Peter Woodward (born 24 January 1956) is an English actor, screenwriter and stuntman. He is best known for his role as

Galen Aelius Galenus or Claudius Galenus (; September 129 – AD), often Anglicization, anglicized as Galen () or Galen of Pergamon, was a Ancient Rome, Roman and Greeks, Greek physician, surgeon, and Philosophy, philosopher. Considered to be one o ...

in the '' Babylon 5'' spin-offs '' Babylon 5: A Call to Arms'', ''

Crusade The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and at times directed by the Papacy during the Middle Ages. The most prominent of these were the campaigns to the Holy Land aimed at reclaiming Jerusalem and its surrounding t ...

'' and '' Babylon 5: The Lost Tales''. He is also known for his role as British Army Brigadier General Charles O'Hara in '' The Patriot''.

Early life and education

Woodward was born on 24 January 1956 in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

, the second son of actors Venetia Mary Collett (also known as Venetia Barrett) and Edward Woodward. His siblings Tim and

Sarah Sarah (born Sarai) is a biblical matriarch, prophet, and major figure in Abrahamic religions. While different Abrahamic faiths portray her differently, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all depict her character similarly, as that of a pious woma ...

are also actors. He was educated at Haileybury and Imperial Service College, before studying acting at the

Royal Academy of Dramatic Art The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, also known by its abbreviation RADA (), is a drama school in London, England, which provides vocational conservatoire training for theatre, film, television, and radio. It is based in Bloomsbury, Central London ...

(RADA), graduating in 1975 with an Acting (RADA Diploma).

Career

Actor

After graduation, he joined the

Royal Shakespeare Company The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs over 1,000 staff and opens around 20 productions a year. The RSC plays regularly in London, Stratf ...

, starring in many of their productions including ''The Winter's Tale'', ''The Comedy of Errors'' and ''

A Midsummer Night's Dream ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' is a Comedy (drama), comedy play written by William Shakespeare in about 1595 or 1596. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One s ...

''. Woodward has also played a wide range of major character roles in films and television including the role of the German Captain Stossel in the feature film '' The Brylcreem Boys''. Woodward voiced the role of Edwin Carbunkle the main villain in the 3D Computer animation children's comedy film '' Postman Pat: The Movie''.

''Crusade''

As the Techno Mage

in the ''

Babylon 5 ''Babylon 5'' is an American space opera television series created by writer and producer J. Michael Straczynski, under the Babylonian Productions label, in association with Straczynski's Synthetic Worlds Ltd. and Warner Bros. Domestic Tel ...

'' spin-off ''

'', Woodward played opposite his father in the episode "The Long Road." In the episode, the Excalibur visits a planet that may contain a potent anti-viral agent in its minerals. Earth agencies are strip-mining the planet. Edward Woodward played Alwyn, a rogue Techno Mage living on the planet with its inhabitants who was a friend of Galen's former teacher.

Fight arranger and ''Conquest''

As a former member of the British Academy of Dramatic Combat, Woodward is known in the film industry for his work as a fight arranger. Woodward's dramatic combat training inspired him to study historical weaponry and combat techniques. This interest ultimately led him to create, co-write, and host The History Channel's documentary series ''Conquest'' (2002-2003), a hands-on showcase of weapons, training and combat techniques throughout history.

Writer

Branching out in the late 1990s, Woodward and his father formed Tripal Productions, for which he wrote and produced his first feature film '' The House of Angelo'', directed by

Jim Goddard Jim Goddard was an England, English film and TV director who was born in Battersea, London. He directed episodes of many UK TV series such as ''Public Eye'', ''Callan'', ''Special Branch'', ''The Sweeney'', ''The Ruth Rendell Mysteries'', ''The ...

in 1997 with his father in the starring role as "Angelo". Woodward also wrote the feature film '' Closing the Ring'', which was directed by

Richard Attenborough Richard Samuel Attenborough, Baron Attenborough (; 29 August 192324 August 2014) was an English actor, film director, and Film producer, producer. Attenborough was the president of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) and the British Acade ...

Filmography

Film

Television

References

External links

*
Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Woodward, Peter 1956 births Living people Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art British people of English descent English male film actors English male screenwriters English male television actors English male voice actors English screenwriters