Ian Richardson
Ian Richardson Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama | |
---|---|
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1954–2007 |
Spouse |
Maroussia Frank (m. 1961) |
Children | 2, including Miles Richardson |
Ian William Richardson .
He portrayed the
Richardson was also a leading stage actor, well known for his Shakespearean works as well as his portrayal of Jean-Paul Marat in the Broadway production of Marat/Sade.
Early life
Richardson was born in
After
Stage work
Although he later gained his highest profile in film and television work such as
In 1972, he appeared in the musical Trelawney, with which the Bristol Old Vic reopened after its refurbishment. It proved a great success, transferring to London, first to the Sadler's Wells Theatre and later to the Prince of Wales Theatre. Richardson played the hero, Tom Wrench, a small-part player who wants to write about "real people". He had a song, "Walking On", lamenting his lack of scope in the company, in which he explains that as a "walking gentleman" he will be forever "walking on", whilst Rose Trelawney will go on to be a star.[5]
While at the RSC, Richardson played leading roles in many productions for director John Barton.[3] These included the title role in Coriolanus (1967), Cassius in Julius Caesar (1968), Angelo in Measure for Measure (1970) and Iachimo in Cymbeline. Work for other directors at Stratford included the title role in Pericles (1969), directed by Terry Hands; the title role in Richard III (1975), directed by Barry Kyle; and Berowne in David Jones' production of Love's Labour's Lost (1973). Richardson cited the role of Berowne as one of his all-time favorite parts. Richardson's Richard II (alternating the parts of the king and Bolingbroke with Richard Pasco) in 1974, and repeated in New York and London in the following year, was hugely celebrated.[1]
A significant Shakespearean cameo role was a brief performance as Hamlet in the gravedigger scene as part of episode six, "Protest and Communication", of Kenneth Clark's Civilisation television series in 1969. This was performed at Kirby Hall in Northamptonshire with Patrick Stewart as Horatio and Ronald Lacey as the gravedigger.[6]
On leaving the RSC, he played Professor Henry Higgins in the 20th anniversary Broadway revival of My Fair Lady (1976) and received the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical and a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical. He also appeared on Broadway as onstage narrator in the original production of Edward Albee's play Lolita (1981), an adaptation of Vladimir Nabokov's book that was not critically well received.[7]
In 1995, he played The Miser at Chichester, and in 1997 he played The Magistrate, also at Chichester, which transferred to the Savoy Theatre.
In 2002, Richardson joined Derek Jacobi, Donald Sinden and Diana Rigg in an international tour of The Hollow Crown.[3], and this was repeated the following year with Dame Janet Suzman in the female roles. A Canadian tour substituted Alan Howard for Jacobi and Vanessa Redgrave for Suzman. He also appeared in The Creeper by Pauline Macaulay at the Playhouse Theatre in London, and on tour. His last stage appearance was in 2006 as Sir Epicure Mammon in The Alchemist at the National Theatre in London.
Films and television
Early career
In 1963, he played Le Beau in Michael Elliott's television production of As You Like It, playing alongside Vanessa Redgrave. In 1964, he played Antipholus of Ephesus in The Comedy of Errors as part of the Festival television series. In 1966, he played Jean-Paul Marat in the Royal Shakespeare Company production of Peter Weiss' Marat/Sade, directed by Peter Brook. In 1967, he played The Constable in A Man Takes a Drink as part of a television series entitled The Revenue Men. He played Bertram in John Barton's television version of All's Well That Ends Well in 1968, as well as playing Oberon in the Peter Hall film of A Midsummer Night's Dream. He took part in the television production of John Mortimer's A Voyage Round My Father in Plays of Today in 1969 as well as appeared in the television adaptation of The Canterbury Tales (1969).
He played one musical role on film, the Priest in Man of La Mancha, the 1972 screen version of the Broadway musical. Also in 1972, he played Anthony Beavis in the television series Eyeless in Gaza.
He also appeared in BBC radio plays, notably in 'The House on the Strand' by Daphne du Maurier, in 1973.
In 1974, he played
His first major role was his appearance as Bill Haydon ("Tailor") in the BBC adaptation of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (1979). He again played the part of Field Marshal Montgomery in Churchill and the Generals in 1979, a BBC television videotaped play concerning the relationship between Winston Churchill and generals of the Allied forces between 1940 and 1945.
In the 1980s, he became well known as Major Neuheim in the award-winning
Richardson also appeared in commercials for Grey Poupon Dijon mustard in the United States in his role as Prime Minister Francis Urquhart, opposite Paul Eddington as Prime Minister Jim Hacker.[8][9]
Later career
Richardson's most acclaimed television role was as Machiavellian politician
In 1990, he also starred in a TV production of
Other roles in this period include
In 1999, Richardson became known to a young audience as the main character Stephen Tyler in both series of the family drama
In 2005, he took on the role of a curiously detached Chancellor in the television drama Bleak House. He also played the Judge in the family-based film, The Adventures of Greyfriars Bobby (2005). Additionally, in that year, he appeared in ITV's main Christmas drama The Booze Cruise 2, playing Marcus Foster, a slimy upper class businessman forced to spend time with "the lower classes". He returned to this role for a sequel the following Easter.
