Griffiths was awarded an OBE in the 2008 Queen's New Years Honours List for his services to drama. (2005), Birthday: CustomExTM: Developing customisable Exosomes as a targeted delivery platform for complex drug modalities, Conditionally immortalized Induced Pluripotent Stem cell (iPSC) platform, ReNeuron is incorporated in the UK with offices in the UK and the US. To a generation, he will forever be Uncle Monty in Withnail & I, for others he is Uncle Vernon in the Harry Potter films. Scientists are debating whether it's possible to harness the power of gravity for interstellar space travel. Like most children, Richard's "mother tongue" was the same as his parents, in this case sign language. RNS Number : 0839J ReNeuron Group plc 18 December 2020 TR-1: S tandard form for notification of major holdings This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. strange at any moment. After it rang a third time, he stopped the play and - to loud [1] He lived in Manchester, England during his early adulthood. Clearly Griffiths himself had a short fuse: three times in recent years he stopped a performance in its tracks to inveigh against interruption from mobile phones, although it is fair to say that he was always applauded by similarly outraged spectators. Griffiths acting career began on radio and the classical stage where he built up an early reputation as a Shakespearean clown, with larger-than-life portrayals of Henry VIII, Falstaff in The Merry Wives of Windsor and Bottom in A . [14] Later, he was seen as Harry Potter's bitter uncle Vernon Dursley in the Harry Potter series, appearing in five of the eight films: Philosopher's Stone, Chamber of Secrets, Prisoner of Azkaban, Order of the Phoenix and Deathly Hallows Part 1.[15]. [32] They had no children. Richard Griffiths had a significant holding here, I don't see any notification of change. For his performance in the stage play The History Boys, Griffiths won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play and a Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Play. By. [3] He eventually settled in Manchester and began to get lead roles in plays. (On Uncle Vernon from the Harry Potter movies) "Vernon distrusts Harry The 65-year-old, who had struggled with declining health in recent years, is thought to have been admitted to hospital for a heart bypass. He left his Catholic school at 15 and found consolation in the theatre: first by taking drama classes at Stockton and Billingham Technical College and then by becoming a student at Manchester Polytechnic's drama school. [7] He decided to attend a drama class at Stockton & Billingham College. A succession of noted film roles, in Chariots of Fire (1981), Gandhi (1982), Britannia Hospital (1982), A Private Function (1984) and Greystoke (1984), led to his unforgettable appearance in Withnail and I. Like many kids in the 50s, his world did not include television. Now Griffiths and Radcliffe can be seen together onstage in Equus, which opens Thursday at the Broadhurst Theatre. and the warned.". HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX, from left: Richard Griffiths, Harry Melling, Fiona Shaw, 2007. (2005) Birthday: Jul 31, 1947. What was fascinating about Griffiths's career was his triumph over what, to others, might have seemed insuperable obstacles. [3] During the play's United States run, he added a Drama Desk Award, an Outer Critics Circle Award and a Tony Award. As Harry Potter's Daniel Radcliffe played the boy and at one point appeared stark naked the production was a box-office triumph, but Griffiths lacked the intellectual dynamism of the role's originator, Alec McCowen. He appeared in many movies, plays, and television programs. Across the street from the Broadhurst, Griffiths genially lounges with a post-rehearsal cup of black coffee and a smoke in the foyer of actors hangout Angus McIndoe. Reneuron share chat. Griffiths was born in Thornaby-on-Tees, North Riding of Yorkshire, England on 31 July 1947. These then have the potential to produce Exosomes with tissue specific targeting ability. He dropped out of Our Lady & St Bede School in Stockton-on-Tees at the age of 15 and worked as a porter for Littlewoods for a while but his boss eventually persuaded him to go back to school. According to an article in the Telegraph newspaper, his father Thomas was a steelworker 'who fought in pubs for prize money' . 