John William Counsell OBE[1] (24 April 1905 – 23 February 1987)[2][3] was an English actor, director and theatre manager, who (with his wife Mary Kerridge) ran the Theatre Royal, Windsor and its in-house repertory company from the 1930s to the 1980s.

[5][6] He was the author of the German Instrument of Surrender document signed on 7 May 1945 which he wrote when he served as a colonel in the British Army during World War 2.

[8]: 74  Counsell re-opened the theatre in 1938[9] and was able to establish a viable company that ran without government subsidies.

[8]: 74, 115  He and his actress wife Mary Kerridge ran the theatre until his retirement in 1986, the year before his death.

[10] John William Counsell was awarded the OBE in 1975 for services to the Theatre Royal in Windsor.