John Henshaw
Known for: 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.
Filmography
Series
Midsomer Murders
Arthur Potts
1997
Series
Casualty
Lenny Adams
1986
Series
Heartbeat
Guard
1992
Series
Heartbeat
Albert Ross
1992
Series
Father Brown
Barny Butterfield
2013
Series
The Bill
1984
Series
Documentary Now!
2015
Series
Cracker
Quarry Foreman
1993
Series
Life on Mars
Ted Bannister
2006
Series
Remembers…
Self
2022
Series
Talamasca: The Secret Order
Detective Hough
2025
Series
The Afternoon Play
Sir Terry Bucklethwaite
2003
Series
Born and Bred
Wilf Bradshaw
2002
Series
Cutting It
Bruce Gutteridge
2002
Series
Ridley
Frank Stanford
2022
Series
The Long Shadow
Mike Dugdale
2023
Series
New Street Law
Tony Lyons
2006
Series
The Cops
Roy
1998
Series
The Royle Family
Roger Kavanagh
1998
Series
The Grand
Taxi Driver
1997
Series
The Grand
Bob Jessop
1997
Series
The Full Monty
Bus Driver
2023
Series
Red Riding
Bill Hadley
2009
Series
G.B.H.
Murray's Minder
1991
Series
By Any Means
Stan Bond
2013
Series
Cradle to Grave
Mr Glover
2015
Film
A Street Cat Named Bob
Tube Station Guard
2016
Series
Boat Story
Nigel
2023
Film
Stan & Ollie
Nobby Cook
2018
Film
The Man Who Invented Christmas
Butcher / Mr. Fezziwig
2017
Series
Going Postal
Mr Pony
2010
Series
Johnny and the Bomb
Councillor Seeley
2006
Series
Cilla
John White
2014
Series
Early Doors
Ken Dixon
2003
Film
Starter for 10
Des
2006
Series
South Riding
Alfred Huggins
2011
Film
6 Days
Metropolitan Police Spokesman
2017
Series
The Second Coming
Clive Saxon
2003
Film
The Angels' Share
Harry
2012
Film
Red Riding: The Year of Our Lord 1974
Bill Hadley
2009
Film
The Keeper
Jack Friar
2018
Film
Going Postal 2in1
Mr. Pony
2011
Film
Looking for Eric
Meatballs
2009
Film
The Parole Officer
Cochran
2001
Film
There's Only One Jimmy Grimble
Ken Burley
2000
Series
The Visit
Dad
2007
Film
Closer to the Moon
Judge
2014
Series
Candy Cabs
Mervyn Monkford
2011
Film
Swallows and Amazons
Harbour Master
2016
Film
When Saturday Comes
M.C
1996
Film
Cheeky
Kenny
2003
Film
Silky Hotel
Jim Knightshade
2021
Film
Dancin' Thru the Dark
Doorman
1990
Film
A Bit of Tom Jones?
Bar Owner
2009
Film
Pin Cushion
Percy
2018
Film
The Royle Family: Behind the Sofa
Self
2010
Film
Grow Your Own
Charlie
2007
Film
I'm Not in Love
Tony
2021
Film
Open Wide
Brian Tonkin
2005
Film
Happy Now
Pete Copsey
2001
Confessions of a Diary Secretary
John Prescott
2007
Film
Wolf Manor
Thaddeus Saxon (the landlord)
2022
Film
Fishbrain
Jeb
2026
This Is Not a Love Song
Arthur
2002
Film
In Our Name
Frank
2010
Film
Early Doors - Live
Ken
2021
Film
Coronation Street: Romanian Holiday
Glen
2009
Film
Sunny
Pavlo
2019
Film
Someone Else
Paul
2006
Put Your Coat On
Dad
2002
Olly's Prison
Prisoner (uncredited)
1993
Film
The Last British Execution
Marcus Peabody
2013
The Rochdale Pioneers
John Holt
2012
The Fishmonger
Davis
2002
Film
The Night Runner
Dennis
2014
Film
The Ringer
Danny
2013
Series
See No Evil: The Moors Murders
DCS Arthur Benfield
2006