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OBIT: John Thaw - RIP
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Subject: John Thaw - RIP From: Fiolar Date: 22 Feb 02 - 05:03 AM Sadly the death has occurred on February 21st of probably one of the best known actors on British television - John Thaw. In a career spanning nearly forty years, he brought some great characters to the small screen. Born in 1942, his first big success was the series "Redcap" (1964 to 1966) in which he played a military policeman. Then "The Sweeney" in which he had the role of a Flying Squad officer (1974 to 1978). Never out of work, other series included "Home to Roost" (1985 to 1987); "Kavanagh QC" (1995 onwards) and the series with which he will be forever associated "Inspector Morse" in which he had the role of an opera loving police officer created by Colin Dexter. In the last episode Morse was killed off. He is survived by his wife Sheila Hancock, herself an excellent actress and his three children. Oh Remorseful Day. |
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Subject: RE: OBIT: John Thaw - RIP From: Trevor Date: 22 Feb 02 - 05:08 AM I wonder if Joe Public ever finds how an actor really IS. By all accounts, Morse became a reflection of John Thaw's own character - cultured, occasionally curmudgeonly and world weary, caring and sensitive. I'm feeling very sad - sympathy to Sheila and his family. |
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Subject: RE: OBIT: John Thaw - RIP From: katlaughing Date: 22 Feb 02 - 05:14 AM Oh, this is SO sad....we absolutely adored him, esp. in his Morse character. Saw a wonderful "behind-the-scenes" about the very last one they shot. One very bright shining light is gone and the world is much the lesser for it. Thank you, Inspector Morse/Mr. Thaw, may you rest well. katcrying |
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Subject: RE: OBIT: John Thaw - RIP From: Fiolar Date: 22 Feb 02 - 05:28 AM One of his lesser know roles which seemed to have slipped by his credits was as the role of Sir Arthur Harris in the 1989 production "Bomber Harris." A marvellous portrayal and one which has to the best of my knowledge not been re-shown. |
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Subject: RE: OBIT: John Thaw - RIP From: katlaughing Date: 22 Feb 02 - 05:45 AM The Guardian has some nice articles and extensive obituary for him, online. |
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Subject: RE: OBIT: John Thaw - RIP From: Bonnie Shaljean Date: 22 Feb 02 - 06:07 AM Did anyone see him in a one-off television drama (and if you can remember its name, post it PLEASE!) wherein he played the father of a British soldier on duty in Northern Ireland who was killed by the IRA. Thaw goes there, to try to make some sense of it all, and interacts with people on both sides of the divide, including the IRA girl who lured the son to his death as a "legitimate target". The film offers no easy answers or simplistic stereotypes (everyone is believable and all points of view fairly portrayed). Thaw was simply AMAZING as the well-meaning bereaved parent who is totally out of his depth, finding himself being welcomed and claimed as "one of ours" by one side, reviled by the other, and disdained by the on-duty army as a clueless meddling outsider. He tightrope-balances on these various high wires, all the while trying to find out who his son really was. Oh, WHAT was the name of this drama (a one-off, probably an hour long: I don't think it was feature-film length) and who broadcast it? It was before the satellite revolution, and possibly pre-Channel 4 (though if so, only just) so it's most likely the Beeb or ITV. If I can find these facts, I will write and hassle the broadcasting company to repeat this stunning gem of a drama. It should certainly be seen again, as part of a tribute to this fine and much-mourned artist. R.I.P. |
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Subject: RE: OBIT: John Thaw - RIP From: okthen Date: 22 Feb 02 - 06:20 AM There's an end to Endeavor |
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Subject: RE: OBIT: John Thaw - RIP From: Trevor Date: 22 Feb 02 - 06:50 AM And what about 'Goodnight Mr Tom'? Schmaltzy and brilliant, brilliant because of him. |
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Subject: RE: OBIT: John Thaw - RIP From: mooman Date: 22 Feb 02 - 06:59 AM A fine actor and a fine man...we will miss him. May he rest in peace. mooman |
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Subject: RE: OBIT: John Thaw - RIP From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull Date: 22 Feb 02 - 07:15 AM sad news. |
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Subject: RE: OBIT: John Thaw - RIP From: GUEST Date: 22 Feb 02 - 08:24 AM "By all accounts, Morse became a reflection of John Thaw's own character - cultured, occasionally curmudgeonly and world weary, caring and sensitive" John Thaw was one of the sponsors of the English National Opera. Don't know if Morse became Thaw or the other way round ... |
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Subject: RE: OBIT: John Thaw - RIP From: Mrrzy Date: 22 Feb 02 - 08:57 AM What a shame! As they say, I didn't even know he was sick! He wasn't that old, was he? And I guess I'll have to watch some old Inspector Morses, I didn't realize they'd killed him off... |
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Subject: RE: OBIT: John Thaw - RIP From: NELLIE Date: 22 Feb 02 - 09:03 AM Sadly missed John Thaw. His excellently portrayed priest in the very short series of wartime France, Monseigner Reynard, among the other brilliant acting roles. Condolences to Shiela Hancock and his family..
