Hello and welcome to the John Thaw Archive. I decided to merge the websites to make it easier not just for me but for visitors.

Sadly, late last year, Candice realised that she did not have the time to write and update the John Thaw Archive. Since that time I have been keeping it up to date.

Thank you Candice for all the remarkable work you did with the John Thaw Archive. The biography, life chronology, television and film information and the theatre information were all written by Candice.

Click the following links to take you down to the appropriate section on this page.

NAVIGATION LINKS:

• Books and Resources
• Biography
• Life Chronology
• Early Years
• RADA 29 September 1958
• Life Chronology 1960s
• Life Chronology 1970s
• Life Chronology 1980s
• Life Chronology 1990 to 2002
• In Memory
• Film And Television
• Theatre
• Newspaper and Magazine Articles
• Theatre Programmes

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John Thaw (1942 – 2002). 

It is written by a fan, for the enjoyment of fans, and is a non-commercial endeavour. It has been created purely as an information source and tribute. It is not for profit.

“John Thaw At Home” by Lou Boileau (1986). Used with the kind permission of the photographer. A framed print is available to purchase from LouBoileau.com

John Thaw is best remembered for his roles in the television series The Sweeney, Inspector Morse, and Kavanagh Q.C. His career over the years spanned a breadth of varied roles in television, film and theatre, including work with which some fans may not be familiar.

It is intended that this website will become an archive by which to remember John’s varied career.

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Books and Resources

John Thaw in 1980. Credit: Trinity Mirror / Mirrorpix / Alamy Stock Photo.

The Two of Us: My Life with John Thaw by Sheila Hancock.
By far the best resource for any fan wanting to learn more about John Thaw’s life and career is this biography written by John’s wife, Sheila Hancock. It is highly recommended. It is a fascinating, frank account of their life together and of their separate lives before their marriage. Sheila writes with honesty and wonderful personal reflection. This book has provided much of the information contained in the Biography and Life Chronology sections of this website.

The links here take you to Amazon UK, however the book is available at most bookstores. Please consider supporting your local independent bookseller if you are able to do so. Alternatively, you may find a copy available to borrow from your local library. It is also available as an Audiobook.

John Thaw: The Biography by Stafford Hildred and Tim Ewbank is an interesting and useful resource. Much of the content appears to have been drawn from various magazine interviews held by the authors with John. It has been of particular use in confirming information and dates of events. The most up-to-date version is available on Kindle.

Acknowledgements:

A big thank you to Stuart and Lynn for proofreading the Biography, and to friends on ‘X’/Twitter for proofreading sections of the Life Chronology: Colander, Erica, Kim, and The Sweeney Archive.

Thank you to Theresa H for double-checking the list of John’s theatre credits.

Thanks also to everyone who follows the John Thaw Archive on Twitter or Instagram. Your ‘likes’ and comments provide support and motivation. Thanks to Roy Slater for posting wonderful photos from his vast collection.

Special thanks to …

Rodney Marshall for his interest and support, and for entrusting us with some treasured items belonging to his dad, screenwriter Roger Marshall.

Photographer Lou Boileau for giving us permission to use his wonderful photographs of John on this site. These were taken during a photoshoot at John’s home in 1986. Prints are available to buy from his website: LouBoileau.com

Photographer John Haynes for the permission to use his photographs of John. These include the photos appearing on the page from Spotlight (Life Chronology: 1970s), pages from theatre programmes for the play Absurd Person Singular, and a wonderful photograph of John during the play The Absence of War (Theatre pages coming soon!) https://www.johnhaynesphotography.net/

Fiona Norris for the permission to use her lovely photograph of John taken during filming of Inspector Morse (Life Chronology: 1980s).

Several theatres who have graciously allowed us to display scans from their printed programmes from John’s performances. This is very much appreciated, and each will be individually credited on the appropriate pages.

 

Biography

It could be said that John Thaw was destined to become an actor. As a small child, he began entertaining his family with impressions of favourite radio personalities of the time. This emerging talent continued to grow throughout his childhood, with John performing in school plays and also for a local concert party which entertained at care homes and in town halls. Later, with the invaluable support of friends, teachers, and his family, John was successful in auditioning for a place at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and in securing a financial grant, without which his family would have been unable to afford the fees. He went on to have a successful career in television, film and theatre, becoming one of Britain’s best loved actors.

“John Thaw” by Lou Boileau. Used with the kind permission of the photographer. It is available as part of the “Proof Sheet” print from LouBoileau.com.

John was born on 3 January 1942, to working-class parents John “Jack” Thaw and Dorothy Ablott. The family lived for the first few years of John’s childhood in the inner-city suburb of West Gorton, and later moved to the Kingsway Housing Estate on Daneholme Road in Burnage. Sadly, his mother moved out of the family home when John was only seven years old and his brother, Ray, was five. The boys were brought up by their father, with the support of friends and neighbours. John was known and respected in Burnage by his peers, despite his interest in drama and literature, and lack of inclination for sports!

John began his studies at RADA in 1958, when he was only sixteen years old. Although reportedly shy and withdrawn, and initially struggling to settle in, he began to excel in his training, and was gaining excellent reports by his second year. He graduated in 1960 and went straight into a season with the Liverpool Repertory Company, making his stage debut in the play A Shred of Evidence. Rather appropriately given certain future TV roles, John played the Police Inspector!

Programme for the Liverpool Repertory Theatre production of A Shred of Evidence at the Liverpool Playhouse, 1960. Used with the kind permission of the Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse theatres.

Further theatre work followed, including a role in Semi-Detached with Laurence Olivier. In this, he also understudied Olivier’s leading role, which he was called on to perform .

John Thaw began his television career with a series of plays called The Younger Generation, filmed by Granada Television to showcase the talents of up-and-coming young actors. After guest roles on Z-Cars and The Avengers, he gained his first leading role as Sergeant John Mann in the series Redcap (1964 to 1966).

The success of this series began to make him a household name in the UK. He also appeared in two Edgar Wallace Mystery Theatre films, Five to One (1963) and Dead Man’s Chest (1965).

In June 1964, John married Sally Alexander, who had worked as Assistant Stage Manager during the run of Semi-Detached. Sally gave birth to their daughter, Abigail, in October 1965.

John went on to gain further television roles, starring in the Francis Durbridge TV series Bat out of Hell (1966) and in the Granada series Inheritance (1967). In 1968, he co-starred in the film The Bofors Gun. He also continued to work in the theatre.

In 1969, John appeared in the stage play So What About Love?, playing opposite actor Sheila Hancock. By now divorced, John fell in love with Sheila and eventually declared his feelings to her. “I just wanted you to know, that’s all”, Sheila Hancock remembers him saying. (Hancock, 2004, p. 144). She was, however, happily married to actor Alec Ross. It was not until after Alec’s death from cancer in 1971 that John and Sheila began seeing each other. The romance blossomed quickly and the couple married in December 1973, with the blessing of John’s daughter, Abigail, and Sheila’s daughter, Melanie, whom John later adopted. John and Sheila’s youngest daughter, Joanna, was born in July 1974.

John Thaw & Sheila Hancock, c. 1978; Private Collection; Future Publishing Ltd / Bridgeman Images.

John’s television career grew steadily during the early 1970s, with a broad range of roles in TV anthology series and plays, guest appearances on series’ such as Budgie, and a co-starring role in the comedy series Thick as Thieves (1974) opposite Bob Hoskins and Pat Ashton. He took the title role in the TV play The Sensible Action of Lieutenant Holst (The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes) in 1973, and starred in the vastly different role of Tom in the modern drama series The Capone Investment (1974).

At the age of only thirty-two, John gained the role of Detective Inspector Jack Regan in the Armchair Theatre TV film Regan (1974). This one-off play led to the creation of the series The Sweeney, which ran for four series from 1975 to 1978, plus two feature films. It is one of the roles for which John is best remembered. The popularity of the series established him as a major, well-known television actor. John was somewhat uncomfortable with the attention resulting from this fame, although he greatly enjoyed appearing with Eric and Ernie in the 1976 Morecambe and Wise Christmas show! The friendship between himself and co-star Dennis Waterman, and their camaraderie with the regular cast and crew, was also much enjoyed.

A variety of film and television work followed The Sweeney. John starred as Sir Francis Drake in TV film Drake’s Venture (1980), and spent time filming in Africa for The Grass is Singing (1981). He also travelled to Belfast to film the thought-provoking TV film, We’ll Support You Evermore (1985). He disliked being away from home, and found that this emotional play affected him deeply. He was nominated for a BAFTA for his supporting role in the Richard Attenborough film Cry Freedom (1987).

John also continued his theatre career throughout the 1970s and 1980s. Roles included Sidney in the first major UK tour of Alan Ayckbourn’s Absurd Person Singular and Dick Wagner in a lengthy run of Tom Stoppard’s Night and Day.

He also travelled to Australia with Sheila, the pair appearing together in Michael Frayn’s play The Two of Us. He worked with The National Theatre in 1981, in the title role of Serjeant Musgrave’s Dance.

John went on to complete a season with the Royal Shakespeare Company from 1983 to 1984, appearing in The Time of Your Life, Twelfth Night and Henry VIII. He worked with the Theatre of Comedy in a production of Pygmalion, playing Alfred Doolittle alongside Peter O’Toole as Higgins. He performed in Ray Cooney’s farce Two Into One in both London and Toronto.

John Thaw as Toby Belch in Twelfth Night, presented by the Royal Shakespeare Company, 1983.
By Joe Cocks Studio, ©The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0
Used under a Creative Commons CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license
https://collections.shakespeare.org.uk/about/using-images-from-our-collection

Another departure from serious film and television roles was the sitcom Home to Roost (1985 – 1990), which starred John as the divorced middle-aged father of teenager Reece Dinsdale.

John Thaw was forty-four when filming started in 1986 for the first episode of Inspector Morse, although it is often noted that he looked older. He was perfectly cast as the grumpy-yet-vulnerable Detective Chief Inspector Morse, making the character completely his own. Along with the role of The Sweeney’s Jack Regan, Inspector Morse is undoubtedly the role for which John is best remembered, and for which he is known around the world. He received several BAFTA awards and nominations for the series.

The hugely popular series ran for seven series plus a number of special episodes, the last of which, “The Remorseful Day”, was shown in November 2000. Viewers were moved to tears by the death of Morse, particularly at the moment when his loyal sergeant Lewis says his final goodbye to the deceased Morse. It is a testament to the acting skills of John Thaw and his co-star and friend Kevin Whately that the characters of Morse and Lewis had become so real in the hearts and minds of the audience.

