Ian Richardson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ian Richardson CBE
Richardson circa 1976
Born	Ian William Richardson (1934-04-07)7 April 1934 Edinburgh, Scotland
Died	9 February 2007(2007-02-09) (aged 72) London, England
Education	Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1954–2007
Spouse(s)	Maroussia Frank ​ (m. 1961)​
Children	2, including Miles Richardson

Ian William Richardson (7 April 1934 – 9 February 2007) was a famous Scottish actor. He was known for his strong voice and powerful acting.

He played many important roles in plays, films, and TV shows. One of his most famous parts was Francis Urquhart in the BBC TV series House of Cards. Urquhart was a clever and cunning politician.

Richardson also played Sherlock Holmes in two films. These were The Sign of Four and The Hound of the Baskervilles. He was also a leading actor in plays by William Shakespeare.

Early Life and Training

Ian Richardson was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. He was the only son and oldest of three children. His parents were Margaret and John Richardson.

He went to school in Edinburgh. At 14, he acted for the first time in a play called A Tale of Two Cities. The director told him he was talented. However, he needed to lose his Scottish accent to become a professional actor.

His mother arranged for him to have elocution lessons. These lessons helped him learn to speak clearly without a strong accent. He also worked as a stage manager for a local theatre group.

After school, he joined the Army for his National Service. He worked as an announcer and drama director. Then, he got a place at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow. This is a special school for actors.

After his training, he joined the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC). He was one of its first members. He acted with the RSC from 1960 to 1975.

Stage Performances

Even though he became famous in films and TV, Ian Richardson loved acting on stage the most. He was especially good at classical plays. His first job after drama school was with the Birmingham Repertory Theatre. There, he played Hamlet, a very famous Shakespearean role.

This led him to join the RSC. He stayed with the company for over 15 years. He played many different kinds of characters. He was good at playing villains, funny characters, and sad ones.

In 1964, he was in a play called Marat/Sade in London. When the play moved to New York City, he took on the main role of Jean-Paul Marat. He also played this role in the 1967 film version.

In 1972, he acted in a musical called Trelawney. This show was very successful and moved to London. Richardson played the hero, Tom Wrench. Tom was a small-part actor who wanted to write about "real people."

While at the RSC, Richardson played many main roles in plays directed by John Barton. These included Coriolanus (1967) and Cassius in Julius Caesar (1968). He also played Angelo in Measure for Measure (1970).

He also performed in Pericles (1969) and Richard III (1975). One of his favorite roles was Berowne in Love's Labour's Lost (1973).

In 1974, he played both King Richard II and Bolingbroke in Richard II. He switched roles with another actor, Richard Pasco. This performance was highly praised.

After leaving the RSC, he went to Broadway in New York City. In 1976, he played Professor Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady. This musical was celebrating its 20th anniversary. He won an award for this role.

In 2002, Richardson toured with other famous actors like Sir Derek Jacobi and Dame Diana Rigg. They performed a show called The Hollow Crown. His last stage role was in 2006. He played Sir Epicure Mammon in The Alchemist in London.

Films and Television Roles

Early Career in Film and TV

Ian Richardson started acting on television in 1963. He played Le Beau in a TV version of As You Like It. In 1968, he was Oberon in the film A Midsummer Night's Dream.

In 1972, he sang a role as the Priest in the film Man of La Mancha. This was a movie version of a musical. He also acted in BBC radio plays.

In 1979, he played Field Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery in the TV miniseries Ike. His first big TV role was Bill Haydon in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (1979).

In the 1980s, he became well known for playing Major Neuheim in Private Schulz. He also played Sherlock Holmes in two TV movies in 1983. These were The Sign of Four and The Hound of the Baskervilles. Both were very popular.

He appeared in the film Brazil (1985). He also played Jawaharlal Nehru, a famous Indian leader, in a TV series. In 1986, he played Anthony Blunt, a Soviet spy, in the BBC film Blunt: the Fourth Man.

Later Career in Film and TV

Ian Richardson's most famous TV role was Francis Urquhart in the House of Cards TV series. He played a very clever and powerful politician. He won an award for his acting in the first series in 1990. He was also nominated for the two follow-up series.

In 1992, he was nominated for another award for his role as Sir Rex Hunt. This was in the film An Ungentlemanly Act. He also played a corrupt politician in the series The Gravy Train.

He narrated a BBC TV show called A Royal Scandal (1996). Other roles included Polonius in Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead (1990). He also played a bad alien in Dark City (1998).

In 1999, he became known to younger audiences. He played Stephen Tyler in the family drama The Magician's House. He also played Lord Groan in the BBC show Gormenghast (2000).

Later, he starred in Murder Rooms: The Dark Beginnings of Sherlock Holmes (2000–2001). He played Dr. Joseph Bell, who was Arthur Conan Doyle's teacher. This role was special to him because Dr. Bell was from his hometown of Edinburgh.

In 2005, he played a Chancellor in the TV drama Bleak House. He also played the Judge in the family film The Adventures of Greyfriars Bobby (2005).

In 2006, he received an honorary Doctor degree from the University of Stirling. This was given to him by fellow actress Dame Diana Rigg.

In December 2006, Richardson voiced the character of Death in the TV show Hogfather. This show was based on a book by Terry Pratchett. The DVD of the show was dedicated to his memory after he passed away.

His last film role was as Judge Langlois in Becoming Jane (2007). This film was released shortly after he died.

Death and Tributes

Ian Richardson passed away in his sleep on 9 February 2007. He was 72 years old. He died from a heart attack. He was survived by his wife, Maroussia Frank, and his two sons. One of his sons, Miles Richardson, is also an actor.

His body was cremated. His ashes were placed in the foundation of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford. This happened during renovations in 2008.

Dame Helen Mirren dedicated her 2006 Best Actress award to Ian Richardson. She said that his support early in her career helped her become successful. Many other actors and colleagues also shared their memories of him. These memories were collected in a book called We Could Possibly Comment: Ian Richardson Remembered (2009).

Honours and Awards

Ian Richardson was given a special honour in 1989. He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). This is a high honour in the United Kingdom.

He also won several awards for his acting:

Selected Filmography

See also

• List of people from Edinburgh
• List of Scottish actors