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Subject: RE: OBIT: John Thaw - RIP From: Llanfair Date: 22 Feb 02 - 11:13 AM I was shocked by the news, and had no idea that he was ill. He had a stroke in the '80's, which left him with a slight limp. But he was only 60!! Bron. |
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Subject: RE: OBIT: John Thaw - RIP From: SINSULL Date: 22 Feb 02 - 12:04 PM Ah No. I will miss him. |
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Subject: RE: OBIT: John Thaw - RIP From: C-flat Date: 22 Feb 02 - 01:10 PM John Thaw was one of those actors that just by the appearance of his name in the credits you knew it was worth watching. A big loss to the British viewing public. |
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Subject: RE: OBIT: John Thaw - RIP From: Jim Dixon Date: 22 Feb 02 - 01:26 PM Here are John Thaw's bio and credits, copied (with some minor editing) from IMDb – The Internet Movie Database: (There is also a UK mirror site, which seems to contain the same information.) (If you go to IMDb's site, you can follow links to descriptions of specific films, etc.)
Birth name: John Edward Thaw Spouse
'Sally Alexander' (1964 - 1968) (divorced); 1 child
BAFTA nominee for Best Film Supporting Actor 1987 in Cry Freedom (1987) Awarded CBE (Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) in 1994. (June 2001) Treated for cancer of the esophagus. His wife, Sheila Hancock, is a breast cancer survivor. Broke his foot in his teens when he tripped while running for a school bus. This has left him with a slight limp which is noticeable in some scenes of the Inspector Morse series. Married Sheila Hancock on 24 December 1973 in Cirencester, Gloucestershire. When Thaw married Hancock he decided to officially adopt her daughter Melanie, from her first marriage to Alec Ross, which is why she bears his surname. Father of actress Abigail Thaw, born 1967, (with first wife Sally Alexander) and Joanna Suzy Thaw, born 1974, (with second wife Sheila Hancock). Actor - filmography
"Glass, The" (2001) (mini) TV Series .... Jim Proctor Producer - filmography "Inspector Morse" (1987) TV Series (executive producer: Amberlodge Ltd.: episodes "The Wench Is Dead" and "The Remorseful Day") Notable TV guest appearances
"Return of Sherlock Holmes, The" (1986) playing "Jonathan Small" in episode: "Sign of Four, The" (episode # 1.8) 11/29/1987 |
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Subject: RE: OBIT: John Thaw - RIP From: katlaughing Date: 22 Feb 02 - 01:27 PM The one of him as a father looking for his son in Northern Ireland was "We'll Support You Evermore." It is mentioned in this obituary. There are other links to more about him at the bottom of this article. kat |
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Subject: RE: OBIT: John Thaw - RIP From: Stilly River Sage Date: 22 Feb 02 - 01:50 PM From reading this thread it is clear that we on the western side of the Atlantic have not had as many opportunities to watch him work as the British list members. As someone said, if his name was in the credits, it was worth watching. I saw only a short crawl on the bottom of my news cast this morning, nothing mentioned on any news programs yet. I hope this is remedied by the evening news. SRS |
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Subject: RE: OBIT: John Thaw - RIP From: SharonA Date: 22 Feb 02 - 02:28 PM I heard a report on the radio that said he had been a heavy smoker and had had throat cancer. He was 60. Sad, sad news. |
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Subject: RE: OBIT: John Thaw - RIP From: Irish sergeant Date: 22 Feb 02 - 03:36 PM Farewell John and thank you for showing us how marvelous film can be when done right! Neil |
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Subject: RE: OBIT: John Thaw - RIP From: DougR Date: 22 Feb 02 - 05:29 PM Wow! Look at those credits! That is a remarkable career. I agree that his being in a film, alone, would make it worth seeing as far as I am concerned. "A Year in Provence" was an excellent mini-series I thought. I would really like to see "We'll Support You Evermore." A very sad loss indeed. DougR |
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Subject: RE: OBIT: John Thaw - RIP From: C-flat Date: 23 Feb 02 - 12:41 AM I watched tonight's Morse and appreciated more than ever John Thaw's acting skills.The following tribute on ITV must have been put together quickly and is testament to how highly regarded he was in the industry. |
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Subject: RE: OBIT: John Thaw - RIP From: katlaughing Date: 23 Feb 02 - 09:41 AM There are some more really good articles and links at www.bbcamerica.com. Kevin Whately, who acted as Lewis in the Morse series said this, In between takes he was like an Irish storyteller in a bar - he wouldn't tell jokes, just stories and you would find yourself rolling around and crying with laughter. I hope he's got the whomever, in whatever afterlife he believed in, rolling in the aisles in stitches. |
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Subject: RE: OBIT: John Thaw - RIP From: AliUK Date: 23 Feb 02 - 12:12 PM Once again the Cat has brought me up to date, what sad news. I knew that he was suffering with throat cancer but I thought that he had beaten it. This is a sad time fro british art and a sad time for his family and loved ones. John Thaw was one of the giants of british TV and theatre, Thankfully he left a long legacy with nothing in it to be ashamed of. Goodbye John Thaw and may your soul rest in peace. |
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Subject: RE: OBIT: John Thaw - RIP From: FOG(Friend of Gnome) Date: 23 Feb 02 - 05:06 PM John Thaw was responsible for one of the most extraordinary performances I ever witnessed on a British stage when he played the father in Arthur Millers All my sons at the Royal Exchange in Manchester. People all over the theatre were in tears so moved were they by his astonishing ability to become a character so completely that you were dragged along into believing whatever he wanted you to. To my mind he stands alongside the giants of male British acting like Lawrence Olivier and John Gielgud. My sympathies go to Sheila and the rest of his family and friends-Britain has lost a fine fine actor-a sad day indeed. We may not look on his like again in a hurry. Phil Seddon, Manchester UK |
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