30/04/2023 15:04:24 Cookie Policy +44 (0) 203 8794 460 Free Membership Login. Richard Griffiths. Like most actors who have a thriving career in film and television, he learned his craft in theatre. He subsequently became a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company. Griffiths recalled how they often called out to him when they recognised him in the streets: "They know the lines, the dialogue, it's all a bit scary.". (modern), Richard Griffiths in The Habit of Art (2009), whose play-within-a-play structure enabled him to portray both WH Auden and a tetchy actor worrying about his lines. In one famous scene, the life-loving, genially promiscuous Uncle Monty bursts into the bedroom of the alcoholic hero's best friend to announce his desire to have him "even if it must be burglary". [19][20] Later, in 2009, he replaced Michael Gambon as W. H. Auden prior to the premiere of The Habit of Art at the National Theatre, once again directed by Hytner. Jnos Kis. He would go on to develop an ear for dialects which subsequently landed him several ethnic roles. For the rapid development of new allogeneic cell lines as cell-based therapeutics or for the production of exosomes with specific tissue targeting. Peter Shaffer is very insistent that this piece is a thriller but its not a whodunit its a whydunit, says Griffiths. As a matter of fact, Griffiths billing on the Equus ads comes before Radcliffe, who made his stage debut in last years sold-out London revival of Peter Shaffers 1973 drama. [23][24] He appeared in Bedtime Stories with Adam Sandler and as a special guest in A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa. People think its a fat gut, but its not, says Griffiths. Am surprised the price did not open at least 30% down on that news. He was 65. Well, you can take my arms and my legs, but I have to keep the brain. His first film appearance was in It Shouldn't Happen To A Vet (1976), followed by roles in contemporary and period pieces such as Gorky Park in 1983. Over his career he received numerous accolades including a Tony Award and Olivier Award as well as a nomination for a BAFTA Award. ReNeuron may share non-personal aggregate statistics (group) data about ReNeurons website visitors with partners or other parties. They see everything and they know their theater. For example, he developed a talent for dialects which later allowed him to shine in a number of ethnic portrayals. , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes. That is Vernon's biggest fear - he doesn't want Thornaby-on-Tees, North Yorkshire, England, UK, The Naked Gun 2: The Smell of Fear (1991), Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011), View agent, publicist, legal and company contact details on IMDbPro. Jul 31, 1947, Birthplace: All rights reserved. Right now Im on a major health purge. Not adding to my punt holding here, but watching with interest to see if Iain can achieve what Catherine was unable to. At least she bought a respectable amount of shares when in seat, unlike so many AIM BOD's. theatregoer and thundered: "I am not going to compete with these By creating an account, you agree to the According to an article in the Telegraph newspaper, his father Thomas was a steelworker 'who fought in pubs for prize money' . He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Queen Elizabeth II in 2008. [25][26], In 2005 he asked a member of the audience to leave a performance of Heroes after her phone rang three times. Richard Griffiths. He settled for a time in Manchester, did the rounds of local theatres and got an early break in films, with a small role in It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet (1977). Prior to that, he had leadership roles at Alcon, Lux Bio, Becton Dickinson and Allergan. After graduating, Griffiths won a contract on BBC Radio with their Radio Drama Company. He is survived by his wife, Heather, whom he married in 1980. Richard Griffiths, actor, born 31 July 1947; died 28 March 2013, Actor of geniality, grace and solemnity, he excelled in playing characters on the margins of society, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, 2023 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. Buena Vista Pictures, HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN, Richard Griffiths, 2004, Warner Brothers, Richard Griffiths, Teresa Palmer, Lucy Lawless and Adam Shankman on the set of "Bedtime Stories", Richard Griffiths, Guy Pearce, Teresa Palmer and Adam Sandler in "Bedtime Stories", BRITANNIA HOSPITAL, from left: Richard Griffiths, Dandy Nichols, 1982, United Artists, Episodes, Richard Griffiths, 'Episode 1', Season 1, Ep. Scroll down for video Richard Griffiths, who has died. completely and is always concerned that he is going to do something Walt Disney Pictures. LONDON (AP) Richard Griffiths, the versatile British actor who played the boy wizard's unsympathetic Uncle Vernon in the "Harry Potter" movies, has died. [31], Griffiths met Heather Gibson in 1973 and they married in 1980. Richard Griffiths, who has died aged 65 from complications following heart surgery, was a fine actor defined by his largeness