Edward Albert Arthur Woodward, OBE (1 June 1930 – 16 November 2009) was an English stage and screen actor and singer. After graduating from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), Woodward began his career on stage, and throughout his career he appeared in productions in both the West End in London and on Broadway in New York City. He came to wider attention from 1967 in the title role of the British television spy drama Callan, earning him the 1970 British Academy Television Award for Best Actor. Among his film credits, Woodward starred as Police Sergeant Neil Howie in the 1973 cult British horror film The Wicker Man, and in the title role of the 1980 Australian biopic Breaker Morant. From 1985 Woodward starred as British ex-secret agent and vigilante Robert McCall in the American television series The Equalizer (1985-1989), earning him the 1986 Golden Globe Award for Best Television Drama Actor.
| Full Name | Edward Woodward |
| Net Worth | $5 Million |
| Date Of Birth | June 1, 1930 |
| Died | 2009-11-16 |
| Place Of Birth | Croydon, Surrey, England, U.K. |
| Height | 5′ 9″ (1.75 m) |
| Profession | Actor, Producer, Soundtrack |
| Education | University of Bristol |
| Nationality | English |
| Spouse | Venetia Barrett |
| Children | Peter Woodward, Emily Woodward, Tim, Peter, Sarah, Emily |
| Parents | Violet Edith Woodward, Edward Oliver Woodward |
| IMDB |
| Awards | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama, British Academy Television Award for Best Actor |
| Nominations | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series, AACTA Award for Best Lead Actor |
| Movies | The Wicker Man, Breaker Morant, Hot Fuzz, Young Winston, Sitting Target, Mister Johnson, King David, Hands of a Murderer, Who Dares Wins, The File of the Golden Goose, The Man in the Brown Suit, Where There’s a Will, Merlin and the Sword, Stand Up, Virgin Soldiers, A Christmas Carol, Deadly Advice, … |
| TV Shows | Callan, 1990, Laurence Olivier Presents, The Equalizer, Over My Dead Body, Common As Muck, CI5: The New Professionals, Five Days, Codename: Kyril, Omnibus, Whodunnit?, In Suspicious Circumstances, Nice Work, The Root of All Evil?, Evelyn |
| Fact |
| 1 | His vocal ability and acting skill enabled him to make a number of appearances when time allowed on the BBC’s Edwardian era music hall programme, The Good Old Days. |
| 2 | In 1990 Woodward was the narrator for the official FIFA film of the 1990 World Cup entitled ‘Soccer Shoot-Out’. |
| 3 | In 1967 Woodward played the eventual victim in an episode of The Saint TV series (The Persistent Patriots). The same year he was cast as David Callan in the ITV Armchair Theatre play A Magnum for Schneider, which later became the 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. |
| 4 | Woodward was a wargamer and hosted a series of programmes for Tyne Tees Television in 1978 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. |
| 5 | Woodward was the subject of This Is Your Life on two occasions: in February 1971 when he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews in the bar of London’s White House Hotel, and in February 1995, when Michael Aspel surprised him during a photoshoot at Syon House in West London. |
| 6 | Woodward suffered a massive heart attack in 1987 and another one in 1994. He underwent triple bypass surgery in 1996 and quit smoking. |
| 7 | 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. |
| 8 | His capability as tenor enabled him to record twelve albums of romantic songs, as well as three albums of poetry and fourteen books to tape. |
| 9 | He is buried in Padstow, Cornwall, UK. |
| 10 | Had played conflicted British spy and assassin David Callan on four different series and films: Armchair Theatre (1956), Callan (1967), Callan (1974) and Wet Job (1981). |
| 11 | He was only seven years and one week younger than his father-in-law, fellow actor Roy Dotrice. |
| 12 | Brother-in-law of Ned Nalle. |
| 13 | His agent is Janet Glass. |
| 14 | In February 2003, it was revealed that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer. |
