Tim Pigott-Smith

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.

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).

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, 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.

Doctor Who: The Claws of Axos: Episode Two (1971) was his television acting debut, for which he was paid 60 pounds.

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.

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 transitioned into more prominent BBC roles with his Angelo in Measure for Measure (1979) and Hotspur in Henry IV Part I (1979).

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.

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 was considered for the roles of Col. Colin Caine, Dr. Bukovsky, Dr. Armstong, Kelly and Lamson in Lifeforce (1985).

He did enjoy a prime role in the nuclear drama A State of Emergency (1986) starring opposite Martin Sheen and Peter Firth. Pigott-Smith remained a strong, vibrant present on the stage throughout his career.

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.

He appeared in two films that were nominated for the Best Picture Oscar: The Remains of the Day (1993) and Gangs of New York (2002).

" 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).

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).

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 WWI: Descent into Global Madness (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).

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.

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.