Richard Griffiths, one of the most popular and acclomplished actors of his generation, has died at the age of 65 after complications following heart surgery.
The star of such films as the iconic Withnail and I, Alan Bennett’s The History Boys and the B.B.C. television series Pie in the Sky was perhaps best known in recent years as Vernon Dursley in the Harry Potter film adaptations.
Richard Griffiths was born in Thornaby-on-Tees in North Yorkshire to parents who were both deaf. He learned to sign at a very young age in order to communicate with them. Like many of his generation left school at 15 but was fortunate to return to education later in life to study drama before joining the Royal Shakespeare Company.
After graduating he earned a place on B.B.C. Radio, getting parts in small theatres and building up a strong reputation as a great Shakespearian clown with roles The Comedy of Errors and The Merry Wives of Windsor.
In 1975 he got his first film break alongside Anthony Hopkins and Simon Ward in the British film It Shouldn’t Happen to a Vet. He went on to supporting in some of the classic films of the time such as The French Lieutenant’s Woman, Chariots of Fire and Richard Attenborough’s award winning Biopic Ghandi alongside Ben Kingsley, Rohini Hattangadi and, Bernard Hill and Saeed Jaffrey.
The major roles eluded him though until the now cult classic Withnail and I, starring Richard E. Grant and Paul McGann, was released. His portrayal as the corpulent and predatory Uncle Monty won him great acclaim and led to more interesting and deserving roles. His co-star Richard E. Grant paid tribute to the actor on Twitter, “My beloved ‘Uncle Monty’ Richard Griffiths died last night. Chin-Chin my dear friend.”
In 1994, he starred in the Andrew Payne created television programme Pie in the Sky, for five series and 40 episodes alongside Maggie Steed. The role of Detective Inspector Henry Crabbe, which was specially created for him, saw the actor portray a policeman who also happened to be a head chef of a restaurant. The look of the programme was very much different than any other police detective programme before or since, a refreshing change in which Richard Griffiths seemed to relish performing in. Instead of a detective who suffered from any number of neurosises, Henry Crabbe solved crimes with a cheerful disposition and a kindly approach, his only real passion in life was cooking.
On stage, Griffiths most acclaimed performance was as the charismatic teacher Hector in Alan Bennett’s The History Boys. After receiving further commendation and the Laurence Olivier Award for outstanding actor in a play, the Outer Critics Circle Award for best featured actor in a play and a coveted Tony Award he transferred the part to cinema and won further plaudits. It was this part that made the actor stand-out as one of the finest artistes of the screen as he made Hector his own and truly immortal. In the world of acting what-ifs, Richard Griffiths was considered twice for the part of The Doctor in the B.B.C. serial Doctor Who. He was initially considered following the departure of Tom Baker in 1981 but was unavailable and the part went to Peter Davison. He was considered once again for the lead role and no doubt would have proved a success had the series continued past its 1989 cancelation.
It is without doubt that the loss of Richard Griffiths to the acting fraternity will be keenly felt and to television and film audiences, there is a kindly soul shaped hole that now fills their minds when they think fondly of his many acting roles that shaped a generation.
Richard Griffiths, O.B.E.- born July 31st 1947, died March 28th 2013.
Ian D. Hall