of spirit, his comic instinct and his empathy with outsiders, as well as his undeniable physical size. Griffiths portrays Martin Dysart, a psychiatrist treating Alan (Radcliffe), a 17-year-old stable boy who has blinded six horses. He appeared as Inspector Henry Crabbe, disillusioned policeman and pie chef extraordinaire, in Pie in the Sky,[11] a role which was created for him. What Shows Have Been Renewed or Canceled? Prior to that long-remembered breakout performance, Griffiths was a frequent performer with the Royal Shakespeare Company before he began landing small, but significant roles in award-winning films like "Chariots of Fire" (1981) and "Gandhi" (1982). Wyndham Theatre when a lady's mobile phone kept ringing in the Griffiths made a career out of language. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince -- MTV Movie Awards Clip, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince -- "I'm in Love with Her", Played Hector in "The History Boys", a new play by, June 2005: he ordered a man out of the National Theatre, London, when Agent Simon Beresford announced . His father, a steelworker, and mother were both deaf, and he learned sign language as a young boy to be able to communicate with them. Actor: Withnail & I. [35], For other people named Richard Griffiths, see, Officer of the Order of the British Empire, Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Play, BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1, "Richard Griffiths, uncle to Withnail and Harry Potter, dies aged 65", "Potter and Withnail actor Richard Griffiths dies", "Falstaffian actor who could be comic and poignant all at once", "Richard Griffiths, Raised in Silence, Exults in Applause", "Teesside actor Richard Griffiths dies of complications following heart surgery", "In pictures: The career of Richard Griffiths", "Richard Griffiths, Falstaffian English Actor, Dies at 65", "R.I.P. According to an article in the Telegraph newspaper, his father Thomas was a steelworker 'who fought in pubs for prize money' . He won a Laurence Olivier Award, a Drama Desk Award, and a Tony Award. Born in North Riding, Yorkshire on July 31, 1947, Griffiths was brought up in a council flat in less than prosperous conditions, the son of deaf and volatile parents in a dysfunctional family setting. ReNeurons immortalized neural progenitor cell line (CTX) completed a Phase 2 b study in the US as a therapy for the treatment of patients left disabled by a stroke. The light-hearted British police drama was broadcast on the BBC between 1994 and 1997. He was awarded an honorary degree from Teesside University in 2006 and was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2008 New Year Honours. I never get off the stage, he notes. Why, almost 60 years after he first appeared in the Daily Mirror, is a layabout lout from north-east England still so loved around the world? audience. He had this blissful look on his face. If we hear one more This program continues through its partnership with Fosun Pharma in China and is available for out-license outside of China. Tap "Sign me up" below to receive our weekly newsletter . Ive always turned down stuff where you had to be fat, declares Griffiths. By accessing the services available at ADVFN you are agreeing to be bound by ADVFN's [27] Such interruptions due to audience distractions happened three times in his career. Born in North Riding, Yorkshire on July 31, 1947, Griffiths was brought up in a council flat in less than prosperous conditions, the son of deaf and volatile parents in a dysfunctional family setting. In April 2012, Griffiths starred, with Danny DeVito, in a revival of the Neil Simon play The Sunshine Boys. [citation needed] He also made an extended appearance in the 2005 version of Charles Dickens' Bleak House. Away from his TV roles, he reached an entirely new audience - a much younger one - with the role of Uncle Vernon in the Harry Potter movies. Thornaby-on-Tees, Cleveland, England, UK. Something Griffiths is making better is himself, as he faces up to an operation after the plays limited engagement. Pencoed, Wales, United Kingdom; Providence, RI Chief Medical Officer Clearside BioMedical, Inc. . Like many kids in the 50s, his world did not include television. [10] He built up an early reputation as a Shakespearean clown with portrayals of Pompey in Measure for Measure and Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream with the Royal Shakespeare Company and went on to play the Kings in Love's Labour's Lost and in Henry VIII. Terms and Policies [7][33], He was the godfather of comedian Jack Whitehall. In 1982 he played the lead in a BBC drama serial about a computer conspiracy, Birds of Prey. T he stage and screen star, who played Uncle Vernon Dursley in