Edward Woodward

**Edward Albert Arthur Woodward** OBE (1 June 1930 – 16 November 2009) was a British actor. He was born in Croydon, London. His parents were working class. His television roles included the title characters in _Callan_ (for which he won a BAFTA Award) and _The Equalizer_ (for which he won a Golden Globe Award). His movie roles include Sergeant Howie in _The Wicker Man_. He also acted on stage.

## Personal life

Woodward married actress Venetia Barrett in 1952. The couple had three children, all of whom are actors. Their sons are Tim Woodward (born 1953) and Peter Woodward (born 1956). Their daughter is Sarah Woodward (born 1963). Woodward left Barrett for actress Michele Dotrice (born 1948). The couple had a daughter, Emily Beth Woodward (born 1983). Woodward and Barrett divorced in 1986. He was married to Dotrice from 1987 until his death in Treliske, Truro, Cornwall.

## Death

Edward Woodward died at the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro on 16 November 2009 at the age of 79. He lived in Hawker's Cove, Cornwall, near Padstow.  He had various illnesses, including pneumonia.

He is survived by his wife, Michele Dotrice and their daughter, and the three children of his first marriage.

## Recording artist

His ability as tenor let him record twelve albums of romantic songs, as well as three albums of poetry and fourteen books to tape. His vocal ability and acting skill let him make a number of appearances when time allowed on the BBC's Edwardian era music hall programme, _The Good Old Days_.

## Awards

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 made an Officer of the Order 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 Award from 1986 to 1990, he was nominated each year for _The Equalizer_.

- Golden Globe - 1987
- RTS Television Actor of the Year - 1969, 1970
- Sun Award for Best Actor - 1970, 1971, 1972
- Order of the British Empire - 1978
- BAFTAAward for Best Actor
- Emmy Award nominated

### Stage

- 1955 - _Where There's a Will_
- 1958 - _Romeo and Juliet_
- 1958 - _Hamlet_
- 1962 - _Rattle of a Simple Man_
- 1968 - _Two Cities_
- 1971 - _Cyrano de Bergerac_
- 1971 - _The White Devil_
- 1973 - _The Wolf_
- 1975 - _Male of the Species_
- 1976 - _On Approval_
- 1978 - _The Dark Horse_
- 1980 - _The Beggar's O_pera (also as director)
- 1980 - _Private Lives_
- 1982 - _The Assassin_
- 1982 - _Richard III_
- 1992 - _The Dead Secret_

### Movies

- 1955 - _Where There's a Will_
- 1960 - _Inn for Trouble_
- 1964 - _Becket_
- 1969 - _File of the Golden Goose_
- 1970 - _Incense for the Damned_
- 1972 - _Sitting Target_
- 1972 - _Young Winston_
- 1973 - _Hunted_
- 1973 - _The Wicker Man_
- 1974 - _Callan_
- 1975 - _Three for All_
- 1977 - _Stand Up, Virgin Soldiers_
- 1980 - _Breaker Morant_
- 1981 - _The Appointment_
- 1981 - _Wet Job_ (TV)
- 1982 - _Who Dares Wins_
- 1983 - _Operation Comeback (Love is forever)_
- 1984 - _Champions_
- 1984 - _A Christmas Carol_
- 1985 - _Arthur the King_
- 1986 - _King David_
- 1987 - _Uncle Tom's Cabin_
- 1989 - _The Man In The Brown Suit_
- 1990 - _Over My Dead Body_
- 1990 - _Hands of a Murderer_
- 1990 - _Mister Johnson_
- 1990 - _Soccer Shootout - Official Film 1990 World Cup_ (Narrator)
- 1993 - _Deadly Advice_
- 1994 - _A Christmas Reunion_
- 1995 - _The Shamrock Conspiracy_ (TV)
- 1996 - _Harrison: The Cry Of The City_ (TV)
- 1996 - _Gulliver's Travels_
- 1999 - _Marcia's Dowry_
- 2007 - _Hot Fuzz_ (as Tom Weaver)
- 2009 - _A Congregation of Ghosts_ (as the Reverend Frederick Densham)

### Television series

- 1967 - _Sword of Honour_
- 1967-72, 1981 - Callan
- 1972 - _Whodunnit?_ (as host)
- 1977-78 - _1990_
- 1977-78 - _The Bass Player and the Blonde_
- 1978 - _Laurence Olivier Presents_: _Saturday, Sunday, Monday_
- 1981 - _Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years_
- 1981 - _Nice Work_
- 1985-89 - _The Equalizer_
- 1987 - _Codename: Kyril_
- 1990 - _Over My Dead Body_
- 1991 - _In Suspicious Circumstances_
- 1991 - _America at Risk_
- 1994-97- _Common as Muck_
- 1998 - _CI5: The New Professionals_
- 1999 - _Crusade_
- 2000 - _La Femme Nikita_
- 2001-07 - _Messiah_, BBC drama series
- 2007 - _Five Days_, BBC and HBO drama mini-series
- 2008 - _The Bill_ 2 episodes - As Johnie Jackson
- 2009 - _EastEnders_ 6 episodes

### Made-for-TV movies

- 1983 - _Merlin and the Sword_ (U.S. title, _Arthur the King_)
- 1983 - _Love is Forever_
- 1984 - _A Christmas Carol_
- 1986 - _Uncle Tom's Cabin_
- 1988 - _The Man in the Brown Suit_
- 1990 - _Hands of a Murderer_
- 1995 - _The Shamrock Conspiracy_

### Television specials

- 1969 - _Omnibus: Scott Fitzgerald_
- 1970 - _Bit of a Holiday_
- 1971 - _Evelyn_
- 1979 - _Rod of Iron_
- 1980 - _The Trial of Lady Chatterley_
- 1980 - _Blunt Instrument_
- 1981 - _Wet Job_
- 1986 - _The Spice of Life_
- 1988 - _Hunted_
- 1990 - _Hands of a Murderer, or The Napoleon of Crime_
- 1991 - _In My Defence_
- 1994 - _Harrison_
- 1995 - _Cry of the City_
- 1995 - _Gulliver's Travels_

## Infobox (person)

- **image**: Edward Woodward 1971.JPG
- **caption**: Woodward in 1971
- **birth name**: Edward Albert Arthur Woodward
- **birth place**: Croydon, London, England
- **death place**: Truro, Cornwall, England
- **death cause**: Pneumonia
- **resting place**: Padstow Cemetery, Cornwall
- **occupation**: Actor, Singing, singer
- **years active**: 1955–2009
- **spouse**: Venetia Barrett
(m. 1952–1986, divorced)
Michele Dotrice
(m. 1987–2009, his death)
- **children**: Tim Woodward, Tim, Peter Woodward, Peter, Sarah Woodward, Sarah, Emily