Denis Lawson


Denis Stamper Lawson is a Scottish actor and director. He is known for his roles as John Jarndyce in the BBC's adaptation of Bleak House, as Gordon Urquhart in the film Local Hero, as DI Steve McAndrew in BBC One's New Tricks, and as Wedge Antilles in the original Star Wars trilogy. He is an uncle of actor Ewan McGregor.

Early life

Lawson was born in Crieff, Perthshire, the son of Phyllis Neno, a merchant, and Laurence Lawson, a watchmaker. Lawson was educated at Crieff Primary School. After the Control examination, he went on to Morrison's Academy before attending the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, having first unsuccessfully auditioned for the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. He then sold carpets and did amateur theatre work for a year in Dundee before auditioning again at RADA in London and successfully at RSAMD in Glasgow.

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 opposite Laurence Olivier as Shylock, Rock Follies and Dead Head.
Lawson played X-wing pilot Wedge Antilles in all three films of the original Star Wars trilogy. In 2001, he reprised the role, in voiceover form, for the Nintendo GameCube game '.
He has appeared often on the West End stage, notably in the musical Mr. Cinders at the Fortune Theatre from 1983–84.
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 on 10 December 2005.
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. 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 Harold 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, being shown only as a one-off special. Lawson appeared alongside 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 appeared at the Royal Court Theatre once more in The Acid Test by Anya Reiss in 2011.
Lawson replaced James Bolam in the BBC One series New Tricks in its ninth series in 2012.
Lawson has said he was asked to reprise his role as Wedge Antilles in ', but reportedly turned down the role because he believed it would have "bored" him. However, Lawson later said he actually declined to appear in The Force Awakens due to a scheduling conflict, and would have appeared in the film had he been available. Lawson returned to the role in 2019's .

Personal life

In 1979, Lawson fathered a child, Jamie Lawson, 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, actress Sheila Gish, on the set of the 1985 film That Uncertain Feeling. They lived together for nearly 20 years before marrying in March 2004 in Antigua; she died of cancer a year later. He married Karen Prentice in Italy in the summer of 2017.

Filmography

Film

Television

Theatre

YearTitleCharacterProductionNotes
2018ArtMarcUK and Ireland tour
2011The Acid TestJimRoyal Court Theatre-
2008La Cage Aux FollesGeorgePlayhouse Theatrenominated for the 2009 Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical
1995LustHornerHaymarket Theatre
1993OleannaJohnDuke of York's Theatre
1990VolponeMoscaAlmeida Theatre
1988The Film SocietyJonathon BaltonHampstead Theatre
1987The Importance of Being EarnestAlgernon MoncrieffRoyalty Theatre
1986–87AshesColinBush Theatre
1986Lend Me a TenorMaxGlobe Theatre
1984The Lucky ChanceBellmourRoyal Court Theatre
1983–84Mr CindersJim LancastarKing's Head Theatre then Fortune Theatrewon the 1983 Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical
1979Fifty Words—Bits of Lenny BruceKing's Head Theatre
1978A Greenish ManPatrickBush Theatre
1978We Can't Pay! We Won't Pay!LuigiHalf Moon Theatre
1977Censored Scenes from King KongStephenOpen Space Theatre
1977The Dog Ran AwayBrother DavidHampstead Theatre
1975Kidnapped at ChristmasWarder MullinsShaw Theatre
1973Sarah B. DivineCochrane Theatre
1973KasparAlmost Free Theatre-
1972England's IrelandRound House Theatre
1971Titus AndronicusMartiusRound House Theatre