In June 2006, he was made an honorary Doctor of the University of Stirling. The honour was conferred on him by the university's Chancellor, fellow actor Dame Diana Rigg.
In December 2006, Richardson starred in Sky One's two-part adaptation of the Terry Pratchett novel Hogfather (1997). He voiced the main character of the novel, Death, who steps in to take over the role of the Father Christmas-like Hogfather. The DVD of that miniseries, released shortly after his death, opens with a dedication to his memory.[10]
His final film appearance was as Judge Langlois in Becoming Jane (2007), released shortly after his death.
During the last 15 years of his life he appeared five times on television acting opposite his son Miles Richardson, though this was usually with one or the other in a minor role.
Death
Ian Richardson died in his sleep of a heart attack on the morning of 9 February 2007, aged 72.[11] He was survived by his wife, Maroussia Frank, an actress, and two sons, one of whom, Miles, is an actor. Richardson's body was cremated. His ashes were placed in the foundation of the auditorium of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford during renovations in 2008.[12]
Tributes
Dame
Honours
He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1989 New Year Honours.[14]
Awards
Year | Nominated Work | Award | Category | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1976 | My Fair Lady | Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Actor in a Musical | Won |
Tony Award
|
Best Actor in a Musical | Nominated | ||
1991 | House of Cards
|
BAFTA TV Award
|
Best Actor | Won |
1993 | An Ungentlemanly Act | Nominated | ||
1994 | To Play the King | Nominated | ||
1996 | The Final Cut | Nominated |
Selected filmography
- Marat/Sade (1967) – Jean-Paul Marat
- A Midsummer Night's Dream (1968) – Oberon
- The Darwin Adventure (1972) – Capt. Fitzroy
- Man of La Mancha (1972) – The Padre
- Gawain and the Green Knight (1973) – Narrator (uncredited)
- Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (1979) – Bill Haydon
- Charlie Muffin (1979) – Cuthbertson
- Gauguin the Savage (1980) – Degas
- Private Schulz(1981) - Major Neuheim
- The Hound of the Baskervilles (1983) – Sherlock Holmes
- The Sign of Four (1983) – Sherlock Holmes
- Brazil (1985) – Mr. Warrenn
- Whoops Apocalypse (1986) – Rear Admiral Bendish
- The Fourth Protocol (1987) – Sir Nigel Irvine
- Cry Freedom (1987) – State Prosecutor
- Porterhouse Blue (1987) - Sir Godber Evans
- Burning Secret (1988) – Edmund's father
- Twist of Fate (1989) – Doctor Schlossberg
- King of the Wind (1990) – Bey of Tunis
- Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead (1990) – Polonius
- Year of the Comet (1992) – Sir Mason Harwood
- M. Butterfly (1993) – Ambassador Toulon
- Dirty Weekend (1993) – Nimrod
- Words Upon the Window Pane (1994) – Dr. Trench
- Savage Play (1995) – Count
- Catherine the Great (1995) – Vorontsov
- The Treasure Seekers (1996) – Haig
- B*A*P*S (1997) – Manley
- The Fifth Province (1997) – Dr. Drudy
- Incognito(1997) – Turley (prosecutor)
- Dark City (1998) – Mr Book
- Alice through the Looking Glass (1998) – Wasp
- The King and I (1999) – The Kralahome (voice)
- 102 Dalmatians (2000) – Mr. Torte
- From Hell (2001) – Sir Charles Warren
- Joyeux Noel(2005) – L'évêque anglais
- The Adventures of Greyfriars Bobby (2005) – Judge
- Désaccord parfait (2006) – Lord Evelyn Gaylord
- Becoming Jane (2007) – Judge Langlois (final film role)
See also
References
- ^ a b c d Jennings, Alex (January 2011). "Richardson, Ian William (1934–2007)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.
- ^ Blackley, Michael (9 February 2007). "Acting Star Ian Richardson Dies". The Scotsman. Archived from the original on 12 February 2007. Retrieved 29 April 2007.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-9559830-1-6.
- ^ a b Billington, Michael (10 February 2007). "Obituary". The Guardian.
- ^ "Trelawny". Best of British.
- ^ Kenneth Clark (1969). Civilisation (Television production). London, UK.: BBC.
- ^ Kerr, Walter (29 March 1981). "Stage View; How Albee Avoided 'Lolita'". The New York Times. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-84876-184-1.
- ^ Grey Poupon "Son of Rolls" via YouTube
- ^ Hogfather (Terry Pratchett's Hogfather) (DVD). Genius Products (TVN) / Mill Creek Entertainment. 4 March 2008.
- ^ "House of Cards' Richardson dies". BBC News. 9 February 2007. Retrieved 9 February 2007.
- ^ Chaytor, Rod (22 November 2010). "Richardson has final resting place in row A". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 November 2010.
- ^ "Mirren dedicates award to late 'mentor' Ian Richardson". PR insider. Archived from the original on 7 October 2007. Retrieved 12 February 2007.
- ^ "No. 51578". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 1988. p. 8.