John Woodvine, the prolific Olivier Award-winning British stage actor who appeared in more than 70 stage productions at the Old Vic, the National Theatre and Royal Shakespeare Company and made memorable turns in An American Werewolf in London and The Crown, died today. He was 96.
His death was announced by his agent Phil Belfield, who said in a statement that Woodvine died peacefully at his home. The statement did not include the location of Woodvine’s home.
“John was an extraordinary actor and had a fabulous and varied career in all areas of the industry including work on stage in over 70 productions including at the Old Vic, National Theatre and Royal Shakespeare Company, and on screen in numerous roles including in Young Winston, An American Werewolf In London, Dragonworld, Persuasion, The Crown and most recently in the film Enys Men. John was greatly admired by all and will be sadly missed and fondly remembered by all those who met, knew and worked with him. We are all the richer to have known him.”
Born on July 21, 1929, in South Shields, County Durham, England, Woodvine graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London in 1953 and joined the Old Vic the following year. Among his many credits at the Old Vic were roles in Macbeth, As You Like It, Henry IV, Part One, Henry IV, Part Two, Romeo and Juliet and Othello.
He appeared on Broadway in four Old Vic transfers in 1956: King Richard II, Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth and Troilus and Cressida. Woodvine returned to Broadway in 1981 in The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby.
Woodvine won the Olivier for Best Comedy Performance in 1987 for his performance as Sir John Falstaff in the Old Vic’s production of The Henrys.
On television, Woodvine appeared in the British crime series Z Cars (1963-69) and New Scotland Yard (1972-74). He played the Marshal of Atrios in the 1979 “The Armageddon Factor” series of Doctor Who, and portrayed Frank Gallagher’s father in the British version of Shameless (2005). In 2016, he appeared in four episodes of Netflix’s The Crown, playing the Archbishop of York.
Film credits include John Schlesinger’s Darling (1965), Ken Russell’s The Devils (1971), Dragonworld (1994), Miss Potter (2006) and Enys Men (2022).
In John Landis’ 1981 hit An American Werewolf in London, he portrayed Dr. Hirsch, the physician who treats the title character, played by David Naughton, after the latter is attacked by a werewolf.
Woodvine is survived by his wife, the actress Lynn Farleigh, and daughters Mary and Emma.
The post John Woodvine Dies: British Stage Actor Who Appeared In ‘An American Werewolf In London’ & ‘The Crown’ Was 96 appeared first on Deadline.
