Richard Griffiths

Biography

Richard Thomas Griffiths (July 31, 1947 – March 28, 2013) was an English actor of film, television, and stage. For his performance in the stage play The History Boys, Griffiths won a Tony Award, a Laurence Olivier Award, the Drama Desk Award and the Outer Critics Circle Award. For the 2006 film adaptation, Griffiths was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. He played Vernon Dursley in the Harry Potter films (2001-2010) and Great Uncle Matthew Brown "Gum" in the BBC film Ballet Shoes (2007). He also portrayed Uncle Monty in Withnail and I (1987), and Henry Crabbe in Pie in the Sky (1994–1997). Earlier in his career, he had supporting roles in such critically acclaimed films as Chariots of Fire (1981), The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981), Gandhi (1982), and The Naked Gun 2+1⁄2: The Smell of Fear (1991). In his later career he appeared in Sleepy Hollow (1999), The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005), Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011) and in Martin Scorsese's Hugo (2011).

Known For

Tony Awards

Tony Awards

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Minder

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Crown Court

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Bergerac

All Movies (62)

• Showing Up2014 · as Self
• About Time2013 · as Lawyer in Play (uncredited)
• Private Peaceful2012 · as The Colonel
• Hugo2011 · as Monsieur Frick
• Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides2011 · as King George
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 12010 · as Vernon Dursley
• Jackboots on Whitehall2010 · as Hermann Goering (voice)
• National Theatre Live: The Habit of Art2010 · as Fitz / W. H. Auden
• Bedtime Stories2008 · as Barry Nottingham
• A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa2008 · as Santa Claus
• Ballet Shoes2008 · as Great Uncle Matthew
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix2007 · as Vernon Dursley
• The History Boys2006 · as Hector
• Venus2006 · as Donald
• The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends2006 · as Mr. Alderman Ptolomy Tortoise/Mr. Jackson/Sir Isaac Newton
• Opa!2005 · as Tierrney
• The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy2005 · as Jeltz (voice)
• Princes in the Tower2005 · as Thomas More voice
• Stage Beauty2004 · as Sir Charles Sedley
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban2004 · as Vernon Dursley
• The Brides in the Bath2003 · as Sir Edward Marshall-Hall
• Jeffrey Archer: The Truth2002 · as Willie Whitelaw
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets2002 · as Vernon Dursley
• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone2001 · as Vernon Dursley
• Sleepy Hollow: Behind the Legend2000 · as Self
• Vatel2000 · as Dr. Bourdelot
• Sleepy Hollow1999 · as Bürgermeister Phillipse
• Ted & Ralph1998 · as Landowner at Party
• The Animal Train1998 · as Elephant
• The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends: The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies and Mrs. Tittlemouse1996 · as Mr. Jackson (voice)
• Funny Bones1995 · as Jim Minty
• A Breed of Heroes1994 · as Brian Beasely
• Guarding Tess1994 · as Frederick
• Mr. Wakefield's Crusade1992 · as Porter
• Blame It on the Bellboy1992 · as Maurice Horton
• The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear1991 · as Dr. Meinheimer / Earl Hacker
• King Ralph1991 · as Duncan Phipps
• Goldeneye1989 · as Second Admiral
• The Movie Life of George1989 · as Self
• Withnail & I1987 · as Monty
• Casanova1987 · as Cardinal
• Shanghai Surprise1986 · as Willie Tuttle
• A Private Function1984 · as Allardyce
• Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes1984 · as Captain Billings
• Gorky Park1983 · as Anton
• The Merry Wives of Windsor1982 · as Sir John Falstaff
• Gandhi1982 · as Collins
• A Light Snack1982 · as The Window Cleaner
• The World Cup: A Captain's Tale1982 · as Sidney Barron
• Britannia Hospital1982 · as Cheerful Bernie
• Ragtime1981 · as Delmas' Assistant No. 1
• The French Lieutenant's Woman1981 · as Sir Tom
• Chariots of Fire1981 · as Head Porter - Caius College
• Superman II1980 · as Terrorist
• Breaking Glass1980 · as Studio Engineer
• Afternoon Off1979 · as Factory Boss
• The Comedy of Errors1978 · as Officer
• It's Only Rock 'n' Roll1977 · as Board Member
• Twelve Off the Belt1977 · as Bedworth Hogg
• It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet1976 · as Sam Broadbent
• Well Thank You, Thursday1976 · as Window Cleaner
• Norma1974 · as Park Keeper

All TV Shows (37)

• The Hollow Crown2012 · as Duke of Burgundy
• Episodes2011 · as Julian Bullard
• Bleak House2005 · as Mr. Bayham Badger
• tlc2002 · as Mr Benedict Ron
• Gormenghast2000 · as Swelter
• Hope and Glory1999 · as Leo Wheeldon
• In the Red1998 · as Geoffrey Crichton Potter
• Pie in the Sky1994 · as Henry Crabbe
• The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends1992 · as Mr. Jackson (voice)
• Pebble Mill1991 · as Self
• Perfect Scoundrels1990 · as Phil Kirby
• El C.I.D.1990 · as Weatherby
• Screen One1989 · as Brian Beazely
• A Kind of Living1988 · as Trevor Beasley
• The Marksman1987 · as Brown
• Ffizz1987
• Inspector Morse1987 · as Canon Humphrey Appleton
• Boon1986
• Lovejoy1986 · as Hans Koopman
• The Cleopatras1983 · as Pot Belly
• Countdown1982
• Bird of Prey1982 · as Henry Jay
• Whoops Apocalypse1982 · as Premier Dubienkin
• Bergerac1981 · as Jean-Pierre
• Six Fifty-Five Special1981 · as Self
• Minder1979 · as Derek Farrow
• The BBC Television Shakespeare1978 · as Sir John Falstaff
• An Audience with...1978 · as Self
• Red Letter Day1976 · as Window Cleaner
• The Sweeney1975 · as Ronnie Harries
• Village Hall1974 · as Mr. Ridealgh
• Second City Firsts1973 · as Bedworth Hog
• Crown Court1972 · as Interpreter
• ITV Playhouse1967 · as Park keeper
• ITV Playhouse1967 · as Board member
• Tony Awards1956 · as Self - Winner
• Tony Awards1956 · as Self - Presenter