Richard Thomas Griffiths (31 July 1947 – 28 March 2013)
was an English actor of film, television, and stage. He is known for his portrayals of
Vernon Dursley
The following are supporting characters in the '' Harry Potter'' series written by J. K. Rowling. For members of the Order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore's Army, Hogwarts staff, Ministry of Magic, or for Death Eaters, see the respective articles ...
in the
''Harry Potter'' films (2001–2010), Uncle Monty in ''
Withnail and I'' (1987), and Henry Crabbe in ''
Pie in the Sky'' (1994–1997). Over his career he received numerous accolades including a
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual cer ...
and
Olivier Award as well as a nomination for a
BAFTA Award. He was appointed an
Officer of the Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations,
and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...
(OBE) by Queen
Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...
in 2008.
For his performance in the stage play ''
The History Boys'', Griffiths won the
Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play and a
Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Play. For the
2006 film adaptation, Griffiths was nominated for the
BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. Griffiths' is also known for his performances at the
National Theatre including ''
Equus
Equus may refer to:
* ''Equus'' (genus), a genus of animals including horses, donkeys and zebras
* ''Equus'' (play), a play by Peter Shaffer
* ''Equus'' (film), a film adaptation of the Peter Shaffer play
* Equus (comics), a comic book characte ...
'' (2008), ''
The Habit of Art
''The Habit of Art'' is a 2009 play by English playwright Alan Bennett, centred on a fictional meeting between W. H. Auden and Benjamin Britten while Britten is composing the opera ''Death in Venice''. It premiered on 5 November 2009 at the Lytte ...
'' (2010), and ''
The Sunshine Boys'' (2012).
He had supporting roles in such critically acclaimed films as ''
Chariots of Fire'' (1981), ''
The French Lieutenant's Woman'' (1981), ''
Gandhi'' (1982), ''
A Private Function
''A Private Function'' is a 1984 British comedy film starring Michael Palin and Maggie Smith. The film was predominantly filmed in Ilkley, and Ben Rhydding in West Yorkshire. The film was also screened in the section of Un Certain Regard at the ...
'' (1984), ''
Venus
Venus is the second planet from the Sun. It is sometimes called Earth's "sister" or "twin" planet as it is almost as large and has a similar composition. As an interior planet to Earth, Venus (like Mercury) appears in Earth's sky never fa ...
'' (2006),
''Ballet Shoes'' (2007), and ''
Hugo
Hugo or HUGO may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Hugo'' (film), a 2011 film directed by Martin Scorsese
* Hugo Award, a science fiction and fantasy award named after Hugo Gernsback
* Hugo (franchise), a children's media franchise based on a ...
'' (2011). He also appeared in the commercial films ''
The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear'' (1991), ''
Sleepy Hollow'' (1999), ''
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'' (2005), ''
Bedtime Stories'' (2008), and ''
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides'' (2011).
Early years
Richard Thomas Griffiths was born in
Thornaby-on-Tees
Thornaby-on-Tees, commonly referred to as Thornaby, is a town and civil parish on the River Tees's southern bank. It is in the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees, North Yorkshire, England. The parish had a population of 24,741 at the 2011 census, in t ...
,
North Riding of Yorkshire
The North Riding of Yorkshire is a subdivision of Yorkshire, England, alongside York, the East Riding and West Riding. The riding's highest point is at Mickle Fell with 2,585 ft (788 metres).
From the Restoration it was used as ...
, to Jane (née Denmark, 1923–1969) and Thomas Griffiths (1915–1976). His father was a steelworker who also fought in pubs for money, while his mother's occupation was described as "bagger".
He had an elder sister and two elder brothers, all of whom died in infancy before he was born. He was brought up as a Roman Catholic.
As a boy he was so skinny that he was given radiation therapy on his pituitary gland when he was eight years old. This permanently slowed his metabolism, making him struggle with obesity for the rest of his life.
His parents were both deaf and he became fluent in
British Sign Language
British Sign Language (BSL) is a sign language used in the United Kingdom (UK), and is the first or preferred language among the Deaf community in the UK. Based on the percentage of people who reported 'using British Sign Language at home' on ...
at an early age. During his childhood he attempted to run away from home many times. He dropped out of Our Lady & St Bede School in
Stockton-on-Tees
Stockton-on-Tees, often simply referred to as Stockton, is a market town in the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees in County Durham, England. It is on the northern banks of the River Tees, part of the Teesside built-up area. The town had an estimated ...
at the age of 15 and worked as a porter for
Littlewoods
Littlewoods was a retail and football betting company founded in Liverpool, England, by John Moores in 1923. By the 1980s, it had grown to become the largest private company in Europe, but subsequently declined in the face of increased com ...
for a while but his boss eventually persuaded him to go back to school.
