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John Edward Thaw, (3 January 1942 – 21 February 2002) was an English actor who appeared in a range of television, stage, and cinema roles. He starred in the television series ''
Inspector Morse Detective Chief Inspector Endeavour Morse, GM, is the eponymous fictional character in the series of detective novels by British author Colin Dexter. On television, he appears in the 33-episode drama series '' Inspector Morse'' (1987–2000), ...
'' as title character Detective Chief Inspector Endeavour Morse, ''
Redcap The redcap (or powrie) is a type of malevolent, murderous goblin found in Border folklore. He is said to inhabit ruined castles along the Anglo-Scottish border, especially those that were the scenes of tyranny or wicked deeds and is known for soa ...
'' as Sergeant John Mann, ''
The Sweeney ''The Sweeney'' is a 1970s British television police drama focusing on two members of the Flying Squad, a branch of the Metropolitan Police specialising in tackling armed robbery and violent crime in London. It stars John Thaw as Detective Ins ...
'' as Detective Inspector Jack Regan, ''
Home to Roost ''Home to Roost'' is a British sitcom produced by Yorkshire Television between 19 April 1985 and 19 January 1990. Written by Eric Chappell, it stars John Thaw as Henry Willows and Reece Dinsdale as his teenaged son Matthew. The premise is th ...
'' as Henry Willows, and '' Kavanagh QC'' as title character James Kavanagh.


Early life

Thaw was born in
Gorton Gorton is an area of Manchester in North West England, southeast of the city centre. The population at the 2011 census was 36,055. Neighbouring areas include Levenshulme and Openshaw. A major landmark is Gorton Monastery, a 19th-century Hi ...
,
Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...
, to working-class parents John Edward ("Jack") Thaw (died 1997), a tool-setter at the
Fairey Aviation Company The Fairey Aviation Company Limited was a British aircraft manufacturer of the first half of the 20th century based in Hayes in Middlesex and Heaton Chapel and RAF Ringway in Cheshire. Notable for the design of a number of important military a ...
aircraft factory, later a long-distance lorry driver, and Dorothy (née Ablott). Thaw had a difficult childhood as his mother left when he was seven years old. His younger brother, Raymond Stuart "Ray" emigrated to Australia in the mid-1960s. Thaw grew up in
Gorton Gorton is an area of Manchester in North West England, southeast of the city centre. The population at the 2011 census was 36,055. Neighbouring areas include Levenshulme and Openshaw. A major landmark is Gorton Monastery, a 19th-century Hi ...
and
Burnage Burnage is a suburb of the city of Manchester in North West England, about south of Manchester city centre and bisected by the dual carriageway of Kingsway. Within the boundaries of the historic county of Lancashire, the population of the B ...
, attending the Ducie Technical High School for Boys. He entered the
Royal Academy of Dramatic Art The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA; ) is a drama school in London, England, that provides vocational conservatoire training for theatre, film, television, and radio. It is based in the Bloomsbury area of Central London, close to the Sen ...
(RADA) at the age of 16.


