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1-14 of 14
- Actor
- Additional Crew
A familiar patrician-looking face both here and abroad, blue-eyed, fair-haired classical stage and TV actor Tim Pigott-Smith, the son of a journalist, was born on in Rugby, Warwickshire, on May 13, 1946. The Britisher attended King Edward VI School in Stratford-upon-Avon, graduated from Bristol University in 1967, and then receiving his acting training at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. In later years, he would return to Bristol University as a lecturer.
Tim made his professional debut in 1969 with the Bristol Old Vic under the stage name of "Tim Smith" and was predominantly a stage player in both regional and repertory companies. He focused quite strongly on Shakespeare and Greek plays and went on to play Balthazar in "Much Ado About Nothing" for the Prospect touring company as well as Posthumus in a 1974 production of "Cymbeline" for the Royal Shakespeare Company. He made his Broadway debut that same year in "Sherlock Holmes" as Dr. Watson opposite John Wood. Over the years, he would act alongside most of England's grande dame royalty including Judi Dench, Helen Mirren, Geraldine James, Margaret Tyzack, Peggy Ashcroft, Maggie Smith and Penelope Wilton.
A charming, distinguished presence on stage, Tim was invited by an ailing Anthony Quayle to take over the running of the Compass theatre company founded by him in 1984 and served as its artistic director from 1989-1992. A theatre director as well ("Hamlet," and "A Royal Hunt of the Sun"), he would take several Shakespearean classics later to BBC-TV. He, in fact, started his small screen career in secondary Shakespeare roles as Laertes in Hamlet (1970) opposite Ian McKellen in the title role and Proculeius in Antony and Cleopatra (1974) starring Richard Johnson and Janet Suzman. He transitioned into more prominent BBC roles with his Angelo in Measure for Measure (1979) and Hotspur in Henry IV Part I (1979).
Aside from Tim's theatre work, quality TV remained an extremely successful venue for decades with impressive performances in such prestigious min-series as North & South (1975), The Glittering Prizes (1976), The Lost Boys (1978), Danger UXB (1979), Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years (1981), Fame Is the Spur (1982), I Remember Nelson (1982), The Jewel in the Crown (1984) (BAFTA-TV as sadistic villain Ronald Merrick) and The Challenge (1986). He enjoyed recurring roles on the TV series Doctor Who (1963), Hannah (1980) and regular roles in the short-lived comedy Struggle (1983), the drama The Chief (1990) and with The Vice (1999). His mellifluous voice was also popular on many BBC radio productions, in audio books, as well as serving as a narrator on such documentary series as Crimes That Shook the World (2006) and Doomsday: World War I (2013)
Film work began in the 1970's but remained far and few and less distinguished with his minor participation in Aces High (1976), Joseph Andrews (1977), Sweet William (1980), Clash of the Titans (1981), Richard's Things (1980), Victory (1981) and The Remains of the Day (1993). He did enjoy a prime role in the nuclear drama A State of Emergency (1985) starring opposite Martin Sheen and Peter Firth.
Pigott-Smith remained a strong, vibrant present on the stage throughout his career. In later years, he played in such contemporary plays as "Benefactors" (1984), "Coming in to Land" (1987) opposite Ms. Smith and "Amadeus" as composer Salieri. He also portrayed Leontes in "The Winter's Tale" (1988) and scored critical acclaim in the 1999 version of "The Iceman Cometh" (both London and Broadway) and with Ms. Mirren in an over four-hour production of "Mourning Becomes Electra." Into the millennium, he was seen in "Julius Caesar" (as Cassius, 2001), "A Christmas Carol" (as Scrooge, 2002), "Women Beware Women" (2006), "Enron" (2009), "Educating Rita" (2010), "A Delicate Balance" (2011), "King Lear" (title role, 2011), "The Tempest" (as Prospero, 2012), the Chorus in "Henry V" in 2013, and earned both Olivier and Tony nominations here and abroad for his powerful portrayal of King Charles III (2015). Tim became an RSC Associate Artist in 2012, and served on both the RSC board (from 2005 until 2011) and as a governor from 2005 until his retirement in 2016.