He decided to attend a drama class at Stockton & Billingham College.
He continued his education in drama at Manchester Polytechnic School of Theatre (now
Manchester School of Theatre
The Manchester School of Theatre (originally the Manchester Polytechnic School of Theatre) is a tertiary school of theatre, drama and performance situated in the city of Manchester, founded in 1970. It is a part of Manchester Metropolitan Univer ...
) at the same time as
Bernard Hill
Bernard Hill (born 17 December 1944) is an English actor. He is well recognized for playing King Théoden in ''The Lord of the Rings'' film trilogy, Captain Edward Smith in ''Titanic'', and Luther Plunkitt, the Warden of San Quentin Prison in the ...
.
Career
After graduating, Griffiths won a contract on
BBC Radio with their Radio Drama Company.
He also worked in small theatres, sometimes acting and sometimes managing. He built up an early reputation as a Shakespearean clown with portrayals of Pompey in ''
Measure for Measure
''Measure for Measure'' is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1603 or 1604 and first performed in 1604, according to available records. It was published in the ''First Folio'' of 1623.
The play's plot features its ...
'' and
Bottom
Bottom may refer to:
Anatomy and sex
* Bottom (BDSM), the partner in a BDSM who takes the passive, receiving, or obedient role, to that of the top or dominant
* Bottom (sex), a term used by gay couples and BDSM
* Buttocks or bottom, part of th ...
in ''
A Midsummer Night's Dream
''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' is a comedy written by William Shakespeare 1595 or 1596. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One subplot involves a conflict amon ...
'' with the
Royal Shakespeare Company
The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs over 1,000 staff and produces around 20 productions a year. The RSC plays regularly in London, St ...
and went on to play the Kings in ''
Love's Labour's Lost
''Love's Labour's Lost'' is one of William Shakespeare's early comedies, believed to have been written in the mid-1590s for a performance at the Inns of Court before Elizabeth I of England, Queen Elizabeth I. It follows the King of Navarre and ...
'' and in ''
Henry VIII
Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disa ...
''.
He eventually settled in
Manchester
Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...
and began to get lead roles in plays.
From there, he began to appear on television and then got his big break in film in ''
It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet'' (1976). By the early 1980s, he was selected for the lead role in ''
Bird of Prey'', an early computer-conspiracy thriller. His character Henry Jay was reprised in ''Bird of Prey 2'' (1984).
In 1981, he also gave a memorable performance as Chilean secret police victim
William Beausire in an edition of the BBC ''Prisoners of Conscience'' series. Griffiths went on to supporting roles in a number of major films, including ''
The French Lieutenant's Woman'', ''
Chariots of Fire'' and ''
Gandhi''.
On stage, in 1985–1986, he performed the role of
Verdi
Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi (; 9 or 10 October 1813 – 27 January 1901) was an Italian composer best known for his operas. He was born near Busseto to a provincial family of moderate means, receiving a musical education with the h ...
in Julian Mitchell's ''
After Aida'', in
Wales
Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...
and at the
Old Vic Theatre in London. He appeared in ''
The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends''.
Griffiths' film roles were in both contemporary and period pieces. Some of his most memorable roles included supporting parts in films as ''
Gorky Park'' (1983), ''
Withnail and I'' (1987), ''
King Ralph'' (1991), ''
The Naked Gun : The Smell of Fear'' (1991), ''
Blame It on the Bellboy
''Blame It on the Bellboy'' is a 1992 comedy film written and directed by Mark Herman and starring Dudley Moore, Bryan Brown, Patsy Kensit, Richard Griffiths, Andreas Katsulas, and Bronson Pinchot. The plot is about a case of mistaken identit ...
'' (1992), ''
Guarding Tess
''Guarding Tess'' is a 1994 American comedy-drama film starring Shirley MacLaine and Nicolas Cage, directed by Hugh Wilson. MacLaine plays a fictional former First Lady protected by an entourage of Secret Service agents led by one she continua ...
