Nicol Williamson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nicol Williamson
Born	Thomas Nicol Williamson (1936-09-14)14 September 1936 Hamilton, Lanarkshire, Scotland
Died	16 December 2011(2011-12-16) (aged 75) Amsterdam, Netherlands
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1956–1997
Spouse(s)	Jill Townsend ​ ​ (m. 1971; div. 1977)​
Children	1

Thomas Nicol Williamson (born September 14, 1936 – died December 16, 2011) was a Scottish actor. Many people thought he was one of the greatest actors of his time. Playwright John Osborne even called him "the greatest actor since Marlon Brando". Another famous writer, Samuel Beckett, said Williamson was "touched by genius." During the late 1960s, critics often called him "the Hamlet of his generation."

Early Life and Education

Thomas Nicol Williamson was born in Hamilton, Scotland, on September 14, 1936. His father, Hugh Williamson, ran an aluminum factory. When Nicol was about 18 months old, his family moved to Birmingham, England.

During World War II, Birmingham was a target for bombings. So, young Nicol was sent back to Hamilton to live with his grandparents for safety. After the war ended, he returned to Birmingham. He went to the Central Grammar School for Boys there.

Nicol left school at 16 to work in his father's factory. Later, he studied acting at the Birmingham School of Speech & Drama. He didn't enjoy his time there much, calling it "a disaster."

Acting Career

Nicol Williamson began his acting career after serving in the military. He first performed professionally in 1960 with the Dundee Repertory Theatre. In 1962, he made his London debut at the Royal Court Theatre.

His first big success came in 1964 in a play called Inadmissible Evidence by John Osborne. This role was so good that he was nominated for a Tony Award when the play moved to Broadway in New York. He even brought the play back to New York fifteen years later.

Famous Roles on Stage and Screen

In 1964, he also played Vladimir in Samuel Beckett's famous play Waiting for Godot. He later starred in the film version of this play in 1968.

One of his most talked-about roles was playing Prince Hamlet in a 1969 production directed by Tony Richardson. This play was so popular that it moved to New York and was made into a film. Other famous actors like Anthony Hopkins and Marianne Faithfull were also in the movie.

His most well-known film role was as Merlin the magician in the 1981 King Arthur movie Excalibur. The director, John Boorman, cast him alongside Helen Mirren as Morgana. Even though they had some disagreements from a previous play, Boorman hoped their real-life tension would make their on-screen performances even better. Williamson's portrayal of Merlin was widely praised. Critics loved his "witty, perceptive Merlin." Interestingly, despite their past issues, Williamson and Mirren became good friends while filming Excalibur.

Nicol Williamson appeared in many other notable films:

• As a soldier in The Bofors Gun (1968).
• An intelligence officer in The Wilby Conspiracy (1975).
• The famous detective Sherlock Holmes in The Seven-Per-Cent Solution (1976).
• Little John in the adventure film Robin and Marian (1976).
• He also played Lord Louis Mountbatten in a 1985 TV series.
• He had dual roles as Dr. Worley and The Nome King in Return To Oz (1985).
• He was Father Morning in The Exorcist III (1990).
• He played Badger in the 1996 movie Wind in the Willows.
• His final film role was as Cogliostro in Spawn (1997).

Williamson was known for his strong personality and sometimes intense behavior during performances. He was very dedicated to his roles. For example, during a play in 1968, he apologized to the audience for his performance as Hamlet and announced he was retiring, though he later returned to acting. In 1991, during a Broadway play called I Hate Hamlet, he accidentally hit his co-star with a sword.

Other Creative Work

Nicol Williamson also had musical talents. After showing his singing skills on a TV talk show, he released an album of songs in 1971. The album included popular songs like "Didn't We" and "Help Me Make It Through the Night."

In 1974, he recorded a shorter version of The Hobbit for Argo Records. He even re-edited the script himself to make it sound better as an audio recording. He used different voices for each character, which made the story very engaging.

He also appeared in a 1978 episode of the detective show Columbo called "How To Dial A Murder." He played a character who was a behavior expert and one of the few suspects who tried to harm Columbo.

Personal Life

In 1971, Nicol Williamson married actress Jill Townsend. She had played his daughter in a Broadway show. They had a son named Luke. However, they divorced in 1977.

Death

Nicol Williamson passed away on December 16, 2011, at the age of 75. He had been diagnosed with esophageal cancer two years earlier. He wanted the news of his death to be shared a month later, as he preferred not to have a big fuss made about it.

Filmography

Film

Television

Stage

Awards and Recognition

Nicol Williamson was nominated for many awards during his career. These included three BAFTA Awards, a Saturn Award, and two Tony Awards. He won the Silver Shell for Best Actor at the San Sebastián International Film Festival in 1969 for his role in Laughter in the Dark.

BAFTA Awards

Drama Desk Awards

Saturn Awards

Tony Awards

See also

In Spanish: Nicol Williamson para niños