Lawson, Denis 1947– (Dennis Lawson)

views updated

Lawson, Denis 1947- (Dennis Lawson)

PERSONAL

Born September 27, 1947, in Perthshire, Scotland; uncle of Ewan McGregor (an actor, producer, and director); married Sheila Gish (an actress), March, 2004 (died March 9, 2005); children: Jamie; stepchildren: Kay Curran (an actress), Lou Gish (an actress).

Career:

Actor and director. Appeared in commercial for Pedigree dog food, 2003.

Awards, Honors:

Laurence Olivier Award, best actor in a musical, Society of West End Theatre, 1984, for Mr. Cinders; Emmy Award nomination, outstanding supporting actor in a miniseries or movie, and Television Award nomination, best actor, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, both 2006, for Bleak House.

CREDITS

Stage Appearances:

Martius, Titus Andronicus, Round House Theatre, London, 1971.

England's Ireland, Portable Theatre Company, Round House Theatre, 1972.

Another Kaspar, Kaspar, Almost Free Theatre, London, 1973.

Jason, M. Dumas, M. Pitou Armand, and Prince Henri de Ligne, Sarah B. Divine, Jeannetta Cochrane Theatre, London, 1973.

Warder Mullins, Kidnapped at Christmas, Dolphin Theatre Company, Shaw Theatre, London, 1975.

Brother David, The Dog Ran Away, Hampstead Theatre Club, London, 1977.

Stephen, Censored Scenes from King Kong, Open Space Theatre, London, 1977.

Luigi, We Can't Pay? We Won't Pay!, Half Moon Theatre, London, 1978.

Patrick, A Greenish Man, Bush Theatre, London, 1978.

Fifty Words—Bits of Lenny Bruce, King's Head Theatre, London, 1979.

Jim Lancaster, Mr. Cinders (musical), King's Head Theatre, then Fortune Theatre, London, 1983.

Bellmour, The Lucky Chance, Royal Court Theatre, London, 1984.

Max, Lend Me a Tenor, Globe Theatre, London, 1986.

Colin, Ashes, Bush Theatre, 1986-87.

Algernon Moncrieff, The Importance of Being Earnest, Royalty Theatre, London, 1987.

Jonathon Balton, The Film Society, Hampstead Theatre Club, 1988.

Mosca, Volpone, Almeida Theatre, London, 1990.

Lust, England, 1993, then Walnut Street Theatre, Philadelphia, PA, later John Houseman Theatre, New York City, 1995.

Also appeared in the title role, Pal Joey (musical), Albery Theatre, London.

Stage Director:

Little Malcolm and His Struggle Against the Eunuchs, Hampstead Theatre, London, 1998-99.

Burning Issues, Hampstead Theatre, 2000.

Film Appearances:

Dave Woodford, Providence, Almi Cinema V, 1977.

(As Dennis Lawson) Wedge Antilles (Red Two), Star Wars (also known as Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope, Star Wars IV: A New Hope, and La guerra de las estrellas), Twentieth Century-Fox, 1977.

The Chosen (also known as Holocaust 2000), American International Pictures, 1978.

(As Dennis Lawson) Wedge Antilles (Rogue Three), The Empire Strikes Back (also known as Star Wars: Episode V—The Empire Strikes Back, and Star Wars V: The Empire Strikes Back), Twentieth Century-Fox, 1980.

Gordon Urquhart, Local Hero, Warner Bros., 1983.

Wedge Antilles (Red Leader), Return of the Jedi (also known as Star Wars: Episode VI—Return of the Jedi and Star Wars VI: Return of the Jedi), Twentieth Century-Fox, 1983.

Bitter Cherry, 1983.

Keith, The Chain, Rank, 1985.

Eric, The Zip, 1988.

Cervellini fritti impanati (also known as Acting Out and Fried Crumbed Brains), 1996.

Title role, Leonard (short film), Stella Maris Films, 2001.

Tommy, The Ride (also known as Joy-Rider), MediaTrade, 2003.

Television Appearances; Series:

Ken Church, Rock Follies, ITV, 1976.

Narrator, Timewatch (also known as BBC History: Timewatch), BBC, 1982.

Title role, The Kit Curran Radio Show, Thames, 1984.

Title role, Kit Curran, Channel 4, 1986.