Not one to risk becoming stagnant in his career, John continued to take on many other varied roles in between filming episodes of Inspector Morse, including TV films Bomber Harris (1989), Into the Blue (1997) and The Waiting Time (1999). One of his best-loved performances was that of the stoic-yet-kindly Tom Oakley in the TV film Goodnight Mister Tom (1998), for which he received awards from BAFTA, the National Television Awards and the TV Quick Awards. He also appeared once more on the big screen in Richard Attenborough’s film Chaplin (1992). As Inspector Morse drew to a close, John started a new venture, the series Monsignor Renard, set in occupied France during WWII. On stage, John starred in David Hare’s The Absence of War, performed at the National Theatre in 1993 and which was also filmed for the BBC in 1995.

In 1993, John Thaw was was awarded the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the Queen’s New Year Honours List.

Another TV series for which John is well-remembered is Kavanagh Q.C. (1995-2001). Principled barrister James Kavanagh reflects a working-class, northern background not dissimilar to John’s own. As with all his roles, John inhabits the character of Kavanagh, creating a figure with whom viewers can empathise.

His final television role was in the heart-warming TV film Buried Treasure (2001), playing a career-centred man who finds room in his heart for the grandchild he hadn’t known he had.

John performed for the final time in a BBC Radio 3 production of Peter Pan, recorded in front of a live audience in April 2001 to be broadcast on the radio on New Year’s Eve. With wife Sheila Hancock as the narrator, John played Captain Hook. It was the first time he had performed in a musical, and he demonstrated a fine singing voice. The performance was a splendid success.

John was diagnosed with cancer of the oesophagus in June 2001. He underwent treatment, and was determined to recover and return to work. He had signed a renewed contract with Carlton Television the day before he died.

John Thaw died on 21 February 2002 at his beloved country home in Luckington, Wiltshire, surrounded by his family.

References:

Hancock, S. (2004). The Two of Us: My Life with John Thaw. London: Bloomsbury Publishing.

Bibliography:

Fairclough, R. and Kenwood, M. (2002). Sweeney! The Official Companion. London: Reynolds & Hearn Ltd.

Hildred, S. and Ewbank, T. (2012). John Thaw: The Biography. [Kindle]. London: Andre Deutsch.

IMDb contributors (2023). ‘John Thaw’. IMDb. Available at: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0857177/

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Life Chronology

1942 – 1960

3 January 1942

John Edward Thaw was born at his mother’s parents’ home in Longsight, an inner-city suburb of Manchester. He was the first child of John “Jack” Thaw and Dorothy “Dolly” Ablott, who had married only a year earlier when Jack was twenty-one and Dorothy was nineteen. Exempt from military service due to a childhood injury, Jack Thaw served during wartime as a volunteer rescue worker with the Fire Brigade and worked in a munitions factory and later in the mines. For the first few years of John’s childhood, the family lived in a small terraced house on Stowell Street in West Gorton, Manchester. Jack Thaw’s mother and father lived next door, and his sister Beattie and her husband Charlie also lived on the same street.

Stowell Street, which was located between the Longsight Railway sidings and Hyde Road, was demolished in 1983 to make way for new developments.

Copyright © David Boardman, ManchesterHistory.net. Used with kind permission. (A highlight has been added to indicate Stowell Street.)

David Boardman’s fascinating website, ‘Longsight Memories’, part of Our Manchester, includes lots of information about the area where John grew up, including maps, and photos of the Belle Vue Gardens and Zoo that John enjoyed visiting as a child.

15 November 1944

Jack and Dorothy’s second child, Raymond “Ray” Stuart Thaw was born. John was just under three years old when his younger brother arrived.

1945 – 1953:

Early Years

With the end of the war, Jack Thaw took a job as a long-distance lorry driver, meaning that his young wife was often left on her own. It seems that Dorothy found these absences and the responsibilities of her early marriage and motherhood difficult to cope with, and the marriage began to suffer.

During this unsettled time, the family moved in for a while with Dorothy’s parents, then to a council flat in Wythenshawe, and finally to the Kingsway Housing Estate on Daneholme Road in Burnage. John attended the nearby Green End Boys’ Primary School.

Shortly after Ray’s fifth birthday, Dorothy left the family home, leaving behind her two boys, and was not to return. John was seven years old. What must have seemed to him as an abandonment by his mother naturally had a profound effect upon John, which would be felt for the rest of his life. Although his father did all he could to provide for his young sons, he had no choice but to be away from home for work. John often took on a role of caring for his younger brother, with the support of family and close neighbours. According to Dorothy’s brother, Albert, interviewed by Hildred and Stafford for John Thaw: The Biography, some of this help had been arranged by Dorothy, who had paid a neighbour to take care of the boys. Albert was also sure that Dorothy continued to check on them. (Hildred, S., and Ewbank. T.)

John’s talent for performing began to emerge during these early years. Using an old microphone and make-believe ‘studio’ set up for him by his Uncle Charlie at their home, John began entertaining his family with impressions of well-known radio personalities of the day. This talent for mimicry and telling jokes was to be honed into a stage act that young John put to practical use in winning local talent competitions and performing a stand-up routine in the Burnage Odeon cinema at weekends. This arrangement gained him free entry to the cinema on Saturdays!

In his final year of primary school, John made his stage debut in the school play Where the Rainbow Ends, in the role of Uncle Joseph, impressing his teachers as well as the audience.

Credit: Trinity Mirror / Mirrorpix / Alamy Stock Photo. John as a small child, perched on the handlebars of a tricycle as he plays with friends in Stowell Street.

With an appreciation for English, but less interest in maths and sciences, John scraped through his 11+ exam, narrowly missing a place at Grammar School, and moved on to Ducie Technical College. Two teachers here, headmaster Sam Hughes and history teacher & drama leader John Lee, recognised John’s talent and encouraged him in his ambition for acting.

In 1954, John played Mistress Quickly in the school production of King Henry the Fifth. He went on to gain significant roles in the school plays at Ducie.

John was busy soaking up inspiration during these days, delighting in film and theatre and listening to records of Laurence Olivier reciting Shakespeare, which he was able to memorise. He entertained his friends by mimicking their teachers as well as characters from popular programmes of the day such as The Goon Show. Encouraged by his teachers, John read the classics from local library books, and also began reading modern playwrights and following theatre news. The dream of becoming an actor was starting to grow.

When he was fourteen, John was given the role of compere, or ‘Master of Ceremonies’, for the Burnage Community Association concert party. Despite seeming shy offstage, John’s star quality showed as he drew on the material he’d used at the Odeon cinema, entertaining the audience with stand-up comedy, mimicry and songs. The concert party performed yearly at Green End school and went around hospitals and town halls.

In his final year of school, John took the role of Macbeth in the school play. He was only fifteen years old, but his talent was clear to all who watched the play.

John left school at the age of fifteen and worked first as a porter at a fruit and vegetable market, then as a baker’s apprentice, disliking the unsociable hours and low pay. Thankfully, he was successful in gaining an audition for the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). Contacts from the Burnage Community Association provided elocution and drama lessons ahead of the all-important audition. His headmaster at Ducie, Sam Hughes, had gone out of his way to help to secure a grant from Manchester Council to pay the RADA fees.

At sixteen, John was two years under the minimum age requirement for RADA, and therefore pretended to be nineteen. His speech from Shakespeare, bolstered by the elocution lessons and inspiration from his Olivier LPs, made enough of an impression that the panel saw his potential. He was offered a place.

RADA 29 September 1958

John began his first year of studies. A working-class lad from a northern background, he did not settle in easily at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, where it seemed that the majority of students were middle- or upper-class southerners. His Teddy boy image at the time perhaps did not help matters, appearing to unsettle his classmates, who avoided him. As well as becoming shy and withdrawn, John felt self-conscious about his background and Manchester accent, an insecurity which seemed to hold him back in his studies. Despite the struggle, he passed his first exams, and returned for a second term feeling determined.

During this time, John was befriended by fellow student Tom Courtenay, who introduced him to others from similar backgrounds. John began to settle in, and eventually shed the Teddy boy fashions along with his Manchester accent. By the end of the year, John was receiving far better reports.

His training at RADA gave John an excellent grounding in theatre, with a focus on the classics. In his first year, starting on 29 September 1958, John’s roles included Guiderius in Cymbeline, The Banished Duke in As You Like It, Lopature in The Cherry Orchard, Aune in Pillars of Society, Baptista in The Taming of the Shrew, Florizel in A Winter’s Tale, Matthew Skipps & Hebble Tyson in The Lady’s Not for Burning, Sir Andrew Aguecheek in Twelfth Night, and the title character in Macbeth.

5 October 1959

John returned for his second year at RADA. By now he was making such rapid progress that he was able to skip some exams, and he and Tom Courtenay were recognized as outstanding students. Their friendship was a source of mutual support, and the two were by now sharing a flat in Highbury Crescent. Friend and fellow student Nicol Williamson was also a frequent visitor. It was Tom Courtenay who first introduced John to classical music, feeling that it might help John with his understanding of Faust, one of their final performances at RADA. John was transfixed by the music.

John’s second year theatre performances included the roles of Snake in The School for Scandal, Tubby in Hobson’s Choice, Mammon in Paradise Lost, Teiresias in Antigone, and Chorus in Alcestis. His impressive performance as Mephistopheles in Faust earned him a glowing review in The Stage newspaper and the Vanbrugh Award on graduation.

18 to 23 July 1960

At the end of their training, John and Tom appeared in a RADA production of The Knight of the Burning Pestle (which they jokingly referred to as The Knight of the Burning Pisspots) in Stratford-upon-Avon.

Programme for the RADA production of The Knight of the Burning Pestle. Michael … son to Old Merrythought is played by John Thaw.

July 1960

Having received outstanding reports on his final performances, John graduated from RADA with an Honours Diploma. He won the Liverpool Playhouse Prize, which provided a year’s contract with the Liverpool Repertory Company. At the age of eighteen, John had already gained his first paid contract as a professional actor.

Life Chronology 1960s

1960 – 1961

Season at Liverpool Playhouse
John graduated from RADA in July 1960. Having won the Liverpool Playhouse prize, which provided a year’s contract, John’s professional stage career began with a season with the Liverpool Repertory Company.

John’s debut at Liverpool was in the crime thriller A Shred of Evidence by R.C. Sherriff, which ran from 16 August 1960. Further plays at Liverpool were All My Sons, Thark, The Wind and the Rain, Candida, Juno and the Paycock, I Killed the Count, and Brer Rabbit. John remained with the Liverpool Repertory Company until January 1961.

Cover and photos from a programme for the Liverpool Repertory Theatre productions at the Liverpool Playhouse, 1960. Used with the kind permission of the Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse theatres.
1961

Granada Television chose John to be part of The Younger Generation, an anthology series of plays performed by an ensemble cast of up-and-coming young actors.

Also for Granada Television, John appeared in Serjeant Musgrave’s Dance, filmed for ITV’s Play of the Week, in which he played the role of Private Hurst. (Twenty years later, he was to take the title role in this play at the National Theatre!)

From December 1961 to January 1962, John appeared at the Royal Court Theatre in London in The Fire Raisers, playing the Doctor of Philosophy and a fireman.

