He was the author of a number of books on the theatre including the best-selling A Short Guide to Shakspeare's Plays (Heinemann Education, 1979).

From its creation in 1960 by its then director Peter Hall, and for fourteen further years, Goodwin was head of press and publications for the Royal Shakespeare Company.

These changes are now widely regarded as having been wholly beneficial but, at the time, each met with a storm of media criticism, due mainly to the increased cost in public money.

Goodwin was at the centre of the controversies, working closely[14] with Peter Hall to shape the National Theatre's official responses.

Born a twin (his sister Mary Wilder died in 2010), Goodwin is the son of Jessie Lonnen, a successful musical comedy actress before her marriage, and A.E.

Fay's husband, Philip Braham, composed music for the revues which were very fashionable then (his Limehouse Blues remains a jazz classic).

He and Fay would give weekend parties[28] lasting far into the night, often attended by stars, among whom Goodwin remembers Jack Buchanan,[29] Elsie Randolph and Boris Karloff.

In the destroyer HMS Chiddingfold he took part in the combined operation raid against German military bases in Vaagso, Norway – a notable allied success of the early war years.

During much of that time they spent up to three months each year working and enjoying life in their modest 17th century apartment in the South of France.