Career

Soon after leaving RADA, Thaw made his formal stage début in ''A Shred of Evidence'' at the
Liverpool Playhouse The Liverpool Playhouse is a theatre in Williamson Square in the city of Liverpool, England. It originated in 1866 as a music hall, and in 1911 developed into a repertory theatre. As such it nurtured the early careers of many actors and actress ...
and was awarded a contract with the theatre. His first film role was a bit part in the adaptation of ''
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner "The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner" is a short story by Alan Sillitoe, published in 1959 as part of a short story collection of the same title. The work focuses on Smith, a poor Nottingham teenager from a dismal home in a working clas ...
'' (1962) starring
Tom Courtenay Sir Thomas Daniel Courtenay (; born 25 February 1937) is an English actor. After studying at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Courtenay achieved prominence in the 1960s with a series of acclaimed film roles, including ''The Loneliness of ...
and he also acted on-stage opposite
Sir Laurence Olivier Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier (; 22 May 1907 – 11 July 1989) was an English actor and director who, along with his contemporaries Ralph Richardson and John Gielgud, was one of a trio of male actors who dominated the British stage ...
in ''
Semi-Detached A semi-detached house (often abbreviated to semi) is a single family duplex dwelling house that shares one common wall with the next house. The name distinguishes this style of house from detached houses, with no shared walls, and terraced house ...
'' (1962) by David Turner. He appeared in several episodes of the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
police series ''
Z-Cars ''Z-Cars'' or ''Z Cars'' (pronounced "zed cars") is a British television police procedural series centred on the work of mobile uniformed police in the fictional town of Newtown, based on Kirkby, near Liverpool. Produced by the BBC, it debuted ...
'' in 1963–64 as a detective constable. Between 1964 and 1966, he starred in two series of the ABC Weekend Television/
ITV ITV or iTV may refer to: ITV *Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of: ** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...
production ''
Redcap The redcap (or powrie) is a type of malevolent, murderous goblin found in Border folklore. He is said to inhabit ruined castles along the Anglo-Scottish border, especially those that were the scenes of tyranny or wicked deeds and is known for soa ...
'', playing the hard-nosed military policeman Sergeant John Mann. He was also a guest star in an early episode of '' The Avengers''. In 1967 he appeared in ''
Bat Out of Hell ''Bat Out of Hell'' is the 1977 debut album by American rock singer Meat Loaf and composer Jim Steinman. It is one of the best-selling albums in history. The album was developed from a musical, ''Neverland'', a futuristic rock version of ''P ...
''. In 1967 he appeared in the
Granada TV ITV Granada, formerly known as Granada Television, is the ITV franchisee for the North West of England and Isle of Man. From 1956 to 1968 it broadcast to both the north west and Yorkshire but only on weekdays as ABC Weekend Television was it ...
/ITV series, ''
Inheritance Inheritance is the practice of receiving private property, Title (property), titles, debts, entitlements, Privilege (law), privileges, rights, and Law of obligations, obligations upon the death of an individual. The rules of inheritance differ ...
'', alongside
James Bolam James Christopher Bolam (born 16 June 1935) is an English actor. He is best known for his roles as Terry Collier in ''The Likely Lads'' and its sequel ''Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?'', Jack Ford in ''When the Boat Comes In'', Roy Fi ...
and
Michael Goodliffe Lawrence Michael Andrew Goodliffe (1 October 1914 – 20 March 1976) was an English actor known for playing suave roles such as doctors, lawyers and army officers. He was also sometimes cast in working-class parts. Biography Goodliffe was ...
, as well as appearing in TV plays such as ''The Talking Head'' and episodes of series such as '' Budgie'', where he played against type (opposite
Adam Faith Terence Nelhams Wright (23 June 1940 – 8 March 2003), known as Adam Faith, was an English singer, actor, and financial journalist. A teen idol, he scored consecutive No. 1 hits on the UK Singles Chart with " What Do You Want?" (1959) and "P ...
) as the son of an elderly prostitute Budgie is "noncing" for: an effeminate failed playwright with a full beard and a Welsh accent. Thaw will perhaps be best remembered for two television roles: the hard-bitten, tough-talking
Flying Squad The Flying Squad is a branch of the Serious and Organised Crime Command within London's Metropolitan Police Service. It is also known as the Robbery Squad, Specialist Crime Directorate 7, SC&O7 and SO7. It is nicknamed The Sweeney, an abbrevia ...
detective Jack Regan in ''
The Sweeney ''The Sweeney'' is a 1970s British television police drama focusing on two members of the Flying Squad, a branch of the Metropolitan Police specialising in tackling armed robbery and violent crime in London. It stars John Thaw as Detective Ins ...
'' (1975–1978), and the quietly spoken, introspective, well-educated and bitter Detective Chief Inspector Endeavour Morse in ''
Inspector Morse Detective Chief Inspector Endeavour Morse, GM, is the eponymous fictional character in the series of detective novels by British author Colin Dexter. On television, he appears in the 33-episode drama series '' Inspector Morse'' (1987–2000), ...
'' (1987–93, with later specials until 2000). His role as Regan in the
Thames Television Thames Television, commonly simplified to just Thames, was a Broadcast license, franchise holder for a region of the British ITV (TV network), ITV television network serving Greater London, London and surrounding areas from 30 July 1968 until th ...
/
ITV ITV or iTV may refer to: ITV *Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of: ** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...
series, along with two film spin-offs, established him as a major star in the United Kingdom. Thaw was only 32 when he was cast in ''The Sweeney'', although many viewers thought he was older. Alongside his put-upon Detective Sergeant Robert "Robbie" Lewis (
