John Henshaw
Acting
John Henshaw is a British actor famed for his roles as Ken the landlord in Early Doors, Wilf Bradshaw in Born and Bred and PC Roy Bramwell in The Cops. Henshaw was born one of 12 children. He grew up in Ancoats, Manchester's "Little Italy" community. He was a refuse collector for ten years before deciding to become an actor at the age of 40. His first big break in acting was as a minder to Robert Lindsay's character Michael Murray in the acclaimed Channel 4 series, G.B.H. Other TV credits include The Royle Family, The Visit, Life on Mars, whilst film credits include the Steve Coogan comedy The Parole Officer, the Bert Trautmann biopic The Keeper, and the Ken Loach films Looking For Eric and The Angels' Share. Henshaw is chairman of the 24:7 Theatre Festival, an annual festival of new writing for theatre based in Manchester.
Known for
Acting74
tvTalamasca: The Secret Order
2025
Detective Hough
tvBoat Story
2023
Nigel
tvThe Long Shadow
2023
Mike Dugdale
tvThe Full Monty
2023
Bus Driver
movieWolf Manor
2022
Thaddeus Saxon (the landlord)
tvRidley
2022
Frank Stanford
tvRemembers…
2022
Self
movieSilky Hotel
2021
Jim Knightshade
movieSunny
2019
Pavlo
movieStan & Ollie
2018
Nobby Cook
movieThe Keeper
2018
Jack Friar
moviePin Cushion
2018
Percy
movieThe Man Who Invented Christmas
2017
Butcher / Mr. Fezziwig
movie6 Days
2017
Metropolitan Police Spokesman
movieA Street Cat Named Bob
2016
Tube Station Guard
movieSwallows and Amazons
2016
Harbour Master
tvCradle to Grave
2015
Mr Glover
tvCilla
2014
John White
tvBy Any Means
2013
Stan Bond
movieThe Ringer
2013
Danny
movieThe Last British Execution
2013
Marcus Peabody
tvFather Brown
2013
Barny Butterfield
tvCandy Cabs
2011
Mervyn Monkford
tvSouth Riding
2011
Alfred Huggins
movieIn Our Name
2010
Frank
tvGoing Postal
2010
Mr Pony
movieLooking for Eric
2009
Meatballs
tvRed Riding
2009
Bill Hadley
movieA Bit of Tom Jones?
2009
Bar Owner
movieGrow Your Own
2007
Charlie
tvSee No Evil: The Moors Murders
2006
DCS Arthur Benfield
tvNew Street Law
2006
Tony Lyons
tvJohnny and the Bomb
2006
Councillor Seeley
tvLife on Mars
2006
Ted Bannister
movieOpen Wide
2005
Brian Tonkin
movieCheeky
2003
Kenny
tvEarly Doors
2003
Ken Dixon
tvThe Second Coming
2003
Clive Saxon
tvThe Afternoon Play
2003
Sir Terry Bucklethwaite
tvBorn and Bred
2002
Wilf Bradshaw
tvCutting It
2002
Bruce Gutteridge
movieHappy Now
2001
Pete Copsey
movieThe Parole Officer
2001
Cochran
movieThere's Only One Jimmy Grimble
2000
Ken Burley
tvThe Royle Family
1998
Roger Kavanagh
tvThe Grand
1997
Taxi Driver / Bob Jessop
tvMidsomer Murders
1997
Arthur Potts
tvCracker
1993
Quarry Foreman
Olly's Prison
1993
Prisoner (uncredited)
tvHeartbeat
1992
Guard / Albert Ross
tvG.B.H.
1991
Murray's Minder
tvCasualty
1986
Lenny Adams
