Editing Stratford Johns

{{Short description|British actor (1925–2002)}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{More citations needed|date=December 2010}}
{{Infobox person
| name                    = Stratford Johns
| image                   = File:StratfordJohns.png
| caption                 = 
| birth_name              = Alan Edgar Stratford Johnson{{cn|date=February 2025}}
| birth_date              = {{Birth date|1925|09|22|df=y}}
| birth_place             = [[Pietermaritzburg]],<br>[[Union of South Africa]]
| death_date              = {{Death date and age|2002|01|29|1925|09|22|df=y}}
| death_place             = [[Heveningham]], [[Suffolk]], England
| nationality = [[United Kingdom|British]] 
| restingplace            = 
| restingplacecoordinates = 
| othername               = 
| occupation              = Actor
| yearsactive             = 
1955&ndash;1998
| known_for = ''[[Z-Cars]]''
| notable_works = ''[[Doctor Who]]'': [[Four to Doomsday]] (1982)
| spouse                  ={{marriage|Nanette Ryder|1955}}
| domesticpartner         = 
| children                = 4
| parents                 = 
| website                 = 
}}

'''Alan Edgar Stratford Johnson''' (22 September 1925 – 29 January 2002<ref>GRO Register of Deaths: January 2002 A20C 181 WAVENEY - Alan Edgar Stratford-Johns, DoB = 22 September 1925 aged 76</ref>), known as '''Stratford Johns''', was a British stage, film and television actor known for playing the role of senior CID officer Charlie Barlow, a character he originated in the long-running [[BBC]] police series ''[[Z-Cars]]'', and continued to play in several spin-off series in the 1960s and 1970s.

==Early life==
Johns was born and grew up in [[Pietermaritzburg]], [[Union of South Africa|South Africa]].<ref name="guardian2002">{{cite news|last=Barker|first=Dennis|url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2002/jan/31/guardianobituaries.television|title=Obituary: Stratford Johns|newspaper=The Guardian|location=London|date=31 January 2002}}</ref> After serving as a [[able seaman|deckhand]] in the [[South African Navy]] during [[World War II]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1383223/Stratford-Johns.html|title=Stratford Johns|newspaper=The Telegraph|date=31 January 2002}}</ref> he worked for a time in accountancy before becoming involved in amateur theatre.

==Career==
In 1948, Johns bought a one-way ticket to Britain and learned his craft working in repertory theatre at [[Southend-on-Sea]] for almost five years. He began to appear in British films from the mid-1950s, including a bit part in the classic [[Ealing Studios|Ealing comedy]] ''[[The Ladykillers (1955 film)|The Ladykillers]]'' (1955). He ran a small hotel in London during the 1950s, and was a member of the [[English Stage Company]] at the [[Royal Court Theatre]] during the [[Angry Young Men]] period when new playwrights, including [[John Osborne]], introduced new themes to British theatre. His most famous character, Barlow, was noted for his hard edges, owing much to the changes in characterisation pioneered at the Royal Court.

In 1961, he appeared in ''[[The Avengers (TV series)|The Avengers]]'' Season One episode "The Frighteners" in the role of Sir Thomas Weller.

In 1962, he won the part of Barlow in ''[[Z-Cars]]'' and soon became one of the most familiar and popular faces on British television. During the long run (1962–1978) of ''Z-Cars'', he transferred his character to the spin-off series, ''[[Softly, Softly (TV series)|Softly, Softly]]'' (1966–1969), and later ''[[Softly, Softly: Task Force]]'' (1969–1972). He also played the voice of the mysterious "Guvnor" in ''[[The Great St Trinian's Train Robbery]]'' (1966).

He was the subject of ''[[This Is Your Life (British TV series)|This Is Your Life]]'' in October 1963 when he was surprised by [[Eamonn Andrews]] at BBC Television Centre.{{Citation needed|date=September 2021}}

In the 1970s, he starred in a third spin-off series, ''[[Barlow at Large]]'' (1971, 1973), which saw the character transferred to [[British Intelligence]]: it was later retitled simply ''[[Barlow (television series)|Barlow]]'' (1974–1975). Although the Barlow character remained popular (and appeared in another spin-off, in which he investigated the ''[[Jack the Ripper (1973 TV series)|Jack the Ripper]]'' murders), ratings for these solo spin-offs declined, and the final series ended in 1975. Barlow was seen once more in 1976, in the series ''[[Second Verdict]]''.

Johns appeared as President of the Council [[John Bradshaw (judge)|Bradshaw]] in the 1970 award-winning film ''[[Cromwell (film)|Cromwell]]'' with [[Richard Harris]] in the role of [[Oliver Cromwell|Cromwell]] and Sir [[Alec Guinness]] as [[Charles I of England|King Charles I]].

In 1973, Johns was named BBC TV Personality of the Year by the [[Variety Club]] of Great Britain. He portrayed the [[apartheid]]-supporting Namib mine superintendent Mr. Zimmerman in two episodes of the 1985 mini-series ''[[Master of the Game (novel)#Adaptations|Master of the Game]]''.

