Johnny Lockwood
Johnny Lockwood (* December 7, 1920 in London, England, † April 25, 2013 in Coffs Harbour, Australia) was an Australian comedian and actor for film, television and theater. He was best known for his role in the Australian soap opera Number 96 where he played the Hungarian-Jewish owner of a delicatessen store.
Life and work
At the age of 11 years, Johnny Lockwood lost his parents. Three years later, he applied as a dancer with an itinerant show, where he further developed his talents. At 18 he was finally taken as a comedian at Jack Hylton under contract. The Second World War, however, came in between and so Lockwood graduated in 1942 from the Royal Air Force on from where in 1944 he was honorably discharged. He returned to acting and worked as a pantomime, in a vaudeville and on radio and television. In 1949, he appeared at a Hofsondervorstellung the London Coliseum, where he stumbled and got a bloody nose.
1957 Lockwood went to Australia to participate in a ten-week Tivoli Theatre Circuit. Once this was completed, he remained for a further five years in Australia. For a role as Fagin in Lionel Bart's Oliver! He returned to the United Kingdom. After the presentation of the musical was over, Lockwood finally returned to Australia.
A year spent with the television series Lockwood Sunny Side Up, then he went to the United States to perform in Las Vegas. He later returned to Australia, where he starred for two years in the classic comedy series The Mavis Bramston Show. After Lockwood got the lead role in 'The Canterbury Tales, 1972 followed by a role in the television series Nummber 96
Lockwood died in 1976 and wife Anne Lockwood, with whom he had a relationship since 1942. In 1980 he married again.
In the 1980s and 1990s Lockwood were several guest appearances on the Australian series and soap operas. So he had in 1985 a role in the soap Neighbours as Daphne Lawrence's grandfather Harry Henderson, 1991 was followed by guest appearances in two episodes of the soap opera E Street. During this time he also starred in feature films. In the 2000s Lockwood went on further, for example in the film Moulin Rouge! and in the mini-series The Potato Factory.
On April 25, 2013, the actor died at the age of 92 years in a supervised residence.