Biography for
John Thaw More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

3 January 1942, West Gorton, Manchester, England, UK

Date of Death

21 February 2002, Luckington, Wiltshire, England, UK (cancer of the oesophagus)

Birth Name

John Edward Thaw

Height

5' 9" (1.75 m)

Mini Biography

He was the working class boy from Manchester whose intensity and natural honesty made him British television's most bankable actor. He studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. His first starring role on TV was as Sgt John Mann in "Redcap" (1964). His first great success, though, was as Detective Inspector Regan in "The Sweeney" (1975). Violent and uncompromising, the series changed the portrayal of police work on British television and was one of the defining dramas of the 1970s.

For "Inspector Morse" (1987), Thaw was yet again cast as a policeman, but this time a more cultured character than Regan. The leisurely-paced series, set in beautiful Oxfordshire, was Thaw's most popular and long-running project. It established him as British television's most bankable actor, and during the 1990s he had many other starring vehicles. He was also a favourite of film director Richard Attenborough, who cast him in Cry Freedom (1987) and Chaplin (1992).

John Thaw was a quiet, private man. His marriage to actress Sheila Hancock was generally regarded as one of the strongest in showbusiness. When he died at the age of 60, the BBC website was inundated with tributes from the viewing public. His "Inspector Morse" co-star Kevin Whately simply described him as the country's finest screen actor.

IMDb Mini Biography By:

Spouse

Sheila Hancock	(24 December 1973 - 21 February 2002) (his death) 1 daughter
Sally Alexander	(27 June 1964 - 1968) (divorced) 1 child

Trivia

Winner of 2 BAFTA awards for Best TV Actor in "Inspector Morse" (1989 and 1992) and nominee for the same series in 1990 & 1991.

He was awarded a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in 1994 for his services to drama.

Treated for cancer of the oesophagus. His wife, Sheila Hancock, is a breast cancer survivor. [June 2001]

Broke his foot in his teens when he tripped while running for a school bus. This left him with a slight limp that is noticeable in some scenes of the Inspector Morse series.

Married Sheila Hancock on 24 December 1973 in Cirencester, Gloucestershire.

When he married Hancock he decided to officially adopt her daughter Melanie, from her first marriage to Alec Ross, which is why she bears Thaw's surname.

He performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company.

His favourite episodes of "Inspector Morse" (1987) were "The Dead of Jericho", "Masonic Mysteries" and "Promised Land".

He performed with the National Theatre.

He lived quietly in an 18th century manor house in Wiltshire, England.

His most famous roles on British TV were all as straight-talking, no-nonsense characters: Jack Regan, Inspector Morse and James Kavanagh.

Father of actress Abigail Thaw, born 1967, (with first wife Sally Alexander) and Joanna Thaw, born 1974, (with second wife Sheila Hancock), and stepfather of Melanie Thaw.

Thaw was a fan of classical music ever since he was a young man.

Younger brother, Ray, was born November 15, 1944.

His mother Dorothy (Dolly) walked out on the family when he was 7 years old. He did not see her again for 12 years when she showed up briefly back stage in a production of "The Fire Raisers." He never saw her again. She died of stomach cancer in 1974.

Began at age 11 performing in school plays. In one of them he appeared as Mistress Quickly in "Henry V."

Was Laurence Olivier's understudy in the stage production of "Semi-Detached" and later stepped into the part for a week due to Olivier's problem with gout.

His first stage role was at Green End Junior School in Manchester, England as Uncle Joseph, the leading part in "Where the Rainbow Ends" (1953).

Personal Quotes

I didn't want the television Morse to end like Frank Sinatra - doing an endless series of farewell concerts.

I get to work with some of the finest actors around.

I was born looking fifty.

"When I first met her, I had no idea I was looking for a wife. I was just extremely attracted to her. Now, all these years later, I see how lucky I was to have found her because it's difficult to imagine life with anyone else. Maybe it's the years of rubbing together, we do have the same outlook on life - on politics, ideals, morals. We're very similar people in all sorts of ways and we're very close. We're certainly best friends." - on his wife, Sheila Hancock

I was going to say that Sheila and Sally are not at all alike -- except they're both extremely intelligent women. When I met Sheila I wasn't consciously looking for anything in particular. I was just very attracted to her. Who knows why people fall in love? All I know is that I'm a very lucky man.

I suppose I learned about being a father from my own dad. I learned that even when your children are grown up -- as mine are now -- you don't stop being a father. He was still my dad until the day he died last year. I still miss him every day.

Browse biographies section by name

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z