John Woodvine

Born in the Simonside area of South Shields during the war he left the North East when he was 5 but went back for holidays with his grandparents. As he grew older he had it in his mind to be an actor but had no idea how to go about it so did various jobs before being called up for National Service in the RAF. On being demobbed he still wanted to be an actor but was still unaware of how ti get in so worked for wool merchants for 3 years during which time he became a keen amateur actor. When the wool merchant went bankrupt he managed to get a grant from Essex County Council to go to drama school. On completing the course his first job was with a company that traveled around in a bus doing shows at military camps. He then joined The Old Vic doing walk on parts and small speaking parts then spent 2 years in America and on his return joined the Bristol Old Vic. After about 12 years in the business he went to Newcastle to appear in 'Close the Coalhouse Door' at the Jesmond Playhouse written by Alan Plater and also featuring fellow North East actors Colin Douglas and Alan Browning which he considered made him a better actor. He appeared in the TV series of 'Z Cars' as a Geordie police inspector but didn't enjoy it. There was then a 90 minute play for Granada Television which was done live.