Richard Griffiths
Biography
Richard Griffiths was an English actor who built an early stage reputation as a Shakespearean clown with the Royal Shakespeare Company before moving into film and television. Born in Thornaby-on-Tees, he studied drama at Manchester Polytechnic and, after graduating, joined the BBC Radio Drama Company. His film breakthrough came with It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet (1976), and he went on to supporting roles in The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981), Chariots of Fire (1981) and Gandhi (1982). He was also known for playing Uncle Monty in Withnail and I (1987), Inspector Henry Crabbe in the television series Pie in the Sky, and Vernon Dursley in five Harry Potter films, including Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001) and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010). For The History Boys, he won a Tony Award and a Laurence Olivier Award and was nominated for a BAFTA for its 2006 film version. He was appointed an OBE in 2008.
65years old at death
- Born Thornaby-on-Tees
- Died University Hospital Coventry
- Star sign: LeoThe sign runs July 23 to August 22
- Also credited as Richard Thomas Griffiths
Movie Career
- Films
- 35
- Career span
- 32 years1980 to 2012
Genres
First and latest
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A role that slipped away
Griffiths was considered to play the Fifth Doctor in Doctor Who after Tom Baker left in 1981, but he was unavailable. He was also strongly considered for the Eighth Doctor if the series had continued past 1989.
Behind the award
In 2004, Griffiths was the first to play Hector, the teacher, in Alan Bennett's play The History Boys, which Nicholas Hytner directed. He won the 2005 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor for that role.
Early training
Griffiths went on to study drama at Manchester Polytechnic School of Theatre, which is now called Manchester School of Theatre, while Bernard Hill was there at the same time.
First role
The role of Inspector Henry Crabbe, the disillusioned policeman and pie chef in Pie in the Sky, was created for Griffiths.
Richard Griffiths movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
- Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone2001 Adventure, Family, Fantasyas Uncle Vernon Dursley
IMDb rating 7.7967K votes
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix2007 Adventure, Family, Fantasyas Uncle Vernon Dursley
IMDb rating 7.5712K votes
Most often with
Chris Columbus directed two of these films, David Yates two and Hugh Hudson two. Emma Watson appears in six of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Emma Watson's page
Robbie Coltrane's page
Fiona Shaw's page
Daniel Radcliffe's page
Rupert Grint's page
Harry Melling's page
All films by Chris Columbus
All films by David Yates
Hugh HudsonDirector, 2 films, 1981 to 1984
All films by Hugh Hudson
Box office
What Richard Griffiths's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$7.0 billion
26 of the 35 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 35 films: 26 worldwide figure; 4 us gross only; 4 never in cinemas; 1 figure not found.
- 26Worldwide figure
- 4US gross only
- 4Never in cinemas
- 1Figure not found
Highest grossing
The eight biggest films earned 87% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$1.0B14.9% of the total
- 2$1.0B14.7% of the total
- 3$954M13.6% of the total
- 4$938M13.4% of the total
- 5$877M12.5% of the total
- 6$790M11.3% of the total
- 7$216M3.1% of the total
- 8$213M3.0% of the total
$937 millionfrom the other 18 films with a worldwide figure, 13% of the total
Awards
Five awards and honors, one of them major.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tony Awards | |||
| 2006 | Best Actor in a Play | Won | |
| Other honors | |||
| 2006 | Theatre World Award | Won | |
| Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Play | Won | ||
| Laurence Olivier Awards | Won | ||
| Officer of the Order of the British Empire | Won | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.