John Woodvine, a veteran actor known to genre fans for his memorable roles in TV’s Doctor Who and the iconic horror film An American Werewolf in London, has died.
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Woodvine passed away Monday at 96, his agent Phil Belfield confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter.
“John was an extraordinary actor and had a fabulous and varied career in all areas of the industry,” Belfield said in a statement. “John was greatly admired by all and will be sadly missed and fondly remembered by all those who met, knew, and worked with him. We are all the richer to have known him.”
Horror fans will remember the Woodvine as Dr. Hirsch, who investigated the mysterious attacks on David Kessler (David Naughton) and his friend Jack Goodman (Griffin Dunne) in John Landis’ 1981 horror-comedy classic. He later reprised the role in BBC Radio 1’s 1997 radio adaptation of the film.
Per IMDb, Woodvine’s other genre credits include Burke & Hare (also directed by Landis), Ken Russell’s The Devils, the Charles Band-produced Dragonworld, and 2022’s Enys Men, his final film.
John Woodvine’s Prolific Acting Career Includes Winning an Olivier Award for His Work in Theater
Woodvine was born on July 21, 1929, in South Shields, County Durham, England. He served his National Service in the RAF and was a clerk for a wool merchant. He then trained for the stage, graduating from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London in 1953.
Woodvine joined London’s Old Vic in 1954, performing in productions of Macbeth, The Taming of the Shrew, As You Like It, Henry IV, Julius Caesar, Othello, and Romeo and Juliet. Between 1954 and 1957, he took four of these productions to Broadway.
Throughout his career, he appeared in more than 70 stage productions at the Old Vic, the National Theatre, and the Royal Shakespeare Company. In 1987, Woodvine received an Olivier Award for Comedy Performance of the Year for his role in The Henrys at the Old Vic.
Beyond his genre film and TV roles, Woodvine’s notable credits also include The Crown, Miss Potter, Vanity Fair, and the 1992 adaptation of Wuthering Heights.
He also performed extensively for BBC Radio, appearing in productions such as An Inspector Calls, The Cabaret of Dr. Caligari, and The Tempest, among many others.
He is survived by his second wife, actress Lynn Farleigh, whom he married in 1996, and his daughters, Mary and Emma.