On film in later years, he often appeared in official high-ranking parts. His list of movies include Martin Scorsese's Gangs of New York (2002), The Four Feathers (2002), the historical Greek biopic Alexander (2004) starring Colin Farrell, V for Vendetta (2005), Flyboys (2006), Quantum of Solace (2008), Alice in Wonderland (2010), RED 2 (2013), Jupiter Ascending (2015) and Whisky Galore (2016). He also graced such TV shows as "Downtown Abbey" and recreated his stage triumph in the title role of King Charles III (2017) which earned him a second BAFTA-TV nomination.
Tim was in rehearsals for an upcoming stage performance of "Death of a Salesman" as Willy Loman in London when he died suddenly of natural causes on April 7, 2017, at age 70. He was survived by his actress wife Pamela Miles and their son Tom Pigott Smith, a concert/studio violinist.- Relja Basic was born on 14 February 1930 in Zagreb, Croatia, Yugoslavia. He was an actor, known for Roundabout (1966), Jenseits der Morgenröte (1985) and Race for the Bomb (1987). He died on 7 April 2017 in Zagreb, Croatia.
- Director
- Producer
- Actor
Christopher Morahan was born on 9 July 1929 in London, England, UK. He was a director and producer, known for The Jewel in the Crown (1984), Screen One (1985) and W. Somerset Maugham (1969). He was married to Anna Carteret and Joan Lucie E. Murray. He died on 7 April 2017 in Guildford, Surrey, England, UK.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Alicia Agut was born on 7 September 1929 in Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. She was an actress, known for La forja de un rebelde (1990), The Ugliest Woman in the World (1999) and The Flower of My Secret (1995). She died on 7 April 2017 in Madrid, Spain.- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Glenn O'Brien was born on 2 March 1947 in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. He was an actor and producer, known for Downtown 81 (2000), Force of Circumstance (1990) and Subway Riders (1981). He was married to Gina Nanni. He died on 7 April 2017 in Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA.- Actor
- Director
- Music Department
Ben Speer was born on 23 June 1930 in Double Springs, Alabama, USA. He was an actor and director, known for Journey to the Sky (2004), Gaither's Pond (1997) and A Christmas Homecoming (1993). He was married to Rebekah. He died on 7 April 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee, USA.- Director
Algirdas Dausa was born on 11 December 1940 in Vilnius, Lithuania. Algirdas was a director, known for Feelings (1968), Markizas ir piemenaite (1978) and Kur iskeliauja pasakos (1973). Algirdas died on 7 April 2017 in Vilnius, Lithuania.- Composer
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Yûshi Matsuyama was a composer, known for Mobile Suit Gundam I (1981), Mobile Suit Gundam (1979) and Mobile Suit Gundam III: Encounters in Space (1982). He died on 7 April 2017 in Tokyo, Japan.- Actress
- Producer
Fely Manzano was born in 1942 in Ourense, Ourense, Galicia, Spain. She was an actress and producer, known for Divertimento (2000), Pratos combinados (1995) and Un Franco 14 Pesetas (2006). She was married to Antonio Lagares. She died on 7 April 2017 in Spain.- Arturo García Bustos was born on 8 August 1926 in Mexico City, Mexico. He was married to Rina Lazo. He died on 7 April 2017 in Mexico City, Mexico.
- Writer
- Actor
- Music Department
John Salmon was born on 18 January 1931 in Highgate, London, England, UK. He was a writer and actor, known for Only When I Larf (1968), The Best Sherry in the World (1967) and The Dick Emery Show (1963). He died on 7 April 2017 in Hampstead, London, England, UK.- Derrick Jensen was born on 27 April 1956 in Waukegan, Illinois, USA. He was married to Amanda. He died on 7 April 2017 in Panama City Beach, Florida, USA.
- Clas Engström was born on 19 March 1927 in Härnösand, Västernorrlands län, Sweden. He was a writer, known for Who Saw Him Die? (1968), Han slog mig (1967) and De nya svenskarna (1970). He died on 7 April 2017 in Gotland, Sweden.
- Patricia C. McKissack was born on 9 August 1944 in Smyrna, Tennessee, USA. She was a writer, known for Dear America: Color Me Dark (2000) and Dear America: A Picture of Freedom (1999). She was married to Fredrick McKissack. She died on 7 April 2017 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA.