Denys Hawthorne facts for kids

Denys Vernon Hawthorne (born August 9, 1932 – died October 16, 2009) was an actor from Northern Ireland. He was well-known for his work in plays, movies, TV shows, and radio programs.

Life Story of Denys Hawthorne

Denys Hawthorne was born in Portadown, County Armagh, in 1932. His family was quite well-off. He studied law at Queen's University Belfast. After that, he joined a group called the Ulster Group Theatre. Other famous actors like Patrick Magee and Stephen Boyd were also part of this group.

The theatre group performed classic plays and new plays by Irish writers. Denys later moved to London. He became very successful in a play called The Chairs in 1957. In 1960, he played Stephen Dedalus in Bloomsday, a play based on James Joyce's book Ulysses.

He then joined the BBC radio drama company. He was very popular for his radio work. He also read poetry on the radio, especially poems by Louis MacNeice. In 1972, he became a producer for BBC Northern Ireland radio drama for about 18 months.

Denys Hawthorne on TV

Denys Hawthorne appeared in many TV shows. He was in Dr. Finlay's Casebook and 46 episodes of Within These Walls (1974–1978). Kids might remember him as Mr. Starling, the first headteacher in Grange Hill (1978).

He also appeared in the Doctor Who adventure Terror of the Vervoids (1986). Other TV roles included Capital City (1989–1990) and the BBC drama Dangerfield (1995). He was also in an episode of Father Ted called Tentacles of Doom (1996).

Theatre and Film Roles

In 1981, Denys acted in Chekhov's play The Seagull. He also toured with the Irish Theatre Company. He joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1992 and 1993. With them, he performed in Romeo and Juliet and played King Duncan in Macbeth.

He also had roles in several movies. These included The Russia House (1990) and In the Name of the Father (1993). He played Mr. Woodhouse in the movie Emma (1996).

Denys Hawthorne received awards for his work. He won a prize from the Society of Authors for turning Jennifer Johnston's novel How Many Miles to Babylon? into a play.

Later Life

In 1970, Denys married Rita Christina. He became a stepfather to her three children. His acting career ended after he had a stroke, which affected his memory. Denys Hawthorne passed away at his home in Hove, East Sussex, in 2009. His wife and stepchildren survived him.

Filmography