Del Henney was born Joseph Derek Henney on the 24th of July 1935 in Anfield, Liverpool the eldest of two boys and two girls born to Joseph and May (née Wadkin), who were both of Irish origin. After an education at the Liverpool Collegiate School, on leaving he worked at the docks until National Service with the Army in Germany. On demob, he moved to London and acted with the amateur Tower Theatre Company in Islington as he went through various jobs, from pipe-fitter’s mate to transporting fireplaces. Having subsidised his love of amateur dramatics with these manual jobs it was whilst washing dishes at Butlin's that he was encouraged by a fellow employee to consider a professional acting career.That employee was fellow Liverpudlian Jimmy Tarbuck who was impressed by Del’s deft impressions of American film stars. Emboldened, he won a place at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and upon graduating in 1965 was awarded the medal for the student with the most potential. A middleweight with the Maple Leaf Boxing Club in Bootle in the late 1950s, his sportiness helped with early television breaks as he debuted in the football soap 'United' (1966), starred in Colin Welland’s rugby play 'Bangelstein’s Boys' (1969), directed by John MacKenzie, and had a stint in Coronation Street as Weatherfield FC’s star player (1971). He also starred in 'In His Own Write', Victor Spinetti and Adrienne Kennedy’s stage adaptation of two books of essays, stories and poems by John Lennon, at the Liverpool Playhouse in 1969. He also guested in most of the popular television programmes of the period, including three parts in 'Z-Cars' (1970/72/78), two parts in 'The Professionals' (1978/83) and three in 'Juliet Bravo' (1980/82/84). He played the lead character’s father in 'A Woman of Substance' (1985) and DI Cossall in 'Resnick' (1992/93) and popped up in everything from 'The Expert' (1968) to 'Midsomer Murders' (2001). He was especially memorable as a smoothly arrogant criminal in 'The Sweeney' (1975) and an affable colonel who becomes a cold instrument of murder in 'Doctor Who (Resurrection of the Daleks)' 1984).
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| With Susan George in 'Straw Dogs' |
A rugged intense masculine actor, he played villains in films and is perhaps best known for his role as Charlie Venner in Sam Peckinpah's 'Straw Dogs' (1971) and also took the lead role of rugby player Gareth Hopkins in 'Fallen Hero', about a Welsh rugby player injured at the height of his career and having to come to terms with a new life of hard work and bad luck, which ran for two series (1978-79) in which he brought a sympathetic edge to the initially macho and misogynistic lead character. In real life, he studied for an external English degree whilst starring in the show (he had also written a play for BBC2 in 1976).
His film work was sporadic but included 'Villain' (1971) with Richard Burton, 'Going Off Big Time' (2000) and 'Devil’s Playground' (2010). The camera loved his piercing eyes and understated simmering, but he was no less effective on the stage. He had a successful stint with the Glasgow Citizens Theatre in 1965 and then played an impressive roster of roles at the Edinburgh Lyceum: Iago in 'Othello', Biff in 'Death of a Salesman', Andrei in 'Three Sister's' and McCann in 'The Birthday Party'. Other theatre highlights included the lead in the John Lennon play 'In His Own Words' (Liverpool, 1969), Lenny in 'The Homecoming' (1966), Stanley in 'A Streetcar Named Desire' (1980), Claudius in Lindsay Anderson’s 'Hamlet' (1981), and Eddie (a role he'd also played for the BBC) in 'A View From the Bridge' (1986). West End credits included 'The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui' (Saville Theatre, 1969) and 'Sleuth' (Garrick Theatre, 1973).
Del passed away on the 14th of January 2019 and is survived by his partner of 25 years, the actress Rosemary McHale, and by daughters Tracy and Stella from his 1957 marriage to Patricia O’Brien, and from his relationship with the actress Lorna Edwards, plus a son Jack from a relationship with the photographer Sarah Saunders. Before she met her future husband Paul McCartney in May 1967, Linda had been in a relationship with Del and in a letter to her friend, English music producer and composer Miki Anthony she said: 'I still think about Del and often miss him - wish I could cut him out of my life'. Although they broke up some months before she met Sir Paul, Linda remained in contact with the Liverpudlian actor.
see also :- http://www.thefootballvoice.com/2023/10/a-history-of-liverpool-thespians-anne.html
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