John Thaw CBE

John Edward Thaw CBE (3rd January 1942 - 21st February 2002) was an English actor, who appeared in a range of television, stage and cinema roles, his most popular being police and legal dramas such as Redcap, The Sweeney, Inspector Morse and Kavanagh QC. A heavy drinker, and smoker for 40 years, Thaw was diagnosed with cancer of the oesophagus in June 2001. He underwent chemotherapy in hope of overcoming the illness, but had a setback in early January 2002. He died on Thursday, 21st February 2002, seven weeks after his 60th birthday, the day after he signed a new contract with ITV, and the day before his wife's birthday. At the time of his death he was living at his country place, near the villages of Luckington and Sherston in Wiltshire, and was cremated at Westerleigh Crematorium in South Gloucestershire in a very private service.