Here is the biography of Tim Pigott-Smith:
Tim Pigott-Smith was born on May 13, 1946, in Rugby, Warwickshire, to a journalist father. He attended King Edward VI School in Stratford-upon-Avon and graduated from Bristol University in 1967. He then received his acting training at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.
Pigott-Smith made his professional debut in 1969 with the Bristol Old Vic under the stage name "Tim Smith." He focused on Shakespeare and Greek plays, and went on to play Balthazar in "Much Ado About Nothing" for the Prospect touring company and Posthumus in a 1974 production of "Cymbeline" for the Royal Shakespeare Company. He made his Broadway debut that same year in "Sherlock Holmes" as Dr. Watson opposite John Wood.
He acted alongside most of England's grande dame royalty, including Judi Dench, Helen Mirren, Geraldine James, Margaret Tyzack, Peggy Ashcroft, Maggie Smith, and Penelope Wilton. He was a charming, distinguished presence on stage and was invited by Anthony Quayle to take over the running of the Compass theatre company founded by him in 1984. He served as its artistic director from 1989-1992.
Pigott-Smith was also a theatre director, and directed productions of "Hamlet" and "A Royal Hunt of the Sun." He transitioned into more prominent BBC roles, including Angelo in "Measure for Measure" and Hotspur in "Henry IV Part I." He started his small screen career in secondary Shakespeare roles, and transitioned into more prominent roles with his performances in "North & South," "The Glittering Prizes," "The Lost Boys," "Danger UXB," and "Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years."
Aside from his theatre work, quality TV remained an extremely successful venue for Pigott-Smith, with impressive performances in prestigious min-series such as "The Jewel in the Crown" and "The Challenge." He enjoyed recurring roles on the TV series "Doctor Who," "Hannah," and "The Vice." He also narrated several documentary series, including "Crimes That Shook the World" and "Doomsday: World War I."
Pigott-Smith's film work began in the 1970s, but remained far and few between. He did enjoy a prime role in the nuclear drama "A State of Emergency" starring opposite Martin Sheen and Peter Firth. He also appeared in several contemporary plays, including "Benefactors," "Coming in to Land," and "Amadeus."
In later years, Pigott-Smith continued to perform on stage, playing in productions such as "The Winter's Tale," "The Iceman Cometh," and "Mourning Becomes Electra." He also portrayed Leontes in "The Winter's Tale" and scored critical acclaim in the 1999 version of "The Iceman Cometh" (both London and Broadway) and with Helen Mirren in an over four-hour production of "Mourning Becomes Electra."
Pigott-Smith was an RSC Associate Artist and served on both the RSC board and as a governor from 2005 until his retirement in 2016. He was an Olivier and Tony nominee for his powerful portrayal of King Charles III in 2015.
On film, Pigott-Smith often appeared in official high-ranking parts, including Martin Scorsese's "Gangs of New York," "The Four Feathers," the historical Greek biopic "Alexander," "V for Vendetta," "Flyboys," "Quantum of Solace," "Alice in Wonderland," "RED 2," "Jupiter Ascending," and "Whisky Galore." He also appeared in TV shows such as "Downtown Abbey" and recreated his stage triumph in the title role of King Charles III in 2017, which earned him a second BAFTA-TV nomination.
Tim Pigott-Smith died suddenly of natural causes on April 7, 2017, at the age of 70. He was survived by his actress wife Pamela Miles and their son Tom Pigott Smith, a concert/studio violinist.
