| Edward Albert Arthur Woodward | ||||||||||
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 Edward Woodward as Sgt. Howie in The Wicker Man. |
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| Born | June 1 1930 Croydon, England |
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| Spouse(s) | Venetia Mary Collett (1952 - 1986) Michele Dotrice (1987 - Present) |
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| Children | Tim Woodward (b.1953) Peter Woodward (b.1956) Sarah Woodward (b.1963) |
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Edward Albert Arthur Woodward, OBE, (born June 1, 1930 Croydon, Surrey) is a Golden Globe Award-winning English stage, film and television actor and singer. Originally a Shakespearian stage actor, he is best known for his role in the 1960-1970s spy series, Callan, his lead role in the 1980s American television series The Equalizer and for the 1973 film The Wicker Man.
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Life and career
Edward Woodward was born in Croydon, London and educated at Eccleston Road and Sydenham Road schools in Croydon then Elmwood School at [Hackbridge, Surrey] and Kingston Commercial School. He trained at RADA. He wanted to work as a journalist but started work in a sanitary engineer's office. Woodward began his acting career in 1946 at the Castle Theatre in Farnham, Surrey. He continued to perform in Rep before his London debut Where There's A Will in 1955, and also starred in the film adaptation that same year. His work in the West End included Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet both in 1955, as well as Cyrano de Bergerac in 1971. Woodward also appeared on Broadway, in Rattle of a Simple Man (1963) and the musical comedy High Spirits (1964–1965), which won three Tony Awards, followed by the 1966 comedy The Best Laid Plans. Woodward has appeared in numerous films and TV productions. His memorable film performances include the devout-Christian Police Sergeant Neil Howie in the British horror film The Wicker Man (1973) and the title role of Boer War hero Harry "Breaker" Harbord Morant in the Australian biographical film drama Breaker Morant (1980). He embodied the leading roles in the British TV series Callan (1967–1972) and the American TV series The Equalizer (1985–1989). In 1969 and 1970, he was Television Actor of the Year, and Best Actor at the Sun Awards in 1970, 1971 and 1972. Woodward won the 1970 BAFTA Award for Best Actor for his title role in Callan. He was appointed an Officer of the British Empire (OBE) in 1978. At the 1987 Golden Globe Awards, he won Best Actor in a Dramatic TV Series for his role of Robert McCall in The Equalizer. At the Emmy Awards from 1986 to 1990, he was nominated each year for The Equalizer. His TV guest star roles include an appearance in Alfred Hitchcock Presents and Mr. Jones (aka Philip, codename 'Flavius') in the series La Femme Nikita. He also had success as a singer, including appearing and using his voice to good effect as a 'turn' in the BBC's Victorian era music hall programme, The Good Old Days. He recorded several LPs.
Personal life
Woodward has been twice married:
- Venetia Mary Collett (the actress Venetia Barrett) (1952-1987); two sons Timothy Woodward (born 1953) and Peter Woodward (born 1956), who became successful actors, as well as a Tony Award-nominated actress daughter, Sarah Woodward (born 1963).
- The actress Michele Dotrice, the daughter of his contemporary Roy Dotrice (1987 to date); one daughter, Emily.
In 1996, Woodward had triple bypass surgery after two consecutive heart attacks.
Trivia
- In 1978, Woodward was appointed an OBE.
- In an interview, Woodward said that the final scene of The Wicker Man was one of the greatest visual images in the history of cinema.
- Woodward is an Associate Member of RADA
- A gifted vocalist, he has recorded twelve albums.
- His hobbies have included gem polishing, sword collecting and boating.
- Has a famous joke penned (literally) in his name - "Why does Edward Woodward have so many d's in his name ? If he didn't he'd be called Ewar Woowar"
Filmography
- 1964 Becket
- 1969 The file of the golden goose
- 1971 Incense of the damned
- 1972 Time for killing (Sitting target)
- 1972 Young Winston (as Captain Aylmer Haldane)
- 1973 Charley One-Eye
- 1973 The Wicker Man (Lead role)
- 1974 Callan
- 1979 Breaker Morant (Title role)
- 1981 The appointment
- 1981 Wet job
- 1982 Who dares wins
- 1983 Operation comeback (Love is forever)
- 1984 Champions
- 1984 A Christmas Carol
- 1985 Arthur the King
- 1985 King David
- 1987 Uncle Tom’s cabin
- 1988 Equalizer (Memories of Manon)
- 1989 The man in the brown suit
- 1990 Over my dead body
- 1990 Hands of a murderer
- 1990 Mister Johnson
- 1993 Deadly advice
- 1993 Christmas reunion
- 1995 The shamrock conspiracy
- 1996 Gulliver’s travels
- 1999 Marcia’s dowry
- 2007 Hot Fuzz() (as Tom Weaver)
- 1994 and 1997 Common as Muck
TV series
- 1967-1972 Callan
- 1977- 1990 (BBC futuristic drama series)
- 1985-1989 The Equalizer (American action series)
- 1998 CI5: The New Professionals (Channel 5, UK)
- 2001 La Femme Nikita (in season 5)
- 2001 and 2007 Messiah (BBC drama series)
- 2007 Five_Days (BBC and HBO drama mini-series)
He appeared also in:
- 1962 episode Sir Francis Drake (Court Intrigue where he played a Spanish captain)
- Laurence Olivier Presents Saturday, Sunday, Monday, with Laurence Olivier
