15-21 July
Edward Woodward came to prominence in the title role of ITV’S action drama Callan, playing a British secretservice-agent-come-assassin.
He worked for an unnamed government department that was ruthless in its response to threats to national security. Central to the show’s success was Callan’s relationship with Lonely (Russell Hunter), a small-time crook who Callan got to do his dirty work for him.
‘Callan was the first time there had been an anti-hero on TV,’ said Edward. ‘People were really shocked that he was not a very nice man. That’s why he was so good to play because you never quite knew what he was going to do.’
Edward went on to star in 1973’s cult horror film The Wicker Man and the 1980s US crime series The Equalizer. He died in 2009, aged 79.
Also that week…
● Sir Sean Connery took a break from James Bond to direct The Bowler and the Bunnet,a documentary on Glasgow’s Fairfield shipyard.
● Bob Monkhouse, who presented ITV film programme Mad Movies, told us he had been collecting silent comedy movies for 20 years.
● Call the Midwife’s Judy Parfitt (left) and a future Sherlock, Jeremy Brett, co-starred in one-off drama Quite an Ordinary Knife.