Miles, Love After Lunch, BBC, 1987.

John Stone, a recurring role, The Ambassador, BBC, 1998.

Tom, Other People's Children, BBC, 2000.

Greg, Bob Martin, ITV, 2000.

Tom Campbell-Gore, a recurring role, Holby City (also known as Holby), BBC, 2002-2004.

Al Jackson, Sensitive Skin, BBC, 2005.

Peter Syme, Jekyll, BBC, 2006.

Television Appearances; Miniseries:

Eddie Cass, Dead Head, BBC, 1985.

John Aneurin Lewis, That Uncertain Feeling, BBC, 1985.

Dominic Rossi, The Justice Game, BBC1, 1989.

James Towne, Natural Lies, BBC, 1992.

Arthur Brett, The Round Tower (also known as Catherine Cookson's "The Round Tower"), 1998.

Narrator, A World in Arms, Channel 4, 2003.

Narrator, Pros and Cons: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, The Learning Channel, 2003.

John Jarndyce, Bleak House, PBS, 2005.

Television Appearances; Movies:

Launcelot Gobbo, The Merchant of Venice, ITV, 1973.

Jerry, Ms or Jill and Jack, YTV, 1974.

Claude, The Man in the Iron Mask, NBC, 1977.

Bernard, One Way Out, BBC, 1989.

Alistair, Bejewelled, Disney Channel, 1991.

Victor Grace, Born Kicking, BBC, 1992.

Captain "Dreadnaught" Foster, Hornblower: The Examination for Lieutenant (also known as Horatio Hornblower: The Fire Ship), Arts and Entertainment, 1998.

Jules Gore-Urqhart, Lucky Jim, PBS, 2003.

Leo Argyle, Marple: Ordeal by Innocence, ITV, 2007.

Television Appearances; Specials:

Snare, "The Jumping Bean Bag," Play for Today, BBC1, 1976.

David Cooper, "The Girl Who Walked Quickly," Armchair Thriller, Thames, 1978.

Felix, "The Flipside of Dominick Hide," Play for Today, BBC1, 1980.

Henry Brougham, A Royal Scandal, PBS, 1996.

"Smoke Wrings," Tales from the Crypt (also known as HBO's "Tales from the Crypt"), HBO, 1996.

Narrator, Reputations: Alfred Hitchcock, BBC, 1999.

Narrator, Liberace: Too Much of a Good Thing Is Wonderful (also known as Reputations: Liberace—Too Much of a Good Thing Is Wonderful), Arts and Entertainment, 2000.

Narrator, The Real Hughie Green, 2001.

Deputy Inspector Morris Rose, The Fabulous Bagel Boys, BBC, 2001.

Narrator, World's Worst Century, Channel 4, 2004.

Father Plunkett, The Thieving Headmistress, BBC, 2006.

Television Appearances; Pilots:

John Stone, The Ambassador, BBC, 1998.

Television Appearances; Episodic:

Norman, "The Future Hour," Survivors, BBC1, 1975.

Ken Church, "The Empire," Rock Follies of '77, ITV, 1977.

(As Dennis Lawson) Giroux, "Miracle Every Week," Bergerac, BBC1, 1983.

Philip, Victoria Wood: As Seen on TV, BBC, 1985.

James Marian, "Bully Boys," Boon, ITV, 1990.

Malcolm, "My Brother's Keeper," El C.I.D., ITV, 1992.

Nick Spencer, "In the Smoke," Pie in the Sky, BBC, 1997.

Alex Welch, Cold Feet, ITV, 1998.

John Barron, "The Cave Woman: Parts 1 & 2," Dalziel and Pascoe, BBC, 2006.

Gordon Campbell, Feel the Force, BBC America, 2006.

Television Guest Appearances; Episodic:

"Ewan McGregor," The South Bank Show, ITV, 2003.

Breakfast, BBC, 2004.

Richard & Judy, Channel 4, 2004, 2005, 2006.

GMTV, ITV, 2005.

Television Director:

Solid Geometry, 2002.

RECORDINGS

Videos:

Voice of Wedge Antilles, Star Wars: Rogue Squadron II—Rogue Leader (video game; also known as Rogue Leader and Star Wars: Rogue Squadron), LucasArts Entertainment, 2001.

Narrator, A New Body at Last, 2 Entertain, 2006.