John Wood

John Lamin Wood (5 July 1930 – 6 August 2011) was an English actor known for his Shakespearean performances and his lasting association with Tom Stoppard. In 1976, he received a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for his performance in Stoppard's Travesties. He was nominated for further Tony Awards for his roles in Sherlock Holmes and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (1968). His films included WarGames (1983), The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985), Ladyhawke (1985), Jumpin' Jack Flash (1986), Orlando (1992), Shadowlands (1993), The Madness of King George (1994), Richard III (1995), Sabrina (1995), and Chocolat (2000).

In 2007, Wood was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the Queen's New Year Honours List.

Early life John Lamin Wood was born to Reginald and Norah (née Lamin) Wood on 5 July 1930 in Harpenden, Hertfordshire; he spent his early years there and in Derby. He was educated at Bedford School. His performance won the Evening Standard award for Best Actor of 1991. In that RSC season, he also played Don Armado in Terry Hands production of Love's Labour's Lost.

Thereafter, Wood appeared in far fewer plays but returned to playing character roles in films and television. This included Shadowlands (1993), Nicholas Hytner's The Madness of King George (1994), Sabrina (1995), and Ian McKellen's fascist-themed Richard III (1995). He also played Baron de Charlus in the 1997 radio adaptation of Harold Pinter's screenplay of Marcel Proust's À la recherche du temps perdu.

In 1994, he played the East End gangster in Philip Ridley's Ghost from a Perfect Place at the Hampstead theatre. Wood returned to the National Theatre in 1997 for Richard Eyre's production of The Invention of Love by Tom Stoppard. Wood played the aging classical scholar and poet A.E. Housman in a role written specifically for him by Stoppard, and for which he received a nomination for an Olivier Award.

He played Spooner at the National Theatre in 2001 in Harold Pinter's, No Man's Land. He last appeared on stage in 2005 at the National Theatre in both parts of Henry IV. He was supposed to appear in the Robert Altman-directed Resurrection Blues by Arthur Miller at the Old Vic but had to withdraw because of illness. Wood made his last television appearance guesting on Lewis in 2007.

Personal life and death In 1957, Wood married Gillian Neason; they had a son and later divorced.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1953 Salome Sword Dancer Uncredited 1959 Idol on Parade Jeremy 1960 Two-Way Stretch Captain Let's Get Married Ice Cream Man 1960 The Challenge School Inspector 1961 Gorgo Sandwich board man Uncredited The Rebel Poet Wings of Death Photographer Short Invasion Quartet Duty Officer - War Office 1962 Postman's Knock P.C. Woods John Woods Live Now, Pay Later Curate 1963 Just for Fun Official Love Is a Ball Julian Soames The Mouse on the Moon Countryman That Kind of Girl Doctor 1965 Lady L Photographer Uncredited 1967 Just like a Woman John Martin 1970 One More Time Figg The Engagement Penciller Which Way to the Front? Finkel 1971 Nicholas and Alexandra Colonel Kobylinsky 1972 Slaughterhouse-Five English Officer Tom Wood 1978 Somebody Killed Her Husband Ernest Van Santen 1983 Agent 000 and the Deadly Curves Agent 009 WarGames Dr. Stephen Falken 1985 The Purple Rose of Cairo Jason Ladyhawke Bishop of Aquila 1986 Lady Jane John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland Heartburn British Moderator Jumpin' Jack Flash Jeremy Talbott 1992 Orlando Archduke Harry 1993 The Young Americans Richard Donnelly Shadowlands Christopher Riley 1994 Uncovered Cesar The Madness of King George Thurlow 1995 Richard III King Edward IV 1995 Sabrina Tom Fairchild 1996 Jane Eyre Mr. Brocklehurst 1997 Metroland The Retired Commuter The Gambler The General 1998 Sweet Revenge Col. Marcus The Avengers Trubshaw 1999 An Ideal Husband Lord Caversham The Venice Project The Viscount Mad Cows Alistair 2000 The Little Vampire Lord McAshton Chocolat Guillaume Blerot 2001 The Body Cardinal Pesci 2003 Imagining Argentina Amos Sternberg 2004 The Rocket Post Sir Wilson Ramsay 2005 The White Countess Prince Peter Belinsky

Television Year Title Role Notes 1955 Strange Experiences Man 2 episodes 1960 Barnaby Rudge Barnaby Rudge 12 episodes 1962 Saki Mr. Blenkinthrope 1 episode 1964 Espionage Douglas Episode: "A Free Agent" And Benbow Was His Name Captain Kirby TV movie 1965 A Tale of Two Cities Sydney Carton 8 episodes 1966 Out of the Unknown Brenner Episode: "Too Many Cooks" 1967 The Avengers Edgar Twitter Episode: "The Bird Who Knew Too Much" Hondo Goya Episode: "Hondo and the Gladiators" Armchair Theatre Brian Episode: "Poor Cherry" 1971 Doomwatch Nigel Waring Episode: "No Room for Error" 1991 Thatcher: The Final Days Michael Heseltine TV movie 1993 The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles Charles Webster Leadbeater Episode: "Benares, January 1910 " 1995 Citizen X Prosecutor Gorbunov TV movie 1997 Kavanagh QC Mr. Justice Way Episode: "Mute of Malice" 2000 Longitude Sir Edmond Halley TV movie The Canterbury Tales The Knight Voice, 2 episodes 2001 Love in a Cold Climate Lord Merlin TV Mini-Series Victoria and Albert The Duke of Wellington TV movie 2002 Napoleon Pope Pius VII Episode: "1800-1807" 2004 The Return of the Dancing Master Jonas Andersson TV movie Foyle's War Sir Michael Waterford Episode: "Enemy Fire" 2007 Lewis Edward Le Plassiter Episode: "Expiation"

Awards and honours Year Award Category Nominated work Results Ref. 2006 Clarence Derwent Awards Best Male in a Supporting Role (UK) Henry IV, Part 2 1976 Drama Desk Awards Outstanding Actor in a Play Travesties 1983 Saturn Awards Best Supporting Actor WarGames 2000 Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Chocolat 1968 Tony Awards Best Supporting or Featured Actor in a Play Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead 1975 Best Leading Actor in a Play Sherlock Holmes 1976 Travesties

Commander of the Order of the British Empire Wood was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the New Year Honours List of 2007.