Edward Albert Arthur Woodward died he was 79. Woodward was an English actor and singer.
(1 June 1930 – 16 November 2009)
Originally a Shakespearean stage actor, he was best known for his roles in the 1960s-1970s television spy series Callan, the 1973 film The Wicker Man, the 1980 Australian biographical film drama Breaker Morant and his lead role in the 1980s American television series The Equalizer.
Woodward was an only child, born in Croydon to working-class parents Edward Oliver Woodward and Violet Edith Woodward (nee Smith).[1] He attended Eccleston Road and Sydenham Road Schools in Croydon and the Elmwood School in Hackbridge, near Wallington, as well as Hinchley Wood School, all in Surrey. He then attended Kingston College.Woodward wanted to become an actor but initially in the post World War II period became an associate member of RADA while taking amateur roles. Wanting to train as a journalist he eventually took work in a sanitary engineer's office before attending the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
He was reputedly torn between becoming an actor or a professional footballer. Woodward was on the books of Leyton Orient and Brentford, making three appearances in the Football League for the latter; however, a serious knee injury kept him out of the game for over a year. He began as stage actor at the Castle Theatre, Farnham, in 1946. After graduation from RADA he worked extensively in repertory companies as a Shakespearean actor throughout England and Scotland, making his London debut in Where There's A Will in 1955 and also starred in the film adaptation that same year.
His work in the West End included Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet (1955), as well as Cyrano de Bergerac (1971). Having established himself, he also worked in Broadway theatre in New York and in Australia. Woodward first 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 made his film debut in the 1955 screen adaptation of R. F. Delderfield's play, Where There's a Will. He went on to make occasional appearances, until taking the role of Police Sergeant Neil Howie in the thriller The Wicker Man in 1973. Many critics have cited the final scene in The Wicker Man as one of the greatest visual shots in cinema history. Woodward was offered a cameo role in the 2005 remake but declined. He also appeared in the 1982 film Who Dares Wins, also known as "The Final Option", as Commander Powell.[citation needed]
Woodward played the title role in the 1980 Australian biographical film drama Breaker Morant, which was highly acclaimed and his presence brought the film worldwide attention. Woodward also had a supporting role in the 2007 action comedy Hot Fuzz. His last lead film role was that of the Reverend Frederick Densham in A Congregation of Ghosts; the story of an eccentric vicar who is said to have alienated his congregation and preached to cardboard cut-outs.
During his career Woodward appeared in many television productions. His casting as Guy Crouchback in an early 1967 adaption of Evelyn Waugh's Sword of Honour trilogy established him as an actor of quality and standing. Guy Crouchback was the central figure in Waugh's iconic three novels set against the background of Britain's involvement in World War II. Although, this black and white TV adaption is now much less well known than a 2001 colour adaption with Daniel Craig playing the part of Crouchback.
In 1967 he was cast as David Callan in the ITV Armchair Theatre play A Magnum for Schneider, which later became 1960s spy series Callan, one of his early television roles and one in which he demonstrated his ability to express controlled rage. His iconic performance assured the series success from 1967 to 1972, with a film appearing in 1974.
In smaller roles, Woodward made a cameo appearance on the BBC's Morecambe and Wise Show and his name was used in a joke: When asked by Eric Morecambe who would ever appear in one of Ernie Wise's 'little plays what he wrote', Ernie replied "Edward Woodward would." Another joke starts "Do you know why Edward Woodward has so many Ds in his name?"[citation needed] He also appeared opposite Laurence Olivier in a 1978 episode "Saturday, Sunday, Monday" of Laurence Olivier Presents.
The success of Callan typecast him somewhat, but the enduring success of the genre allowed him to gain leading roles in similar productions, though none would prove as iconic as "Callan".[2] In 1977 he starred in two series of the BBC2 dystopian drama 1990, about a future Britain lurching into totalitarianism.[3]
The late 1970s were spent on both stage and film, but it was not until he took the lead role in the 1980s American television series The Equalizer as a British former intelligence operative that he found recognition and popularity exceeding that of Callan. The series ran from 1985 until 1989. After filming a few episodes of the third season, Woodward suffered a massive coronary. For several episodes, additional actors were brought in to reduce the workload on Woodward as he recovered from the condition. The first episode filmed following Woodward's heart attack involved his character being severely injured by a KGB bullet, providing Woodward with a chance to rest over several episodes. Later in the season, Woodward resumed his full duties and carried the show through an additional, fourth season during the 1988-1989 season.
Subsequently he starred in the short-lived CBS series "Over My Dead Body", which ran in 1990, playing a mystery writer who gets involved solving real crimes. In 1994 and 1997 Woodward starred in the BBC drama Common As Muck in which he played a binman called "Nev".
In 1993, Woodward appeared in the Welsh-language drama, Tan ar y Comin. Versions were made in both English and Welsh, and Woodward appeared in both, being specially coached in the latter since he did not speak a word of the language.[4]
His career continued with TV guest star roles including an appearance in The New Alfred Hitchcock Presents and Mr. Jones (aka Philip, codename 'Flavius') in the series La Femme Nikita. He also guest starred with his son Tim and grandson Sam as a London gangster family in a special storyline for The Bill in 2008. In March 2009, he joined EastEnders, playing Tommy Clifford.
His capability as tenor enabled him to record twelve albums of songs, as well as three albums of poetry and fourteen books to tape. His vocal capability and acting skill enabled him to make a number of appearances when time allowed on the BBC's Victorian era music hall programme, The Good Old Days.
Woodward was a wargamer and hosted a series of programmes for Tyne Tees Television about the hobby with fellow enthusiast Peter Gilder, who built and owned the beautiful Gettysburg diorama used for one of the gaming scenes from the 1974 film Callan.
Woodward was married twice. His first marriage was to the actress Venetia Barrett (born Venetia Mary Collett) from 1952 to 1986. They had two sons: Tim Woodward (born 1953) and Peter Woodward (born 1956), both of whom became actors, as well as a daughter, the Tony Award-nominated actress Sarah Woodward (born 1963). Woodward left Barrett for actress Michele Dotrice, the daughter of his contemporary Roy Dotrice. Woodward married Dotrice in New York in January 1987. Their daughter, Emily Beth (born 1983), was present at the ceremony.[5]
Woodward underwent triple bypass surgery in 1996 and quit smoking volatile fter two heart attacks. In February 2003 it was announced that he was diagnosed with prostate cancer.[6]
Edward Woodward died at the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro on 16 November 2009 at the age of 79. He had lived in Hawker's Cove, Cornwall, near Padstow and had been suffering from various illnesses, including pneumonia. [7][8]
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