---
name: "Edward Woodward"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/edward-woodward"
fi1m_id: "edward-woodward"
imdb_id: "nm0940919"
tmdb_id: 39188
wikidata_id: "Q712968"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "1 June 1930"
died: "16 November 2009"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 5
average_fi1m_score: 82
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 5
updated: "2026-10-07T14:34:32.901238+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Edward Woodward

## Identity

Edward Woodward

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/edward-woodward
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** edward-woodward
- **IMDb ID:** nm0940919
- **TMDB ID:** 39188
- **Wikidata ID:** Q712968
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Woodward, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q712968, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0940919/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/39188

Actor. Born 1 June 1930 in Croydon, Surrey, England, UK. Died 16 November 2009.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 1 June 1930, Croydon, Surrey, England, UK
- **Died:** 16 November 2009
- **Active:** 1967–2007
- **Also known as:** Edward Albert Arthur Woodward, Эдвард Альберт Артур Вудвард, Эдвард Вудвард
- **Average Fi1m score:** 82, as actor, over 5 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1960s 86 (1), 1970s 90 (1), 1990s 73 (1), 2000s 80 (2)
- **Score spread:** 3 at 80+, 2 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 2 of 5 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 3, Action & Adventure 2, Crime 2, Action 1, Comedy 1, Horror 1
- **Screen time:** 4 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $81m across 2 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Woodward, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q712968, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0940919/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/39188

## Streaming the US now

- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*The Wicker Man*](https://film.one/film/the-wicker-man.md) (90), [*Callan*](https://film.one/tv/callan.md) (86)
- **Peacock:** [*Hot Fuzz*](https://film.one/film/hot-fuzz.md) (84), [*Gulliver's Travels*](https://film.one/tv/gullivers-travels.md) (73)
- **HBO Max:** [*Five Days*](https://film.one/tv/five-days.md) (76)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Edward Woodward

> Edward Woodward makes authority look hard to maintain: his upright men have anger to contain and convictions they cannot put aside. We rate him most highly when that restraint becomes uncomfortable, as it does in *The Wicker Man*.

In *The Wicker Man* (1973), Edward Woodward makes listening to an explanation look like a considerable personal concession. As Sergeant Neil Howie, he gives disapproval the force of physical effort, as though letting the islanders finish speaking risks conceding something important. The stiffness is funny, but he keeps Howie's convictions serious enough to make our amusement feel questionable. He makes us notice the strain without asking us to find the man agreeable.

The title role in the spy series *Callan* (1967–1972) brought him wider attention, establishing television as an important home for that controlled anger. His film work took him from Howie to the title role in *Breaker Morant* (1980), before another sustained television lead as Robert McCall in *The Equalizer* (1985–1989). The recurring figure is a solitary enforcer or investigator, carrying responsibilities that do not make him easy company. We value the suggestion that keeping control costs these men something; mere sternness would soon become tiresome.

Robin Hardy makes especially good use of Woodward's discomfort in *The Wicker Man*, setting it against islanders who seem entirely comfortable with the customs Howie finds intolerable. Woodward gives Hardy a reliable source of comedy without letting the laughter settle the question of Howie's worth. We laughed at his unease among the singing islanders, then felt uncomfortable with how readily we had joined in, because he made the man's conviction so hard to dismiss. His seriousness makes us care about how Howie is treated even when we disagree with him.

That succession of stern men should not be mistaken for the full extent of his abilities. He had a strong singing voice, used in stage musicals and over the end credits of *Breaker Morant*, though the controlled anger remains the more familiar screen quality. Nor is restraint automatically a virtue: *The Wicker Man* has its stiff passages, even if they scarcely weaken our recommendation. Start with Hardy's film, but give Howie a fair hearing before choosing the more agreeable company.

## Biography

Edward Woodward was an English actor and singer. After training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, he began his career on stage in repertory and made his London debut in 1955. He appeared in productions in the West End and on Broadway.