Kevin Whately Kevin Whately (born 6 February 1951) is an English actor. He is best known for his roles as Neville "Nev" Hope in the British comedy drama ''Auf Wiedersehen, Pet'', Robert "Robbie" Lewis in the crime dramas ''Inspector Morse'' 1987–2000 and ...
), Morse became a high-profile character—"a cognitive curmudgeon with his love of classical music, his drinking, his classic Jaguar and spates of melancholy". According to ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'', "Thaw was the definitive Morse, grumpy, crossword-fixated, drunk, slightly anti-feminist, and pedantic about grammar." Inspector Morse became one of the UK's most loved TV series; at its peak in the mid-90's, ratings hit 18 million people, about one third of the British population. He won "Most Popular Actor" at the 1999
National Television Awards The National Television Awards (often shortened to NTAs) is a British television awards ceremony, broadcast by the ITV network and initiated in 1995. The National Television Awards are the most prominent ceremony for which the results are voted ...
and won two BAFTA awards for his role as Morse. He subsequently played liberal working-class Lancastrian
barrister A barrister is a type of lawyer in common law jurisdictions. Barristers mostly specialise in courtroom advocacy and litigation. Their tasks include taking cases in superior courts and tribunals, drafting legal pleadings, researching law and ...
James Kavanagh in '' Kavanagh QC'' (1995–99, and a special in 2001). Thaw also appeared in two sitcoms—'' Thick as Thieves'' ( London Weekend/ITV, 1974) with
Bob Hoskins Robert William Hoskins (26 October 1942 – 29 April 2014) was an English actor. His work included lead roles in films and television series such as '' Pennies from Heaven'' (1978), ''The Long Good Friday'' (1980), ''Mona Lisa'' (1986), ''Who ...
and ''
Home to Roost ''Home to Roost'' is a British sitcom produced by Yorkshire Television between 19 April 1985 and 19 January 1990. Written by Eric Chappell, it stars John Thaw as Henry Willows and Reece Dinsdale as his teenaged son Matthew. The premise is th ...
'' ( Yorkshire/ITV, 1985–90). Thaw is mainly known in America for the Morse series, as well as the BBC series ''
A Year in Provence ''A Year in Provence'' is a 1989 best-selling memoir by Peter Mayle about his first year in Provence, and the local events and customs. It was adapted into a television series starring John Thaw and Lindsay Duncan. Reviewers praised the book's ho ...
'' (1993) with
Lindsay Duncan Lindsay Vere Duncan (born 7 November 1950) is a Scottish actress. On stage, she has won two Olivier Awards (for ''Les Liaisons Dangereuses'' and ''Private Lives'') and a Tony Award (for ''Private Lives''). She has starred in several plays by H ...
. He appeared in a number of films for director
Richard Attenborough Richard Samuel Attenborough, Baron Attenborough, (; 29 August 192324 August 2014) was an English actor, filmmaker, and entrepreneur. He was the president of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) and the British Academy of Film and Televisio ...
, including ''
Cry Freedom ''Cry Freedom'' is a 1987 epic apartheid drama film directed and produced by Richard Attenborough, set in late-1970s apartheid-era South Africa. The screenplay was written by John Briley based on a pair of books by journalist Donald Woods. Th ...
'', where he portrayed the conservative South African justice minister
Jimmy Kruger James Thomas Kruger (20 December 1917 – 9 May 1987) was a South African-born politician who was part of the conservative National Party government which championed apartheid. He rose to the position of Minister of Justice and the Police in t ...
(for which he received a BAFTA nomination for Best Supporting Actor), and ''
Chaplin Chaplin may refer to: People * Charlie Chaplin (1889–1977), English comedy film actor and director * Chaplin (name), other people named Chaplin Films * '' Unknown Chaplin'' (1983) * ''Chaplin'' (film) (1992) * ''Chaplin'' (2011 film), Ben ...
'' alongside
Robert Downey Jr. Robert John Downey Jr. (born April 4, 1965) is an American actor and producer. His career has been characterized by critical and popular success in his youth, followed by a period of substance abuse and legal troubles, before a resurgence of ...
Thaw also appeared in the TV adaptation of the
Michelle Magorian Michelle Magorian (born 6 November 1947) is an English author of children's books. She is best known for her first novel, '' Goodnight Mister Tom'', which won the 1982 Guardian Prize for British children's books and has been adapted several ti ...
book ''
Goodnight Mister Tom ''Goodnight Mister Tom'' is a children's novel by English author Michelle Magorian, published by Kestrel in 1981. Harper & Row published an American edition the same year. Set during World War II, it features a boy abused at home in London wh ...
'' (
Carlton Television Carlton Television (now part of the non-franchised ITV London region) was the ITV franchise holder for London and the surrounding counties from 9.25am every Monday to 5.15pm every Friday. The company is now managed with London Weekend Televi ...
/ITV). It won "Most Popular Drama" at the
National Television Awards The National Television Awards (often shortened to NTAs) is a British television awards ceremony, broadcast by the ITV network and initiated in 1995. The National Television Awards are the most prominent ceremony for which the results are voted ...
, 1999.Goodnight Mister Tom synopsis
. ITV. Retrieved 20 February 2010. During the 1970s and 1980s, Thaw appeared in productions with the
Royal Shakespeare Company The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs over 1,000 staff and produces around 20 productions a year. The RSC plays regularly in London, St ...
and National Theatre. He was the subject of '' This Is Your Life'' in 1981 when he was surprised by
Eamonn Andrews Eamonn Andrews, (19 December 1922 – 5 November 1987) was an Irish radio and television presenter, employed primarily in the United Kingdom from the 1950s to the 1980s. From 1960 to 1964 he chaired the Radio Éireann Authority (now the RTÉ A ...
in the foyer of the National Theatre in London.


