Ian Richardson, Tony Nominee & Star of Stage and Screen, Dies at 72

Ian Richardson, the veteran Shakespearean actor and star of BBC TV's House of Cards is dead at the age of 72. Richardson died unexpectedly at home in his sleep in the early hours of February 9. He had been scheduled to film a role in the British TV series Midsomer Murders later in the month.

The urbane, velvet-voiced star was born in Edinburgh in 1934 and studied at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. His breakthrough as an actor came in 1960, with his portrayal of Hamlet at the Birmingham Rep. Shortly thereafter he became a co-founder of the Royal Shakespeare Company and was the leading artist there for several years, appearing in numerous roles. While at the RSC, he created the role of Paul Marat in Marat/Sade, which he essayed again in a critically acclaimed 1966 film version. He went on to further stage success in Stratford, Ontario and on Broadway. He received a Tony nomination for his Henry Higgins in the New York revival of My Fair Lady in 1976. In 1968, Richardson played Oberon in Peter Hall's well-received production of A Midsummer Night's Dream and Don John in the BBC's Much Ado Abut Nothing in 1978. He was also an in-demand player on film, appearing in Terry Gilliam's surreal, dystopian classic Brazil 1985, opposite Rufus Sewell in the sci-fi thriller Dark City 1998, as Polonious in the film of Tom Stoppard's Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead 1990 and in B*A*P*S 1997 and 102 Dalamatians 2002.

His theater career gathered pace again at the dawn of the 21st century, finding him on an international tour of John Barton's celebration of the historical British Monarchy, The Hollow Crown, with Dame Diana Rigg and Sir Derek Jacobi, prior to an appearance in The Creeper at London's Playhouse in 2006.
 
Last year, he added to previous stand-out television credits including Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, Private Schulz, Bleak House and several outings as Sherlock Holmes, with his performance as the Grim Reaper in Sky TV's acclaimed adaptation of Terry Pratchett's The Hogfather. In June last year he was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Stirling, which was presented to him by Dame Diana Rigg. He was also a recipient of the CBE Commander of The British Empire.

For all his other work, it is his portrayal of the Machiavellian politician Francis Urqhart in the triptych of politically satirical television series House of Cards, To Play the King and The Final Cut, for which he will likely be best remembered. He portrayed the limitlessly shrewd and charming megalomaniac Urqhart in David Nobbs' dramas. Richardson'sperformance conclusively gripped the attention of audiences and politicians alike. Famously, then-incumbent Prime Minister John Major and his cabinet colleagues interrupted their 1990 leadership campaign so that they could tune in on Sunday night and find out what Urqhart was up to next. His catchphrase, “You might say that…of course, I couldn't possibly comment” has since become inked into the British political lexicon.

Richardson is survived by his wife Maroussia and their two sons.