Born in the Simonside area of South Shields, he left the North East when he was five, but went back for holidays with his grandparents. As he grew older he had it in his mind to be an actor, but had no idea how to go about it, so did various jobs before being called up for National Service in the RAF. On being demobbed he still wanted to be an actor, but was still unaware of how to become one, so worked for wool merchants for three years, during which he became a keen amateur actor. When the wool merchant went bankrupt, he managed to get a grant from Essex County Council to go to drama school. On completing the course his first job was with a company that traveled around in a bus doing shows at military camps. He then joined The Old Vic doing walk on parts and small speaking parts then spent 2 years in America and on his return joined the Bristol Old Vic. After about 12 years in the business he went to Newcastle to appear in ‘Close the Coalhouse Door’ at the Jesmond Playhouse – written by Alan Plater and also featuring fellow North East actors Colin Douglas and Alan Browning – which he considered made him a better actor. He appeared in the TV series ‘Z Cars’ as a Geordie police inspector but didn’t enjoy it. There was then a 90 minute play for Granada Television which was done live.
John Woodvine
Movies
Darling
Young, attractive and vivacious, model Diana Scott (Julie Christie) is firmly decided to become rich and famous as well. To succeed, she does not hesitate to take bold steps. After a while, she literally strikes gold: she meets Robert Gold (Sir Dirk Bogarde), a well-known television journalist, who not only…
Fun Facts
He went to RADA in 1952 and some years after his graduation he became an Associate of RADA.
He was awarded the Laurence Olivier Theatre Award in 1988 (1987 season) for Best Comedy Performance for The Henrys.
He is the father of actress Mary Woodvine.
He was educated at Lord William's Grammar School in Thame and he was a former lab assistant before deciding to train for an acting career at RADA.
In August 2008, he played in Hamlet at Stratford-upon-Avon.
He was considered for Dr. Hans Fallada, Dr. Bukovsky, Sir Percy Heseltine, Dr. Armstrong and Lamson in Lifeforce (1985).
His favourite Shakespearean role was Falstff.
Perhaps best known as the investigating doctor in the cult classic An American Werewolf in London.
He'd been away from the North East for so long that he'd lost his accent and had to take a crash course in speaking Geordie when he got the role of Inspector White in the series 'Z Cars'.
In 1979 his voice was used in two television commercials at the same time, one promoting Scottish and Newcastle Breweries beer and the other on the abuse of drink for the Health Education Council.
After he did his National Service he got a job as a clerk in a wool merchants which went bankrupt three years late.
After his graduation from RADA he started as a classical actor with the Michael Bentall Old Vic in 1954 and played the Lord Chief Justice in Henry IV.
His father was a stoker on sea going ships.
Daughters Emma (1963) and Mary Louise (1967) from his first marriage.