1962

John appeared in a supporting role in the film The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner, which starred his pal from RADA, Tom Courtenay. The pair had been flat-sharing at Highbury Crescent during the filming.

John appeared in an episode of the series Probation Officer, and in the TV plays A Smashing Day, and Nil Carborundum.

In July 1962, John appeared on stage in the role of Sordido in Women Beware Women, performed at the New Arts Theatre Club in London.

WOMEN BEWARE WOMEN; John Thaw (as Sordido); A Royal Shakespeare Company Production; New Arts Theatre Club, London, UK; Director: Anthony Page; Set Designer: Sally Jacobs; Costume Designer: Anthony Powell; 1962; Credit: Morris Newcombe / ArenaPAL http://www.arenapal.com

He could be heard on the radio in November, with a small role in The Vodi, based on the novel by John Braine, (adapted for radio by E.J. King Bull).

Toward the end of 1962 and in early 1963, John appeared in Semi-Detached, which starred his idol, Laurence Olivier. As well as performing in his supporting role of Robert Freeman, John understudied Olivier’s role of Fred Midway and took this leading role when Olivier was off for several nights. According to Sheila Hancock, John’s performance won over the audiences: “The groan when it was announced over the tannoy that Olivier was going to be replaced by a little-known whipper-snapper changed to cheers at the end.” (Hancock, 2004, p. 113).

It was during the run of this play that John met Sally Alexander, who was working as Assistant Stage Manager on the production. The pair were later to marry.

1963

John appeared in the TV plays So Long Charlie and The Lads, and guest-starred on four episodes of the highly popular Z-Cars. This was his first recurring TV role, as Detective Constable Eliot. The role had been suggested by writer Alan Plater, who had become friends with John through Tom Courtenay during the flat-sharing days at Highbury Crescent. Z-Cars was co-created by Troy Kennedy Martin, whom John would later work with on Redcap and The Sweeney.

An excellent role for John was the part of Alan Roper in the Edgar Wallace Mystery Five to One.

These Edgar Wallace films were originally released as a ‘second feature’ at the cinema (shown as an accompaniment to the main film) before being later released on television as part of The Edgar Wallace Mystery Theatre anthology series. The screenplay was written by Roger Marshall, who was to work with John again several times during his career.

In theatre, John performed with the Dundee Repertory Company in the plays The Father and the double-bill The Private Ear and The Public Eye.

1964

John appeared in the ITV Play of the Week I Can Walk Where I Like, Can’t I?, broadcast in February 1964. Also in the cast was a sixteen-year-old Dennis Waterman. (John was only a few years older at the age of twenty-two.) The pair socialized outside of filming and struck up a friendship.

A notable appearance was a guest-starring role on The Avengers. The episode “Esprit De Corps” was broadcast on 14 March 1964.

In June 1964, at the age of twenty-two, John married Sally Alexander, whom he had met whilst appearing in Semi-Detached. Sally was one year younger than John. The pair began married life in Notting Hill.

Broadcast in September 1964 was the ITV Play of the Week The Other Man, in which John appeared with Michael Caine. This notable drama imagined a different future in which Britain had capitulated to Nazi Germany in WWII.

During this year, John gained his first starring role in a television series, Redcap, about Sergeant John Mann, a member of the Special Investigations Branch of the Royal Military Police. The producer, John Bryce, had watched John’s performance in The Avengers and decided that he was right for the role. Thirteen episodes were filmed for the first series.

The series was a hit. John also became friends with writer Ian Kennedy Martin (brother of Z-Cars co-creator Troy) who was to have a later influence on his career.

1965

John starred in the Edgar Wallace Mystery Dead Man’s Chest. As with Five to One, this was originally released as a second feature in cinemas before being later released on television as part of The Edgar Wallace Mystery Theatre anthology series.

John’s father, Jack Thaw, married his second wife, Mildred, now that both his sons were similarly settled.

1st October 1965: John and Sally’s daughter, Abigail, was born.

1966

The second thirteen-episode series of Redcap ran on ITV from 2 April 1966, landing a prime viewing time-slot vacated by The Avengers. A series of publicity photos was taken to mark this handover (one included below courtesy of Getty Images). The popularity of Redcap made John a household name, and it was becoming clear that his future lay mostly in television.

However, John also continued to appear on stage. His next role was in La Musica by Marguerite Duras, presented at the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh as part of a double-bill of Marguerite Duras plays.

John appeared in television plays for both ITV and the BBC, including Seeing a Beauty Queen Home, The Making of Jericho, and The Assassin at the Door.

He took a leading role as Mark Paxton in the Francis Durbage mystery-thriller series Bat Out of Hell. This mini-series of 5 episodes was broadcast between November and December 1966.

1967

John at home with his daughter, Abigail, in 1967.

Appearing once again at the Liverpool Playhouse, John took the role of Passepartout in Around the World in 80 Days, which opened on 28 February.

Later this year, he could be seen in a starring role on television in the TV mini-series Inheritance, adapted from the novels by Phyllis Bentley.

John played various roles, portraying different members of the same family, of different generations and varying ages. It was filmed in Manchester, which meant that John was able to stay with his father and stepmother. Inheritance was broadcast between September and December 1967.

This year, John’s brother, Ray, along with his wife Anne, emigrated to Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

Sadly, John and Sally’s marriage was coming to an end, and John was to move out. His pal from RADA, Nicol Williamson, came to the rescue when John was in need of a place to stay. Ian Kennedy Martin and his wife Barbara also provided friendship and support.

1968

John appeared in the theatrical film The Bofors Gun, along with Nicol Williamson, David Warner and Ian Holm. This military drama was adapted by John McGrath, with whom John had previously worked on Z-Cars. It was directed by Jack Gold. The role of Featherstone, a rough, cockney bully, was far removed from the professional Serjeant Mann of Redcap, giving John an excellent opportunity to show his versatility. The film, directed by Jack Gold, was well received.

However, John struggled to find work for several months this year. This quiet period eventually ended as he gained a guest role in the historical drama series The Borderers.

Another role was in Maurice Hatton’s theatrical film Praise Marx and Pass the Ammunition. This political satire starred John as ‘Dom’, a Marxist-Leninist revolutionary. It would be shown in the UK from January 1970.

John and Sally were formally divorced.

1969

The Borderers episode, “Dispossessed”, in which John appeared, was broadcast in March.

Another significant guest-starring role was in an episode of the crime drama series Strange Report. The episode “Report 2475: Revenge – When a Man Hates” was broadcast in November.

John appeared in various television plays for ITV, including The Haunting, and The Talking Head (including a memorable scene in which he gave a furious speech), and In Another Country.

So What About Love? – Meeting Sheila Hancock.

SO WHAT ABOUT LOVE by Webb ; Peter Blythe , Sheila Hancock , Ann Bell and John Thaw ; at the Criterion Theatre, London, UK ; 1969 ; Credit: Performing Arts Images / ArenaPAL http://www.arenapal.com

While he was in Manchester filming for television, John received a call suggesting a part in the West End comedy So What About Love? The star, Sheila Hancock, wanted to meet him before he was offered the role. After initial misgivings on both sides, John and Sheila became good friends during the pre-London tour of the play, bonding over a shared love of classical music.

John was able to buy his own London flat, in Troy Court in Kensington. He had been staying with Nicol Williamson, and later with friend and actor Ken Parry.

So What About Love? opened at the Criterion Theatre in London’s West End on 16 September 1969 and was to run until March 1970. In the final week of the run, John confessed that he had fallen in love with Sheila. “I just wanted you to know, that’s all”, Sheila Hancock remembers him saying. (Hancock, 2004, p. 144). Sheila was happily married to actor Alec Ross, so her relationship with John remained as a friendship.

Life Chronology 1970s

1970

The film Praise Marx and Pass the Ammunition was shown in the UK in January 1970.

An unusual role for John came in a mini-series documentary on the BBC entitled On Trial, which aimed to re-enact famous trials from history, with the actors reading transcripts from the court.This episode explored the trial in Paris in 1945 of Marshal Pétain. John took the role of General Weygand.

John’s details in The Spotlight casting directory. Photograph by John Haynes. Used with the kind permission of the photographer. http://www.johnhaynesphotography.net

A second big screen appearance for John this year was in the wartime drama The Last Grenade. This gave John the opportunity to work alongside actors including Stanley Baker, Honor Blackman, and Richard Attenborough.

In early April, he took a turn at directing. David Halliwell’s Little Malcolm and His Struggle Against the Eunuchs opened for a three-week run at the Mercury Theatre in Notting Hill. Starring Anthony May, it gained favourable reviews, and John’s direction received high praise. In the role of Ann in the play was actress Joanna David, who would work with John again twenty years later when she played Inspector Morse’s lost love, Susan.

This year, John took a Shakespearean role, playing Banquo in a production of Macbeth, filmed by the BBC for the Play of the Month. It was broadcast in September.

In September 1970, John starred in the play Random Happenings in The Hebrides. This was presented by The Royal Lyceum Theatre Company of Edinburgh, as part of the Edinburgh International Festival. John received excellent reviews for his performance as Jimmy.

He continued to appear in TV plays, including Dying Gets You Nowhere, part of an anthology series entitled Big Brother, inspired by Orwell’s famous novel of the same name; and Don’t Walk Away from the anthology series Happy Ever After. (Not to be confused with the popular TV sitcom of the same name!)

1971

In April/May, John appeared in Ibsen’s The Lady from The Sea at The Greenwich Theatre, London.

He made several TV appearances, including the ITV Sunday Night Drama play Turn of the Year: The Parcel. A memorable guest performance was the role of the Welshman ‘Denzil’, in the popular television series Budgie. The episode was first shown in June 1971.

A notable co-starring role was in the hour-long TV play, Competition, part of the ITV anthology series Armchair Theatre. It was broadcast in October. The play is highly watchable, with the tension between the characters portrayed well.

A further theatrical role was as George in the harrowing drama play Friday, (translated from the original Dutch title Vrijdag) by Belgian writer Hugo Claus. It was performed at the Theatre Upstairs, Royal Court, London, opening on 24 November 1971.

On 4 December, Sheila Hancock’s husband, Alec Ross, died from cancer.

Another TV anthology play, Suspicion: I’ll Go Along With That saw John cast as a private investigator.

John appeared in a guest role in the historical drama series The Onedin Line. The episode “Mutiny”, was written by Ian Kennedy Martin. The episode has a strong plot, and John plays the role to excellent effect. It was broadcast on 24 December.

1972

John’s television guest roles included the role of dastardly ‘Fast Jack’ in an episode of the historical adventure series Pretenders. The episode, “The Paymaster”, was broadcast in April. John’s performance as the rough-and-ready villain is both fascinating and entertaining to watch, another example of his versatility.

He gave a chilling performance as a former soldier out for revenge in the episode “Old Comrades”, part of the collection of plays The Frighteners.

John appeared in a second TV play for Armchair Theatre, entitled What Became of Me? It was written by Roger Marshall, who had written the screenplay for Five to One and episodes of Redcap.