'' (1994) and ''
Sleepy Hollow'' (1999). Later, he was seen as
Harry Potter
''Harry Potter'' is a series of seven fantasy literature, fantasy novels written by British author J. K. Rowling. The novels chronicle the lives of a young Magician (fantasy), wizard, Harry Potter (character), Harry Potter, and his friends ...
's bitter uncle
Vernon Dursley
The following are supporting characters in the '' Harry Potter'' series written by J. K. Rowling. For members of the Order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore's Army, Hogwarts staff, Ministry of Magic, or for Death Eaters, see the respective articles ...
in the ''Harry Potter'' series, appearing in five of the eight films: ''
Philosopher's Stone'', ''
Chamber of Secrets
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry () is a fictional Scottish boarding school of magic for students aged eleven to eighteen, and is the primary setting for the first six books in J. K. Rowling's '' Harry Potter'' series and serves as a m ...
'', ''
Prisoner of Azkaban
''Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban'' is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling and is the third in the ''Harry Potter'' series. The book follows Harry Potter, a young wizard, in his third year at Hogwarts School of W ...
'', ''
Order of the Phoenix'' and ''
Deathly Hallows – Part 1''.
He appeared as Inspector Henry Crabbe, disillusioned policeman and pie chef extraordinaire, in ''
Pie in the Sky'',
a role which was created for him. He also made an extended appearance in the 2005 version of
Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian e ...
' ''
Bleak House''. In 2004, he originated the role of Hector (the teacher) in
Alan Bennett's play ''
The History Boys'', directed by
Nicholas Hytner
Sir Nicholas Robert Hytner (; born 7 May 1956) is an English theatre director, film director, and film producer. He was previously the Artistic Director of London's National Theatre. His major successes as director include ''Miss Saigon'', ''Th ...
, winning the 2005
Laurence Olivier Award
The Laurence Olivier Awards, or simply the Olivier Awards, are presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognise excellence in professional theatre in London at an annual ceremony in the capital. The awards were originally known as ...
for Best Actor.
During the play's United States run, he won a
Drama Desk Award
The Drama Desk Award is an annual prize recognizing excellence in New York theatre. First bestowed in 1955 as the Vernon Rice Award, the prize initially honored Off-Broadway productions, as well as Off-off-Broadway, and those in the vicinity. Fo ...
, an
Outer Critics Circle Award
The Outer Critics Circle Awards are presented annually for theatrical achievements both on Broadway and Off-Broadway. They are presented by the Outer Critics Circle (OCC), the official organization of New York theater writers for out-of-town newspa ...
and a
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual cer ...
.
He reprised his role in the
film version
A film adaptation is the transfer of a work or story, in whole or in part, to a feature film. Although often considered a type of derivative work, film adaptation has been conceptualized recently by academic scholars such as Robert Stam as a dia ...
, which was released in October 2006. In 2007 he starred in ''Ballet Shoes'' with his ''Harry Potter'' co-stars
Emma Watson and
Gemma Jones.
Together with his ''Harry Potter'' co-star
Daniel Radcliffe, he appeared in a stage revival of
Peter Shaffer's ''
Equus
Equus may refer to:
* ''Equus'' (genus), a genus of animals including horses, donkeys and zebras
* ''Equus'' (play), a play by Peter Shaffer
* ''Equus'' (film), a film adaptation of the Peter Shaffer play
* Equus (comics), a comic book characte ...
'' at the
Gielgud Theatre
The Gielgud Theatre is a West End theatre, located on Shaftesbury Avenue, at the corner of Rupert Street, in the City of Westminster, London. The house currently has 986 seats on three levels.
The theatre was designed by W. G. R. Sprague an ...
in London and later, from October 2008, in a short run of the play at the
Broadhurst Theatre on Broadway, which ended in February 2009. Later in 2009, he replaced
Michael Gambon
Sir Michael John Gambon (; born 19 October 1940) is an Irish-English actor. Regarded as one of Ireland and Britain's most distinguished actors, he is known for his work on stage and screen. Gambon started his acting career with Laurence Olivi ...
as
W. H. Auden prior to the premiere of ''
The Habit of Art
''The Habit of Art'' is a 2009 play by English playwright Alan Bennett, centred on a fictional meeting between W. H. Auden and Benjamin Britten while Britten is composing the opera ''Death in Venice''. It premiered on 5 November 2009 at the Lytte ...
'' at the National Theatre, once again directed by Hytner.
