Tim Pigott-Smith

Timothy Peter Pigott-Smith (13 May 1946 – 7 April 2017) was a British actor and author. For his leading role as Ronald Merrick in the television drama series The Jewel in the Crown, he won the British Academy Television Award for Best Actor in 1985. Other television roles included appearance in The Chief, Midsomer Murders, The Vice, The Suspicions of Mr Whicher, King Charles III and two Doctor Who stories (The Claws of Axos and The Masque of Mandragora (1976). Pigott-Smith appeared in films including Clash of the Titans (1981), Gangs of New York (2002), Johnny English (2003), Alexander (2004), V for Vendetta (2005), Quantum of Solace (2008), Red 2 (2013) and Jupiter Ascending (2015).

Early life Pigott-Smith was born in Rugby, Warwickshire, the son of Margaret Muriel (née Goodman) and Harry Thomas Pigott-Smith, who was a journalist. He was educated at Wyggeston Boys' School, Leicester, King Edward VI School, Stratford-upon-Avon, and Bristol University. He trained as an actor at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.

Career

Film and television After a long career in smaller roles, Pigott-Smith's appearance as Arthur Llewellyn Davies in the BBC's mini-series The Lost Boys led to his gaining his big break with the leading role of Ronald Merrick in the 1984 television serial The Jewel in the Crown.

Pigott-Smith appeared in Lewis in 2015 as a taxidermist in the episode "One For Sorrow". He also appeared on the ITV series, Downton Abbey in the third series' (third season) fifth episode as obstetrician/gynaecologist Sir Philip Tapsell, who was present at the death of Lady Sybil Branson (Jessica Brown Findlay) from eclampsia after giving birth to her daughter.

Stage and radio Pigott-Smith worked in the theatre in Shakespearean and Greek roles, including Posthumus in John Barton's 1974 production of Cymbeline for the Royal Shakespeare Company.

In 2011 he took the title role in King Lear at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds.

Contemporary works included Enron, playing Ken Lay, for the Chichester Festival Theatre, and then London, in 2009 and Tobias in A Delicate Balance at the Almeida Theatre, London in 2011. He returned to the Almeida in 2014 as a post-accession Charles, Prince of Wales in King Charles III, for which he received a nomination for the Olivier Award for Best Actor, and his first Tony Award nomination for its production on Broadway in 2015. He also appeared as Charles in the 2017 film adaptation of the play.

Pigott-Smith wrote two children's books in the series The Baker Street Mysteries, featuring the exploits of Sherlock Holmes' Baker Street Irregulars – The Dragon Tattoo (2008) and Shadow of Evil (2009). He played Holmes in a BBC Radio adaptation of The Valley of Fear.

Death Pigott-Smith died on 7 April 2017 at age 70 from a heart attack in Northampton, where he had been preparing to appear in a touring production of Death of a Salesman that was set to begin three days later. His wife Pamela Miles was also originally scheduled to appear in the play but had withdrawn after breaking a bone and needing surgery. He is buried on the east side of Highgate Cemetery.

Filmography and more

Film Year Title Role Director(s) Notes 1976 Aces High Major Stoppard Jack Gold 1977 Joseph Andrews Cornet Tony Richardson 1980 Sweet William Gerald Claude Whatham Richard's Things Peter Anthony Harvey 1981 Clash of the Titans Thallo Desmond Davis Escape to Victory Major Rose John Huston 1986 A State of Emergency Father Joe Ryan Richard C. Bennett 1993 The Remains of the Day Thomas Benn James Ivory 2000 Innocents James Wisheart Peter Kosminsky 2002 Safe Conduct Fleming Bertrand Tavernier Bloody Sunday Major General Robert Ford Paul Greengrass The Four Feathers General Faversham Shekhar Kapur Gangs of New York Calvinist Minister Martin Scorsese 2003 Johnny English Pegasus, Head of MI7 Peter Howitt Eroica Count Dietrichstein Simon Cellan Jones 2004 Alexander Omen Reader Oliver Stone 2006 V for Vendetta Peter Creedy James McTeigue L'Entente Cordiale S.I. Masterson Vincent De Brus Flyboys Mr. Lowry Tony Bill 2008 Quantum of Solace Foreign Secretary Marc Forster 2010 Alice in Wonderland Lord Ascot Tim Burton 2011 My Piece of the Pie Mr. Brown Cédric Klapisch 2013 Red 2 Director Philips Dean Parisot 2015 Jupiter Ascending Malidictes The Wachowskis 2016 Whisky Galore! Woolsey Gillies MacKinnon 2017 6 Days William Whitelaw Toa Fraser Posthumous release King Charles III Charles III Rupert Goold Victoria & Abdul Sir Henry Ponsonby Stephen Frears The Little Vampire 3D Frederick Richard Claus & Karsten Kiilerich Posthumous release, voice (final film role)

Television

Audiobook narration

Awards and honours Pigott-Smith won the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in 1985, for his role in The Jewel in the Crown.

Awards and nominations