| 15 | He was the grandfather of Sam Woodward. |
| 16 | Had appeared with his son, Peter Woodward, in Crusade: The Long Road (1999). |
| 17 | He was offered a cameo in the remake of The Wicker Man (2006) but declined, even though he said he thought the script was very well written. |
| 18 | He suffered two major heart attacks, firstly in 1987 and then in 1994. He finally quit smoking after undergoing triple bypass surgery in 1996. |
| 19 | Upon being introduced, Sir Noël Coward looked to the ceiling and said “Edward Woodward… Edward Woodward… sounds like a fart in the bath.”. |
| 20 | Graduated from Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London, England. |
| 21 | An Associate Member of Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London, England. |
| 22 | He cited the final scene in The Wicker Man (1973) as one of the greatest visual shots in cinema history. |
| 23 | He was awarded the OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in the 1978 Queen’s New Year Honours List for his services to drama. |
| 24 | He and fellow actress Michele Dotrice are the parents of yet another actress, Emily Woodward. |
| 25 | Father (with Venetia Barrett) of Tim Woodward, Peter Woodward and Sarah Woodward. |
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
| A Congregation of Ghosts | 2009 | Reverend Densham |
| EastEnders | 2009 | TV Series | Tommy |
| The Bill | 2008 | TV Series | Johnnie Jackson |
| Five Days: Revised Final Episode | 2007 | Video short | Victor Marsham |
| Hot Fuzz: Hot Funk: The TV Version | 2007 | Video short | Tom Weaver (uncredited) |
| First Landing | 2007 | TV Movie | Older Nathaniel Peacock / Narrator (voice) |
| Hot Fuzz | 2007 | Tom Weaver |
| Five Days | 2007 | TV Mini-Series | Victor Marsham |
| Where the Heart Is | 2005 | TV Series | Jack Bishop |
| Murder in Suburbia | 2004 | TV Series | Reg |
| The Abduction Club | 2002 | Lord Fermoy |
| Night Flight | 2002 | TV Movie | Vic Green |
| Messiah | 2001 | TV Mini-Series | Rev. Stephen Hedges |
| Dark Realm | 2001 | TV Series | Captain Kelly |
| La Femme Nikita | 2001 | TV Series | Mr. Jones |
| Marcie’s Dowry | 2000 | Short | Gus Wise |
| CI5: The New Professionals | 1999 | TV Series | Harry Malone |
| Crusade | 1999 | TV Series | Alwyn |
| The House of Angelo | 1997 | Dominic Angelo |
| Common As Muck | 1994-1997 | TV Series | Nev |
| In Suspicious Circumstances | 1991-1996 | TV Series | Storyteller |
| Harrison: Cry of the City | 1996 | TV Movie | Edward ‘Teddy’ Harrison |
| Gulliver’s Travels | 1996 | TV Mini-Series | Drunlo |
| The Shamrock Conspiracy | 1995 | TV Movie | Edward Harrison |
| Christmas Reunion | 1994 | TV Movie | Colonel Phillips |
| Deadly Advice | 1994 | Maj. Herbert Armstrong |
| Aladdin | 1992/I | Video | The Sultan (voice) |
| Over My Dead Body | 1990-1991 | TV Series | Maxwell Beckett |
| Mister Johnson | 1990 | Sargy Gollup |
| Hands of a Murderer | 1990 | TV Movie | Sherlock Holmes |
| The Equalizer | 1985-1989 | TV Series | Robert McCall |
| The Man in the Brown Suit | 1989 | TV Movie | Sir Eustace Pedler |
| Alfred Hitchcock Presents | 1988 | TV Series | Drummond |
| Memories of Manon | 1988 | TV Movie | Robert McCall |
| Codename: Kyril | 1988 | TV Mini-Series | Michael Royston |
| Uncle Tom’s Cabin | 1987 | TV Movie | Simon Legree |
| King David | 1985 | Saul |
| Arthur the King | 1985 | TV Movie | Merlin |
| A Christmas Carol | 1984 | TV Movie | Ghost of Christmas Present |
| Killer Contract | 1984 | TV Movie | Bill Routledge |
| Champions | 1984 | Josh Gifford |
| Love Is Forever | 1983 | TV Movie | Derek McBracken |
| The Final Option | 1982 | Commander Powell |
| The Appointment | 1981 | Ian |
| Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years | 1981 | TV Mini-Series | Sir Samuel Hoare |
| Wet Job | 1981 | TV Movie | David Callan |
| Chronicle | 1981 | TV Series documentary | Narrator |
| Sunday Night Thriller | 1981 | TV Series | Alex Logan |
| Blunt Instrument | 1980 | TV Movie | Logan |
| Nice Work | 1980 | TV Series | Edwin Thornfield |
