- Denis Lawson
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This article is about the actor. For the Scottish international footballer, see Denis Lawson (footballer).
Denis Lawson 
Denis Lawson at the 2006 Crieff Highland GamesBorn Denis Stamper Lawson[1]
27 September 1947
Crieff, Perthshire, ScotlandOccupation Actor Years active 1969–present Spouse Sheila Gish (2004-2005) (her death) Denis Stamper Lawson[1] (born 27 September 1947) is a Scottish actor and director. He is known for his roles as John Jarndyce in the BBC's adaptation of Bleak House and as Gordon Urquhart in the film Local Hero, but is best known for playing the part of Wedge Antilles in the original Star Wars trilogy.
Contents
Early life
Lawson was born in Crieff, Perthshire, the son of Phyllis Neno (née Stamper), a sweet seller and Laurence Lawson, a watchmaker.[1] Lawson was educated at Crieff Primary School (then called Crieff Public School). After the 11 plus examination, he went on to Morrison's Academy before attending the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. His sister, Carol Diane McGregor, a retired teacher who still lives in Perthshire, is the mother of actor Ewan McGregor.
Career
Lawson began his acting career with a small role in a 1969 stage production of The Metamorphosis in London's West End. and has since starred in television dramas such as The Merchant of Venice (1973) opposite Laurence Olivier as Shylock, Rock Follies (1976) and Dead Head (1986).
He played X-wing pilot Wedge Antilles in all three original Star Wars movies, a series that would in its prequel star his nephew Ewan McGregor. Lawson later reprised the role, in voiceover form, for the Nintendo GameCube game Star Wars: Rogue Squadron 2.
He has appeared often on the West End stage, most notably in the musical Mr. Cinders at the Fortune Theatre from 1983-84.[2]
In 1999, Lawson directed a production of "Little Malcolm & His Struggle Against the Eunuchs" which was first staged at the Hampstead Theatre before transferring to the Comedy Theatre in London's West End starring his nephew Ewan McGregor in the lead role of Malcolm Scrawdyke.
He appeared on an episode of Loose Ends hosted by Ned Sherrin on BBC Radio 4 (10 December 2005), during which his cell phone rang.
In 2005, he played the leading role of John Jarndyce in the critically acclaimed BBC adaptation of Charles Dickens' Bleak House, receiving an Emmy nomination. Two years later he played Peter Syme in the BBC One drama serial Jekyll, a modern version of The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.[3] Lawson also appeared as Captain "Dreadnought" Foster in ITV's dramatisations of C.S. Forester's Hornblower. He appeared in Robin Hood in which he played the Sheriff of Winchester.
He also appeared in the West End playing the character of Georges in the revival of the musical hit La Cage Aux Folles. No stranger to musical theatre Lawson previously starred in the London revival of Pal Joey.
He starred as the lead in Above Their Station, a sitcom for the BBC written by Rhys Thomas about Community Support Officers; it was made as a pilot but never commissioned, only being shown as a one-off special.[4] Lawson appeared alongside Academy Award nominated actress Helena Bonham Carter in the BBC Four movie based on the life of Enid Blyton, playing Kenneth Darrell Waters, a London surgeon who becomes Blyton's second husband. In July 2009 Lawson appeared as Alexander Fleming in a BBC Four drama called Breaking the Mould: The Story of Penicillin alongside Dominic West. Lawson played the part of Alice's grandfather in ITV1's supernatural crime thriller Marchlands which was shown in February 2011.
Lawson appears at the Royal Court Theatre once more in The Acid Test by Anya Reiss in 2011.[5]
Personal Life
In 1979, Lawson had a child, Jamie,[6] with actress Diane Fletcher, with whom he had a seven-year relationship after meeting in a stage production of Twelfth Night. He met his wife, Sheila Gish, on the set of the 1985 film That Uncertain Feeling. They lived together for nearly 20 years before marrying in March 2004 (Antigua); she died of cancer a year later (9 March 2005).
