John Thaw facts for kids

Quick facts for kids John Thaw CBE
Thaw as Inspector Morse
Born	John Edward Thaw (1942-01-03)3 January 1942 Gorton, Manchester, England
Died	21 February 2002(2002-02-21) (aged 60) Luckington, Wiltshire, England
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1958–2001
Spouse(s)	Sally Alexander ​ ​ (m. 1964; div. 1968)​ Sheila Hancock ​ (m. 1973)​
Children	3, including Abigail Thaw

John Edward Thaw, CBE (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 as title character Detective Chief Inspector Endeavour Morse, Redcap as Sergeant John Mann, The Sweeney as Detective Inspector Jack Regan, Home to Roost as Henry Willows, and Kavanagh QC as title character James Kavanagh.

Early life

Thaw was born in Gorton, Manchester, to working-class parents John Edward ("Jack") Thaw (died 1997), a tool-setter at the Fairey Aviation Company 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 and Burnage, attending the Ducie Technical High School for Boys. He entered the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (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 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 (1962) starring Tom Courtenay and he also acted on-stage opposite Sir Laurence Olivier in Semi-Detached (1962) by David Turner. He appeared in several episodes of the BBC police series Z-Cars in 1963–64 as a detective constable. Between 1964 and 1966, he starred in two series of the ABC Weekend Television/ITV production Redcap, 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. In 1967 he appeared in the Granada TV/ITV series, Inheritance, alongside James Bolam and Michael Goodliffe, as well as appearing in TV plays such as The Talking Head and episodes of series such as Budgie.

Thaw will perhaps be best remembered for two television roles: the hard-bitten, tough-talking Flying Squad detective Jack Regan in The Sweeney (1975–1978), and the quietly spoken, introspective, well-educated and bitter Detective Chief Inspector Endeavour Morse in Inspector Morse (1987–93, with later specials until 2000). His role as Regan in the Thames Television/ITV 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), Morse became a high-profile character. 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 and won two BAFTA awards for his role as Morse.

He subsequently played liberal working-class Lancastrian barrister 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 and Home to Roost (Yorkshire/ITV, 1985–90). Thaw is mainly known in America for the Morse series, as well as the BBC series A Year in Provence (1993) with Lindsay Duncan.

He appeared in a number of films for director Richard Attenborough, including Cry Freedom, where he portrayed the conservative South African justice minister Jimmy Kruger (for which he received a BAFTA nomination for Best Supporting Actor), and Chaplin alongside Robert Downey Jr.

Thaw also appeared in the TV adaptation of the Michelle Magorian book Goodnight Mister Tom (Carlton Television/ITV). It won "Most Popular Drama" at the National Television Awards, 1999.

During the 1970s and 1980s, Thaw appeared in productions with the Royal Shakespeare Company and National Theatre. He was the subject of This Is Your Life in 1981 when he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews in the foyer of the National Theatre in London.

Personal life

In the summer of 1964, Thaw married Sally Alexander, a feminist activist and theatre stage manager, and now professor of history at Goldsmiths, University of London. They divorced four years later. He met actress Sheila Hancock in 1969 on the set of a London comedy, So What About Love? She was married to fellow actor Alexander "Alec" Ross. Following the death of her husband (from oesophageal cancer) in 1971, Thaw and Hancock married on 24 December 1973 in Cirencester, and he remained with her until his death in 2002 (also from oesophageal cancer).

He had three daughters (all of whom are actresses): Abigail from his first marriage to Sally Alexander, Joanna from his second marriage to Sheila Hancock, 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 (CBE) in March 1993 by Queen Elizabeth II. In September 2006, Thaw was voted by the general public as number 3, after David Jason and Morecambe and Wise, in a poll of TV's 50 Greatest Stars for the past 50 years.

Illness and death

Thaw was diagnosed with cancer of the oesophagus in June 2001. He underwent chemotherapy 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.

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 and Sherston in Wiltshire, and was cremated in Westerleigh, near Yate in South Gloucestershire, in a private service. A memorial service was held on 4 September 2002 at St Martin-in-the-Fields church in Trafalgar Square, attended by 800 people including Charles, Prince of Wales, Richard Attenborough, Tom Courtenay and Cherie Blair.

Television, film and stage performances

Television series

• 1961: The Younger Generation – Customer / Max / Edward / Charlie / Peter / Denny / Martin
• 1963: Edgar Wallace Mysteries (Episode: "Five to One (film)") – Alan Roper
• 1963: Z Cars: Detective Constable Elliot
• 1964 to 1966: Redcap (Two Series) – Sergeant John Mann
• 1965: Edgar Wallace Mysteries (Episode: "Dead Man's Chest") – David Jones
• 1966: Bat Out of Hell – Mark Paxton
• 1967: Inheritance – Will Oldroyd
• 1972. The Frighteners ep.5 (old comrades).
• 1974: Thick As Thieves – Stan
• 1974: The Capone Investment – Tom
• 1975 to 1978: The Sweeney (Four Series & 2 movies) – Det. Insp. Jack Regan
• 1984: Mitch – Mitch
• 1985 to 1990: Home to Roost (Four Series) – Henry Willows
• 1987 to 2000: Inspector Morse (Thirty-three television films) – Detective Chief Inspector Endeavour Morse
• 1991: Stanley and the Women – Stanley Duke
• 1992: A Year in Provence – Peter Mayle
• 1995 to 2001: Kavanagh QC (Six Series) – James Kavanagh QC
• 1999: Plastic Man – Joe McConnell
• 2000: Monsignor Renard – 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" (full-length episode of The Return of Sherlock Holmes) – Jonathan Small
• 1989: Bomber Harris – Sir Arthur 'Bomber' Harris
• 1993: The Mystery of Morse
• 1994: The Absence of War
• 1996: Into the Blue – Harry Barnett
• 1998: Goodnight Mister Tom – 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 – Bosworth (uncredited)
• 1962: Nil Carborundum – ACI Neville Harrison
• 1963: Five To One – Alan Roper
• 1965: Dead Man's Chest
• 1968: The Bofors Gun – Featherstone
• 1970: Praise Marx and Pass the Ammunition – Dom
• 1970: The Last Grenade – Terry Mitchell
• 1972: Dr. Phibes Rises Again – Shavers
• 1977: Sweeney! – Det. Insp. Jack Regan
• 1978: Sweeney 2 – Det. Insp. Jack Regan
• 1981: Killing Heat – Dick Turner
• 1987: Cry Freedom (aka Biko – Biko Asking for Trouble) – Jimmy Kruger
• 1988: Business As Usual – Kieran Flynn
• 1992: Chaplin – 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 – Best Actor for: Sweeney!
• 1990: British Academy Award – Best Actor for: "Inspector Morse"
• 1993: British Academy Award – Best Actor for: "Inspector Morse"
• 1994: CBE
• 1995: Aftonbladet TV Prize, Sweden – Best Foreign TV Personality – Male (Bästa utländska man)
• 1998: National Television Award – 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.