Personal life

In the summer of 1964, Thaw married
Sally Alexander Sally A. Alexander (born 1943) is an English historian and feminist activist. Career When she was sixteen, Alexander trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art as an actress. She completed a diploma in history at Ruskin College, Oxford from ...
, a feminist activist and theatre stage manager, and now professor of history at
Goldsmiths, University of London Goldsmiths, University of London, officially the Goldsmiths' College, is a constituent research university of the University of London in England. It was originally founded in 1891 as The Goldsmiths' Technical and Recreative Institute by the Wor ...
. They divorced four years later. He met actress
Sheila Hancock Dame Sheila Cameron Hancock (born 22 February 1933) is an English actress, singer, and author. Hancock trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art before starting her career in repertory theatre. Hancock went on to perform in plays and musica ...
in 1969 on the set of a London comedy, ''So What About Love?'' She was married to fellow actor Alexander "Alec" Ross, and after Thaw professed his love to Hancock, she told him that she would not have an affair. Following the death of her husband (from
oesophageal cancer Esophageal cancer is cancer arising from the esophagus—the food pipe that runs between the throat and the stomach. Symptoms often include difficulty in swallowing and weight loss. Other symptoms may include pain when swallowing, a hoarse voice ...
) in 1971, Thaw and Hancock married on 24 December 1973 in
Cirencester Cirencester (, ; see below for more variations) is a market town in Gloucestershire, England, west of London. Cirencester lies on the River Churn, a tributary of the River Thames, and is the largest town in the Cotswolds. It is the home of ...
, and he remained with her until his death in 2002 (also from oesophageal cancer). He had three daughters (all of whom are actresses):
Abigail Abigail () was an Israelite woman in the Hebrew Bible married to Nabal; she married the future King David after Nabal's death ( 1 Samuel ). Abigail was David's second wife, after Saul and Ahinoam's daughter, Michal, whom Saul later marri ...
from his first marriage to Sally Alexander, Joanna from his second marriage to
Sheila Hancock Dame Sheila Cameron Hancock (born 22 February 1933) is an English actress, singer, and author. Hancock trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art before starting her career in repertory theatre. Hancock went on to perform in plays and musica ...
, and he also adopted Sheila Hancock's daughter Melanie Jane, from Hancock's first marriage to Alec Ross. Melanie Jane legally changed her surname from Ross to Thaw. His granddaughter Molly Whitmey made a cameo in the '' Endeavour'' episode ''Oracle'' (series 7, episode 1, broadcast 1 February 2020) as the younger version of her grandmother Sally Alexander. Thaw was a committed socialist and a lifelong supporter of the Labour Party. He was appointed a
Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...
(CBE) in March 1993 by Queen
Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...
. In September 2006, Thaw was voted by the general public as number 3, after
David Jason Sir David John White (born 2 February 1940), known professionally by his stage name David Jason, is an English actor. He is best known for his roles as Derek "Del Boy" Trotter in the BBC sitcom '' Only Fools and Horses'', Detective Inspector ...
and
Morecambe and Wise Eric Morecambe (John Eric Bartholomew, 14 May 1926 – 28 May 1984) and Ernie Wise (Ernest Wiseman, 27 November 1925 – 21 March 1999), known as Morecambe and Wise (and sometimes as Eric and Ernie), were an English comic double act, working i ...
, in a poll of TV's 50 Greatest Stars for the past 50 years.


