I know I am a bit late with this but I wanted to pay tribute to the actor Ian Richardson who died earlier today. His performance as Francis Urquhart in the House of Cards trilogy is one of the most memorable in any political drama of modern times. He was a brilliant character actor and his delivery of UPDATE: A reader has corrected me. The "You might say that line" was not written by Michael Dobbs. It was in the screenplay. Apologies for the error.
He was a quality actor ,I enjoyed him in Porterhouse Blue, Smiley ,4th Protocol, a very good jobbing actor.
ReplyDeleteHe'll be remembered for that performance of course, but he was equally brilliant playing opposite Alec Guinness's George Smiley as the mole Bill Haydon, in Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.
ReplyDeleteFrancis Urquhart was a shining light among shits..first among equals and not averse to a little al fresco murder to further his career.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it wonderful that our real MPs are paragons of probity and trust.
It is rumoured that he was "played" by Ian Richardson. No, that is not true at all. Richardson was a distinguished, first class actor.
Urquhart was real, a heroically Shakespearean shit. Unfortunately events have overtaken him and Nulab make him look more like Aguecheek than Iago.
His Grace is immeasurably saddened to hear of the passing of this most talented of thespians.
ReplyDeleteIt is said that all Whips end up in hell. His Grace hopes and prays that the Lord will look favourably upon Mr Richardson, who merely portrayed their black arts, and thereby shone much light into a world of darkness.
Requiem aeternam.
+Cranmer
No-one going to mention him in Gormenghast? A truly creepy performanceI thought.
ReplyDeleteNoone comments much on how a Soviet agent became Prime Minister even though George Smiley exposed him
ReplyDeleteHe was a wonderful actor and I can't imagine anyone else as Urquhart.
ReplyDeleteA brilliant actor, although I can only judge him on his Urquhart role. He's the major inspiration for me doing GCSE Drama.
ReplyDeleteWhat about the dictaphone scene at the end of one of the episodes...
ReplyDeleteChilling eh? His voice will live for ages because of that.
His "Urquhart" was without doubt a turning point in polical drama. It was at this point that I started to take a more serious interest in politics. A wonderful actor, cos by all accounts, he was a very nice man.
ReplyDeleteHe was an actor who took a script and made it his own.
ReplyDeleteHe will be sorely missed.
RIP Mr Richardson, we loved you when you lived and will love you always.
I first saw him in the film of The Marat/Sade in 1967 and subsequently in all the parts he played with the RSC between 1969 and 1975. I will never forget his Richard II, Berowne, Angelo, Ford... etc. etc. He was brilliant.
ReplyDeleteI was fortunate enough to have met him in the mid-70s (I and two other girls were sharing his house in Stratford-upon-Avon, while he was staying somewhere else). He used to come and chide us for not mowing the lawn often enough. We all adored him.
I am very sad today.
I saw him perform at Chichester in Moliere's "The Miser" and Pinero's "The Magistrate". I dropped him a note to say how much I enjoyed his performances and received a very gracious thank you letter in reply.
ReplyDeleteAs the first comment on this post says, he was a quality actor.
(I and two other girls were sharing his house in Stratford-upon-Avon, while he was staying somewhere else).
ReplyDeleteYou could have omitted the subordinate clause and we should have thought even more of his energy and charm
How many times when I was an Association Chairman did I yell "Francis Urqhart, where are you when I need you"? Lots.
ReplyDeleteSad loss of a wonderful actor.