Another play for ITV Playhouse, Refuge for a Hero, saw John cast as a villain. His character, a mountain climbing instructor, takes refuge in a rescue hut during a blizzard, but is strangely unwilling to discuss the fate of others left outside. The play was broadcast on 6 September 1972.

John appeared again on the cinema screen, albeit in a minor role. The Vincent Price Horror Dr. Phibes Rises Again was released in September 1972 in the UK. John’s character, Shavers, soon meets with an unpleasant demise.

His talents were put to better use in an episode of the children’s series The Adventures of Black Beauty, evoking sympathy in his role of a convict on the run. Series 1, Episode 2, “The Hostage” was first shown on 30 September 1972.

1973

An excellent TV role for John was as the title character in the TV play The Sensible Action of Lieutenant Holst, which was part of the anthology The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes. The play was first broadcast in March 1973. Some aspects of the character of Holst may seem faintly familiar to Inspector Morse audiences.

More television roles followed. Tom, an episode of the thriller anthology series Menace, was broadcast on 26 April 1973.

A BBC production of The Caucasian Chalk Circle was broadcast on 16 May 1973, and Passengers was filmed for the ITV Sunday Night Theatre by Granada Television. It was broadcast on 20 May 1973.

John starred alongside Glyn Owen and Peter Sallis in the TV series The Capone Investment. This crime-thriller series was created by Ian Kennedy Martin. It is an excellent, engaging series, with a strong role for John. The first episode was broadcast on 4 July 1973. The series was repeated a year later in July 1974.

John appeared at the Duchess Theatre in the play Collaborators by John Mortimer, taking over the role of ‘Sam Brown’ from actor Joss Ackland in July.

24 December 1973

John had renewed his friendship with Sheila Hancock after the death of her husband, Alec Ross. The relationship between the pair blossomed into romance, and the couple agreed to marry. Their marriage took place on the 24 December at Cirencester Registry Office, near Sheila’s home in Tarlton. John’s daughter, Abigail, and Sheila’s daughter, Melanie (‘Ellie Jane’) were delighted to become proper sisters. Born in July 1964, Ellie Jane was only a year older than Abigail.

John Thaw & Sheila Hancock with their three children, c. 1978; Private Collection; Future Publishing Ltd / Bridgeman Images

Sheila was in the middle of a run of the play Absurd Person Singular at the Criterion Theatre when she and John were married. They would have one day off –Christmas Day- for a honeymoon! (Hancock, 2004, p. 158). The couple bought a home together in Chiswick.

On Boxing Day, as Sheila returned to the stage, John attended a meeting with producer Ted Childs and director Tom Clegg, to discuss plans for a television play, Regan, which was to be the pilot episode of a new series.

As the year ended, John appeared on television screens in an episode of the Gerry Anderson spy series The Protectors. Series 2, Episode 15, “Lena” was broadcast on 28 December 1973.

1974

2 February 1974

Dolly (Dorothy), John’s mother, died from cancer at the age of fifty-two. She had been living with her sister, Cissie, in Longsight, Manchester. The strained relationship between mother and son had remained unresolved, however, a photograph of herself and John, taken on what was likely his final visit to her, was discovered in her handbag.

John’s television career was really gathering momentum this year. He co-starred with Bob Hoskins and Pat Ashton in the popular TV sitcom Thick as Thieves, playing the cheeky but loveable ‘ex’-burglar Stan. (Is he a reformed character, or not?) The first episode went out on 1 June 1974.

Meanwhile, plans for Regan and the subsequent series The Sweeney were progressing. In her book The Two of Us, Sheila Hancock writes that John ultimately chose to “take a chance on the pilot show of Regan … rather than another series of Thick of Thieves”, since its creators were so persuasive! (p. 164).

Regan was written by Ian Kennedy Martin, with John in mind for the lead role of the tough, flawed Detective Inspector. The idea was accepted by producers Lloyd Shirley and George Taylor, (with whom John had previously worked on Redcap) along with producer Ted Childs. Ted was to become a mentor for John, and would go on to be executive producer on many of his later work, including Inspector Morse, Kavanagh Q.C., Goodnight Mister Tom.

Filming started in April, and the finished work, Regan, was broadcast on 4 June 1974 as part of the Armchair Cinema series.

Euston Films, then a subsidiary of Thames Television, commissioned The Sweeney based on the pilot film, and filming for the series started this year. John was thirty-two years old.

July 1974

John and Sheila’s daughter, Joanna, was born.

1975

This year kicked off with the fruits of the previous year’s filming. “Ringer”, the first episode of The Sweeney, written by Trevor Preston and Ian Kennedy Martin, was broadcast on 2 January 1975. John and Dennis watched the episode at John’s home, along with John’s Dad who had travelled from Manchester for the occasion.

The first series ran until the end of March.

Meanwhile, Colin Dexter’s first Inspector Morse novel, Last Bus to Woodstock, was published in January this year.

The Sweeney continued to keep John busy, with filming for series two taking place during the spring and summer of 1975. The second series was broadcast from 1 September 1975. During this second series, writer Roger Marshall joined the crew. He had worked with John Thaw previously on Five to One, Redcap, and Armchair Theatre.

The second series of The Sweeney saw ratings soar. The popularity of the series led to plans for a film spin-off, which was to be filmed the following year.

In family life, John formally adopted Sheila’s daughter Melanie, ‘Ellie Jane’.

1976

This was another busy year for John. In a venture far different to The Sweeney, he toured on stage in the Alan Ayckbourn play Absurd Person Singular, which opened at the Wimbledon Theatre, London, on 3 February and toured the UK through February and March.

John then returned to London to begin work on the feature film Sweeney! Filming began on 5 April 1976 and took five weeks. The film would be released in January 1977.

Filming for a new set of episodes then commenced, as the UK experienced the longest consistent run of hot weather in the now infamous ‘ long hot summer’ of 1976. This third series of The Sweeney was broadcast from 6 September to 20 December.

The same year, John and Dennis were invited to guest-star on The Morecambe & Wise Christmas Show, broadcast Christmas Day 1976. In return, Eric and Ernie were asked to appear in an episode of the next series of The Sweeney.

On 24 November 1976, Sheila Hancock was surprised by Eamonn Andrews for This Is Your Life after a performance of the play The Bed Before Yesterday, in which she was appearing at the Lyric Theatre, London. John was of course in on the set-up (along with their daughters), and took part in the filming. The episode was shown the following January.

1977

In January 1977, Sweeney! the first of two theatrical films based on the hit series was released. The film was a huge success financially and sold worldwide (Fairclough and Kenwood, 2002). A second film was quickly suggested.

With no television series of The Sweeney on screen this year, the film also filled the gap in between the end of the third series the previous year, and the fourth and final series in 1978.

On 5 January 1977, Sheila Hancock’s This Is Your Life was broadcast.

An offer for both Sheila and John to appear on stage in Australia in Michael Frayn’s The Two of Us provided an ideal opportunity for John to take the whole family to visit his brother Ray and family in Brisbane, with John’s father looking after their daughters whilst John and Sheila were on stage. The play was performed at the Theatre Royal, Sydney, from 14 February to 12 March 1977, and the Comedy Theatre, Melbourne, from 16 March to 9 April 1977.

After the tour in Australia, John and Sheila, along with Ellie Jane, visited Bali and then India, the latter making for a less enjoyable experience. Sheila writes about their discomfort witnessing the poverty in India. John eventually refused to leave the hotel, longing for home (p. 176).

Back in the UK, John returned to the stage. The play Fair Slaughter (1977) was performed at The Royal Court Theatre, London, opening on 13 June 1977.

Later in the year, it was back to The Sweeney for the filming of the second feature film. The somewhat unimaginatively titled Sweeney 2 had a nonetheless excellent script written by seasoned Sweeney writer Troy Kennedy Martin. Filming began on 7 November 1977, lasting for five weeks. It was to be released the following year.

1978

With the success of The Sweeney and having finished renovating the house in Chiswick, John set his sights on moving to another house down the road, which had a garden backing onto the river. Despite Sheila’s reluctance about taking on another such project, the couple moved to an impressive Victorian Gothic house on Grove Park. (Hancock, 2004, p. 172).

During the filming of The Sweeney, John helped to set up Dennis Waterman ahead of a surprise appearance on This Is Your Life, with Eamonn Andrews appearing with the Red Book on set whilst Dennis was in the middle of a take. The episode was shown on 5 April this year.

Sweeney 2 was released in April 1978. By now, The Sweeney had been absent from television screens for nearly a year and a half. Although an excellent cinematic film, Sweeney 2 underperformed at the box office (Gilbert, P., 2010, p. 234).

The fourth series of The Sweeney was filmed in the summer of 1978. A highlight of this series was working once more with Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise, who guest-starred in the episode “Hearts and Minds”, as promised after John and Dennis’s stint on The Morecambe & Wise Show.

However, John and Dennis had begun to feel that it was time to finish the series. As well as feeling that the series had gone as far as it could go, the heavy filming schedule was taking its toll on family life.

At this time, Sheila Hancock was starring as Miss Hannigan in the West End musical Annie. John is quoted as saying that sometimes the couple only saw each other as they passed on the stairs! (Hildred, S., and Ewbank, T.).

Despite this, workaholic John remained busy after finishing The Sweeney, going straight on to a new project filming Dinner at the Sporting Club for the BBC’s Play for Today. As boxing manager Dinny Matthews, he was almost unrecognisable from Jack Regan. The play was broadcast on 7 November 1978.

John was also pleased to be offered the role of the Australian journalist Dick Wagner in Tom Stoppard’s stage play Night and Day. His co-star was Diana Rigg of The Avengers. After some first-night teething troubles at the Wimbledon Theatre, opening at the end of October, the play went on to the Phoenix Theatre, London, opening on 8 November 1978. Its long and successful run gave John a welcome break from television for a while.

John received the honour of winning the Best Actor award at the Evening Standard British Film Awards, held on 28 November. He was genuinely amazed to be chosen from the category that also included nominations for Peter Finch, Anthony Hopkins, James Mason, and Laurence Olivier!

Meanwhile, the fourth and final series of The Sweeney returned to TV screens on 7 September. Fans mourned as the final episode was broadcast on 28 December 1978.

1979

John remained busy appearing on stage in Night and Day through the spring and early summer, with Patrick Mower taking over the role in July.

Life Chronology 1980s

In The Two of Us (2004), Sheila Hancock remembers John being around at home more once the heavy filming schedule of The Sweeney was behind him. Time at home included barbecues spent with friends and neighbours Richard Briers and family (p. 180). Things soon became busier! The 1980s was to be another decade of terrific career development for John, including film work and his first BAFTA nomination for Cry Freedom (1987), a season with the RSC, and of course the start of the series for which he is best remembered: Inspector Morse.

