Nigel Terry, perhaps best known for roles in films such as Excalibur and The Lion In Winter, has died. The beloved character actor and sometime leading man was 69.
Born in 1945 with the singular distinction of becoming the first baby to be delivered in Bristol after World War II, Terry was the son of Frank and Doreen Terry. The family moved to Truro, Cornwall when he was young and Terry soon developed a keen interest in painting and drawing, which he studied at school. But his parents encouraged him to pursue acting and, after working briefly in forestry and as a petrol pump attendant, he joined the National Youth Theatre.
The stage would continue to be a happy home for many years, and Terry moved between companies and productions with ease, working on the fringe of both the National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company.
On film, he made an auspicious debut in 1968’s The Lion In Winter, more than holding his own against such contemporaries and acting luminaries as Peter O’Toole and Katharine Hepburn. A healthy career in cinema followed, including his role as a driven King Arthur in John Boorman’s Excalibur, Caravaggio, War Requiem, The Emperor’s New Clothes and On Wings Of Fire. Though he would later appear in 2005’s Red Mercury and 2010’s Genghis Khan: The Story Of A Lifetime, his last major movie was 2004’s Troy, which saw him once again share the screen with O’Toole.
He also worked regularly in television, popping up in all manner of series, including The Bill, Highlander, Wycliffe, Pie In The Sky, Silent Witness, Foyle’s War, Spooks and Doctor Who.
Terry made the decision to move back from London to Cornwall in 1993 to be closer to his aging parents and to enjoy the countryside. He died in a cottage near St. Ives on April 30.
from Empire News
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