Illness and death

A heavy drinker until going
teetotal Teetotalism is the practice or promotion of total personal abstinence from the psychoactive drug alcohol, specifically in alcoholic drinks. A person who practices (and possibly advocates) teetotalism is called a teetotaler or teetotaller, or is ...
in 1995, and a heavy smoker from the age of 12, Thaw was diagnosed with cancer of the oesophagus in June 2001. He underwent
chemotherapy Chemotherapy (often abbreviated to chemo and sometimes CTX or CTx) is a type of cancer treatment that uses one or more anti-cancer drugs (chemotherapeutic agents or alkylating agents) as part of a standardized chemotherapy regimen. Chemotherap ...
in hope of overcoming the illness, and at first had appeared to respond well to the treatment. However, just before Christmas 2001 he was informed that the cancer had spread and the prognosis was
terminal Terminal may refer to: Computing Hardware * Terminal (electronics), a device for joining electrical circuits together * Terminal (telecommunication), a device communicating over a line * Computer terminal, a set of primary input and output dev ...
. He died on 21 February 2002, seven weeks after his 60th birthday, the day after he signed a new contract with ITV, and the day before his wife's birthday. At the time of his death he was living at his country home, near the villages of
Luckington Luckington is a village and civil parish in the southern Cotswolds, in north-west Wiltshire, England, about west of Malmesbury. The village is on the B4040 road linking Malmesbury and Old Sodbury. The parish is on the county border with Glouces ...
and Sherston in Wiltshire, and was cremated in
Westerleigh Westerleigh is a clustered village and civil parish (which includes Henfield) in South Gloucestershire, England, it contains sources of the Frome and has an endpoint of the Frome Valley Walkway. It is north of the M4, south of Yate and nort ...
, near
Yate Yate is a town and civil parish in South Gloucestershire, England. It lies just to the southwest of the Cotswold Hills and is northeast of Bristol city centre and from the centre of Bath, with regular rail services to Bristol and Gloucester. ...
in
South Gloucestershire South Gloucestershire is a unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of Gloucestershire, South West England. Towns in the area include Yate, Chipping Sodbury, Thornbury, Filton, Patchway and Bradley Stoke, the latter three forming part ...
, in a private service. A memorial service was held on 4 September 2002 at
St Martin-in-the-Fields St Martin-in-the-Fields is a Church of England parish church at the north-east corner of Trafalgar Square in the City of Westminster, London. It is dedicated to Saint Martin of Tours. There has been a church on the site since at least the mediev ...
church in
Trafalgar Square Trafalgar Square ( ) is a public square in the City of Westminster, Central London, laid out in the early 19th century around the area formerly known as Charing Cross. At its centre is a high column bearing a statue of Admiral Nelson commemo ...
, attended by 800 people including
the Prince of Wales Prince of Wales ( cy, Tywysog Cymru, ; la, Princeps Cambriae/Walliae) is a title traditionally given to the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. Prior to the conquest by Edward I in the 13th century, it was used by the rulers o ...
,
Richard Attenborough Richard Samuel Attenborough, Baron Attenborough, (; 29 August 192324 August 2014) was an English actor, filmmaker, and entrepreneur. He was the president of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) and the British Academy of Film and Televisio ...
,
Tom Courtenay Sir Thomas Daniel Courtenay (; born 25 February 1937) is an English actor. After studying at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Courtenay achieved prominence in the 1960s with a series of acclaimed film roles, including ''The Loneliness of ...
and
Cherie Blair Cherie, Lady Blair, (; born 23 September 1954), also known professionally as Cherie Booth, is an English barrister and writer. She is married to the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Sir Tony Blair. Early life and education Booth ...
.


