The 60-year-old lost his three-year battle with cancer at his Los Angeles home earlier this month.

As artistic director of the National Youth Theatre (NYT), Wilson nurtured the careers of rising stars such as current James Bond Daniel Craig, Pirates Of The Caribbean heart-throb Orlando Bloom and Little Britain's Matt Lucas and David Walliams.

His love of the stage started in South Shields, where he set up the town's first youth theatre company at the age of 19.

He went on to appear in TV series including Crown Court, The Likely Lads, Angels, Between The Lines and, most famously, the Tyneside-set When the Boat Comes In.

Eddie McNamee was in several productions with him at South Shields Grammar Technical School for Boys, now Harton Technology College.

He said: "I remember that Ed, because of his stature and impish style, played some feisty females as well as male comic roles, such as Truffaldino in Carlo Goldoni's Italian classic The Servant of Two Masters.

"Ed, as everyone knows, went on to have a stellar career in television and theatre, while I went off to Warwick to train as a teacher.

"I stayed in the profession for 34 years, but spent most of my leisure time acting in the Westovian Theatre and with various musical theatre
groups.

"After early retirement, I discovered the Actors' Company in London in 2005.

"I was offered a place, and at last I have followed in Ed's footsteps, as I am now a professional actor based in London."

A requiem mass, organised by the NYT and Wilson's elder sister, Jean, will be held at Corpus Christi RC Church in Maiden Lane, near Covent Garden, London, at noon.

Family and friends are expected to attend, and a further memorial service is due to take place in South Shields later in the year.

* The Gazette has set up an online book of condolence for Mr Wilson. To sign it, click here.