Richard Griffiths

Biography

Richard Thomas Griffiths (born 31 July 1947 - passed away 28 March 2013) was a distinguished English actor noted for his contributions to film, television, and theater. His portrayal in the stage production of The History Boys earned him numerous accolades including a Tony Award, a Laurence Olivier Award, a Drama Desk Award, and an Outer Critics Circle Award. He was also nominated for a BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his role in the film adaptation released in 2006.

Griffiths is well-remembered for his role as Vernon Dursley in the Harry Potter series (2001-2010) and as Great Uncle Matthew Brown, known as "Gum," in the BBC film Ballet Shoes (2007). His earlier notable performances include Uncle Monty in the cult classic Withnail and I (1987) and Henry Crabbe in the television series Pie in the Sky (1994–1997). Throughout his career, Griffiths contributed to critically acclaimed films such as Chariots of Fire (1981), The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981), Gandhi (1982), and The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear (1991). In his later years, he appeared in films like Sleepy Hollow (1999), The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005), Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011), and Martin Scorsese's Hugo (2011).