the Harry . support@advfn.com, FREE interactive charts, analysis tools & prices, Posted at 01/5/2023 09:20 by Reneuron Daily Update, Reneuron share price data is direct from the London Stock Exchange, ReNeuron Group plc Share Purchase by Senior Independent NED, ReNeuron Group plc New Scientific Advisory Board, ReNeuron Group plc Director/PDMR Shareholding, ReNeuron Group plc ReNeuron to present at Advanced Therapies 2023, ReNeuron Group plc Share Purchase by Chief Financial Officer, ReNeuron Group plc Block listing application, ReNeuron Group plc Block Listing Review & Total Voting Rights, ReNeuron - a leading, clinical-stage stem cell business, RENE - No revenues, no approvals, rising salaries and loads of dilution. A shame she could not deliver, but I wish her well for this reason. wet salmon with which to slap the face of every young, beautiful, successful upstart. But Richard Griffiths is about to reinvent himself twice - in a new Stoppard and BBC1's Bleak House, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, 2023 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. So whatever you do, you just try to do it better.. This permanently slowed his metabolism, making him struggle with obesity for the rest of his life.[5]. Agent Simon Beresford announced Friday that Griffiths died a day earlier of complications following heart surgery at University Hospital in Coventry, central England. But if you lose you're gutted, and the gutted sense just goes on, and I know what that's like, because I've been having that gutted feeling since 1979. his mobile phone went off for the sixth time during a performance of, The Naked Gun 2: The Smell of Fear (1991), Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011), Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Thornaby-on-Tees, North Yorkshire, England, UK. He also played the role of a chef in the BBC's adaptation of Mervyn Peake's Gormenghast, in 2000 as the grotesque Swelter. In 2006, he starred with fellow Harry Potter actor Daniel Radcliffe in a stage revival of Peter Shaffer's Equus at the Gielgud Theatre in London. Later, he played Harry Potter's cruel uncle Vernon Dursley in the Harry Potter movie series (the Philosopher's Stone, the Chamber of Secrets, the Prisoner of Azkaban, the Order of the Phoenix, and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1.). Richard Thomas Griffiths OBE (31 July 1947 28 March 2013)[1][2] was an English actor of film, television, and stage. Please ensure you have read the full contents of our Privacy Noticebefore continuing. Bleak House starts on BBC1 at the end of the month. Although film and TV work continued to flood in his later credits included Roger Michell's Venus (2006) and Martin Scorsese's Hugo (2011) it was in the theatre, particularly with his performance as Hector in The History Boys at the National, that he confirmed his star status. The other four days Griffiths dines not quite so rigorously while his body stabilizes from its most recent weight loss. He was strongly considered once again to take on the role of the Eighth Doctor, had the series continued past 1989. Ive got this terrible hernia. Griffiths once got a standing ovation after ejecting a female audience member from his West End play. He had no children. [7] He continued his education in drama at Manchester Polytechnic School of Theatre (now Manchester School of Theatre)[8] at the same time as Bernard Hill. [12] Griffiths went on to supporting roles in a number of major films, including The French Lieutenant's Woman, Chariots of Fire and Gandhi. ReNeuron Mar 2018 - Feb 2022 4 years. Richard's public profile badge I'm vain enough not to want to appear in stills.'. Richard Thomas Griffiths, OBE (31 July 1947 - 28 March 2013) was a British movie, stage, television, Actor and Voice actor.He appeared in many movies, plays, and television programs. Richard Thomas Griffiths was born in Thornaby-on-Tees, North Riding of Yorkshire, to Jane (ne Denmark, 19231969) and Thomas Griffiths (19151976). He appeared in the first episode of the television series Episodes as Julian Bullard. Birthplace: Thornaby-on-Tees, Cleveland, England, UK. +44 (0) 203 8794 460 | [9] He also worked in small theatres, sometimes acting and sometimes managing. Richard Griffiths, the versatile British actor who played the boy wizard's unsympathetic Uncle Vernon in the "Harry Potter" movies, has died. [13] On stage, in 19851986, he performed the role of Verdi in Julian Mitchell's After Aida, in Wales and at the Old Vic Theatre in London. He was a character actor much in demand and received a host of awards for his performance as Hector, the teacher, in Alan Bennett's play The History Boys in 2004, both in the West End and on Broadway. Griffiths, who was made an OBE in 