John Castle

John Michael Frederick Castle (born 14 January 1940) is a retired English actor. He is best known for his film and television work, most notably playing Bill in Michelangelo Antonioni's Blowup (1966), and Geoffrey in The Lion in Winter (1968). His other significant credits include Man of La Mancha (1972) and RoboCop 3 (1993).

Not to be confused with John K. Castle.
For the outfielder, see John Castle (baseball).
John Castle
Born
John Michael Frederick Castle

(1940-01-14) 14 January 1940
Croydon, Greater London, England
EducationBrighton College
Trinity College
Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
OccupationActor
Years active1964–2013
Spouse(s)
Maggie Wadey
​
(m. 1963)​
Children1

Early life

Born in Croydon, Castle was educated at Brighton College and Trinity College, Dublin, and trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA).

Work

Castle's first appearance was as Westmoreland on stage in Henry V on 5 June 1964, at the Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park. His first Broadway theatre appearance was in February 1970, as Jos in the short-lived musical Georgy.

His screen debut was in Michelangelo Antonioni's 1966 film Blowup playing David Hemmings' artist friend, Bill. In 1968 he portrayed the plotting Prince Geoffrey in the big-screen adaptation of The Lion in Winter. According to Rotten Tomatoes, The Lion in Winter is Castle's "highest-rated" film.[1] Also in 1967, he appeared in the British TV Series, The Prisoner as Number 12, a sympathetic guardian in the episode, entitled "The General".

Castle played the role of Octavius Caesar in Charlton Heston's version of Antony and Cleopatra (1972).

Castle appeared as Carruthers, the most honourable of a trio of schemers in an episode of Granada Television's series Sherlock Holmes ("The Solitary Cyclist", 1984). His association with Sherlock Holmes continued with his role as Nigel St Clair in the film version of The Crucifer of Blood (1991).

He played Inspector Craddock in an adaptation of the Agatha Christie story "A Murder is Announced" (1985),[2] a role he recreated in the Miss Marple mystery The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side (1992). He also played the title role in the 2000 made-for-TV version of Christie's Lord Edgware Dies. In 1990 Castle starred as Superintendent George Thorne in the BBC's radio adaptations of John Penn's novels. Castle appeared in other TV series, including I Claudius, Ben Hall, and Lost Empires.[3]

Among Castle's stage performances was his role as Oswald in the Royal Shakespeare Company's revival of Ibsen's Ghosts in 1967, with Dame Peggy Ashcroft as Oswald's mother Mrs Alving and Gandhi in the play Gandhi at the Tricycle Theatre London.

Personal life

Castle is married to writer Maggie Wadey.[4]

Selected filmography

Film

Television

References
  1. "John Castle". Rotten Tomatoes. Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
  2. "A Murder is Announced". IMDb.
  3. "John Castle". Unofficial John Castle Website. Angel Fire. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
  4. "Sandstone Press: Maggie Wadely". www.sandstonepress.com. Retrieved 14 January 2020.
  • Who's Who in the Theatre, 17th ed, 1981
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