| Breaker Morant | 1980 | Lt. Harry ‘Breaker’ Morant |
| ITV Playhouse | 1968-1980 | TV Series | Ian / George Mangham / Lt.-Col. Fox-Lennard / … |
| The Bass Player and the Blonde | 1978 | TV Series | Mangham |
| 1990 | 1977-1978 | TV Series | Jim Kyle |
| Saturday, Sunday, Monday | 1978 | TV Movie | Luigi |
| Stand Up, Virgin Soldiers | 1977 | Sgt. Wellbeloved |
| Three for All | 1975 | Roadsweeper |
| Armchair Cinema | 1975 | TV Series | Philip Warne |
| Callan | 1974 | David Callan |
| The Wicker Man | 1973 | Sergeant Howie |
| Young Winston | 1972 | Aylmer Haldane |
| Callan | 1967-1972 | TV Series | David Callan |
| Sitting Target | 1972 | Inspector Milton |
| Hunted | 1972 | Short | John Drummond |
| The Edward Woodward Hour | 1971 | TV Series |
| BBC Play of the Month | 1969-1971 | TV Series | Lopakhin Cassius |
| Play for Today | 1971 | TV Series | The Man |
| Incense for the Damned | 1970 | Dr. Holstrom |
| The Root of All Evil? | 1969 | TV Series | Designi |
| Detective | 1968-1969 | TV Series | Commissaire Bignon / Auguste Dupin |
| Omnibus | 1969 | TV Series documentary | F. Scott Fitzgerald |
| The Bruce Forsyth Show | 1969 | TV Series |
| The File of the Golden Goose | 1969 | Arthur Thompson |
| Sherlock Holmes | 1968 | TV Series | Mason |
| Mystery and Imagination | 1968 | TV Series | Reeve |
| Trapped | 1967 | TV Series |
| Conflict | 1967 | TV Series | Othello |
| The Baron | 1967 | TV Series | Arkin Morley |
| The Revenue Men | 1967 | TV Series | Bill Murray |
| Thirty-Minute Theatre | 1966-1967 | TV Series | Alan / Arthur |
| Armchair Theatre | 1959-1967 | TV Series | David Callan |
| Theatre 625 | 1967 | TV Series | Guy Crouchback |
| Sword of Honour | 1967 | TV Series | Guy Crouchback |
| The Saint | 1967 | TV Series | Jack Liskard |
| Dixon of Dock Green | 1966 | TV Series | Bruce Paynter |
| Armchair Mystery Theatre | 1960-1965 | TV Series | Anstey / Paul Danek |
| Mogul | 1965 | TV Series | Ron Smith |
| The Defenders | 1964 | TV Series | H.T. Harris |
| Becket | 1964 | Clement (uncredited) |
| ITV Play of the Week | 1962-1964 | TV Series | The boy’s father / Adolphus Cusins |
| Sergeant Cork | 1964 | TV Series | Austen Carew |
| Sir Francis Drake | 1962 | TV Series | Spanish Captain |
| You Can’t Win | 1961 | TV Series | Paul Hayward |
| BBC Sunday-Night Play | 1961 | TV Mini-Series | Superintendent Morland |
| Magnolia Street | 1961 | TV Series | John Cooper |
| Adventure Story | 1961 | TV Series | Peter |
| Emergency-Ward 10 | 1961 | TV Series | Rev. Posset |
| The True Mistery of the Passion | 1960 | TV Movie | Peter |
| Inside Story | 1960 | TV Series | Stanislaw Krasinski |
| Inn for Trouble | 1960 | uncredited |
| Skyport | 1959 | TV Series |
| ITV Television Playhouse | 1959 | TV Series | Joe Murdoch |
| World Theatre | 1959 | TV Mini-Series | Titinius |
| The Telescope | 1957 | TV Movie | John Mayfield |
| A Girl Called Jo | 1956 | TV Movie | John Brooke |
| Where There’s a Will | 1955 | Ralph Stokes |
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
| Ex-S | 1998 | TV Series documentary |
| My Favourite Hymns | 1998 | TV Series | Himself |
| Telly Addicts | 1998 | TV Series | Himself |
| Richard and Judy Exclusive | 1997 | TV Series | Himself |
| This Is Your Life | 1971-1995 | TV Series documentary | Himself |
| Italia ’90: Notti magiche | 1991 | Documentary | English Narration (voice) |
| Aspel & Company | 1990 | TV Series | Himself |
| The Royal Variety Performance 1989 | 1989 | TV Movie | Himself |
| The 41st Annual Primetime Emmy Awards | 1989 | TV Special | Himself – Nominee: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series |
| Remembering World War II | 1989 | TV Series documentary | Himself – Host |
| Good Morning America | 1989 | TV Series | Himself |
| Live with Kelly and Michael | 1989 | TV Series | Himself |
| The 40th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards | 1988 | TV Special | Himself – Nominee: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series |
| The 45th Annual Golden Globe Awards | 1988 | TV Special | Himself – Nominee: Best Actor in a TV-Series Drama |