1980

In January 1980, John Thaw could be seen on BBC Two reading a series of short stories by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The short series, entitled Hollywood and Vine ran for four days between 14th and 18th January, screened around 11pm. The four short stories featured F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Hollywood screenwriter character Pat Hobby.

In the spring of this year, John set sail from Plymouth to film Drake’s Venture, a television film by Westward Television about Sir Francis Drake’s around-the-world voyage. (In fact, they did not travel very far away from the Devon coast!). A wave of articles, interviews and photographs were given to the press ahead of the film’s release, however, it seemed the publicity material drowned out the film itself! It was broadcast on 28 December 1980, and although a well-acted, quality piece, it sank in the ratings. It has not been repeated apart from its US release on Masterpiece Theatre in 1983.

John presented the BBC documentary series When the Bough Breaks, a series of ten informative programmes for parents who were concerned about how they treated their children, aiming to offer information, advice and resources. It was first broadcast on BBC Two on weekday evenings from Monday 5 January to Friday 16 January.

The theatrical film The Grass is Singing was first shown in May this year at the Cannes Film Festival. An adaptation of Doris Lessing’s 1950 novel of the same name, it starred John as a struggling South Rhodesian farmer, whom leading lady Karen Black’s character agrees to marry in order to stave off spinsterhood. A tale of tragedy and racial politics, the film was made on location in Zambia. John did not enjoy the three months spent on the project. Whilst a stream of difficulties set back filming, John suffered from such homesickness that he came close to abandoning the project and flying home. His acting in the finished production, however, is superb; one of the finest examples of his ability. The film was released in the UK and US the following year.

1981.

On 12 March 1981, John had just finished a meeting at The National Theatre to discuss an upcoming stage production of Serjeant Musgrave’s Dance when he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews and asked to be the subject of This Is Your Life. Having already taken part in Sheila Hancock’s and Dennis Waterman’s tributes, he was no stranger to the format, however, he was uncomfortable at finding himself the focus of the attention this time. He took part in the programme graciously, which was broadcast a few days later on Wednesday 18 March 1981.

Serjeant Musgrave’s Dance by the National Theatre opened at the Cottesloe Theatre on 27 May, with John starring in the title role. This was the second time he had appeared in this play, the first being the Granada Television production twenty years earlier, in 1961, in which he had played Private Hurst. John’s performance as Serjeant Musgrave earned him excellent reviews from newspaper critics, as well as a positive reception from audiences. The play ran until September.

1982

Around this time, John recorded an audio tape for Pickwick Talking Books. Modesty Blaise: I Had a Date With Lady Janet was a short story by Peter O’Donnell featuring his action heroine, Modesty Blaise. John reads the story in the voice of the narrator, Modesty’s right-hand man, Willie Garvin.

In September, John reprised his role of Serjeant Musgrave for a radio production of the play. It was broadcast on BBC Radio 4 as the week’s Monday Play.

In December, John appeared on television once more in the TV play Where is Betty Buchus? It was written by Roger Marshall, who had worked with John previously on several occasions including for The Sweeney. John played Jack Buchus, the prime suspect in the disappearance of his wife Betty. It was broadcast as part of the “Saturday Night Thriller” anthology.

Another project written by Roger Marshall was a television series entitled Mitch. It starred John as a tough but honourable crime reporter who took to heart the cases he investigated. Filmed in 1982, the series is an engaging and good quality piece of television. Sadly, due to budgeting problems and executive changes, the production company, London Weekend Television, did not show Mitch until two years later. Consequently only one series was filmed.

1983

In February, John could be heard narrating the second part of the Channel 4 documentary Jailed by the British, which examined the internment of Italian and German citizens in Britain during WW2. The documentary was produced and directed by Lavinia Warner.

John spent a season with the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), 1983 – 1984.

At Stratford, John played Nick, in William Saroyan’s The Time of Your Life, presented at The Other Place.

He appeared in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre from April, playing Sir Toby Belch.

In Henry VIII, he took the role of Cardinal Wolsey, bringing to the character an instinctive depth and realism drawn from his own understanding and life experiences rather than an academic study of Shakespeare. The play opened in June.

John Thaw (Cardinal Wolsey) in HENRY VIII by Shakespeare at the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, England 14/06/1983 design: Hayden Griffin lighting: David Hersey director: Howard Davies assisted by David Edgar
Photo Credit: Donald Cooper / Photostage

1984

John completed his season with the RSC, performing in The Time of Your Life, Twelfth Night and Henry VIII in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, in February, March and April.

Despite giving fine performances, John did not feel entirely at home with the RSC and declined to accompany the shows to the Barbican in London. The time spent with the company had, however, given him the opportunity to work with actors including Gemma Jones, Daniel Massey, Zoe Wanamaker and Richard Griffiths, all of whom would appear in episodes of Inspector Morse in upcoming years.

Coincidentally, Sheila Hancock had also performed with the RSC during the 1981 – 1982 season, and went on to become Artistic Director of the ‘Small Scale Tour’ for 1983-1984. The couple’s separate schedules both involved heavy workloads and time spent away from home.

In February 1984, the TV film Killer Waiting was broadcast, starring John in the role of ex-army Major Peter Hastings who is the target of a revenge plot by an unknown assailant. The film was part of a trilogy of thrillers. Brilliantly acted by John, it makes for chilling and disturbing viewing. Starring opposite John is Diane Keen, who had appeared in Sweeney! (1977)

John continued to perform in the theatre, moving on to work with the Theatre of Comedy Company. He took the role of Alfred Doolittle in George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion. Peter O’Toole played Professor Higgins, and the two actors relished working together. John gave an excellent portrayal of the working-class Doolittle. Pygmalion was performed at the Haymarket Theatre in Leicester from April to May, and at the Shaftesbury Theatre, London, from May.

PYGMALION by Shaw; John Thaw (as Alfred Doolittle); Peter O’Toole (as Professor Higgins); at Shaftesbury Theatre, London, UK. Press night 15 May 1984.
Photo Credit: Conrad Blakemore / ArenaPAL; http://www.arenapal.com

John travelled to Northern Ireland for filming of the TV play We’ll Support You Evermore, filmed from late August to the end of September. This play by Douglas Livingstone followed a father determined to find out the truth surrounding the killing of his son, a British soldier in Northern Ireland. John found himself deeply affected by the story and by the conditions and conflict in Belfast at the time.

The television series Mitch was finally televised in the Autumn of this year. John was also seen on television in a BBC production of Shakespeare’s The Life and Death of King John, playing the role of Hubert de Burgh.

1985

Along with Sheila, John took part in a one-off variety performance to raise funds for Save The Children and Oxfam, to relieve suffering caused by the drought and famine in East Africa. The show, Where There’s a Will, was presented by the RSC at the Barbican Theatre, London, on 17 March 1985. John Thaw, Sheila Hancock and Joe Melia performed “Parlato in Italiano” by David Monico.

In a job somewhat different to his usual projects, John was the presenter of a series of customer service training videos for the Austin Rover car company. Austin Rover: Who Cares Wins – The Key to Success was created for its employees. A crew of his fellow actors portrayed various customer service scenarios at the Austin Rover garage. It’s gripping stuff (!)

John’s second role in a television sitcom was far removed from his dishevelled villain Stan in Thick as Thieves. Middle-class, middle-aged Henry Willows is less than happy to have his orderly life disturbed by the return of his teenage son, played by Reece Dinsdale. John reportedly found the task of taking on the lead in a TV sitcom to be a frightening experience; not helped by the fact that it was performed in front of a studio audience. This did not affect the quality of his performance and he demonstrates a gift for comedy in the series. Home to Roost debuted on 19 April 1985. The following year, writer Eric Chappell was honoured with a Pye Television Award for writing the Best Male Comedy Role. Congratulations were also given to John for his portrayal of Henry Willows.

Sadly, as Sheila Hancock discusses in The Two of Us, John had become prone to bouts of depression and heavy drinking during this time (p. 193). This was to become an ongoing struggle during the next few years. There were, however, enjoyable times as well, such as time spent taking picnics together.

In July, the TV play We’ll Support You Evermore was broadcast.

Further theatre roles for John included a short run of Charles Dyer’s Staircase, performed at the Palace Theatre in Southend on Sea. Peter O’Toole, who had worked with John in Pygmalion, had turned down John’s entreaty to join him in the play, and John found himself playing opposite the playwright Charles Dyer himself in this comedy about the relationship between a gay couple who own a barber shop in 1960s London. Unfortunately, as Sheila Hancock remembers, “the play was not a success,” ( p. 191).

Also with the Theatre of Comedy Company, John on took the role of George Pigden in Ray Cooney’s farce Two Into One for its run of performances at the Royal Alexandra Theatre in Toronto, requiring another trip abroad. He went on to perform in this role during the final months of the production at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London, from 23 December until February the following year.

According to the authors of John Thaw: The Biography, it was during the run of Two Into One that John received a fateful phone call suggesting the role of Chief Inspector Morse in a planned adaptation of Colin Dexter’s popular detective stories. (Hildred, S., and Ewbank. T.). It was Ted Childs, now Head of Drama at Central TV, who had thought of John for the role, having worked with him previously on The Sweeney. Childs recognised that the casting of the character of Morse would be crucial. “In the wrong hands it could have been a tedious portrayal. But John is able to make the character appealing” (Hildred, S., and Ewbank. T.).

1986

A very busy year for John! Sheila Hancock, meanwhile, was also occupied with a heavy schedule, this time working with the National Theatre from 1985 – 1986, both as actor and director.

Two Into One continued to run at the Shaftesbury Theatre until 15 February.

John returned to Leeds to film the second series of Home to Roost in April and May. This would be broadcast from 5 September to 17 October later this year.

Filming for Inspector Morse then began in the summer. Its two-hour format, new and innovative at the time, made each ‘episode’ the equivalent of a film. The first series of three episodes would be shown the following year.

John Thaw in the grounds of Magdalene College, Oxford, by Fiona Norris. Photo taken with John’s permission, during a break in filming for Inspector Morse, July 1986. Used with the kind permission of the photographer.

When filming finished on Inspector Morse, John was off to Zimbabwe to take part in filming of the movie Cry Freedom. He had accepted the role of Jimmy Kruger, the South African Minister of Police. The film portrays the friendship between Donald Woods and anti-apartheid activist Steve Biko, against the backdrop of apartheid South Africa. It was to be released the following year.

In contrast to the big-budget Cry Freedom filmed in Africa, John’s second cinematic role this year was in Business as Usual, filmed in Liverpool in November. Written and directed by Lezli-An Barrett, the film was based on a real-life industrial relations dispute and sexual harassment case. Glenda Jackson was cast in the starring role, with John playing opposite in the role of her husband.

1987

The first episode of Inspector Morse, “The Dead of Jericho”, aired on 6 January 1987. “The Silent World of Nicholas Quinn” was shown on 13 January, and “Service of All the Dead” on 20 January.