Television, film and stage performances


Television series

*1961: ''The Younger Generation'' – Customer / Max / Edward / Charlie / Peter / Denny / Martin *1963: ''
Edgar Wallace Mysteries The ''Edgar Wallace Mysteries'' is a British second-feature film series mainly produced at Merton Park Studios for Anglo-Amalgamated. There were 48 films in the series, which were released between 1960 and 1965. The series was screened as ''The E ...
'' (Episode: " Five to One (film)") – Alan Roper *1963: ''Z Cars'': Detective Constable Elliot *1964 to 1966: ''
Redcap The redcap (or powrie) is a type of malevolent, murderous goblin found in Border folklore. He is said to inhabit ruined castles along the Anglo-Scottish border, especially those that were the scenes of tyranny or wicked deeds and is known for soa ...
'' (Two Series) – Sergeant John Mann *1965: ''
Edgar Wallace Mysteries The ''Edgar Wallace Mysteries'' is a British second-feature film series mainly produced at Merton Park Studios for Anglo-Amalgamated. There were 48 films in the series, which were released between 1960 and 1965. The series was screened as ''The E ...
'' (Episode: "
Dead Man's Chest "Dead Man's Chest" (also known as "Fifteen Men on the Dead Man's Chest" or "Yo, Ho, Ho (And a Bottle of Rum)") is a fictional''Fictional sea-song'' - in this sense means a sea-song that first appeared in a work of fiction, and not an authentic se ...
") – David Jones *1966: ''Bat Out of Hell'' – Mark Paxton *1967: ''
Inheritance Inheritance is the practice of receiving private property, Title (property), titles, debts, entitlements, Privilege (law), privileges, rights, and Law of obligations, obligations upon the death of an individual. The rules of inheritance differ ...
'' – Will Oldroyd *1972. ''The Frighteners'' ep.5 (old comrades). *1974: ''Thick As Thieves'' – Stan *1974: ''The Capone Investment'' – Tom *1975 to 1978: ''
The Sweeney ''The Sweeney'' is a 1970s British television police drama focusing on two members of the Flying Squad, a branch of the Metropolitan Police specialising in tackling armed robbery and violent crime in London. It stars John Thaw as Detective Ins ...
'' (Four Series & 2 movies) – Det. Insp. Jack Regan *1984: ''Mitch'' – Mitch *1985 to 1990: ''
Home to Roost ''Home to Roost'' is a British sitcom produced by Yorkshire Television between 19 April 1985 and 19 January 1990. Written by Eric Chappell, it stars John Thaw as Henry Willows and Reece Dinsdale as his teenaged son Matthew. The premise is th ...
'' (Four Series) – Henry Willows *1987 to 2000: ''
Inspector Morse Detective Chief Inspector Endeavour Morse, GM, is the eponymous fictional character in the series of detective novels by British author Colin Dexter. On television, he appears in the 33-episode drama series '' Inspector Morse'' (1987–2000), ...
'' (Thirty-three television films) – Detective Chief Inspector Endeavour Morse *1991: ''Stanley and the Women'' – Stanley Duke *1992: ''
A Year in Provence ''A Year in Provence'' is a 1989 best-selling memoir by Peter Mayle about his first year in Provence, and the local events and customs. It was adapted into a television series starring John Thaw and Lindsay Duncan. Reviewers praised the book's ho ...
'' –
Peter Mayle Peter Mayle ( "mail"; 14 June 1939 – 18 January 2018) was a British businessman turned author who moved to France in the 1980s. He wrote a series of bestselling memoirs of his life there, beginning with '' A Year in Provence'' (1989). Early l ...
*1995 to 2001: '' Kavanagh QC'' (Six Series) – James Kavanagh QC *1999: ''Plastic Man'' – Joe McConnell *2000: ''
Monsignor Renard ''Monsignor Renard'' was a four-part ITV television drama set in German occupation of France during World War II, occupied France during World War II. It starred John Thaw as Monsignor Augustin Renard, a French priest who is drawn into the Frenc ...
'' – Monsignor Augustine Renard *2001: ''The Glass'' – Jim Proctor


Television films

*1961: ''Serjeant Musgrave's Dance'' *1963: ''The Lads'' *1964: ''I Can Walk Where I Like, Can't I?'' *1964: ''The Other Man'' *1966: ''The Making of Jericho'' *1974: ''Regan'' *1977: '' Sweeney!'' *1978: ''Dinner at the Sporting Club'' *1980: ''Drake's Venture'' – Francis Drake *1984: '' Killer Waiting'' – Major Peter Hastings *1984: ''The Life and Death of King John'' – Hubert de Burgh *1985: ''We'll Support You Ever More'' – Geoff Hollins *1986: ''Stainheads'' *1987: "
The Sign of Four ''The Sign of the Four'' (1890), also called ''The Sign of Four'', is the second novel featuring Sherlock Holmes by British writer Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Doyle wrote four novels and 56 short stories featuring the fictional detective. Pl ...
" (full-length episode of '' The Return of Sherlock Holmes'') – Jonathan Small *1989: ''
Bomber Harris Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Arthur Travers Harris, 1st Baronet, (13 April 1892 – 5 April 1984), commonly known as "Bomber" Harris by the press and often within the RAF as "Butch" Harris, was Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C ...
'' – Sir Arthur 'Bomber' Harris *1993: ''The Mystery of Morse'' *1994: ''The Absence of War'' *1996: ''Into the Blue'' – Harry Barnett *1998: ''
Goodnight Mister Tom ''Goodnight Mister Tom'' is a children's novel by English author Michelle Magorian, published by Kestrel in 1981. Harper & Row published an American edition the same year. Set during World War II, it features a boy abused at home in London wh ...
'' – Tom Oakley *1999: ''The Waiting Time'' – Joshua Mantle *2000: ''The Last Morse'' *2000: ''Inspector Morse: Rest in Peace'' – Inspector Morse *2001: ''Hidden Treasure / Buried Treasure'' – Harry (final film role)


