Edward Woodward

A renowned British actor, Edward Woodward won critical acclaim as a stage and television performer, top-selling recording artist and occasional film actor. Woodward first made himself known as a prominent stage actor, performing for various repertory companies throughout the British Isles. After making his London stage debut in "Where There's a Will" (1954), the actor began to branch out into film and television, playing several small parts until finally landing his own series, "Callan" (ITV, 1967-1972), in which he was a reluctant assassin for a British spy agency. Following a leading stage performance in "Cyrano de Bergerac" (1971), Woodward landed his most notorious feature role, playing a God-fearing detective sent to a remote Scottish island populated by a pagan society in "The Wicker Man" (1973). At the end of the decade, he delivered one of his finest performances in "Breaker Morant" (1980), which made him an international star. Perhaps his most well-known performance came on the small screen when he starred in "The Equalizer" (CBS, 1985-89), a role that earned him a cult following as well as five consecutive Emmy nominations and a Golden Globe Award. Though he continued to perform right up until his death in 2009, Woodward was forever associated with "The Equalizer," a show he once considered silly, but nonetheless brought him considerable acclaim.