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Vale: Johnny Lockwood

Johnny Lockwood, best known as Aldo Godolfus in Number 96, has died aged 92.

2013-04-26_0031Johnny Lockwood, best known as Aldo Godolfus in Number 96, has died aged 92.

UK-born Lockwood died in his sleep at a Coffs Harbour aged care home.

He came to Australia in 1957 for a ten-week run with the Tivoli Theatre circuit but remained in Australia for five years.

After London stage commitments he returned to Australia and appeared in a string of television shows including The Mavis Bramston Show, Anything Goes, Spyforce, The Norman Gunston Show, Bellamy, Neighbours, A Country Practice, E Street, The Potato Factory, Pizza and the films The Rage in Placid Lake and Moulin Rouge.

But it was his role as a Hungarian Jew that is embedded in our memories.

Daughter Joanna Walker (nee Lockwood), who appeared in Cop Shop, told News Limited, “His legacy as far as the public goes will be Number 96 when he played Aldo but his career and gifts spread way beyond one show.

“Dad was hard on the inside and gooey on the inside. Anybody in the business he came across, he helped them out without them knowing. He was very helpful to people who came across bad times through illness or just tough times.”

He last appeared on the stage in 2000 in the Sydney Theatre Company production of Oedipus, directed by Barrie Kosky.

3 Responses

  1. I remember Johnny as Aldo in Number 96 and how he played the role so convincingly I couldn’t believe he wasn’t a “wog” himself! It was a bit like Norman Gunston when people couldn’t believe that Gunston was just a character played by Garry McDonald.

    Johnny (and his on-screen partner Roma) had a raw deal from the 96 producers. The producers tried to get rid of the characters initially but due to an outcry from fans were forced to bring them back. A year later they were killed off in the bombing, one of the worst “jumping the shark” moments ever with the favourite stalwart characters in the show being wiped out and replaced by younger, less appealing characters who ultimately brought about the show’s axing (not to mention idiotic and offensive story lines like the Nazi bikies, Duddles Disco and the crazed gay character).

    There wouldn’t be many of the 96 characters still around, I should imagine. Perhaps Johnny’s death might see a few more episodes released on DVD.

  2. Number 96 was the first Aussie show i was obsessed with. As a child i visited the studios where the show was made and met many castmembers incl Johnny. It was an awesome school excursion. He was a fine character actor, and lived a good, long life.

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