R.I.P., Edward Woodward (June 1, 1930– November 16, 2009

[eldritchhobbit]

R.I.P., Edward Woodward (1 June 1930–16 November 2009)

Robert McCall, The Equalizer, was one of the great heroes of my teens. I also loved Edward Woodward in A Christmas Carol, The Wicker Man, and Hot Fuzz, guest spots in The Lone Gunmen and the Babylon 5 spinoff Crusade, and quite literally dozens of other roles. But I'll always remember him first and foremost as The Equalizer.



* Edward Woodward's obituary from BBC News

* Edward Woodward's biography in The Encyclopedia of Broadcasting at the Museum of Broadcast Communications (entry by st_crispins)

* In Pictures: Edward Woodward

Comments

[euclase.livejournal.com]

I wish I could find a picture of it, but... father and son technomages! :)

My heart goes out to his family. He was most excellent. <3

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

father and son technomages! :)

Seriously! I remember holding my breath during those scenes. If you didn't know who Peter was, you'd've figured it out just seeing them together, because he definitely inherited that gravitas from his father. The intensity of the two of them together was remarkable.

I also remember in that episode of The Lone Gunmen (in which the chimp liberates himself from the test facility) when the chimp chooses Edward Woodward's voice to read his words and allow him to communicate with humans. I just about died when EW's grave, solemn voice announced he'd chosen to name himself "Simon White-thatch Potent-loins." ;)

Most excellent, indeed.

[lizziebelle.livejournal.com]

I learned this from Simon Pegg on Twitter this morning. Amazing how we get our news these days.

I'll always think of him first as Sgt. Howie in The Wicker Man, but I was a fan of The Equalizer as well. He seemed to be such a gentleman.

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Aw! I read about his tribute, and Edgar Wright's - it's very touching, and I'm so glad they had a chance to work together. Like you say, he did seem to be quite a gentleman.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Awesome actor. He was David Callan for me (I never saw The Equalizer, although I suspect I'd love it).

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Awesome indeed. I only recently got to see Callan for the first time, and I loved it. Previously, I'd read fanfic that crossed that universe with The Equalizer's. Very similar in some key ways. Sort of like with Danger Man and The Prisoner, you can almost imagine the one character growing/aging into the other.

He will be missed.

[ankh-hpl.livejournal.com]

Watching the White Knight in the Black Jag got me through grad school. There is a little less nobility in the world today . . .

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

"The White Knight in the Black Jag" - what a perfect description. Nobility indeed.

[mackiedockie.livejournal.com]

A sad day, indeed. He was exceptional in the Equalizer and his many movie roles, and I wish I had seen the Callan work--I suspect it complements the Robert McCall role very well. Edward Woodward and Robert Mitchum together were quite a pair onscreen.

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

I wish I had seen the Callan work--I suspect it complements the Robert McCall role very well.

I've only seen a little myself (must remedy that!), but what I saw definitely fit. You could imagine the one character growing/aging into the other.

Edward Woodward and Robert Mitchum together were quite a pair onscreen.

Yes! I loved the episodes with Robert Mitchum searching for McCall.

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

This about the first thing I saw on Twitter today. Very sad.

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Sad indeed.

[elmwood.livejournal.com]

For me, he was always Callan first and foremost, although I did enjoy him in other roles. He was a fine actor and will be missed.

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

I've only recently had my first introduction to Callan, but I want to see more. A fine actor indeed.

[gloriana.livejournal.com]

Sniff - sorry to see him go. He was such a cool guy. I used to watch him in Callan, and later in the Equalizer. He'd fallen from my mind until spotting him in Hot Fuzz.

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

I was so delighted to see him in Hot Fuzz! I've only recently had my first introduction to Callan, but I want to see more.
A cool guy indeed.

[lisa-marli.livejournal.com]

I heard about in the B5 LJ, go figure.
But yes, so many roles and he was always good. I rarely didn't like something he was in, and it was never is fault if I didn't.
The episode in Crusade was wonderful. Peter was pleased he got to work with his dad on that.
He will be missed.

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

I loved that episode! It was so clear, seeing them together, where Peter got his intensity and gravitas.

He will be missed indeed.

[savageseraph.livejournal.com]

Oh, no. :(

I adored seeing him and Peter together during Crusade which had far too short a run. But so many other roles.

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

I loved seeing them together, too! (And I agree, Crusade had too short a run.) Sad news. :(

[scribblerworks.livejournal.com]

A friend of mine was an Executive Producer/Showrunner on The Equalizer (now retired from TV and living well outside LA). I emailed him this morning as soon as I'd seen the news, and he had already gotten it.

He and his family visited with Woodward one summer, and EW took them around to sites from the English Civil War (of which, apparently, he was a buff).

I'd always liked his work, and his voice! And one of my favorite episodes of The Equalizer is the one he did with son Tim, where Tim played McCall's father. :D Talk about seeing the family stamp! Ooo!

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

A friend of mine was an Executive Producer/Showrunner on The Equalizer

Oh wow! I really loved that series.

He and his family visited with Woodward one summer, and EW took them around to sites from the English Civil War (of which, apparently, he was a buff).

That must've been an amazing experience.

And one of my favorite episodes of The Equalizer is the one he did with son Tim, where Tim played McCall's father. :D Talk about seeing the family stamp!

Yes, I remember that one! It was great - and you could definitely see the resemblance.

[korg20000bc.livejournal.com]

I loved him in everything he did but he'll aways be The Breaker from Breaker Morant in my mind. Invoke Rule .303
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaAQsxAQYHg

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Good one!

We caught them, and we shot them, under Rule .303...

[mrwednesday7.livejournal.com]

He was always "Mr Callan" to me, as sidekick "Lonely" would say. The war-gaming geek government assassin. Splendid. Just got a box set of season 1 of "The Equalizer". Actors of this calibre attain a kind of immortality

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Actors of this calibre attain a kind of immortality

Well said!