Richard Thomas Griffiths, OBE (31 July 1947 — 28 March 2013) was an English actor. He was born in North Yorkshire and, after a difficult childhood, studied drama in Manchester. Like many of his fellow countrymen, he started his acting career with William Shakespeare adaptations, playing Constable in The Comedy of Errors and Falstaff in The Merry Wives of Windsor, and later starring as King Henry VIII. After a few years on the stage, he began to appear in television and movies. His first leading role on the small screen was as Henry Jay in Bird of Prey. Some of his film roles in the 1980s included appearances in Gandhi, Chariots of Fire, Shanghai Surprise, and Gorky Park. His most famous film role from that time, though, was as Uncle Monty in Withnail and I.
In the 1990s, Richard Griffiths appeared in more shows and movies, such as The Naked Gun 2½, King Ralph, and Inspector Morse. He starred in the 1994-1997 show Pie in the Sky as gruff retired policeman Henry Crabbe. But his most widely seen role was as Harry Potter's cruel uncle Vernon Dursley, a role he played in five of the eight Harry Potter films. The 2000s would also see his most-awarded role, as Hector in the play and movie The History Boys. He followed this up with appearances in Pirates of the Caribbean, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005), Equus, and Henry V. His acting career spanned four decades.
Sadly, Richard Griffiths died in 2013 from complications after heart surgery, and was fondly remembered by his many fellow actors, such as Richard E. Grant, Paul McGann note , and Daniel Radcliffe.
Also worth noting is that if ever he heard a phone go off during one of his performances, Griffiths would break the fourth wall to berate the audience member responsible for it, sometimes even threatening to end the performance then and there in retaliation.
Selected roles:
Film:
- Superman II (1980) as Terrorist No. 3
- Chariots of Fire (1981) as the Caius College head porter
- The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981) as Sir Tom
- Ragtime (1981) as Delmas' Assistant No. 1
- The Merry Wives of Windsor (1982) as Falstaff
- Gandhi (1982) as Collins
- Gorky Park (1983) as Anton
- Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (1984) as Captain Billings
- Shanghai Surprise (1986) as Willie Tuttle
- Withnail and I (1987) as Uncle Monty
- King Ralph (1991) as Duncan Phipps
- The Naked Gun 2½ (1991) as Dr. Albert S. Meinheimer / Earl Hacker
- Blame It on the Bellboy (1992) as Maurice Horton
- Guarding Tess (1994) as Frederick
- Sleepy Hollow (1999) as Magistrate Philipse
- Harry Potter (2001–10) as Uncle Vernon Dursley
- The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005) as Vogon Jeltz
- The History Boys (2006) as Hector
- Bedtime Stories (2008) as Barry Nottingham
- Jackboots on Whitehall (2010) as Hermann Goering (voice)
- Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011) as King George II
- Hugo (2011) as Monsieur Frick
Television (including made-for-TV films):
- The Sweeney (1978) as Ronnie Harries (episode "Jack or Knave")
- The Comedy of Errors (1978) as Constable
- Minder (1982) as Derek Farrow (episode "Dreamhouse")
- Whoops Apocalypse (1982) as Premier Dubienkin (episode "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun")
- The Merry Wives of Windsor (1982) as Falstaff
- Bird of Prey (1982) as Henry Jay
- The Cleopatras (1983) as Ptolemy VIII ("Pot Belly")
- Casanova (1987) as the Cardinal
- Inspector Morse (1993) as Canon Humphrey Appleton (episode "The Day of the Devil")
- Lovejoy (1993) as Hans Koopman (episode "They Call Me Midas")
- Pie in the Sky (1994–97) as Henry Crabbe
- The Canterbury Tales (1998) as Saturn (voice; episode "Leaving London")
- Archibald the Koala (1998) as Archibald (voice; all episodes)
- The Vicar of Dibley (1999) as the Bishop of Mulberry (episode "Spring")
- Gormenghast (2000) as Swelter
- Bleak House (2005) as Mr. Bayham Badger (2 episodes)
- Ballet Shoes (2007) as Great-Uncle Matthew
- A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa (2008) as Santa Claus
