John Woodvine Movies and Career Information

John Woodvine (born 21 July 1929) is an English stage and screen actor who has appeared in more than 70 theatre productions, as well as a similar number of television and film roles. Woodvine was born in South Shields, County Durham, England, the son of Rose (née Kelly) and John Woodvine. He was educated at Lord William's School, Thame, Oxfordshire and trained for the stage at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Woodvine worked with the Old Vic company in the 1950s and had a long career with the Royal Shakespeare Company, in 1976 appearing opposite Ian McKellen and Judi Dench as Banquo in the acclaimed Trevor Nunn production of Macbeth, which was later recorded for television. He also appeared in the RSC's1980 landmark production of The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, starring as the story's primary antagonist, Ralph Nickleby. Woodvine frequently played police officers from early in his career, including in the seminal British drama series Z Cars in the 1960s and Softly, Softly in the 1970s. One of his better-known roles was Detective Chief Superintendent Kingdom in the 1970s police drama New Scotland Yard. He is also particularly remembered as the disgruntled former