Woodward came to wider attention as the title character in the television series *Callan* (1967–1972), for which he received the 1970 British Academy Television Award for Best Actor. He played Sergeant Neil Howie in the film *The Wicker Man* (1973) and the title role in *Breaker Morant* (1980). From 1985 to 1989 he starred as Robert McCall in the American series *The Equalizer*, winning the 1986 Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Television Drama Series. He was appointed OBE in 1978.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, screenonline.org.uk, themoviedb.org.*

## On Fi1m (5)

- *Five Days* (2007), Fi1m 76, as Vic Marsham — [page](https://film.one/tv/five-days.md)
- *Hot Fuzz* (2007), Fi1m 84, as Tom Weaver — [page](https://film.one/film/hot-fuzz.md)
- *Gulliver's Travels* (1996), Fi1m 73, as Drunlo — [page](https://film.one/tv/gullivers-travels.md)
- *The Wicker Man* (1973), Fi1m 90, as Sergeant Neil Howie — [page](https://film.one/film/the-wicker-man.md)
- *Callan* (1967), Fi1m 86, as David Callan — [page](https://film.one/tv/callan.md)

## Complete filmography (100)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *The Wicker Man at 50* (2023), as Sgt Howie
- *Robin Hardy's Script - The Lost Ending* (2023), as Sgt Howie
- *A Congregation of Ghosts* (2009), as Reverend Densham
- *Hot Fuzz* (2007), as Tom Weaver — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/hot-fuzz.md)
- *Five Days* (2007), series, as Vic Marsham — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/tv/five-days.md)
- *Murder in Suburbia* (2004), series, as Reg
- *The Abduction Club* (2002), as Lord Fermoy
- *Night Flight* (2002), as Vic Green
- *Messiah* (2001), series, as Rev. Stephen Hedges
- *The Lone Gunmen* (2001), series, Actor
- *Marcie's Dowry* (2000), as Gus Wise
- *CI5: The New Professionals* (1999), series, as Harry Malone
- *Crusade* (1999), series, as Alwyn
- *La Femme Nikita* (1997), series, as Mr. Jones
- *Harrison: Cry of the City* (1996), as Edward 'Teddy' Harrison
- *Gulliver's Travels* (1996), series, as Drunlo — Fi1m 73, [page](https://film.one/tv/gullivers-travels.md)
- *The Shamrock Conspiracy* (1995), as Edward Harrison
- *A Christmas Reunion* (1994), as Colonel Phillips
- *Common As Muck* (1994), series, as Nev
- *Deadly Advice* (1994), as Maj. Herbert Armstrong
- *Aladdin* (1992), as The Sultan (voice)
- *In My Defence* (1991), series, as Gourgen Yanikian
- *Soccer Shoot-Out* (1991), as Commentator (Voice)
- *In Suspicious Circumstances* (1991), series, as Storyteller
- *Mister Johnson* (1991), as Sargy Gollup
- *Over My Dead Body* (1990), series, Actor
- *Hands of a Murderer* (1990), as Sherlock Holmes
- *Memories of Manon* (1989), as Robert McCall
- *The Man in the Brown Suit* (1989), as Sir Eustace Pedler
- *Codename: Kyril* (1988), series, as Michael Royston
- *A Desperate Fortune: Matthew Flinders' Australia* (1988), as Narrator
- *The Equalizer - The Movie: Blood & Wine* (1987), as Robert McCall
- *Uncle Tom's Cabin* (1987), as Simon Legree
- *The New Alfred Hitchcock Presents* (1985), series, as Drummond
- *The Equalizer* (1985), series, as Robert McCall
- *Arthur the King* (1985), as Merlin
- *King David* (1985), as King Saul
- *The Bill* (1984), series, as Johnnie Jackson
- *A Christmas Carol* (1984), as Ghost of Christmas Present
- *Champions* (1984), as Josh Gifford
- *Love is Forever* (1983), as Derek McBracken
- *The Appointment* (1983), as Ian
- *Who Dares Wins* (1982), as Commander Powell