John was seen on cinema screens as Business As Usual was screened in September, and Richard Attenborough’s film Cry Freedom was released in the UK and US in November. John’s portrayal of Kruger earned John a BAFTA nomination at the 1988 Film Awards.

On television, John could be seen again in a variety of roles. A third series of Home to Roost entertained audiences from the end of October through November and December. The only Christmas special made for the series, “Family Ties”, was shown on 27 December.

The Inspector Morse episode “The Wolvercote Tongue”, the first episode of the second series, aired on Christmas Day in the UK. The series was to continue the following March.

In the Sherlock Holmes TV film The Sign of Four starring Jeremy Brett, John took the role of the one-legged villain Jonathan Small. It was broadcast on 29 December 1987.

Although John’s career was at a new level of success, he was struggling with depression and alcoholism at this time. He was unable to cope when Sheila was diagnosed with breast cancer, and their marriage was under such strain that Sheila was to move out. The couple remained in close contact.

1988

John began the New Year with a trip to the USA to publicise Inspector Morse, before returning home to start rehearsals for a production of Arthur Miller’s play All My Sons. It was performed in John’s home town of Manchester, at the Royal Exchange Theatre, running 25 February 1988 to 9 April 1988. John gave a stunning performance in the lead role of Joe Keller. As Sheila notes, “At the final curtain there was a long silence before the applause started. It is the greatest compliment an audience can pay an actor: to be so moved and involved that it is hard to come back into the real world” (p. 213).

Inspector Morse returned to television screens with the series-two episode “Last Seen Wearing” broadcast on 8 March. “The Settling of the Sun” and “Last Bus to Woodstock” followed on the 15th and 22nd March.

The success of Inspector Morse had made John even more of a household name than he had been during the run of The Sweeney. He disliked the constant attention this brought.

1989

The third series of Inspector Morse was broadcast from 4 January 1989 with the episode “Ghost in the Machine.” The following weeks, “The Last Enemy” and “Deceived By Flight” were shown. Series three closed with “The Secret of Bay 5B” on 25 January.

The fourth and final series Home to Roost was filmed this year in March and April. It would be shown much later in the year, running from December into the following January.

In the spring of this year, John and Sheila announced that they were back together, and in July, the TV Times published a double-page feature following the couple on a specially arranged holiday to Egypt. The pair clearly still adored each other. However, as was noted in the article, Sheila had kept a separate house in Hammersmith, saying it was good to have somewhere to “scuttle off to” if she had “had enough.” (Knowles, 1989).

John gave another memorable performance, in the TV Film Bomber Harris, which was broadcast on the BBC on 3 September 1989. The film explored the decisions taken by Arthur Harris, the Commander of RAF Bomber Command during the Second World War. John once again demonstrated his gift for inhabiting the character he is called on to play, appearing almost unrecognisable from previous roles.

Meanwhile, filming had been completed on a fourth series of Inspector Morse, which would be shown the following January.

Life Chronology 1990 to 2002

1990

John began this year with a well-earned break, taking from January to May off work. The increase from three to four episodes in each series of Inspector Morse had meant a heavier filming schedule, and he felt the need to rest. However, he quickly became bored and found it difficult not working. A more positive outcome of this time off was the opportunity for a holiday with Sheila and their daughters.

Series four of Inspector Morse, filmed the previous year, was broadcast in January, with “The Infernal Serpent” on 3 January, followed by “The Sins of the Fathers”, “Driven to Distraction”, and one of John’s personal favourites, “Masonic Mysteries”; which was broadcast on 24 January 1990.

Viewers were also watching John as Henry Willows in Home to Roost, with the final episode broadcast on 19 January.

In March, John received his first BAFTA Television Award; voted Best Actor for Inspector Morse for the previous year.

As Sheila acknowledges, John “was fighting profound depression” this year (p. 217). The couple were temporarily living apart once more when John took part in BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs. The eight records he chose to have with him as a desert island castaway were all of significance for himself and Sheila. The radio programme was broadcast on Sunday 7 October.

A highlight for John was the chance to visit his brother Ray and family in Brisbane, which he was able to do before filming started for the Inspector Morse episode “Promised Land”, which sees Morse and Lewis visit Australia to track down a previous witness. The episode was the last of the fifth series, this time including five episodes.

1991

Series Five of Inspector Morse aired between 20 February and 27 March, with episodes, “Second Time Around”, “Fat Chance”, “Who Killed Harry Field?”, “Greeks Bearing Gifts” and “Promised Land”. John received a further BAFTA nomination for Best Actor for the previous series.

Series Six of Inspector Morse was filmed in the summer, and included another overseas venture, this time to Italy to film the episode “The Death of the Self.” Before it was filmed, John and Sheila had the opportunity for a holiday to Provence, falling in love with the area. The comparative anonymity John enjoyed here gave him the respite he craved, and the couple bought a house in a quiet hameau in the area.

Back in the UK, John’s next project was a television mini-series based on Kingsley Amis’s novel Stanley and the Women, produced by Ted Childs and Chris Burt. He had agreed to the role since it offered a drastic change from Inspector Morse.

Timed to coincide with the upcoming broadcast of Stanley and the Women, The British Film Institute’s Television unit held a celebration of John’s work, showing a selection of his programmes from the previous three decades, screened at the Museum of the Moving Image (MOMI) on the South Bank. The showcase, “John Thaw: A Fair Cop” ran on Tuesday evenings from 3 September to 1 October, plus screenings of his films The Grass is Singing and Business As Usual. John attended a screening on 1 October.

Stanley and the Women was televised between 28 November and 19 December 1991. However, the series was not as successful as expected. Despite efforts to soften the book’s characters, Sheila notes, it “could not hide its misogynist theme” (p. 222).

1992

John once again accepted a role in a film directed by Richard Attenborough. This time, he appeared as Fred Karno in the biographical Chaplin. The character of the jovial businessman was far removed from that of Chief Inspector Morse, offering John a chance to demonstrate his versatility. Filming started early this year. The film was released on 17 December in the UK, and 25 December in the United States.

INSPECTOR MORSE, John Thaw, 1987-2000, ‘Happy Families’ Credit: Everett Collection Inc / Alamy Stock Photo

The sixth series of Inspector Morse was broadcast from 26 February 1992 to 15 April, with the episodes “Dead on Time”, “Happy Families”, “The Death of the Self”, “Absolute Conviction”, and “Cherubim and Seraphim”. John was once again nominated for a BAFTA based on the previous series.

By now, John and Kevin had discussed bringing Inspector Morse to an end, and it was agreed that the seventh series of three episodes would be the last.

John was also making changes in his personal life. He and Sheila decided to sell their home in Chiswick; and bought a house in the peaceful Wiltshire village of Luckington, plus a flat in London. John was still suffering with depression and erratic moods.

John also went to France to film the BBC television series A Year in Provence, which was adapted from Peter Mayle’s bestselling memoirs of his life there. With Sheila originally set to play the role of Mayle’s wife, the couple had hoped to spend time relaxing at their French home between filming. However, not only was Sheila dropped from the role, but the filming schedule turned out to be much heavier than anticipated. John found himself working long hours for six days a week.

1993

John Thaw was awarded a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the Queen’s New Year Honours List. He collected his CBE from the Queen at Buckingham Palace on 16 March this year. He said he was chuffed to receive it.

Series Seven of Inspector Morse aired this January, with “Deadly Slumber”, “The Day of the Devil”, and the finale, “Twilight of the Gods”. A fifty-minute documentary about the series was broadcast on 17 January to mark the end of the series. It had been filmed during the filming of the final episode and included interviews with John and Kevin.

Following BAFTA nominations in the previous two years, John was once again voted the winner of the award for Best Actor in a television series, for the previous series of Inspector Morse. The ceremony was held on 21 March.

A Year in Provence was broadcast from 28 February until May. Sadly, audience viewing figures dropped off. Not only was it given a difficult time slot against rival programmes, but the series came up for criticism from reviewers. John was deeply disappointed with the reception of the series. Nonetheless, this gentle comedy was appreciated far more in the United States and with later viewers of the VHS and DVD releases.

John decided to take a break from television, accepting a stage role for his next project. This was the part of MP George Jones in David Hare’s political play, The Absence of War, which was to be performed at the vast Olivier Theatre in London. In The Two of Us, Sheila notes that this was a brave decision for John. However, he “was real and moving in the play and had no trouble projecting his performance into the chasm of the Olivier Theatre” (p. 224). Presented by the Royal National Theatre, the play opened on 2 October. It would later be filmed for television by the BBC, with John in the same role.

1994

In February, John took part as a guest on his friend Richard Briers’ This Is Your Life. The episode was broadcast on 9 March.

This year, John began filming for a new television series –Kavanagh Q.C. It had been devised by Ted Childs, producer of The Sweeney and Inspector Morse. John was also impressed by the scripts from writer Russell Lewis.

1995

The first episode of Kavanagh Q.C. “Nothing But The Truth”, was broadcast on 3 January 1995. It was followed by a further three episodes.

In March this year, John and Sheila’s first grandchild, Jack, was born to Melanie and her husband Matthew.

In May, John could be seen in his role of George Jones MP, in a BBC adaptation of The Absence of War, filmed for the BBC Two drama anthology series Screen Two.

JOHN THAW John Edward Thaw CBE (3 January 1942 – 21 February 2002). Credit Mark Douet / ArenaPAL

In his personal life, this was a year of transformation for John. As Sheila discusses, he had worked with a counsellor, and now sought help from a therapist specialising in alcohol addiction. John was able to stop drinking completely, and never returned to it. He became “happier, calmer and more at peace with himself” (p. 234).

This year, John reprised his role of Chief Inspector Morse this summer, as filming began on the special episode “The Way Through the Woods”, written by Russell Lewis. The episode was broadcast on 29 November 1995. Viewers were delighted to see Morse and Lewis return to their screens. According to Hildred and Ewbank, the episode was watched by 16.56 million people (p. 204).

In a different kind of job, John could be heard on the radio this year, presenting They Called Me Al – the Story of Al Bowlly. This was broadcast on BBC Radio 2 on Tuesday 10 Oct 1995.

Meanwhile, filming was completed on a further six new episodes of Kavanagh Q.C. to be shown the following year.

1996

John appeared in a supporting role in the short film Masculine Mescaline, which was shown at the Tampere International Short Film Festival in Finland on 6 March.

Series Two of Kavanagh Q.C. was broadcast from the end of February to April, remaining popular with viewers. Filming for the third series began in May. The director Jack Gold joined the show to direct the first two episodes of Series Three. He had previously worked with John many years before, as director of the film The Bofors Gun. Sheila notes, “John held him in high esteem” (p. 225). The two men were pleased to be working together again.

In one of the episodes Jack Gold directed, “Blood Money”, Sheila Hancock guest-starred as a bereaved woman attempting to win a case of negligence against a hospital. It was the first time John and Sheila had acted together since her appearance on Home to Roost. This experience was a much better one.