2008, seemed much more at ease back at the National in 2009, playing WH Auden (replacing an ill Michael Gambon in the role) in Bennett's The Habit of Art. His father was a steelworker who also fought in pubs for money, while his mother's occupation was described as "bagger". [29] He appeared in the first episode of the television series Episodes as Julian Bullard. Dan has forgotten more about camera technique than most actors will ever learn, but knew nothing about the theater, says Griffiths, recalling when the 19-year-old actor experienced his first curtain call in London. [34], Griffiths died aged 65 at University Hospital Coventry on 28 March 2013 after complications following heart surgery. [1][4], As a boy he was so skinny that he was given radiation therapy on his pituitary gland when he was eight years old. He returned to the London stage in 2007 to play the role of the desiccated psychiatrist who envies a damaged young boy's capacity for ecstasy, in Peter Shaffer's Equus. He began taking drama classes at Stockton and Billingham College, later attending what is now known as the Manchester School of Theatre. From there, he was the British husband of Elaine Stritch on "Nobody's Perfect" (ITV, 1980-82) and a cynical lawyer in "Gorky Park" (1983). He played a retired detective running his own restaurant in Pie in the Sky Actors and friends have paid tribute to Harry Potter and Withnail and I star Richard Griffiths who has died after. Griffiths was awarded an honorary degree from Teesside University in 2006 and was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2008 New Year Honours. Griffiths expects to lose a remaining 40 pounds by March, when his surgery is tentatively slated. LONDON - Richard Griffiths, the versatile British actor who played the boy wizard's unsympathetic Uncle Vernon in the "Harry Potter" movies, has died. Calling Radcliffe modest to a fault and very serious about learning to be an actor, the theater veteran observes its been particularly exciting to see his co-star take so well to the stage. ReNeuron uses its conditionally immortalized induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) platform to make allogeneic tissue cells of choice. He was superbly flustered as the King of Navarre in John Barton's memorably autumnal Love's Labour's Lost (1978), and a year later played the dimwitted hero who becomes a studio bigwig in Nunn's buoyant revival of George Kaufman and Moss Hart's satire on Hollywood, Once in a Lifetime. He had to explain sounds to his parents, for example music. Richard Griffiths, who has died at the age of 65, was one of Britain's most celebrated character actors and will perhaps be best remembered for his role as the predatory Uncle Monty in cult. I said to him, Taste it, savor it, remember this. Hes struggling, says Griffiths. He appeared in The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends. Opa! The Company intends to out-license its RP program (outside of China). However, ReNeuron will not sell or share any information about individual users. His parents were both deaf[6] and he became fluent in British Sign Language at an early age. Dr. Richard L. Griffiths is a General Surgeon in Mechanicsburg, PA. Find Dr. Griffiths's phone number, address, insurance information, hospital affiliations and more. Advertisement Before his birth, his 'weird' parents, deaf and dumb, had suffered a tragedy that they never really recovered from. Dr Richard Beckman was appointed Chief Medical Officer in April 2018. with updates on movies, TV shows, Rotten Tomatoes podcast and more. Like most children, Richard's "mother tongue" was the same as his parents, in this case sign language. Richard Griffiths had a significant holding here, I don't see any notification of change. Tuesday's devastating attacks in Brussels show IS's European network is still at large, despite a year of intensive efforts by security forces to close it down. He was brought up as a Roman Catholic. Dysart, says Griffiths, is a very sane, greathearted man I adore him but the story undermines the whole premise of remedial psychological treatment.. Heroes runs at Wyndhams Theatre, London WC2 (0870 950 0925). Unlike Alec McCowen and Anthony Hopkins, who respectively played Dysart in the London and New York originals, and the 1977 films Richard Burton, Griffiths has shucked his characters three-piece suits for a less formidable facade. A delivery mechanism for a variety of payloads including nucleic acids, proteins, and gene editing technologies. Warner Bros. HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX, Richard Griffiths, 2007. He was not born into the theatrical purple and was not naturally endowed with leading-man good looks. Privacy Policy He dropped out of Our Lady & St Bede