Nicky Henson facts for kids

Nicky Henson (born Nicholas Victor Leslie Henson; 12 May 1945 – 15 December 2019) was a British actor. He was known for his many roles in TV shows, films, and plays. He acted for over 50 years, from 1964 until he passed away in 2019.

Early Life and Training

Nicholas Victor Leslie Henson was born in London, England, on May 12, 1945. His father was a famous comedian named Leslie Henson. Nicky's nephew, Adam Henson, is also well-known as a farmer and TV presenter on the show Countryfile.

Nicky went to St. Bede's Prep School and Charterhouse School. He then trained to be a stage manager at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). He first appeared on stage as a guitarist. Later, he joined the Young Vic Company and played a character named Pozzo in the play Waiting for Godot.

Acting Career

Nicky Henson had a long and busy career in acting. He appeared in many popular TV shows and films. He also performed in lots of plays on stage.

Television Roles

Henson was a guest star in many well-known TV shows. These included Fawlty Towers, Minder, Inspector Morse, and Heartbeat. In 1990, he played the doctor in the BBC ghost story The Green Man.

He also played the main character in Shine On Harvey Moon when it returned in 1995. In 2006, Henson joined the cast of the BBC soap opera EastEnders. He played a character named Jack Edwards. He left the show later that year due to health reasons.

Henson played three different characters in the police drama The Bill over the years. In 2010, he appeared in the popular period drama Downton Abbey. He played Charles Grigg, an old friend of the butler, Carson. He appeared in two more episodes of Downton Abbey in 2013.

One of his most remembered roles was as Mr. Johnson in the Fawlty Towers episode "The Psychiatrist". He once joked that his tombstone might say, "Here lies Nicky Henson – he was in one episode of Fawlty Towers."

Film Appearances

Henson appeared in several films throughout his career. Some of his early films include Witchfinder General (1968) and Mosquito Squadron (1970). He also had a lead role in The ... Adventures of Tom Jones (1976). Later in his career, he had supporting roles in films like Vera Drake (2004) and Syriana (2005).

Theatre Work

On stage, Nicky Henson played many characters from William Shakespeare's plays. He was part of the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1977. He also had main roles in famous plays like Look Back in Anger and Noises Off. In 1964, he played Mordred in the original London musical Camelot.

He also directed plays, starting with The Provok'd Wife. In 2009, he directed the play Only When I Laugh in London. He also directed Intimate Exchanges by Alan Ayckbourn.

Radio Roles

Henson also worked in radio. He played Lemuel "Chipper" Barnet in the BBC radio series Space Force in 1984 and 1985.

Personal Life

Nicky Henson was married twice. His first wife was actress Una Stubbs. They had two sons together, Joe and Christian. Both of their sons became composers.

Later, he married ballerina Marguerite Porter. With Marguerite, he had a third son, Keaton, who is a musician and illustrator.

Health Challenges

In 2003, Nicky Henson was diagnosed with cancer. Doctors removed some tumours from his body. However, in 2006, new tumours were found that were too risky to remove. Henson received chemotherapy treatment. He also worked to raise money for cancer charities, especially Marie Curie Cancer Care.

Nicky Henson passed away on December 15, 2019, from cancer. He was 74 years old.

Partial Filmography