| Late Night with David Letterman | 1985-1987 | TV Series | Himself |
| The 44th Annual Golden Globe Awards | 1987 | TV Special | Himself – Winner: Best Actor in a TV-Series Drama |
| The 38th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards | 1986 | TV Special | Himself – Nominee: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series |
| Saturday Night at the Mill | 1977-1981 | TV Series | Himself |
| Clapper Board | 1980 | TV Series | Himself |
| Lena Zavaroni and Music | 1979 | TV Series | Himself |
| Battleground | 1978 | TV Series | Himself – Host |
| Winner Takes All | 1977 | TV Series | Himself |
| Going for a Song | 1977 | TV Series documentary | Himself – On-screen Participant |
| Night of 100 Stars | 1977 | TV Special | Himself |
| The Sweepstakes Game | 1976 | TV Series | Himself – Panellist |
| The Good Old Days | 1974-1976 | TV Series | Himself – Performer |
| Stars on Sunday | 1975 | TV Series |
| The Norman Gunston Show | 1975 | TV Series | Himself |
| The Ernie Sigley Show | 1975 | TV Series | Himself |
| The 17th Annual TV Week Logie Awards | 1975 | TV Special | Himself |
| 2nd House | 1974 | TV Series | Himself, in scenes from ‘The Wolf’ |
| Whodunnit? | 1972-1973 | TV Series | Himself – Host / Himself – Panellist |
| Saturday Variety | 1972 | TV Series | Himself |
| Max Bygraves at the Royalty | 1972 | TV Series | Himself |
| The British Screen Awards | 1971 | TV Special | Himself |
| The Morecambe & Wise Show | 1969-1970 | TV Series | Himself |
| Crowther’s Back in Town | 1970 | TV Series | Himself |
| Frost on Sunday | 1970 | TV Series | Himself – Best Television Actor Winner |
| Showtime | 1960 | TV Series | Himself |
| Scotland on Screen | 2009 | TV Movie documentary | Himself |
| TV’s 50 Hardest Men | 2008 | TV Movie documentary | Himself |
| The One Show | 2008 | TV Series | Himself – Guest |
| The Paul O’Grady Show | 2008 | TV Series | Himself |
| Five Days: Making Five Days | 2007 | Video documentary short | Himself / Victor Marsham |
| The Culture Show | 2007 | TV Series documentary | Himself |
| Hot Fuzz: Outtakes | 2007 | Video short | Himself / Tom Weaver (uncredited) |
| Breakfast | 2007 | TV Series | Himself |
| The World’s Greatest Actor | 2006 | TV Movie documentary | Himself |
| The 100 Greatest War Films | 2005 | TV Movie documentary | Himself |
| Cast & Crew | 2005 | TV Series documentary | Himself |
| 100 Greatest Sexy Moments | 2003 | TV Movie documentary | Himself |
| It Shouldn’t Happen to a TV Actor | 2003 | TV Movie documentary | Himself |
| Screen Tests of the Stars | 2002 | Documentary | Himself – Interviewee |
| Burnt Offering: The Cult of the Wicker Man | 2001 | TV Movie documentary | Himself |
| The Wicker Man Enigma | 2001 | Video documentary short | Himself |
| The Lone Gunmen | 2001 | TV Series | Himself – Special Guest |
| The True Story of the Bridge on the River Kwai | 2001 | TV Movie documentary | Narrator |
| Blankety Blank | 1999 | TV Series | Himself |
| Year | Award | Ceremony | Nomination | Movie |
| 1990 | Primetime Emmy | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series | The Equalizer (1985) |
| 1989 | Primetime Emmy | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series | Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1985) |
| 1989 | Primetime Emmy | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series | The Equalizer (1985) |
| 1988 | Golden Globe | Golden Globes, USA | Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama | The Equalizer (1985) |
| 1988 | Primetime Emmy | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series | The Equalizer (1985) |
| 1988 | ACE | CableACE Awards | Supporting Actor in a Movie or Miniseries | Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1987) |
| 1987 | Primetime Emmy | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series | The Equalizer (1985) |
| 1986 | Primetime Emmy | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series | The Equalizer (1985) |
| 1980 | AFI Award | Australian Film Institute | Best Actor in a Lead Role | ‘Breaker’ Morant (1980) |