School in Stockton-on-Tees at age 15. He also appeared in the commercial films Sleepy Hollow (1999), The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005), Bedtime Stories (2008), and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011). (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) Broadway-goers know him best as the British actor who nabbed a Tony Award two years ago as the portly prep school teacher of The History Boys.. So the actor has been on a strict diet developed under British Heart Foundation guidelines and supervised by his wife, Heather Gibson. I was in the most ambitious company the RSC ever had. Richard Griffiths, who has died at the age of 65, was one of Britain's most celebrated character actors and will perhaps be best remembered for his role as the . Acting in films, Dan never heard applause before, Griffiths points out. By then, Griffiths had become noticed as a distinctive character actor with a peculiar mix of grace and solemnity, and throughout the 1980s he was busy in TV and film. Richard Griffiths, that superb comic actor, found the role of a lifetime, grabbed it with both hands - a figure who combined Sir Toby Belch and Andrew Aguecheek with a tiny cantankerous touch of . Link to Are You There God? Richard Thomas Griffiths, OBE (31 July 1947 28 March 2013) was a British movie, stage, television, Actor and Voice actor. Read Full Thread. He is known for his portrayals of Vernon Dursley in the Harry Potter films (2001-2010), Uncle Monty in Withnail and I (1987), and Henry Crabbe in Pie in the Sky (19941997). 100% CustomExTM: Developing customisable . HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX, from left: Richard Griffiths, Harry Melling, Fiona Shaw, 2007. Highest Rated: 100% Ballet Shoes (2007) Lowest Rated: 9% Opa! . From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. And then, hit them again, if you can. applause - had her ejected from the theatre. May 2006: When a mobile rang out for the third time during his If the guy has to be that way, I say get somebody else because Im not doing any fat acting., Shania Twain, in Seattle concert, shows why she's a legend, Roy Wood Jr.'s funniest jokes at the White House correspondents' dinner, U.S. principal forced out in 'porn' flap views David statue in Italy, Jack Nicholson returns to courtside for Lakers' playoff game, Actor Danny Masterson drugged, raped women, prosecutor says. in the 2008 Queen's New Years Honours List for his services to drama. [21], Griffiths was considered for the part of The Doctor in Doctor Who, following Tom Baker's departure in 1981, but was unavailable. Harry Potter movie fans recall Griffiths as the heros terrible Uncle Vernon. Because of my weight, I was told that its possible I would wake up with persistent vegetative syndrome you lose your brain, explains Griffiths. Media related to Richard Griffiths at Wikimedia Commons. He also made an extended appearance in the 2005 version of Charles Dickens's Bleak House. Needless to say, he did an outstanding job. Its better if youre still peaking when youre 60, which I feel I am.. [3] From there, he began to appear on television and then got his big break in film in It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet (1976). Born in Thornaby-on-Tees in North Yorkshire in 1947, Griffiths attempted to run away from home many times and dropped out of school at the age of 15, working as a porter before his manager convinced him to go back to school. The show was played at the Savoy Theatre from 27 April 2012, opening on 17 May and playing a limited 12-week season until 28 July. [4][5] Many reactions were posted on Twitter after his death. I would shout. Marvel Movies Ranked Worst to Best by Tomatometer, Jurassic Park Movies Ranked By Tomatometer, RT25: Celebrating 25 Years of Rotten Tomatoes, Weekend Box Office Results: Super Mario Joins the Billion-Dollar Club, Highest Rated: After a career on stage and screen in his native Britain, where he was renowned as both a Shakespearean clown and a fine dramatic player, Richard Griffiths saw his profile rise across the Atlantic after portraying the lusty and life-loving Uncle Monty in the cult classic "Withnail and I" (1987). He needs to lose 100 pounds before the procedure, which is relatively minor but problematic due to the amount of anesthesia required for a man of his bulk. [2] His parents were both deaf, and he learned sign language at an early age so that he could communicate with them. [18] In 2007 he starred in Ballet Shoes with his Harry Potter co-stars Emma Watson and Gemma Jones. the Terms and Policies, and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes. Michael Sommers. It was a tricky role, since Hector was both a brilliant teacher and a habitual boy-groper.