Johns later appeared in the [[Ken Russell]] films ''[[Salome's Last Dance]]'' and ''[[The Lair of the White Worm (film)|The Lair of the White Worm]]'' (both 1988),<ref name="guardian2002"/> followed by the mid-1980s [[Channel 4]] series ''[[Brond]]'', in which he played the title character.

His many stage credits include Daddy Warbucks in the original West End run of ''[[Annie (musical)|Annie]]''<ref>{{cite news|last=Hayward|first=Anthony|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/stratford-johns-9188401.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220525/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/stratford-johns-9188401.html |archive-date=25 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Stratford Johns|newspaper=The Independent|date=31 January 2002}}</ref> – he can be heard on the original London [[cast album]] – and the [[Ghost of Christmas Present]] in the original [[Birmingham]] cast of the stage adaptation of the film musical ''[[Scrooge (1970 film)|Scrooge]]'' (1970), on the recording of which he can also be heard. His guest appearances on TV include ''[[The Avengers (TV series)|The Avengers]]'', ''[[Department S (TV series)|Department S]]'', ''[[Neverwhere]]'', the ''[[Doctor Who]]'' serial ''[[Four to Doomsday]]'' (1982) and the ''[[Blake's 7]]'' episode "Games". He had a prominent role as [[Gnaeus Calpurnius Piso (consul 7 BC)|Calpurnius Piso]] in the BBC's acclaimed adaptation of [[Robert Graves]]' ''[[I, Claudius (TV series)|I, Claudius]]'' (1976); he played Magwitch in the BBC's 1981 adaptation of Dickens' ''[[Great Expectations (1981 TV series)|Great Expectations]]'', and the jailer in ''The Jail Diary of Albie Sachs''. Johns appeared in the 1984 pop video for ''[[Young at Heart (Bananarama song)|Young at Heart]]'' recorded by The Bluebells. With him were veteran Scottish actress [[Molly Weir]] and Scots singer/actress [[Clare Grogan]]. In 1993, Johns appeared in the BBC period drama ''[[Scarlet and Black (TV Series)|Scarlet and Black]]'' alongside a young [[Ewan McGregor]] and [[Rachel Weisz]].

Johns played the role of Cyril Isaiah Greengrass, the conniving brother of Claude Jeremiah Greengrass in the nostalgic [[Yorkshire Television]] series, ''[[Heartbeat (British TV series)|Heartbeat.]]''<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.shutterstock.com/editorial/image-editorial/heartbeat-tv-programme-1997-1669967fv | title=STRATFORD JOHNS CYRIL ISAIAH GREENGRASS BILL Editorial Stock Photo - Stock Image }}</ref>

He was also the author of the children's book ''Gumphlumph''; in the mid-1960s, at the height of his fame as Barlow, he read it on the children's television series ''[[Jackanory]]''. ''Gumphlumph'' would be revived, again with Johns narrating, for the [[TV-am]] children's programme ''[[Rub-a-Dub-Tub]]'' in the 1980s.

==Personal life==
He married Nanette Ryder in 1955; they had four children. He ran the small hotel in [[St Martins Lane]] called the St Martins Hotel; it was managed by Elizabeth Kissick-Jones, formerly Hartnell, who was the aunt of his wife Nanette. The hotel was very popular with actors and he ran it until 1976.

After several years of poor health, Johns died from heart disease in 2002, aged 76.<ref name="guardian2002"/>

