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.