Edward Woodward

He was the star of such greats as The Wicker Man and The Equalizer, and more recently he even managed a pint in Albert Square's Queen Vic. Actor Edward Woodward was a star in both America and the UK, but he sadly died on 16th November 2009.

Edward had been married twice and had four children as a result, and before his death he lived with wife Michele Dotrice (who played Frank Spencer's long-suffering wife Betty in Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em) in Cornwall. He had also been working on his autobiaography at the time of his death, which would no doubt have thrilled his fans.

He was immensely proud of his involvement in one of the most disturbing films of all-time, The Wicker Man, in which his virginal, buttoned-up policeman character was burnt alive by pagans on a Scottish island.

The RADA-trained star had taken on a number of tough-guy acting roles in his time, including parts in Breaker Morant (a 1980 film about Australian horsemen fidghting for the British during the Boer War)and, notably, the successful TV series Callan (1967-1972), in which he was a cockey secret agent. It wasn't until he achieved mass popularity in The Equalizer, though, that he became a fully fledged sex symbol, with one US magazine poll naming him 'the male TV star more women would like to cuddle than any other'! Funny that, as he very nearly turned down the role due to a 'poor script' in his words. It was this 'poor script' which led to his near-millionaire status and autograph-seeking fans. His character McCall went on to be described as 'the thinking man's Rambo' and won him a Golden Globe.

In 1978 Edward was received an OBE for his acting career which had totalled by then 2000 television productions and theatre roles, including stints in Shakespeare. This much-revered actor has more than made his mark on TV and film history and for this he will be remembered.