Wonderful Edward Woodward

Edward Woodward

(1930-2009)

I've known my great friend, actor Tim Woodward since I was 18 years old. I spent a lot of my (mostly misspent) youth in various Soho establishments and clubs. Tim and I have spent many hilarious and wonderful nights and days together over the years.

I had arranged to meet Tim twice in the last few months at the French Pub in Soho but due to work stuff, had to cancel hours before. Before I went to sleep last night Tim came into my head. I reminded myself to call him today and arrange to finally meet up this week. It seemed odd that I'd been thinking about Tim when I heard the terribly sad news, that his beloved father Edward had died this morning.

My heart goes out to Tim and all the family. It really made me think about my lovely Dad, who at 78 is only six months younger than Edward.

Edward Woodward was an amazing actor and an amazing man and I was lucky enough to meet him. He was great fun and an avid collector of curiosities and antiques.

Callan

A superb and hugely respected actor for many years before he became famous with lead roles in The Wicker Man, Callan, Breaker Morant and The Equalizer, he was described as "one of the greatest actors of his generation".

Playing F. Scott Fitzgerald in 1969

At sixteen he became youngest student ever to be accepted at RADA. Edward was a very accomplished stage actor spending many seasons at the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre, under Laurence Oliver. He starred in a great number of productions including Romeo and Juliet as Mercutio, Laertes to Michael Redgrave's Hamlet, Claudio in Much Ado About Nothing, Cyrano de Bergerac, Rattle of a Simple Man in London and on Broadway and the award winning musical High Spirits in New York before moving mostly onto the big screen. He appeared in more than 2000 television productions and 35 films.

The Equalizer

Edward had a fabulous tenor voice and recorded twelve albums of songs, as well as three albums of poetry and fourteen books.

He won BAFTA's, Tony's and Golden Globe's for his work and was awarded an OBE in 1978.

His agent Janet Glass said today "He was a superb human being... That integrity shone through in the roles he played. I can't remember in all the productions he undertook, anyone ever having a bad word to say about him, and he never had anything bad to say about anyone else either. Universally loved and admired through his unforgettable roles in classic productions, he was equally fine and courageous in real life, never losing his brave spirit and wonderful humour even throughout his illness"

Dear Edward Woodward, you will be greatly missed XXX