Nicol Williamson 1936 – 2011

[Nick Armstrong]

Very sorry to see that this great actor has gone. When in my teens, I was taken to Stratford to see "Twelfth Night" and almost laughed myself sick at his performance as Malvolio in the scene where he is trying to decipher the letter ("M, O, A, I,") and in the "cross-garter'd" scene. A genius.

[french frank]

I was going to amend the 2011 to 2012 but, yes, you're right ...

I can remember him arriving on the theatrical scene as clearly destined to be one of those preeminent figures, which he was.

[Stillhomewardbound]

Dad played with him in a revival of The Ginger Man at the Royal Court in '63.

The following year Linsay Anderson cast him as Brutus in a production of Julius Caesar (also at the Royal Court) with my father as Cassius. However, in a move that was to become all too characteric of his career he backed out after some minor difference with Anderson. He was replaced by Ian Bannen.

On this cast list you can see where Bannen's name has been pasted into the programme:

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_V9LQjsagdfY/TGfjzS8TMMI/AAAAAAAASFA/6qLHLa3offE/s1600/Julius%20Caesar%202.jpg

[amateur51]

Here he is in Hamlet ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvCuNjcUI0M

and here talking about death with John Betjeman and David Frost - at 01:30 onwards he discusses Beckett and death & he gives a reading ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvE-kML1kbA

[Nick Armstrong]

Here he is in Hamlet ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvCuNjcUI0M

and here talking about death with John Betjeman and David Frost - at 01:30 onwards he discusses Beckett and death & he gives a reading ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvE-kML1kbA

Wow! Thanks for those, ammy!

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

wow indeed! ... and did we spend our Saturday evenings watching intelligent people discussing such matters and reading such as Beckett on television?

[amateur51]

wow indeed! ... and did we spend our Saturday evenings watching intelligent people discussing such matters and reading such as Beckett on television?

Makes the efforts of Lord Fry of Ubiquity (it can only be a matter of time, surely?) look pretty small beer