I'm saddened to learn that
House of Cards star Ian Richardson (Francis Urquhart) has passed away. His
BBC death notice (which includes postings from those who knew him) said this:
Famous for his sonorous voice and stern demeanour, he was made a CBE in 1989.
Richardson won a Bafta award for his role as the Machiavellian Urquhart in 1990's House of Cards.
He went on to be nominated for both its sequels, To Play the King and The Final Cut, as well as the 1992 drama An Ungentlemanly Act.
Other TV roles included Sherlock Holmes, Lord Groan in Gormenghast, Sir Godber Evans in Porterhouse Blue and the 'Tailor' in Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.
His many films included Terry Gilliam's Brazil and Jane Austen biopic Becoming Jane, due for release next month.
But it is for the deliciously devious Urquhart - a character he based on Richard III - that he remains best known.
The Tory politician's famous one-liner - "You may very well think that; I couldn't possibly comment" - has since passed into Westminster parlance.
"I'm grateful for the part as it put me on the map," he said in 2005.
"The only trouble is getting rid of it. So many people seem to think that I am like him."
I can vouch for that sentiment. He was a great actor, and even a short acquaintance showed that he was no Francis Urquhart. I met Richardson years ago at a PBS press tour, where he gave me an interview for my doctoral dissertation about
Mobil Masterpiece Theatre. He was both kind and generous, shared a lot of time telling stories and answering questions from an unknown graduate student, when I'm sure he could have been doing more important things. I was grateful then, am saddened now--yet consoled that his performances live on...