Guest appearances

*1962 Probation Officer: Episode No. 4.4 (28 May 1962) *1963 ITV Television Playhouse: The Lads (15 August 1963) *1963 Z-Cars: A La Carte (18 September 1963) *1963 Z-Cars: Light the Blue Paper (25 September 1963) *1963 Z-Cars: A Quiet Night (2 October 1963) *1963 Z-Cars: Hide – And Go Seek (16 October 1963) *1964 The Avengers: Esprit De Corps (14 March 1964) *1965 A Poor Gentleman: Episode No. 1.1 (12 October 1965) *1965 A Poor Gentleman: Episode No. 1.2 (19 October 1965) *1965 The Edgar Wallace Mystery Theatre: Dead Man's Chest (31 October 1965) *1967 Inheritance: Murder (29 September 1967) *1967 Inheritance: A Man of His Time (1 December 1967) *1969 The Borderers: Dispossessed (25 March 1969) *1969 ITV Saturday Night Theatre: The Haunting (28 June 1969) *1969 ITV Saturday Night Theatre: The Talking Head (30 August 1969) *1969 ITV Saturday Night Theatre: In Another Country (11 October 1969) *1969 Strange Report: Report 2475: Revenge – When a Man Hates (9 November 1969) *1970 Play of the Month: Macbeth (BBC, 20 September 1970) *1970 Happy Ever After: Don't Walk Away (12 December 1970) *1971 Budgie: Sunset Mansions or Whatever Happened to Janey Baib? (25 June 1971) *1971 Armchair Theatre: Competition (5 October 1971) *1971 Suspicion: I'll Go Along with That (14 December 1971) *1971 The Onedin Line: Mutiny (24 December 1971) *1972 Pretenders: The Paymaster (9 April 1972) *1972 The Frighteners: Old Comrades (21 July 1972) *1972 Armchair Theatre: What Became of Me? (29 August 1972) *1972 ITV Playhouse: Refuge for a Hero (6 September 1972) *1972 The Adventures of Black Beauty: The Hostage (30 September 1972) *1973 The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes: The Sensible Action of Lieutenant Horst (4 March 1973) *1973 Menace: Tom (26 April 1973) *1973 BBC Play of the Month: Caucasian Chalk Circle (16 May 1973) *1973 ITV Saturday Night Theatre: Passengers (20 May 1973) *1973 The Protectors: Mauro Carpiano (28 December 1973) *1976 The Morecambe & Wise Show: 1976 Christmas Show (25 December 1976) *1977 This Is Your Life: Sheila Hancock (5 January 1977) *1978 The South Bank Show (26 November 1978) *1981 This Is Your Life: John Thaw (18 March 1981) *1982 Saturday Night Thriller: Where is Betty Buchus? (4 December 1982) *1987 Sherlock Holmes episode: The Sign of Four (portrayed Jonathan Small)


Theatrical films

*1962: ''Smashing Day'' – Stan *1962: ''
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner "The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner" is a short story by Alan Sillitoe, published in 1959 as part of a short story collection of the same title. The work focuses on Smith, a poor Nottingham teenager from a dismal home in a working clas ...
'' – Bosworth (uncredited) *1962: ''Nil Carborundum'' – ACI Neville Harrison *1963: ''
Five To One "Five to One" is a song by American rock band the Doors, from their 1968 album '' Waiting for the Sun''. The song's lyrics were written by lead singer Jim Morrison, though the songwriting credit identified each member of the Doors as songwriters. ...
'' – Alan Roper *1965: ''Dead Man's Chest'' *1968: ''
The Bofors Gun ''The Bofors Gun'' is a 1968 British drama film directed by Jack Gold and starring Nicol Williamson, David Warner, Ian Holm and John Thaw. It was based on the play ''Events While Guarding the Bofors Gun'' by John McGrath. It is set in 1954, d ...
'' – Featherstone *1970: ''Praise Marx and Pass the Ammunition'' – Dom *1970: ''
The Last Grenade ''The Last Grenade'' is a 1970 British war film directed by Gordon Flemyng and starring Stanley Baker and Alex Cord as two Mercenary, soldiers of fortune, formerly comrades, who now find themselves on opposite sides. The cast also includes Richa ...
'' – Terry Mitchell *1972: '' Dr. Phibes Rises Again'' – Shavers *1977: '' Sweeney!'' – Det. Insp. Jack Regan *1978: ''
Sweeney 2 ''Sweeney 2'' is a 1978 British action crime drama film. It was made as a sequel to the successful 1977 film '' Sweeney!.'' Both films are an extension of the popular British ITV television series '' The Sweeney'' (1975–78). Some of the actio ...
'' – Det. Insp. Jack Regan *1981: '' Killing Heat'' – Dick Turner *1987: ''
Cry Freedom ''Cry Freedom'' is a 1987 epic apartheid drama film directed and produced by Richard Attenborough, set in late-1970s apartheid-era South Africa. The screenplay was written by John Briley based on a pair of books by journalist Donald Woods. Th ...
'' (aka Biko – Biko Asking for Trouble) –
Jimmy Kruger James Thomas Kruger (20 December 1917 – 9 May 1987) was a South African-born politician who was part of the conservative National Party government which championed apartheid. He rose to the position of Minister of Justice and the Police in t ...
*1988: '' Business As Usual'' – Kieran Flynn *1992: ''
Chaplin Chaplin may refer to: People * Charlie Chaplin (1889–1977), English comedy film actor and director * Chaplin (name), other people named Chaplin Films * '' Unknown Chaplin'' (1983) * ''Chaplin'' (film) (1992) * ''Chaplin'' (2011 film), Ben ...
'' – Fred Karno *1996: ''Masculine Mescaline'' (short) – The Man *1998: ''Goodnight Mister Tom'' – Tom