==Selected filmography==

===Film===
{{Div col|colwidth=30em}}
* ''[[Burnt Evidence]]'' (1954) - 2nd Fireman (uncredited)
* ''[[The Night My Number Came Up]]'' (1955) - Sergeant (uncredited)
* ''[[The Ship That Died of Shame]]'' (1955) - Garage Worker (uncredited)
* ''[[The Ladykillers (1955 film)|The Ladykillers]]'' (1955) - Security Guard (uncredited)
* ''[[Who Done It? (1956 film)|Who Done It?]]'' (1956) - P.C. Coleman
* ''[[Women Without Men (1956 film)|Women Without Men]]'' (1956) - 1st Reveller (uncredited)
* ''[[The Long Arm (film)|The Long Arm]]'' (1956) - Constable (uncredited)
* ''[[Tiger in the Smoke]]'' (1956) - Police Constable
* ''[[Across the Bridge (film)|Across the Bridge]]'' (1957) - Detective in Schaffner's Office (uncredited)
* ''[[The One That Got Away (1957 film)|The One That Got Away]]'' (1957) - Second Detective (uncredited)
* ''[[Violent Playground]]'' (1958) - (uncredited)
* ''[[Indiscreet (1958 film)|Indiscreet]]'' (1958) - Waiter (uncredited)
* ''[[Law and Disorder (1958 film)|Law and Disorder]]'' (1958) - Driver of Prison Van (uncredited)
* ''[[A Night to Remember (1958 film)|A Night to Remember]]'' (1958) - Crewman on Upturned Lifeboat (uncredited)
* ''[[The Professionals (1960 film)|The Professionals]]'' (1960) - Lawson
* ''[[Hand in Hand (1961 film)|Hand in Hand]]'' (1960)
* ''[[Two Letter Alibi]]'' (1962) - Bates
* ''[[The Great St Trinian's Train Robbery]]'' (1966) - The Voice/Guvnor (voice)
* ''[[Rocket to the Moon (film)|Rocket to the Moon]]'' (1967) - Warrant Officer
* ''[[The Plank (1967 film)|The Plank]]'' (1967) - Warrant Officer
* ''[[Cromwell (film)|Cromwell]]'' (1970) - President Bradshaw
* ''[[The Strange Case of the End of Civilization as We Know It]]'' (1977) - Chief Commissioner Blocker
* ''[[The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu]]'' (1980) - Ismail
* ''[[George and Mildred (film)|George and Mildred]]'' (1980) - Harry Pinto
* ''[[Dance with a Stranger]]'' (1985) - Morrie Conley
* ''[[Wild Geese II]]'' (1985) - Mustapha El Ali
* ''[[Car Trouble (film)|Car Trouble]]'' (1986) - Reg Sampson
* ''[[Foreign Body (1986 film)|Foreign Body]]'' (1986) - Mr. Plumb
* ''[[Salome's Last Dance]]'' (1988) - Herod / Alfred Taylor
* ''[[The Lair of the White Worm (film)|The Lair of the White Worm]]'' (1988) - Peters
* ''[[The Fool (1990 film)|The Fool]]'' (1990) - Arthur Shillibeer
* ''[[Splitting Heirs]]'' (1993) - Butler
{{div col end}}

===Television===
{{Div col|colwidth=30em}}
* ''[[The Avengers (TV series)|The Avengers]]'' (1961) - Sir Thomas Weller (episode "[[The Frighteners (The Avengers)|The Frighteners]]")
* ''[[Maigret (1960 TV series)|Maigret]]'' (1961, 1962) - Keller (episodes "The Cactus" and "Murder on Monday")
* ''[[Z-Cars]]'' (1962–1965) - Barlow
* ''[[This Is Your Life (British TV series)|This Is Your Life]]'' (1963) - self
* ''[[Softly, Softly (TV series)|Softly, Softly]]'' (1966–1969) - Barlow 
* ''[[The Avengers (TV series)|The Avengers]]'' (1968) - Mr. Street (episode "Legacy of Death")
* ''[[Department S (TV series)|Department S]]'' (1969) - Paul Trenton (episode "The Man in the Elegant Room")
* ''[[Softly, Softly: Task Force]]'' (1969–1972) - Barlow
* ''[[Barlow at Large]]'' (1971, 1973) - Barlow
* ''[[Jack the Ripper (1973 TV series)|Jack the Ripper]]'' - Barlow
* ''[[Barlow (television series)|Barlow]]'' (1974–1975) - Barlow
* ''[[Second Verdict]]'' (1976) - Barlow
* ''[[I, Claudius (TV series)|I, Claudius]]'' (1976) - [[Gnaeus Calpurnius Piso (consul 7 BC)|Calpurnius Piso]]
* ''[[Moynihan (TV series)|Moynihan]]'' (1976) - (episode "The Going Rate")
* ''[[Great Expectations (1981 TV series)|Great Expectations]]'' (1981) - [[Abel Magwitch]]
* ''The Jail Diary of Albie Sachs'' (1981) - Warrant Officer Snyman
* ''[[Blake's 7]]'' (1981) - Belkov (episode "Games")
* ''[[Four to Doomsday]]'' (1982) - Monarch (''[[Doctor Who]]'' serial in 4 episodes, part of series 19)
* ''[[Master of the Game (miniseries)|Master of the Game]]'' (1984) - Zimmerman
* ''[[Brond (TV series)|Brond]]'' (1987) - Brond
* ''[[The Secret Agent (1992 TV series)|The Secret Agent]]'' (1992) - The Home Secretary
* ''[[Scarlet and Black (TV Series)|Scarlet and Black]]'' (1993) - Abbé Pirard
* ''[[Minder (TV series)|Minder]]'' (1994) - Knowles (episode "Bring Me the Head of Arthur Daley")
* ''[[Neverwhere]]'' (1996) - Mr. Stockton (episode "Earl's Court to Islington")
* ''[[Heartbeat (British TV series)|Heartbeat]]'' (1998) - Cyril Isiah Greengrass
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{IMDb name|id=0424368|name=Stratford Johns}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20160311235649/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b9f46a18c Stratford Johns] at the [[British Film Institute]]

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Johns, Stratford}}
[[Category:1925 births]]
[[Category:2002 deaths]]
[[Category:English male film actors]]
[[Category:English male stage actors]]
[[Category:English male television actors]]
[[Category:People from Pietermaritzburg]]
[[Category:South African emigrants to the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:South African military personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:South African male film actors]]
[[Category:South African male stage actors]]
[[Category:South African male television actors]]