Griffiths was considered for the part of
The Doctor in ''
Doctor Who
''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the u ...
'', following
Tom Baker
Thomas Stewart Baker (born 20 January 1934) is an English actor and writer. He is well known for his portrayal of the Fourth Doctor, fourth incarnation of The Doctor (Doctor Who), the Doctor in the science fiction television series ''Doctor Wh ...
's departure in 1981, but was unavailable. He was strongly considered once again to take on the role of the Eighth Doctor, had the series continued past 1989.
He performed in adaptations of the ''
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
''The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'' (sometimes referred to as ''HG2G'', ''HHGTTG'', ''H2G2'', or ''tHGttG'') is a comedy science fiction franchise created by Douglas Adams. Originally a 1978 radio comedy broadcast on BBC Radio 4, it w ...
'', providing the voice for Slartibartfast for the
radio adaptation
Radio drama (or audio drama, audio play, radio play, radio theatre, or audio theatre) is a dramatized, purely acoustic performance. With no visual component, radio drama depends on dialogue, music and sound effects to help the listener imagine t ...
of ''
Life, the Universe and Everything'' and playing the Vogon Jeltz in the film version of ''
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy''. He appeared in ''
Bedtime Stories'' with
Adam Sandler
Adam Richard Sandler (born September 9, 1966) is an American comedian, actor, screenwriter, producer and singer. He was a cast member on ''Saturday Night Live'' from 1990 to 1995, before going on to star in numerous Hollywood films, those of wh ...
and as a special guest in ''
A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa''.
In 2005 he asked a member of the audience to leave a performance of ''Heroes'' after her phone rang three times.
Such interruptions due to audience distractions happened three times in his career.
Griffiths appeared in a cameo as King
George II George II or 2 may refer to:
People
* George II of Antioch (seventh century AD)
* George II of Armenia (late ninth century)
* George II of Abkhazia (916–960)
* Patriarch George II of Alexandria (1021–1051)
* George II of Georgia (1072–1089)
* ...
in Disney's ''
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides''. He appeared in the first episode of the television series ''
Episodes'' as Julian Bullard. In April 2012, Griffiths starred, with
Danny DeVito, in a revival of the
Neil Simon play ''
The Sunshine Boys''. The show previewed at the
Savoy Theatre from 27 April 2012, opening on 17 May and playing a limited 12-week season until 28 July.
Personal life
Griffiths met Heather Gibson in 1973 and they married in 1980. They had no children. Griffiths was awarded an honorary degree from
Teesside University in 2006 and was appointed an
Officer of the Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations,
and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...
(OBE) in the
2008 New Year Honours
The New Year Honours 2008 for the Commonwealth realms were announced on 29 December 2007, to celebrate the year passed and mark the beginning of 2008.
The recipients of honours are displayed here as they were styled before their new honour, and a ...
.
He was the godfather of comedian
Jack Whitehall
Jack Peter Benedict Whitehall (born 7 July 1988) is an English comedian, actor, presenter and writer. He is known for starring as JP in the series ''Fresh Meat (TV series), Fresh Meat'' (2011–2016) and Alfie Wickers in the series ''Bad Educat ...
.
Death
Griffiths died aged 65 at
University Hospital Coventry
University Hospital Coventry is a large National Health Service (NHS) hospital situated in the Walsgrave on Sowe area of Coventry, West Midlands, England, north-east of the city centre. It is part of the University Hospitals Coventry and Warwi ...
on 28 March 2013 after complications following
heart surgery
Cardiac surgery, or cardiovascular surgery, is surgery on the heart or great vessels performed by cardiac surgeons. It is often used to treat complications of ischemic heart disease (for example, with coronary artery bypass grafting); to corr ...
.
Filmography
Film
Television
Theatre
Awards and nominations
References
External links
*
*
*
*
Actors On Performing– ''Working in the Theatre Seminar'' video at
American Theatre Wing.org, April 2006
{{DEFAULTSORT:Griffiths, Richard
1947 births
2013 deaths
20th-century English male actors
21st-century English male actors
Alumni of Manchester Metropolitan University
Drama Desk Award winners
English male film actors
English male stage actors
English male television actors
English male voice actors
English Roman Catholics
Laurence Olivier Award winners
Officers of the Order of the British Empire
People from Thornaby-on-Tees
Royal Shakespeare Company members
Theatre World Award winners
Tony Award winners
Male actors from Yorkshire