Also for this series, John went to the United States to film the Kavanagh Q.C. episode “In God We Trust.”

John was awarded an Honorary Master of Arts Degree from The University of Manchester. Accompanied by his family, he attended the ceremony held on 9 October 1996, wearing the traditional mortar board and gown.

Programme from the ceremony for the Conferment of Honorary Degrees, signed by John Thaw.

The next Inspector Morse special, “The Daughters of Cain”, was filmed in late summer, and was broadcast on 27 November 1996.

1997

Sadly, John’s beloved Dad, Jack -’Grandad’ to Melanie, Abigail and Joanna, died this year from cancer.

In early 1997, John went to Greece to film Into The Blue. The two-hour television film, about a failed businessman who finds himself embroiled in a murder case, was adapted from Robert Goddard’s novel. It was produced by Chris Burt and Ted Childs, with Jack Gold directing.

Filming for the third Inspector Morse special started in April.

The third series of Kavanagh Q.C. was broadcast from March into April, including the episode guest-starring Sheila, which was shown on 10 March. A fourth series would be filmed this summer. A highlight of this series was the opportunity for John to work once more with his old friend and one-time flatmate, Tom Courtenay, who guest-starred in the episode “Memento Mori”.

Into The Blue was broadcast on 15 October, with a mixed reception from critics regarding the storyline. John’s performance was excellent.

A happy family event was the arrival of John and Sheila’s granddaughter, Molly Mae, born to Abigail and her husband Nigel in November.

The Inspector Morse episode “Death is Now My Neighbour”, was broadcast on 19 November. The episode finally revealed Morse’s first name: Endeavour. Fans were also delighted to see Morse embark on what seemed like a promising love affair, with Adele Cecil, played by Judy Loe. Another notable guest-star was John’s friend and neighbour Richard Briers, who is excellent in the role of the callous Sir Clixby Bream.

1998

In April, John and Sheila’s third grandchild, Lola, was born to Melanie and Matthew.

Meanwhile, John had begun work on a new project; a television film adapted by Brian Finch from Michelle Magorian’s novel Goodnight Mister Tom. John took the role of the gruff but gentle-hearted Tom Oakley who takes an evacuee child under his wing. The film was produced by Ted Childs and Chris Burt, and was directed by Jack Gold.

John then returned to more familiar roles once more, filming the Inspector Morse episode “The Wench Is Dead” in the summer, before going straight on to the fifth and final series of Kavanagh Q.C.

In the summer, John donated his services without a fee to record a voiceover television appeal for donations to Christie’s Against Cancer, an appeal by Christie Hospital in Manchester.

Goodnight Mister Tom was broadcast on 25 October 1998 to a fine reception from audiences.

John attended the ceremony for the 4th National Television Awards, held on 27 October, where he was the proud winner of two awards: Most Popular Actor for Kavanagh Q.C., the National Television Special Recognition Award.

The Inspector Morse episode “The Wench Is Dead” was broadcast on 11 November.

This late autumn, John had started work on a new mini-series entitled Plastic Man, in the role of a plastic surgeon who struggles with his moral compass as he is tempted into an affair with a colleague (played by Frances Barber). The series would be broadcast the following year.

John and Sheila celebrated their Silver Wedding Anniversary, after twenty-five years of marriage, on 24 December. The couple had been enjoying some holidays together, including a wonderful trip to Venice this year. However, John’s favourite place to relax was their home in France.

1999

The fifth and final regular series of Kavanagh Q.C. was broadcast in March.

On 1 March, John began filming for a new television movie, a thriller entitled The Waiting Time in which his character becomes involved in events set in motion during the Cold War. The film was more of an action-based drama than John’s recent roles, and he decided he was “getting too old for all this!” (Hancock, 2004, p. 247).

At the BAFTA Television Awards, held on 9 May, John collected the Radio Times Lew Grade Audience Award for Most Popular Drama, for Goodnight, Mister Tom. He made sure that his twelve-year-old co-star Nick Robinson shared the honour.

The TV series Plastic Man was broadcast from 12 May.

Meanwhile, John was off to France to start work on a new television series. Monsignor Renard was written by Russell Lewis, with Ted Childs and Chris Kelly producing. Set in France during WWII, the series followed a Catholic priest as he returned home to support his village during the occupation. The first series of four episodes was filmed during the summer for release the following year.

Coincidentally, John had also been asked to narrate a documentary about WWII, which he began around the time that he was working on Monsignor Renard. The project helped his understanding of the series. The documentary, The Second World War in Colour was broadcast on 9 September.

At the TVQuick Awards on 6 September. John won the award for Best Actor for Goodnight Mister Tom, and also collected the award for Best New Drama for the film alongside his co-star Nick Robinson.

The film The Waiting Time was broadcast on 28 October.

Further awards for Goodnight Mister Tom were awarded at the National Television Awards on 26 October, with John voted Most Popular Actor. The film won the award for Most Popular Drama.

2000

Monsignor Renard was broadcast between 27 March and 17 April 2000. Although the excellent quality series was popular with audiences, a decision had been taken by ITV bosses to cancel further series due to production costs. Therefore, this would be the only series made. John received a nomination for Most Popular Actor at the National Television Awards this year for his role as Monsignor Renard.

John’s next project was the television film Buried Treasure, in which he played a businessman who had to find room in his heart for the grandchild he hadn’t known he had. Filmed this year, it would be broadcast in 2001, making it John’s final film to be aired.

Chief Inspector Morse was seen for the final time this year, in the episode “The Remorseful Day”. Directed by Jack Gold, the episode sees an ailing Morse suffer a heart attack and die soon after, shortly after solving his final case. John himself had felt unwell during filming, which he felt was brought on by constantly reminding himself that he was playing a sick man.

Cast, crew, and viewers alike were moved to tears at the demise of Morse. A documentary, The Last Morse, shot during the filming of the final episode, was broadcast on 5 November, with the episode itself following on 15 November. Although John had felt that it was time to say a final goodbye to Inspector Morse, he was saddened by the finale.

John went on to film a one-off feature length episode of Kavanagh Q.C. “The End of the Law” was written by Stephen Churchett and directed by Jack Gold.

Starting in late autumn, John started filming for the six-part television series The Glass, playing a businessman at risk of losing his love-interest, played by Sarah Lancashire, to a much younger man.

This winter, John could be heard on television once more as he narrated a further documentary series on WWII. Britain at War in Colour was broadcast from November/December.

John and Sheila took the opportunity to enjoy a holiday to Paris over the Christmas holidays.

2001

The Kavanagh Q.C. episode “The End of the Law” was broadcast on 25 April. This was to be the final episode of the series.

Sheila had been asked to narrate a recording of the musical Peter Pan, and suggested to John that he could take the part of Captain Hook. He was persuaded, and devoted himself to studiously learning the part, taking his script with him during a break in France. Rehearsals began on 14 April and the musical was performed on 26 April at the Royal Festival Hall. It was recorded for transmission on BBC Radio 3 on New Year’s Eve. John enjoyed the role and his performance was excellent. It was to be the last time he performed.

The Glass was broadcast from the end of May into July.

At the BAFTA Television Awards on 13 May, John received a double honour. He was awarded with a BAFTA Television Fellowship, which was presented to him by his old friend Tom Courtenay. He also received the Radio Times Lew Grade Audience Award for Inspector Morse “The Remorseful Day”.

Credit: PA Images / Alamy Stock Photo

In June 2001, John was diagnosed with cancer of the oesophagus. He began treatment, intending to return to work after his recovery. During his treatment, he and Sheila were able to spend time together in France and at their home at Luckington.

Buried Treasure was broadcast on 14 October 2001.

John was able to attend a reception at Buckingham Palace on 28 November.

John and Sheila celebrated their 28th Wedding Anniversary on 24 December, and enjoyed a family Christmas.

Peter Pan – A Musical Adventure was broadcast on Monday 31st December 2001, 19:30 on BBC Radio 3.

2002

On 3 January, John celebrated his 60th birthday.

His brother, Ray, was visiting from Australia and stayed until mid-January.

John remained seemingly defiant and hopeful of making a recovery. He discussed future projects, and signed a new contract with Carlton Television.

John Thaw died at his home in Luckington on 21 February 2002, surrounded by his family.

***

Tributes to John Thaw were published in countless newspapers and magazines. ITV aired a 30-minute tribute to his life and career.

John was cremated in a private ceremony on 25 February. At the end of March, Sheila and the family held a memorial gathering in the garden at Luckington for family and friends to attend.

At the BAFTA Television Awards, 21 April, John was awarded the Radio Times Lew Grade Audience Award for Buried Treasure. Sheila accepted the award, taking with her Dominique Jackson, who had played his granddaughter in the film.

Photograph included in the Order of Service for the memorial service for John held at St Martin-in-the-Fields on Wednesday 4 September 2002.

On Wednesday 4 September 2002, A Service to Remember John Thaw was held at St Martin-in-the-Fields in London. This memorial was attended by family, friends, professional colleagues, a number of John’s fans, and the then Prince of Wales, Charles. Trafalgar Square came to a standstill as John’s grandchildren released 60 balloons, one for each year of John’s life, bearing the message, “Today we remembered John with love”.

In Memory

Martin-in-the-Fields in London. This memorial was attended by family, friends, professional colleagues, a number of John’s fans, and the then Prince of Wales, Charles. Trafalgar Square came to a standstill as John’s grandchildren released 60 balloons, one for each year of John’s life, bearing the message, “Today we remembered John with love”.

John Thaw Memorial Bench

Photo © Lindsay Siviter. Used with the kind permission of the photographer.

The Inspector Morse Society was instrumental in the sponsorship of a Memorial Bench in the grounds of St Paul’s, ‘The Actor’s Church’, in Covent Garden, London. The bench was dedicated by Colin Dexter at a special ceremony on 21 March 2009.

Photo © Lindsay Siviter. Used with the kind permission of the photographer.

 

Film And Television

This is a list of the television and film productions in which John Thaw appeared, as well as his radio and voice work, and noteworthy interview appearances.

Further pages containing more information about John’s television and film roles will be added to this website during upcoming months.

