Henry Goodman

Henry Goodman (born 23 April 1950) is a RADA trained British actor. He has appeared on television and radio, in film and in the theatre.

Early life

He attended the Central Foundation Boys' School and joined the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, London, in 1969.

Career

Television

In 2003 Goodman guest starred in the ITV series '' Foyle's War'' as corrupt American industrialist Howard Paige in “Fifty Ships”, the opening episode of Season 2 of the British TV crime drama set in WWII. In 2013 he played the role of Sir Humphrey Appleby in the remake of '' Yes, Prime Minister'' which was launched on the Gold television channel.

Theatre

Goodman appeared on Broadway in three shows. He briefly replaced Nathan Lane in ''The Producers'' in 2002, but was fired after one month due to creative differences with Mel Brooks. The following year he returned to Broadway in ''Tartuffe''.

In 2010 he played the role of Sir Humphrey Appleby in the stage version of ''Yes, Prime Minister'' at the Chichester Festival Theatre and later at the Gielgud Theatre, in London's West End from 17 September 2010.

In 2012 he played the title role in '' The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui'' in Chichester and then in the West End to critical acclaim.

In 2015 he played the title role in Ben Jonson's Jacobean comedy ''Volpone'' at the Royal Shakespeare Company, directed by Trevor Nunn and co-starring Matthew Kelly and Miles Richardson. His previous RSC appearance was in 2003 as Richard III.

In 2017 he played Lucian Freud in ''Looking at Lucian'', written by Alan Franks, at the Ustinov Studio at Theatre Royal, Bath. Of this part, he said "I share an intense hunger to want theatre to be as meaningful as he wanted painting to be."

In 2022, he played Hercule Poirot in Ken Ludwig’s adaptation of Murder on the Orient Express at the Chichester Festival Theatre and the Theatre Royal, Bath. He was nominated for a UK Theatre Award for his performance.

Film

In 1999 Goodman played a memorable cameo role as the Ritz concierge in ''Notting Hill''. He portrayed a HYDRA doctor in the 2014 film '' Captain America: The Winter Soldier'', though he was not listed in the credits. He played the character again, now named Dr. List, on the second season of the TV show ''Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'', and in the 2015 film '' Avengers: Age of Ultron''.

Radio

Goodman is also a respected radio actor. He portrayed Pierre Beaumarchais in the BBC Radio 4 series ''Beaumarchais'' in 1996, "Melvin" in '' The Attractive Young Rabbi'' (BBC Radio 4, 1999-2002) and Leopold Bloom in BBC Radio 4's all-day adaptation of James Joyce's '' Ulysses'' for 'Bloomsday' in 2012. He has also played author and chemist Primo Levi and a large number of other, often Jewish, characters on Radio 4.

Awards and reputation

His awards include the Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical playing Charles Guiteau in ''Assassins'' at the Donmar Warehouse directed by Sam Mendes in 1993, and the Olivier Award for Best Actor for Shylock in ''The Merchant of Venice'' at the National Theatre directed by Trevor Nunn in 2000. He has also been nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical in 1998 for ''Chicago'', London Critics Circle Theatre Award for Best Actor (''The Merchant of Venice''), and Theatre Awards UK for Best Performance in a Play in 2012 ('' The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui'').

In his autobiography, Antony Sher says Goodman's Shylock is "quite simply the best". He reprised his role for a television film which was released in 2004.

Personal life

Goodman is Jewish. He has five siblings. He is married to Sue Parker, a choreographer and dance director.

Filmography

Television

*''The Golden Bowl''
*''Bust''
*'' This is David Lander ''
*'' London's Burning''
*'' Three Up, Two Down''
*'' Gentlemen and Players''
*''Rules of Engagement''
*''After the War''
*''Act of Will''
*''Capital City''
*''Screen Two''
*'' El C.I.D.''
*''Chain''
*''The Bill ''
*''The Gravy Train Goes East'' (1991)
*''Maigret''
*''Zorro''
*'' Lovejoy ''
*''Rides''
*''99-1''
*''Performance, BBC'' — ''Measure for Measure'', 1994
*'' Smith & Jones''
*''Cold Lazarus '' (1996)
*''American Voices''
*'' Murder Rooms: Mysteries of the Real Sherlock Holmes''
*''Masterpiece Theatre'' — '' Broken Glass'', TV film, 1996
*''Dalziel and Pascoe''
*'' Spooks'', (2002, "The Lesser of Two Evils")
*''Trust''
*'' Foyle's War'' (2003)
*''Keen Eddie'', (2004, Rabbi Mendelssohn, "Who Wants to Be in a Club That Would Have Me as a Member?", Episode 11)
*'' M.I.T.: Murder Investigation Team''
*''Murder in Suburbia '', "The Wedding", Series 2 – Episode 3
*''Mumbai Calling'', (2007, Pilot)
*''Falcon''
*'' Yes, Prime Minister'', (2010) 6 episodes
*'' Midsomer Murders '', (2013)
*''New Tricks'', (2013, "Cry Me a River", Series 10, Episode 5)
*''Playhouse Presents '', ''Nixon's the One'', (2014)
*''Penny Dreadful'', (2014, "Grand Guignol")
*''Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'' – Dr. List
*'' Snatch'' – Saul Gold

Film

Sources: Rotten Tomatoes TCM AllMovie

* '' Murderers Among Us: The Simon Wiesenthal Story''
* '' Secret Weapon''
* ''Son of the Pink Panther''
* ''Degas and Pissarro Fall Out''
* '' Mary Reilly''
* '' Private Parts''
* '' The Saint''
* ''Notting Hill''
* ''Arabian Nights''
* '' Dirty Tricks''
* '' The Final Curtain''
* ''Hamilton Mattress''
* ''The Mayor of Casterbridge''
* ''The Life and Death of Peter Sellers''
* '' Churchill: The Hollywood Years''
* '' Green Street''
* ''Shakespeare's Happy Endings''
* '' Colour Me Kubrick: A True...Ish Story ''
* ''Out on a Limb''
* ''The Damned United''
* ''Taking Woodstock''
* ''The Last Days of Lehman Brothers''
* ''The Road to Coronation Street''
* '' Codebreaker''
* ''The Half-Light''
* ''Wonder''
* '' The Challenger Disaster''
* '' Captain America: The Winter Soldier'' – Dr. List
* '' Woman in Gold''
* '' Avengers: Age of Ultron'' – Dr. List
* '' De Surprise''
* ''Altamira''
* ''Love is Thicker Than Water''
* ''El Elegido''
* ''Their Finest'' (2016)
* ''The Limehouse Golem'' (2016)
* ''Two Words'' (2018)
* '' Sundown'' (2021)

References

External links

Interview with Henry Goodman on SomethingJewish

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Goodman, Henry
1950 births
Living people
People from Whitechapel
Male actors from London
People educated at Central Foundation Boys' School
Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
English male musical theatre actors
English male stage actors
Critics' Circle Theatre Award winners
Laurence Olivier Award winners
Royal Shakespeare Company members
Jewish British male actors