Denys Vernon Hawthorne (9 August 1932 – 16 October 2009) was an actor from Northern Ireland who was known for his work in theatre, film, television and radio. He appeared in many well-known TV programmes such as Grange Hill and Father Ted and also featured in films including Emma (1996 version), In The Name Of The Father, and A Private Function. He was head of BBC Drama for a time too but began his acting career with the Group Theatre in Belfast.