Filmography
Film
Year Title Role Notes 2011 Perfect Sense Detective 2006 Dolls Monsieur Nicholas Short film 2001 Leonard Leonard Short film 1996 Cervellini fritti impanati 1988 The Zip Eric Short film 1984 The Chain Keith 1983 Local Hero Gordon Urquhart 1983 Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi Wedge Antilles 1983 Bitter Cherry Short film 1980 Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back Wedge Antilles 1977 Providence 1977 Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope Wedge Antilles Television
Year(s) Title Role Notes 2011 Candy Cabs Kenny Ho 2011 Marchlands Robert Bowen 2011 Hustle Benny 1 episode: Series 7, Episode 4 2010 Just William Headmaster 2010 Above Their Station Chief Constable Keith Boone 2009 Mister Eleven Len 2009 No Holds Bard Miekel 2009 Enid Kenneth Darrell Waters 2009 Breaking the Mould - The Story of Penicillin Alexander Fleming 2009 Criminal Justice DCI Bill Faber 2009 Law and Order:UK Philip Woodleigh 1 episode: "Sacrifice" 2008 The Passion Annas Episode 1-3 2008 Mumbai Calling Phillip Glass 2007 Robin Hood Sheriff of Winchester 1 episode: "For England!" 2007 Jekyll Peter Syme 2007 Marple Leo Argyle 1 episode: "Ordeal By Innocence" 2006 Dalziel and Pascoe John Barron 2 episodes: "The Cave Woman", Parts 1 and 2 2006 The Thieving Headmistress Father Plunkett 2006 Feel the Force Gordon Campbell 2005 Bleak House John Jarndyce 2005 Sensitive Skin Al Jackson 2003 Lucky Jim Julius Gore-Urquat 2003 A World in Arms Narrator 2003 The Ride Tommy 2002–2004 Holby City Tom Campbell-Gore Regular character 2001 The Fabulous Bagel Boys DI Morris Rose TV film 2000 Other People's Children Tom Series 1, Episodes 2 and 3 1999 Bob Martin Greg 1998 The Round Tower Arthur Brett 1998 The Ambassador John Stone 1998 Hornblower Captain ‘Dreadnought’ Foster 1 episode: "The Examination for Lieutenant" 1998 Cold Feet Alex Welch 1 episode: Series 1, Episode 4 1996 A Royal Scandal Henry Brougham 1997 Pie in the Sky Nick Spencer 1 episode: "In the Smoke" 1996 Tales from the Crypt Frank 1992 Natural Lies James Towne 1992 Screen One; Born Kicking Victor Grace 1992 El C.I.D. 1 episode: "My Brother’s Keeper" 1991 Bejewelled Alistair 1990 Boon James Marian 1 episode: "Bully Boys" 1989 The Justice Game Dominic Rossi 1989 Screen One; One Way Out Bernard 1987 Love After Lunch Miles 1986 Dead Head Eddie Cass 1986 Kit Curran Kit Curran 1985 That Uncertain Feeling John Aneurin Lewis 1985 Victoria Wood As Seen On TV Phiilip and Singer 2 episodes: Series 1, Episode 2 and 5 1984 The Kit Curran Radio Show Kit Curran 1983 Bergerac Giroux 1 episode: "Miracle Every Week" 1982 Crown Court John Dickens 1 episode: "Talking to the Enemy" 1980 The Good Companions Albert Tuggridge 2 episodes:
"Stumbling Chronicles"
"In Which We Meet the Company"1980 If Winter Comes 1980 Play for Today: The Flipside of Dominick Hide Felix 1979 Diary of a Nobody Frank Mutlar 1978 Play of the Week: Fearless Frank Ernest Dowson/Prof Byron Smith 1978 Armchair Thriller: The Girl Who Walked Quickly David Cooper 1977 The Man in the Iron Mask Claude 1977 Rock Follies of '77 Ken Church 1977 Seven Faces of Woman Jerome 1 episode: "She: Anxious Anne" 1977 Providence Dave Woodford 1976 Play for Today; The Jumping Bean Bag Snare 1975 Rock Follies Ken Church 1975 Survivors Norman 1 episode: "The Future Hour" 1974 Ms or Jill and Jack Jerry 1973 Beryl's Lot Peter Jaret 1 episode: "Getting Up" 1973 The Merchant of Venice Launcelot Gobbo 1969 Dr. Finlay's Casebook Andy Donald 1 episode: "Action, Dr. Cameron" Theatre
