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Stratford Johns
Alan Edgar Stratford Johnson (22 September 1925 – 29 January 2002) known as Stratford Johns, was a South African-born 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.
Johns was born and grew up in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. After serving as a deckhand in the South African Navy during World War II, he worked for a time in accountancy before becoming involved in amateur theatre.
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 comedy 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 Season One episode "The Frighteners" in the role of Sir Thomas Weller. In 1968 he was in the spy-fi series Department S in the first filmed episode "The Man in the Elegant Room."
In 1962, he was cast in the role of Barlow in Z-Cars . During the run (1962–1978) of Z-Cars, he transferred his character to the spin-off 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 in October 1963 when he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews at BBC Television Centre.[citation needed]
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 (1974–1975). Although the Barlow character remained popular (and appeared in another spin-off, in which he investigated the 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 Bradshaw in the 1970 award-winning film Cromwell with Richard Harris in the role of Cromwell and Sir Alec Guinness as King Charles I.
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Stratford Johns
Alan Edgar Stratford Johnson (22 September 1925 – 29 January 2002) known as Stratford Johns, was a South African-born 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.
Johns was born and grew up in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. After serving as a deckhand in the South African Navy during World War II, he worked for a time in accountancy before becoming involved in amateur theatre.
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 comedy 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 Season One episode "The Frighteners" in the role of Sir Thomas Weller. In 1968 he was in the spy-fi series Department S in the first filmed episode "The Man in the Elegant Room."
In 1962, he was cast in the role of Barlow in Z-Cars . During the run (1962–1978) of Z-Cars, he transferred his character to the spin-off 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 in October 1963 when he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews at BBC Television Centre.[citation needed]
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 (1974–1975). Although the Barlow character remained popular (and appeared in another spin-off, in which he investigated the 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 Bradshaw in the 1970 award-winning film Cromwell with Richard Harris in the role of Cromwell and Sir Alec Guinness as King Charles I.