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Callan is a dry, downbeat show about an ex-serviceman used by British intelligence to deal with difficult situations, sometimes requiring him to kill. It's an unglamorous, un-romanticised account of the job, that lays bare the hypocrisy and unpleasantness of the Cold War struggle between the West and the former Soviet Union. The two series of gripping stories, 22 in all, hinge on the compelling central performance of Edward Woodward as complex reluctant anti-hero David Callan.

In the same way that wild optimistic flights of science fiction fantasy like Barbarella and 2001:a Space Odyssey gave way to cynicism and negative future visions like Planet Of The Apes and Soylent Green, spy films were also transformed from the slick, wise-cracking James Bond and Men From Uncle, to the downbeat and unsettling Harry Palmer and Callan.

Discrediting, blackmailing, and ultimately killing people whose actions threaten the West is the stock in trade on the...

Long before American audiences knew the late Edward Woodward as a force for justice in .The Equalizer,. he played an anti-hero type of secret agent called David Callan. Acorn Media presents the second set of episodes from what is described as a cult classic in spy dramas, from Britain. In 1972, the cold war had not ended, and there was much concern in espionage to determine who knew what about whom. Edward Woodward portrays a British agent in that time, David Callan, who has been an assassin for the government. He is a valuable person, as he is not only competent as a killer, but he knows the nuances of political and psychological intrigue. The problem is,...

Most American TV viewers know Edward Woodward from his run as Robert McCall as The Equalizer. But, British TV aficionados know he trained in backside-kicking on the dark, gritty British spy series, Callan.

Written by James Mitchell, the show featured David Callan -- a spy working for an ultra-secret arm of the British Intelligence service specializing in assassinations. Unfortunately, the former soldier and convict was cursed with a conscience that led him to hate his job, his superiors and himself.

Woodward was perfect in the role -- blending haunted humor with genuine menace to create an intelligent, tortured man who you believed could kill anyone without having to look like Rambo while he did it.

Continue reading Remember the great Edward Woodward with Callan

 

Filed under: Other Drama Shows, TV on DVD, Celebrities, Obituaries, Reality-Free, British TV

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British actor Edward Woodward starred as the ill-fated Sgt. Howie, a repressed and religious police officer, in Anthony Shaffer’s occult thriller The Wicker Man in 1973. Sent to the remote Scottish island of Summerisle to search for a missing girl, he becomes enmeshed in an arcane pagan ritual that results in his own sacrifice in a burning wicker effigy to ensure a bountiful harvest. Christopher Lee co-starred as Lord Summerisle, and Britt Ekland, Diane Cilento, and Ingrid Pitt were featured as enticing pagan ladies.

Woodward was born in Croydon, England, on June 1, 1930. He attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and made his professional stage debut in 1946. A Shakespearean stage actor, he also appeared frequently in films and television from the early 1960s. He was featured in episodes of The Saint, The Baron, Mystery and Imagination, and Sherlock Holmes, and was Auguste Dupin in a 1968 production of Poe’s The Murders in the Rue Morgue.

Veteran British actor Edward Woodward has died at the age of 79.

Woodward, best known for his roles in cult horror film The Wicker Man and hit TV series Callan and The Equalizer, passed away in hospital on Monday after battling illnesses including pneumonia.

In a statement, his agent Janet Glass says: "Universally loved and admired through his unforgettable roles in classic productions such as Breaker Morant, The Wicker Man, Callan, The Equalizer and many more, he was equally fine and courageous in real life, never losing his brave spirit and wonderful humour throughout his illness.

"He was further sustained by the love of his wife, Michele, children, Tim, Peter, Sarah and Emily, his grandchildren and numerous friends. His passing will leave a huge gap in many lives."

After graduating from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, Woodward launched his career as a theatre actor in Shakespeare plays across the U.K. and made his London stage debut in Where There's A Will in 1955.

He then made several appearances on Broadway in shows including the Tony Award-winning musical High Spirits and landed a clutch of film roles before starring as devout Christian Police Sergeant Neil Howie in 1973's The Wicker Man. Several movies parts followed, including the title role in Australian drama Breaker Morant in 1980.

Woodward was also a prolific TV actor, appearing in more than 2,000 productions, most notably as David Callan in spy series Callan and as former secret agent Robert McCall in The Equalizer. This latter role earned him a 1987 Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Dramatic TV Series and four Emmy Award nominations from 1986 to 1990.

He was made an Order of the British Empire in 1978.

Woodward's most recent roles included a part in 2007 comedy Hot Fuzz and an appearance in hit British soap opera EastEnders earlier this year. In addition to acting, Woodward was also an accomplished singer and recorded 12 albums.

He suffered two heart attacks and underwent triple bypass surgery in 1996, and in February 2003 he was diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Woodward died at a hospital near his home in Cornwall, south west England on Monday. He leaves behind two sons - Tim and Peter - and daughter Sarah, from his first marriage to Venetia Barrett, and daughter Emily Beth, from his second marriage to Michele Dotrice.

Actor had been suffering from pneumonia

Blog: the best clips featuring Edward Woodward

Edward Woodward, the versatile actor who starred in The Wicker Man and television dramas Callan and The Equalizer, has died at the age of 79.

He had been suffering from various illnesses, including pneumonia, and died in hospital, his agent said. Janet Glass issued a statement praising his "brave spirit and wonderful humour".

It said: "Universally loved and admired through his unforgettable roles in classic productions such as Breaker Morant, The Wicker Man, Callan, The Equalizer and many more, he was equally fine and courageous in real life, never losing his brave spirit and wonderful humour throughout his illness."

Woodward began his career on the stage at the Castle theatre, Farnham, in 1946. After graduation from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, he worked extensively in repertory companies as a Shakespearean actor throughout England and Scotland, making his London...