Year Title Character Production Notes 2011 The Acid Test Jim Royal Court Theatre 2008 La Cage Aux Folles George Playhouse Theatre 1995 Lust Horner Haymarket Theatre 1993 Oleanna John Duke of York 1990 Volpone Mosca Almeida Theatre 1988 The Film Society Jonathon Balton Hampstead Theatre 1987 The Importance of Being Earnest Algernon Moncrieff Royalty Theatre 1986-87 Ashes Colin Bush Theatre 1986 Lend Me a Tenor Max Globe Theatre 1984 The Lucky Chance Bellmour Royal Court Theatre 1983-84 Mr Cinders Jim Lancastar King's Head Theatre then Fortune Theatre won the 1983 Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical 1979 Fifty Words--Bits of Lenny Bruce King's Head Theatre 1978 A Greenish Man Patrick Bush Theatre 1978 We Can't Pay! We Won't Pay! Luigi Half Moon Theatre 1977 Censored Scenes from King Kong Stephen Open Space Theatre 1977 The Dog Ran Away Brother David Hampstead Theatre 1975 Kidnapped at Christmas Warder Mullins Shaw Theatre 1973 Sarah B. Divine Cochrane Theatre 1973 Kaspar Almost Free Theatre 1972 England's Ireland Round House Theatre 1971 Titus Andronicus Martius Round House Theatre Video games
- Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader (2001) (VG) (voice)
References
- ^ a b c Pendreigh, Brian (April 1999). Ewan McGregor. Thunder's Mouth Press. pp. 26–27. ISBN 10-1560252391.
- ^ www.musical-theatre.net
- ^ "An all-star cast to appear in BBC ONE's Jekyll". BBC Press Office. 2006-08-29. http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2006/08_august/29/jekyll.shtml. Retrieved 2006-08-30.
- ^ Above Their Station
- ^ http://www.londontheatre.co.uk/londontheatre/news/ap11/acidtest20116043.htm
- ^ Jamie_Lawson
External links
- Denis Lawson at the Internet Movie Database
- Denis Lawson Obsession - A large repository of information on his career and personal life.
- TomCampbellGoreRules yahoo group - Denis Lawson Fans Unite!
- Denis Lawson Yahoo Group, 2006
Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical (1979–2000) Anton Rodgers (1979) · Denis Quilley (1980) · Michael Crawford (1981) · Roy Hudd (1982) · Denis Lawson (1983) · Paul Clarkson (1984) · Robert Lindsay (1985) · Michael Crawford (1986) · John Bardon and Emil Wolk (1987) · Con O'Neill (1988) · Jonathan Pryce (1989) · Philip Quast (1991) · Alan Bennett (1992) · Henry Goodman (1993) · Alun Armstrong (1994) · John Gordon Sinclair (1995) · Adrian Lester (1996) · Robert Lindsay (1997) · Philip Quast (1998) · Jody Abrahams / Loukmaan Adams / Mandisa Bardill / Junaid Booysen / Salie Daniels / Alistair Izobell (1999) · Simon Russell Beale (2000)
Complete list · (1979–2000) · (2001–2025) Categories:- 1947 births
- Living people
- Scottish film actors
- Scottish television actors
- Scottish voice actors
- People from Crieff
- Laurence Olivier Award winners
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