Johnny Lockwood facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Johnny Lockwood
Lockwood publicity picture
Born	John Sidney Lockwood (1920-12-07)7 December 1920 West Ham, Essex, England
Died	25 April 2013(2013-04-25) (aged 92) Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, Australia
Occupation	Actor variety entertainer comedian
Years active	1935–2003
Spouse(s)	Anne Lockwood 1947-1976, remarried 1980- unknown
Children	Joanna Lockwood

Johnny Lockwood (born John Sidney Lockwood on December 7, 1920, died April 25, 2013) was a talented British entertainer. He was a comedian, actor, and performer who became very famous in Australia. He moved there from England.

In England, Johnny was a popular performer in London's famous West End theaters. He was known for his stand-up comedy, singing, and dancing. In 1949, he even performed for the Royal Family!

The Amazing Life of Johnny Lockwood

Johnny Lockwood was born in West Ham, England. This area is now part of East London. He worked in many exciting fields like radio, theater, television, and movies. After becoming very successful in England, he moved to Australia.

In Australia, he became famous for his roles in TV shows. These included the funny comedy The Mavis Bramston Show. He also starred in the TV drama Number 96. From 1972 to 1975, he played Aldo Godolfus. Aldo was a funny deli owner from Hungary. His character was a main part of the show. He acted alongside Philippa Baker, who played his wife Roma. Vivienne Garrett played their teenage daughter, Rose.

Aldo and Roma's characters were often funny because they were immigrants from Europe. Aldo was from Hungary, and Roma was from Russia. They sometimes had trouble understanding the local language. This created many humorous situations.

Before Number 96, Johnny Lockwood was mostly known as a stand-up comedian. He hadn't done much serious acting. He also had a small part in the movie Moulin Rouge!. He appeared in several other films too.

Johnny's Early Years and Joining the Air Force

Johnny Lockwood was one of four children. His parents were William and Annie Lockwood. From a young age, Johnny dreamed of performing on stage. Sadly, his father passed away when Johnny was nine years old in 1929. His mother also passed away in 1933. This meant Johnny was without his parents by the age of 12.

At 14, he bravely applied for a job as a dancer. This was for a traveling show. He kept working on his skills. By the time he was 18, he was a variety entertainer. A famous show producer, Jack Hylton, hired him as a comedian. Johnny also joined a special group for entertainers called the Grand Order of Water Rats. This group did a lot of charity work.

Johnny's performing career paused for a short time. This was because World War II began. In 1942, he joined the Royal Air Force. Even while serving, he continued to entertain. He performed with a group called ENSA. They put on shows for soldiers.

Performing in England's West End

After leaving the military in 1944, Johnny went back to show business. He became a popular performer in London's West End theaters. He performed in many different types of shows. These included variety entertainment and pantomimes. Pantomimes are fun, musical plays often performed around Christmas.

In 1949, Johnny received a special invitation. He was asked to perform for the Royal Family. This was at a Royal Command Performance at the London Coliseum. During his act, he famously tripped and fell. He even got a bloody nose! But Johnny was a quick thinker. He joked to the audience, "Well, they told me you wanted blood tonight!" This funny line was reported everywhere in the news.

From Stage to Screen: Australia and Beyond

Johnny first visited Australia in 1957. He was there for a ten-week show with the Tivoli Theatre. Audiences loved him so much that he was offered a five-year contract! He decided to stay in Australia. He also performed in a play with another star, Bobby Limb.

Later, he went back to England for a special role. He played Fagin in the musical Oliver! in London. After that, he returned to Australia for good.

Johnny spent a year on the TV show Sunnyside Up. He even performed in Las Vegas, USA. Then he came back to Australia. He starred for two years in the funny TV series The Mavis Bramston Show. He also played the main character in a play called Canterbury Tales.

In 1972, Johnny got a big role in Number 96. He was one of the first actors on the show. He played Aldo Godolfus, a funny deli owner. The writer, David Sale, created the character just for him. Aldo was from Hungary. He had escaped the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 and came to Australia with his daughter, Rose.

Aldo married Roma Lubinsky, played by Philippa Baker. They became a very popular comedy duo on the show. In 1975, their characters were written out of the series. This happened during a big "bomb blast storyline" that changed the show.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Johnny appeared in many Australian TV dramas. He was in the soap opera Neighbours in 1985. He played Harry Henderson, the grandfather of a character named Daphne. He also appeared in E Street in 1991. During these years, he acted in movies too.

In the early 1980s, he played Tevye in the musical Fiddler on the Roof. This was in a Queensland theater production.

In the early 2000s, Johnny continued acting. He had roles in the movie Moulin Rouge! and the TV mini-series The Potato Factory. He also kept performing on stage with the Sydney Theatre Company.

Johnny's Family Life

Johnny Lockwood was married to Anne Lockwood starting in 1947. Sadly, Anne passed away in Sydney in 1976. She died after having a heart attack.

Johnny married again in 1980. He had a daughter named Joanna Lockwood. Joanna also became an actress. She is well-known for her role in the TV show Cop Shop. Joanna even appeared briefly in Number 96 with her father.

Johnny Lockwood passed away on April 25, 2013. He was 92 years old. He died in a nursing home in Coffs Harbour, Australia.

Filmography

Film

Television

See also

In Spanish: Johnny Lockwood para niños