014]

Muppit

[@Bears84]

Frank Warren at 4:51. 😂

[@HarryFlowerrs]

Lenny McLean was definitely the hardest Man Britain at the time, a real mountain of bloke and Guy Ritchie casting him in 'Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels' was a stroke of genius! Read 'The Guv'nor, it's proper order! RIP Lenny GBNF❤

[@carlito3859]

Remember seeing him on the door walking the Queue at Camden place around 1990 I was 15 years I remember seeing his face and the size of him he’s was terrifying to look at heard stories if he caught u doing anything dodgy u we’re in serious trouble ?

[@michaelharrison3602]

Because it's adocu about lenny mlean not fields funny enough it didn't mention me either or you or Stephen Hawkins or about 8 billion other people on the planet.if you want to read about fields read his book 😅😅

[@Dublin24]

Lenny giving one of the village people advice on fighting

[@mjh5437]

The club was called The Hippodrome,not the "The Hipoprrome" at 10:28 lololol

[@cokesquirrel]

Oh my god what the hell....

[@user-hw1xq2nn9s]

Can you just imagine this man after you 😮 i would leave the country or fake my own death 😢 what a absolute fighting machine.

[@itsalondonthing9562]

If he could see London for what it is now?, Blimey!!!

[@johnathandaviddunster38]

Where's dem white women at ❤❤❤❤❤

[@realtalk4329]

Cliff fields

[@johncrabtree7709]

Before watching the documentary and not read any of the books for 10 plus years I always rated Roy shaw the harder man .. he was half the size of Lenny and although Lenny was classed as old in the second and third fights he was still around 10 years younger than shaw .. also shaw claimed he was drugged in the second or 3rd fight which isn’t too unbelievable

[@jaynewton5278]

Lenny is like marmite, love him or hate him, and very strong.

[@Flammable_Arsehair.]

"Keep yourself fit and strong". Fuck lot of good that did him.

[@user-mi5op4si9b]

Dose that mean abuse lots of steroids so you are about 7 stone more than you should be.

[@peterwickendon258]

The background music is annoying

[@jamesnicholson2503]

6ft 2 he was.

[@juandis6140]

Comedy gold

[@23lnp]

Didnt want any part of the welsh boxer david pearce though

[@andyrawlings8361]

Lenny was also 13 years younger than Shaw aswell so I'd like to have seen Shaw fight him when younger than he was... Shaw was superior in my opinion smaller older and harder

[@mad-pit3832]

If the footage of the fights is anything to go by then the 13 years wouldn't of made a difference. Plus roy couldn't accept defeat, listen to his excuses about the ginseng, he sounds like wilder with all the heavy costume and illegal glove bs he came out with.

[@benugdsen75]

The Guv´nor vs Charles Bronson 🧐

[@user-xj9tt3bt4f]

Mclean wasn’t half as hard as this video makes on! Harpal Singh the carpet textile millionaire from Dudley in the West Midlands, pulverised him in under 30 seconds at a bare knuckle bout held at Wolverhampton town hall in 1980, he knocked him over the top rope and Mclean lost 7 teeth. Bob Crumb the UK potholing champion beat him with the first punch he landed at a Quarry in Matlock, Derbyshire the same year. Kenneth Tent from Hammersmith Ko’d him in 33 seconds at Billingsgate fish market in 1981, in May 1983 Dennis Mullen AKA “The Salford Apache” despatched him in 11 seconds with a brutal uppercut at Rochdale working mens club, this resulted in Mclean spending 3 weeks in intensive care. The real guvnor of London during the 70s & 80s was Moses “Basket” Case from Dollis Hill offered Mclean out on numerous occasions, but Mclean never took him up on the offer, one night in 1984, Case went to the Hippodrome where Mclean was head doorman and was shouting outside he was going to beat him senseless, Rumour has it Mclean sent out 9 doormen to give Case a hiding whilst he made himself scarce, Case battered 7 of the doormen in 2 minutes flat, the other 2 ran away! 1 into the road in blind panic, getting knocked over by a taxi and losing a leg! When Case entered the club, he was going berserk, beating his chest shouting “you & me McLean, let’s ave it! A proper straighter, I’ll show you who the guvnor is” but Mclean was nowhere to be found! After searching the club high & low, Case came across a fire exit door open and blowing in the wind! When he went outside he saw a pile of vomit and a discarded pair of soiled underpants and Mclean running away about 300 yards up the road shouting at a taxi “please stop, please, he’ll kill me” other notable defeats McLean suffered were to Lincoln Tallhat the Native American on his european Bare knuckle fighting tour, The Irish Traveller Seamus Dump, and the notorious Glasgow hard man Hughie Fear.

[@MrKshishtov]

music is too loud

[@RobertTate-jv3qv]

And he faced his greatest for with the same attitude. RIP. LENNY. (NAABADY beats THE PRAPA GUVNA)

[@georgelippitt7362]

My mates grandad had problem with a major car dealer from Billericay who didn't want to pay large bill on four jaguar cars being shipped through Malta. So from a friend of the family who had dealings with some unsavoury people from Park Royal give him a number to arrange a one to one meeting with the king of the cobbles but at first wasn't interested but later in the same week organise another meeting this time with two of his mates present. He wants 😅£20.000 grand £10.000 extra so the job went without any problems so hand were shuck and within a week the problem was solved. So later that year my own grandad had so of his own problems solved over the span of five years but my father never knew anything about this intill his dad passed away and his mother let him in on the big secret over a bottle of Grandads expensive dark rum, But dad never spoke to me or my brother about i found a old letter explaining what happened but dad burnt it in the back garden with a load of Grandads rubbish i watched burn a funny blue and orange flame. 😊

[@sheldonjones3921]

He was also bipolar wasn’t he? Absolute legend of a bloke.

[@DavyRo]

Frank Warren is a cousin of Lenny McLean

[@oscarhu1188]

Skittles like bowling not like the sweets

[@laurenced2916]

Lenny would've wiped the floor with Mr T