“Potter” Actor Richard Griffiths Has Passed Away, Age 65
Richard Griffiths OBE, “one of the most loved, recognisable and greatest British actors,” has died after complications following heart surgery.
Best known for his brilliant portrayal of Uncle Vernon in the Potter series, Griffths had enjoyed an enormously successful and wide ranging career in film, theater and television. Starting out with the Royal Shakespeare Company, he went on to a number of television roles before becoming a fan favorite in the 1987 British classic, Withnail and I. In recent years, he headed back to the stage with roles in the Alan Bennett’s The History Boys and the 2007 revival of Equus, featuring Potter co-star Daniel Radcliffe.
Potter figurehead, Radcliffe has paid tribute to the star, saying, “Richard was by my side during two of the most important moments of my career. I was proud to know him.”
The Harry Potter community has once again lost one of our beloved actors (joining the likes of Richard Harris, Robert Knox, Elizabeth Spriggs, and Eric Sykes) and MuggleNet would like to pass on our sincerest sympathies to Richard Griffths’ friends and family as this difficult time.