Beloved British actor Richard Griffiths, perhaps best known to American audiences as Uncle Dursley in the "Harry Potter" films, has passed away at the age of 65 due to complications following heart surgery. A star of stage and screen, he will be greatly missed, but leaves behind a hugely impressive body of work that will be studied and enjoyed for generations.
While the "Harry Potter" role might be his most famous (especially internationally), Griffith's list of credits is staggering, appearing in every conceivable genre and in every type of role. He had roles in "Superman II," "Ragtime," "Chariots of Fire," "Gandhi," "Gorky Park," "Guarding Tess," "Sleepy Hollow," "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," "Venus," "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" (playing King George II, powdered wig and all), and "Hugo." Besides "Harry Potter," his most beloved role might be that of another uncle -- Uncle Monty in cult British comedy "Withnail and I."
Griffiths was heavily rewarded for his part in the dramatic play "The History Boys," earning the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor, the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Play, the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Featured Lead, and then, when he resumed the part for the Broadway run of the play, the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Lead Actor in a Play. What's more -- he played the role for a third time in the big screen version (that was far less lauded but still superb).
Actors with his range and talent come around all too rarely, and he will be missed by lovers of film, television, and theater, the world over.
[via BBC]
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