Actor:

1961: The Younger Generation: The Rabbit Set, Flow Gently Sweet Afton, The Suburb Cuckoo, The Mating Age, Run Away Home, Somewhere to Begin, Goodbye Charlie (TV Plays)

1961: ITV Play of the Week: Serjeant Musgrave’s Dance (TV Play)

1962: Probation Officer. Series 4, Episode 4 (TV Series)

1962: A Smashing Day (TV Play)

1962: The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (Film)

1962: Nil Carborundum (TV Play)

1963: BBC Sunday Night Play: So Long Charlie (TV Play)

1963: ITV Television Playhouse: The Lads (TV Play)

1963: Z-Cars. Series 3, Episodes 3 – “A La Carte”, 4 – “Light the Blue Paper”, 5 – “A Quiet Night”, 7 – Hide and Go Seek” (TV Series)

1963: Five to One / The Edgar Wallace Mystery Theatre: Five to One (Film)

1964: ITV Play of the Week: I Can Walk Where I Like, Can’t I? (TV Play)

1964: The Avengers. Series 3, Episode 25 – “Esprit De Corps” (TV Series)

1964: ITV Play of the Week: The Other Man (TV Play)

1964 – 66: Redcap (TV Series)

1965: Dead Man’s Chest / The Edgar Wallace Mystery Theatre: Dead Man’s Chest (Film)

1965: A Poor Gentleman (2-part TV Miniseries)

1966: Out of Town Theatre: Seeing a Beauty Queen Home (TV Play)

1966: Bat out of Hell (TV Miniseries)

1966: BBC Play of the Month: The Making of Jericho (TV Play)

1966: Drama ‘66: The Assassin at the Door (TV Play)

1967: Inheritance (TV Miniseries)

1968: The Bofors Gun (Film)

1969: The Borderers: Series 1, Episode 13 – “Dispossessed” (TV Series)

1969: ITV Saturday Night Theatre: The Haunting (TV Play)

1969: ITV Saturday Night Theatre: The Talking Head (TV Play)

1969: ITV Saturday Night Theatre: In Another Country (TV Play)

1969: Strange Report. Episode 8 – “Report 2475: Revenge – When a Man Hates” (TV Series)

1970: Praise Marx and Pass the Ammunition (Film)

1970: The Last Grenade (Film)

1970: On Trial. Episode 2 – “Marshal Pétain – A Matter of Honour” (TV Documentary Miniseries)

1970: Big Brother: Dying Gets You Nowhere (TV Play)

1970: BBC Play of the Month: Macbeth (TV Play)

1970: Happy Ever After: Don’t Walk Away (TV Play)

1971: ITV Sunday Night Drama: Turn Of The Year: The Parcel (TV Play)

1971: Rules Rules Rules. Series 1, Episode 13 – “The Interview” (TV Documentary Series)

1971: Budgie. Series 1, Episode 12 – “Sunset Mansions or Whatever Happened to Janey-Baib” (TV Series)

1971: Armchair Theatre: Competition (TV Play)

1971: Suspicion: I’ll Go Along With That (TV Play)

1971: The Onedin Line. Series 1, Episode 11 – “Mutiny” (TV Series)

1972: Pretenders. Episode 7 – “The Paymaster” (TV Series)

1972: The Frighteners: Old Comrades (TV Play)

1972: Armchair Theatre: Whatever Became of Me? / a.k.a What Became of Me? (TV Play)

1972: Dr. Phibes Rises Again (Film)

1972: ITV Playhouse: Refuge for a Hero (TV Play)

1972: The Adventures of Black Beauty. Series 1, Episode 2 – “The Hostage” (TV Series)

1973: The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes: The Sensible Action of Lieutenant Holst (TV Play)

1973: Menace: Tom (TV Play)

1973: BBC Play of the Month: Caucasian Chalk Circle (TV Play)

1973: ITV Sunday Night Theatre: Passengers (TV Play)

1973: The Capone Investment (TV Miniseries)

1973: The Protectors. Series 2, Episode 15 – “Lena” (TV Series)

1974: Thick As Thieves (TV Series)

1974: Armchair Theatre: Regan (TV Play)

1975 – 1978: The Sweeney (TV Series)

1976: The Morecambe and Wise Show. “1976 Christmas Show” (TV Series)

1977: Sweeney! (Film)

1978: Sweeney 2 (Film)

1978: Play for Today: Dinner at the Sporting Club (TV Play)

1980: Drake’s Venture (TV Film)

1981: Killing Heat / The Grass is Singing (Film)

1982: Saturday Night Thriller: Where is Betty Buchus? (TV Play)

1984: Killer Waiting (TV Film)

1984: Mitch (TV Series)

1984: The Life and Death of King John (TV Play)

1985 – 1990: Home to Roost (TV Series)

1985: We’ll Support You Ever More (TV Film)

1987 – 2000: Inspector Morse (TV Series)

1987: Cry Freedom (Film)

1987: The Return of Sherlock Holmes: The Sign of Four (TV Film)

1987: Business As Usual (Film)

1989: Bomber Harris (TV Film)

1991: Stanley and the Women (TV Miniseries)

1992: Chaplin (Film)

1993: A Year in Provence (TV Miniseries)

1995 – 2001: Kavanagh QC (TV Series)

1995: Screen Two: The Absence of War (TV Film / TV Play)

1996: Masculine Mescaline (Short Film)

1997: Into the Blue (TV Film)

1998: Goodnight Mister Tom (TV Film)

1999: Plastic Man (2-part TV Miniseries)

1999: The Waiting Time (TV Film)

2000: Monsignor Renard (TV Series)

2001: The Glass (TV Miniseries)

2001: Buried Treasure (TV Film)

Narrator and Presenter:

1980: Hollywood and Vine: Stories By F. Scott Fitzgerald. (TV Miniseries)

1981: When the Bough Breaks (TV Documentary Series)

1983: Jailed by the British. Episode 2 – “German POWs” (TV Documentary Series)

1985: Austin Rover: Who Cares Wins – The Key to Success (Company Training Videos)

1999: The Second World War in Colour (TV Documentary Series)

2000: Britain at War in Colour (TV Documentary Series)

Radio / Voice:

1962: The Vodi (Radio Play). BBC Home Service

Circa 1982: Audiobook: Modesty Blaise: I Had a Date with Lady Janet. Released on Audio Cassette Tape by Pickwick Talking Books

1982: Serjeant Musgrave’s Dance. (Radio Play). BBC Radio 4

1995: They Called Me Al – The Story of Al Bowlly. Narrator. BBC Radio 2

2001: Peter Pan – A Musical Adventure. BBC Radio 3

Interviews:

1978: The Electric Theatre Show

1978: The South Bank Show. Series 1, Episode 2 – Tom Stoppard. November 26, 1978

1981: This Is Your Life. “John Thaw”. 18 March 1981

1990: Aspel & Company. Series 7, Episode 13. 5 May 1990

1990: Tonight Live with Steve Vizard. 3 August 1990

1990: Desert Island Discs. (BBC Radio 4). 9 October 1990

Resources:

IMDb contributors (2024). ‘John Thaw’. IMDb. Available at: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0857177/

Wikipedia contributors (2024). ‘John Thaw’. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Thaw

 

Theatre

This is a list of John Thaw’s theatre credits, from his final student productions at RADA and professional stage debut in A Shred of Evidence with The Liverpool Repertory Company to his final performance for a BBC Radio 3 production of Peter Pan: A Musical Adventure, which was performed and recorded live in front of an audience.

Actor:

1960: Faust (RADA student production)

1960: The Knight of the Burning Pestle (RADA student production)

1960: A Shred of Evidence

1960: All My Sons

1960: Thark

1960: The Wind and The Rain

1960: Candida

1960: Juno and the Paycock

1960: I Killed the Count

1960: Brer Rabbit

1961: The Fire Raisers

1962: Women Beware Women

1962: Semi-Detached

1963: The Father

1963: Private Ear/Public Eye

1966: La Musica

1967: Around the World in 80 Days

1969: So What About Love?

1970: Random Happenings in the Hebrides

1971: The Lady from the Sea

1971: Friday / Vrijdag

1973: Collaborators

1976: Absurd Person Singular

1977: The Two of Us

1977: Fair Slaughter

1978 – 1979: Night and Day

1981: Serjeant Musgrave’s Dance

1983 -1984: The Time of Your Life

1983 -1984: Twelfth Night

1983 – 1984: Henry VIII

1984: Pygmalion

1985: Where There’s a Will (Variety Charity Benefit)

1985: Staircase

1985 – 1986: Two Into One

1988: All My Sons

1993: The Absence of War

2001: Peter Pan: A Musical Adventure (BBC Radio 3)

Director:

1970: Little Malcolm and His Struggle Against the Eunuchs

Resources:

IMDb contributors (2024). ‘John Thaw’. IMDb. Available at: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0857177/

Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, ‘RSC Performances’: John Thaw. Available at: https://collections.shakespeare.org.uk/search/rsc-performances/search/rsc_person:thaw-john

Wikipedia contributors (2024). ‘John Thaw’. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Thaw

Theatre Programmes (Various).

 

Newspaper and Magazine Articles

Best of British Magazine Article; January 2022.

John Thaw Article from film Magazine, Photoplay: August 1978.

Article in the magazine, Woman’s Weekly, 1985.

 

Article from the British TV magazine, Radio Times, 1993. A Year in Provence.

From British TV guide, YV Times; 1997.

TV TIMES, AUGUST 1975: FOUR PAGE SPREAD ON JOHN THAW.

JOHN THAW AND SHEILA HANCOCK INTERVIEW: JUNE 1974.

MORE ARTICLES FROM THE BRITISH TV GUIDE, TV TIMES, FROM 1971 – 1974.

Hello everyone and welcome to a new post. As the title suggests here are more articles from the TV magazine, TV Times. Included in these articles is the mention of the one off film, Regan as part of the Armchair Theatre series. This one film led to the Sweeney series the following year. This will be my last post before Christmas. So, Merry Christmas and I hope you have a lovely time. Thank you all for your continued support.

Dec 11th 1971.

October 2nd 1971.

June 1974.

September 23rd 1971.

June 1974. Armchair Theatre.

More British TV Guide (TV Times) Articles on John Thaw: 1967 and 1969.

TV Guide Articles on Redcap and Assassin At The Door.

Hello everyone and welcome to a new post. In the first article, John Thaw is mentioned in connection to his appearance in the the drama, Assassin At The Door, (Look Westward TV Guide, December 6th 1966).

Up next we have a review from the same publication on the same date.

Interestingly, in the above article there is a mention of the actor, Garfield Morgan below John’s name. Garfield would go on to star alongside John in The Sweeney as Haskins. Garfield Morgan also appeared in Redcap.

Writing of Redcap here is a TV listing of the show from The TV Times, 9th April, 1966.

 

Redcap Annual 1965. Based on the ABC Television show.

Theatre Programmes

THEATRE PROGRAMME OF COLLABORATORS PLAY STARRING JOHN THAW. 1973.

First introduced in 1973. John Mortimer is probably most famous for writing the Rumpole of the Bailey stories which were later turned into a very successful TV series.

Alongside John Thaw the play starred Peter McEnery and Diane Cilento.

Peter starred in the Morse episode, Last Seen Wearing.

Diane Cilento was married to Sean Connery. She died on October 6, 2011.

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John Thaw appeared in the lead role of Jimmy in John McGrath’s play Random Happenings in The Hebrides, directed by Richard Eyre.

The play, presented by the Royal Lyceum Theatre Company, was staged for the first time at the Lyceum Theatre during the Edinburgh International Festival (third week, 7 – 12 September 1970).

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John Thaw and Sheila Hancock in the 1969 play. ‘So What About Love?’ Playbill Programme.