Gawn Grainger, the veteran actor and writer admired by generations of stage and screen audiences alike, has passed away.
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His passing on May 17, surrounded by loved ones, was confirmed to The Guardian by his agent, Judy Daish.
No cause of death was given. Grainger was 87.
A distinguished performer with London’s National Theatre for decades, he played Macduff opposite Anthony Hopkins’ Macbeth and shared the stage with Laurence Olivier in Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and The Party. These notable roles came during the company’s time at the Old Vic in the early 1970s, according to The Guardian.
My heartfelt tribute to Zoë’s late husband, the remarkable Gawn Grainger 👑: https://t.co/G0U0aN0TAG
🕊️ pic.twitter.com/z48rn4czFb— Liz Lockhart *ੈ✩‧₊˚✧*:･ﾟ (@LizLockhart1985) May 27, 2025
His National Theatre productions also included The Front Page The Plough and the Stars, The Misanthrope, and The Marriage of Figaro (where he played the title role). He continued to be a regular presence at the theatre, appearing in more recent plays like Saint George and the Dragon.
He was a familiar face on television, featuring in popular series like Doctor Who. Notably, he portrayed George Stephenson, the engineer known as the “father of the railways,” in the acclaimed two-part episode “The Mark of the Rani” in 1985.
He also starred opposite Patrick Stewart in the 1999 TV movie adaptation of A Christmas Carol.
Gawn Grainger’s Acting Career Began at Age 12
Born in Glasgow and raised in London, Grainger began his acting career at 12, landing a role in Ivor Novello’s musical King’s Rhapsody after impressing Novello himself. He pursued drama at Italia Conti, performing at theaters such as Frinton Summer Theatre, Dundee Rep, and Ipswich’s Arts Theatre, where he acted alongside Ian McKellen.
He played key roles at Bristol Old Vic, including Romeo, Laertes, and Claudio, with productions touring the US. In the late 1960s, he starred in the Broadway hit There’s a Girl in My Soup and appeared on What’s My Line?. He later returned to New York in 1975 as Oronte in the National Theatre’s production of The Misanthrope.
His other credits include Sing Yer Heart Out for the Lads, Amy’s View, Really Old, Like Forty Five, and Don Juan in Soho. In 2016, he took over the role of Billy Rice in The Entertainer, starring Kenneth Branagh.
He balanced his acting career with work as a writer for theatre and television. In 1984, he wrote You Don’t Have to Walk to Fly for LWT, starring Bob Hoskins. He also adapted his play Four to One for the BBC in 1986 and contributed to shows like Big Deal, Trainer, and Lovejoy. Later, he worked with Olivier again by editing the book Olivier on Acting.
He is survived by his wife, actress Zoë Wanamaker, as well as his children, Charlie and Eliza, from his earlier marriage to actress Janet Key.
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