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- The avuncular star character actor Richard Griffiths grew up in a council flat in less than prosperous conditions, the son of deaf and volatile parents in a dysfunctional family setting. According to an article in the Telegraph newspaper, his father Thomas was a steelworker 'who fought in pubs for prize money'. Like most children, Richard's "mother tongue" was the same as his parents. In his case, that was sign language. Like many kids in the 50s, his world did not include television. He had to explain sounds to his parents, for example music. Griffiths made a career out of language. For instance, he developed a talent for dialects which later allowed him to shine in a number of ethnic portrayals. He attended the Manchester Polytechnic School Of Drama and then began his career in radio drama and repertory theatre. He subsequently became a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company where he often excelled playing Shakespeare's comic characters.
In a 2007 interview, Griffiths said "I like playing Vernon Dursley in Harry Potter because that gives me a license to be horrible to kids. I hate the odious business of sucking up to the public." In fact, unlike those jovial characters he so often portrayed on screen, Griffiths did not tolerate fools gladly. On occasion, he would get stroppy with members of an audience, especially those failing to switch off their mobile phones during a performance (who could blame him?). He was also highly thought of as a raconteur and wit.
The ever-versatile, often bespectacled and bearded Griffiths did his best work for the small screen, excelling as the inquisitive and resourceful civil servant Henry Jay in Bird of Prey (1982) and as the lovable 'cooking policeman' Henry Crabbe in Pie in the Sky (1994), a role specially created for him. As comic relief he made many a hilarious guest appearance, in, among other popular series, The Vicar of Dibley (1994) (as the Bishop of Mulberry) and as Dr. Bayham Badger in the superb BBC adaption of Bleak House (2005). He could also play evil and sinister, none more so than Swelter in Gormenghast (2000), a character Griffiths described being at once "laughably comic" and "a monster like Idi Amin". He was also much sought-after by Hollywood producers, appearing in a dual role in The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear (1991), as the ill-fated Magistrate Philipse in Tim Burton 's Sleepy Hollow (1999) and as King George in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011).
The much-acclaimed actor won a Tony Award, a Laurence Olivier Award, the Drama Desk Award and the Outer Critics Circle Award.
Griffiths was uncommonly skinny as a child and this required radiation treatment on his pituitary gland from the age of eight. It caused his metabolism to slow to such an extent that he eventually became obese, a condition which in all likelihood contributed to his death from complications during heart surgery on 28 March 2013 at the age of 65. - Writer
- Editor
- Producer
Keith Kjornes was born on 24 November 1950 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. He was a writer and editor, known for Open All Night, Surveillance (2001) and Six Dollars a Minute (1997). He was married to Irene Carmen Cadahia. He died on 28 March 2013 in Fort Worth, Texas, USA.- Jean-Paul Bonnaire was born on 3 October 1943 in Chaux, Côte-d'Or, France. He was an actor, known for The Chorus (2004), P.J. (1997) and RRRrrrr!!! (2004). He died on 28 March 2013 in Paris, France.
- Writer
- Producer
- Director
Manuel García Ferré was born on 8 October 1929 in Almería, Almería, Andalucía, Spain. He was a writer and producer, known for Corazón, las alegrías de Pantriste (2000), Las aventuras de Hijitus (1967) and Anteojito and Antifaz: A Thousand Attempts and One Invention (1972). He died on 28 March 2013 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.- Pahnie Jantzen's musical career began at 14 with a family group in his home town - Wanganui, New Zealand. He became a carpenter and moved to Australia: working in various towns, and played at night in a number of groups.
He based himself in Brisbane when Greg Doolan invited him to join the Wak as bass player. The magic Maori brought Louis Armstrong's music alive, and provided an insight into Stevie Wonder.
When Wickety Wak retired in 1990 Pahnie admitted to feeling a little lost. For 16 years he'd had his 'family' of four brothers with him and they were constantly flying here and driving there, with almost every day in a different town. After a year Pahnie settled into life without Wak and started his solo career, which included a short stint with the band, Three Dimension. Pahnie appeared in made for TV movie called 'Survive the savage seas completed in 1992. The part played was of 'first Mate' . After completing a brief acting stint he later joined Peter and Robbie in Out of Wak.
Pahnie performed with his wife Ngaire in the highly successful duo Pinkke Champagne.From 1995 onwards Pahnie performed in a duo with either Rob Rosenlund or Tony Jeffrey .
On March the 28, 2013 Pahnie passed away from a brief battle with cancer, he was age 74. - Robert Remini was born on 17 July 1921 in New York City, New York, USA. He was married to Ruth Kuhner. He died on 28 March 2013 in Evanston, Illinois, USA.
- Soraya Jiménez was born on 5 August 1977 in Naucalpan, Estado de Mexico, Mexico. She was an actress, known for La Clinica (2012) and La jugada (1993). She died on 28 March 2013 in Mexico City, Mexico.
- Bob Teague was born on 2 January 1929 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. He was married to Jan Grisingher and Matt Turney. He died on 28 March 2013 in New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA.
- Gus Triandos was born on 30 July 1930 in San Francisco, California, USA. He died on 28 March 2013 in San Jose, California, USA.
- Music Department
- Composer
- Soundtrack
Hugh McCracken was born on 31 March 1942 in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, USA. He was a composer, known for Foreplay (1975), Long Gone (1987) and Go Ask Alice (1973). He was married to Holly McCracken and Lynne White. He died on 28 March 2013 in New York City, New York, USA.