- *Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years* (1981), series, as Sir Samuel Hoare
- *Wet Job* (1981), as David Callan
- *Blunt Instrument* (1981), as Alex Logan
- *Sunday Night Thriller* (1981), series, as Alex Logan
- *The Trial of Lady Chatterley* (1980), as Mervyn Griffith-Jones
- *Nice Work* (1980), series, Actor
- *Breaker Morant* (1980), as Harry 'Breaker' Morant
- *A Rod of Iron* (1980), as Ian
- *The Bass Player and the Blonde* (1978), series, as George Mangham
- *Saturday, Sunday, Monday* (1978), as Luigi
- *1990* (1977), series, as Jim Kyle
- *The Bass Player and the Blonde* (1977), as George Mangham
- *Stand up, Virgin Soldiers* (1977), as Sgt. Wellbeloved
- *Laurence Olivier Presents* (1976), series, as Luigi
- *Three for All* (1975), as Roadsweeper
- *When Day Is Done* (1975), as Philip Warne
- *Armchair Cinema* (1974), series, as Philip Warne
- *Callan* (1974), as David Callan
- *The Wicker Man* (1973), as Sergeant Neil Howie — Fi1m 90, [page](https://film.one/film/the-wicker-man.md)
- *Whodunnit?* (1973), series, as Host
- *Young Winston* (1972), as Captain Aylmer Haldane, Aylmer Haldane
- *Sitting Target* (1972), as Inspector Milton
- *The Ra Expeditions* (1972), as Narrator (BBC version)
- *Hunted* (1972), as John Drummond
- *The Cherry Orchard* (1971), as Lopahkin
- *Evelyn* (1971), as The Man
- *The Edward Woodward Hour* (1971), series, Actor
- *Blood Suckers* (1971), as Dr. Holstrom
- *Prisoners* (1971), as The Man
- *Play for Today* (1970), series, as The Man
- *The File of the Golden Goose* (1969), as Arthur Thompson
- *Julius Caesar* (1969), as Cassius
- *The Root of All Evil?* (1968), series, as Designi
- *Entertaining Mr. Sloane* (1968), as Ed
- *ITV Playhouse* (1967), series, as Ed, George Mangham, Ian
- *Trapped* (1967), series, as Mark Frazier
- *Callan* (1967), series, as David Callan — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/tv/callan.md)
- *A Magnum for Schneider* (1967), as David Callan
- *Sword of Honour* (1967), series, as Guy Crouchback
- *NET Playhouse* (1966), series, as Caius Cassius
- *The Baron* (1966), series, Actor
- *You Can't Win* (1966), series, Actor
- *Ella* (1966), as Arthur
- *Mystery and Imagination* (1966), series, as Reeve
- *BBC Play of the Month* (1965), series, as Caius Cassius, Lopakhin
- *Thirty-Minute Theatre* (1965), series, as Arthur, Alan
- *Theatre 625* (1964), series, as Guy Crouchback
- *Detective* (1964), series, as Auguste Dupin
- *Becket* (1964), as Clement (uncredited) — Fi1m 79, [page](https://film.one/film/becket.md)
- *Sergeant Cork* (1963), series, as Austen Carew
- *The Saint* (1962), series, as Jack Liskard
- *Sir Francis Drake* (1961), series, as Spanish Captain
- *You Can't Win* (1961), series, as Paul Hayward
- *The Defenders* (1961), series, as H.T. Harris
- *Armchair Mystery Theatre* (1960), series, as Paul Danek, Anstey
- *Armchair Theatre* (1956), series, as David Callan
- *Where There's a Will* (1955), as Ralph Stokes

## Gallery

- ![Edward Woodward](https://film.one/media/person/59676/gallery-cc289af8095a.jpg) Edward Woodward — DJM-Dick James Music, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f7/Edward_Woodward_1971.JPG?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Edward Woodward](https://film.one/media/person/59676/gallery-f0258ba8f2dc.jpg) Edward Woodward — Image via TMDB
- ![Edward Woodward](https://film.one/media/person/59676/gallery-051e5fa2de18.jpg) Edward Woodward — Image via TMDB

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/edward-woodward