Stage

*1958 Cymbeline *1958 As You Like It *1958 The Cherry Orchard *1958 Pillars of Society *1958 The Taming of the Shrew *1958 A Winter's Tale *1958 The Lady's Not For Burning *1958 Twelfth Night *1958 Macbeth *1959 Hobson's Choice *1959 Paradise Lost *1959 Antigone *1959 Alcestis *1959 Faust *1959 The Knight of the Burning Pestle *1960 A Shred of Evidence *1960 The Wind and the Rain *1960 Staircase *1961 The Fire Raisers *1961 Chips With Everything *1961 Two into One *1962 Women Beware Women *1962 Semi-Detached (with Laurence Olivier) *1964 The Father *1967 Around The World in 80 Days *1967 Little Malcom And His Struggle Against The Eunuchs *1969 So What About Love? *1970 Random Happenings in the Hebrides by John McGrath *1971 The Lady from the Sea *1972 Chinamen *1972 The New Quixote *1972 Black And Silver *1972 The Two of Us *1973 Collaborators *1976 Absurd Person Singular *1977 The Two of Us (Revival) *1978 Night and Day *1982 Serjeant Musgrave's Dance *1983 Twelfth Night *1983 The Time of Your Life *1983 Henry VIII *1984 Pygmalion *1986 Two into One (Revival) *1988 All My Sons *1993 The Absence of War by David Hare *2001 Peter Pan as Captain Hook


Honours and awards

Won *1977
Evening Standard British Film Award The Evening Standard British Film Awards were established in 1973 by London's ''Evening Standard'' newspaper. The Standard Awards is the only ceremony "dedicated to British and Irish talent," judged by a panel of "top UK critics." Each ceremony ...
– Best Actor for: Sweeney! *1990 British Academy Award – Best Actor for: "Inspector Morse" *1993 British Academy Award – Best Actor for: "Inspector Morse" *1994
CBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...
*1995 Aftonbladet TV Prize, Sweden – Best Foreign TV Personality – Male (Bästa utländska man) *1998
National Television Award The National Television Awards (often shortened to NTAs) is a British television awards ceremony, broadcast by the ITV (TV network), ITV network and initiated in 1995. The National Television Awards are the most prominent ceremony for which the ...
– Most Popular Actor for: "Inspector Morse" *1998 Special Recognition Award – Most Popular Actor for: "Inspector Morse" *1999 National Television Award – Most Popular Actor for: "Goodnight, Mister Tom" *2001 National Television Award – Most Popular Actor for: "Inspector Morse" and Academy Fellowship Nominated *1988 British Academy Award – Best Actor in a Supporting Role for: "Cry Freedom" *1991 British Academy Award – Best Actor for: "Inspector Morse" *1992 British Academy Award – Best Actor for: "Inspector Morse" *2000 National Television Award – Most Popular Actor for: "Monsignor Renard" *2002 National Television Award – Most Popular Actor for: "Buried Treasure" A memorial bench is dedicated to Thaw within the grounds of St Paul's Covent Garden.


References


Bibliography

*Hancock, Sheila (2004). ''The Two of Us: My Life with John Thaw''. London: Bloomsbury. *''John Thaw: The Biography''. Stafford Hildred and Tim Ewbank. London: Andre Deutsch.


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Thaw, John 1942 births 2002 deaths Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art English male television actors English male film actors English male stage actors English socialists Male actors from Manchester BAFTA fellows Best Actor BAFTA Award (television) winners Commanders of the Order of the British Empire People from Gorton Deaths from esophageal cancer Inspector Morse Deaths from cancer in England Labour Party (UK) people People educated at Ducie Technical High School for Boys Royal Shakespeare Company members