Hywel Bennett facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hywel Bennett
Bennett in 1966
Born	Hywel Thomas Bennett (1944-04-08)8 April 1944 Garnant, Carmarthenshire, Wales
Died	24 July 2017(2017-07-24) (aged 73) Cardiff, Wales
Alma mater	Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1965–2007
Spouse(s)	Cathy McGowan ​ ​ (m. 1970; div. 1988)​ Sandra Layne Fulford ​ (m. 1998)​
Children	1
Relatives	Alun Lewis (brother) Amelia Warner (niece)

Hywel Thomas Bennett (born 8 April 1944 – died 24 July 2017) was a famous Welsh actor. He starred in many films and TV shows. People knew him for his lead role in the film The Family Way (1966). He also played James Shelley in the TV comedy series Shelley (1979–1992).

Hywel Bennett often acted alongside Hayley Mills. They were in The Family Way, Twisted Nerve (1968), and Endless Night (1972). He also had important roles in The Virgin Soldiers (1969) and Loot (1970). Later in his career, he often played characters who were not so nice.

Becoming an Actor: Hywel Bennett's Early Life

Hywel Bennett was born on 8 April 1944 in Garnant, a town in Wales. His first language was Welsh. When he was four, his family moved to south London. There, he learned to speak English with a special "London-Welsh" accent.

Hywel's brother, Alun Lewis, also became an actor. Alun was well-known for playing Vic Windsor in the TV show Emmerdale. Hywel went to school in Streatham and Clapham. He later studied acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, a famous acting school.

Hywel Bennett's Acting Career

Hywel Bennett started acting on stage in 1959. His first role was Ophelia in a play called Hamlet. He acted with that theatre company for five years. He played many different characters during that time.

After a short time as a teacher, Hywel won a scholarship to train at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). He then acted in plays in Salisbury and Leatherhead. In 1964, he made his first TV appearance. He was in episodes of Doctor Who and Theatre 625.

Film Roles and Early Success

Hywel's first film was an Italian movie in 1966. Then, he starred in The Family Way (1966). A director saw him in another play and thought he was perfect for the role. The film was very successful. This made Hywel a well-known actor. People even called him "the face of '67"!

In 1968, he played Martin Durnley in the thriller Twisted Nerve. This was a very powerful role. In 1969, he starred in the comedy-drama The Virgin Soldiers. A film critic at the time said he was "one of England's best young actors."

Hywel continued to act in films in the 1970s. He was in Loot (1970) and Endless Night (1972). He was supposed to be in the famous film Cabaret (1972). But he thought it was a singing role and didn't read the script. The part went to another actor instead.

Stage and TV Appearances

Hywel also had a strong career in theatre. He played Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream in 1967. People said it was one of the best performances of that character. He also played Long John Silver in Treasure Island on stage in 1990.

He acted in many plays at the Royal National Theatre. These included playing Mark Antony in Julius Caesar. He also directed plays in different theatres.

His TV career continued with shows like Play for Today (1973) and The Sweeney (1976). In 1978, he was in the musical drama Pennies from Heaven. In 1979, he played Ricki Tarr in the TV series Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.

Starring in Shelley and Later Roles

In 1979, Hywel took the main role in the TV comedy Shelley. He played James Shelley, a smart but lazy character who didn't want to work. The show was very popular and had up to 18 million viewers! It ran until 1984 and then came back from 1988 to 1992.

During the 1980s, Hywel was the voice for many advertisements. He was the voice of British Rail and also for Budweiser and Hoffmeister drinks.

In the mid-1990s, Hywel's appearance changed due to a health condition. This led him to play more characters who were tough or villainous. He was Mr. Croup in the TV series Neverwhere (1996). He also joined the TV soap opera EastEnders in 2003. He played Jack Dalton, a tough crime boss. His last TV role was in The Last Detective in 2007.

Hywel Bennett's Personal Life and Passing

In 1970, Hywel Bennett married Cathy McGowan. She was a TV presenter. They had a daughter named Emma. Their marriage ended in 1988. In 1998, he married Sandra Layne Fulford. They later lived in Deal, Kent.

Hywel stopped acting in 2007 because of a heart problem he was born with. He passed away on 24 July 2017, at the age of 73.

Filmography

Film

Television