Norman Rodway

Norman John Frank Rodway[1] (7 February 1929 – 13 March 2001) was an Irish actor.

Norman Rodway
Born(1929-02-07)7 February 1929
Died13 March 2001(2001-03-13) (aged 72)
OccupationActor
Spouse(s)Pauline Delaney
(m. 1954; div. 19??)
Mary Selway
(m. 1966; div. 19??)
Sarah Fitzgerald
(m. 1973; div. 1974)

Jane Rodway
(m. 1991)
Children1

Early life

Rodway was born in Dublin to English parents, Frank and Lillian (Moyles) Rodway. He studied at Trinity College Dublin, where he was elected a Scholar in classics in 1948. He worked as an accountant, teacher, and university lecturer before acting.

Career

He made his stage debut in May 1953 at the Cork Opera House. There, he portrayed General Mannion in The Seventh Step. He made his first appearance in London in 1959, as The Messenger in Cock-A-Doodle Dandy. In 1962, he portrayed the young James Joyce in Stephen D, based on Joyce's writings. Rodway joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1966. His theatrical parts included Bassov in Summerfolk, and the title roles in Butley and Richard III.

Although he was primarily a stage actor, he also performed in radio, television and film productions. With his expressive voice (described by Jack Adrian as "rich and dark and thumpingly Celtic" [2]), he made many radio broadcasts for the BBC. Major television roles included Cummings in Reilly, Ace of Spies, and Charles Brett in The Bretts. He also appeared in series such as Miss Marple, Rumpole of the Bailey and Inspector Morse. He acted with Orson Welles in Chimes at Midnight (1965), I'll Never Forget What's'isname (1967) and Patrick McGoohan in an episode of Danger Man; "The Man Who Wouldn't Talk".[3] He often acted as the villain, including Adolf Hitler in The Empty Mirror (1999). He played the role of Apemantus in both television and audiobook productions of Shakespeare's Timon of Athens.[4]

Personal life

He was married four times. His first wife was the actress Pauline Delaney, and his second the casting director, Mary Selway. He was stepfather to Tara FitzGerald by his third marriage to Sarah Callaby (née Fitzgerald); they had a daughter, Bianca.[5][6] He was married to Jane Rodway from 1991 to his death.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes 1981 John Bunyan The Preacher 1959This Other EdenConor Heaphy
1961Johnny NobodyFather Healey
1961Murder in EdenMichael Lucas
1961A Question of SuspenseFrank Brigstock
1962The Webster BoyDonald Saunders
1962Ambush in Leopard StreetKegs
1962The Devil's AgentMachine Gunner at borderUncredited
1962The Quare FellowLavery
1965Four in the MorningHusband
1965Chimes at MidnightHenry 'Hotspur' Percy
1967The PenthouseDick
1967I'll Never Forget What's'isnameNicholas
1975The Hiding PlaceVan Der Veen
1976The Story of DavidJoabTV movie 1982Who Dares WinsRyan
1986Tai-PanAristotle Quance
1990King of the WindCapt. 'Blueskin' Blake
1996Mother NightWerner Noth
1996The Empty MirrorAdolf Hitler
2000County KilburnMr. Bollox
2010A. HitlerHitler(final film role)

Television

Year Title Role Notes 1963Sergeant CorkJohn D'ArcyEpisode: "The Case of the Fenian Men"
1973The ProtectorsColin GrantEpisode: "For the Rest of Your Natural..."
1976The SweeneyPhilip EdmundsEpisode: "Lady Luck"
1978OutDet. Insp. Bryce5 episodes
1983Reilly: Ace of SpiesCummings10 episodes
1987-1989The BrettsCharles19 episodes
1988Rumpole of the BaileyMorry MachinEpisode: "Rumpole and the Bubble Reputation"
1989Inspector MorseRoland MarshallEpisode: " Deceived by Flight"
1993Jeeves and WoosterMajor PlankEpisode: "Totleigh Towers (or, Trouble at Totleigh Towers)"
1998As Time Goes ByJamesEpisode: "An Old Flame"

Sources

  • Contemporary Theatre, Film, and Television (vol. 26), 2000
  • Who’s Who in Theatre, 1981

Footnotes

  1. "From `Reilly Ace of Spies' to Shakespeare". The Irish Times.
  2. "About Questia | Questia, Your Online Research Library". www.questia.com.
  3. "Norman Rodway". BFI.
  4. "BFI Screenonline: Timon of Athens (1981)". www.screenonline.org.uk.
  5. "Norman Rodway". May 10, 2001 via www.telegraph.co.uk.
  6. Barker, Dennis (March 17, 2001). "Obituary: Norman Rodway" via www.theguardian.com.
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