1. Nicol Williamson was once described by playwright John Osborne as "the greatest actor since Marlon Brando".
16 Facts About Nicol Williamson
1. 2.
Nicol Williamson was described by Samuel Beckett as "touched by genius" and viewed by many critics as "the Hamlet of his generation" during the late 1960s.
3.
Thomas Nicol Williamson was born on 14 September 1936 in Hamilton, Lanarkshire, the son of Hugh Williamson, operator of an aluminium manufacturing plant and former hairdresser's assistant, and Mary Brown Hill, nee Storrie.
4.
Nicol Williamson recalled his time there as "a disaster" and claimed "it was nothing more than a finishing school for the daughters of local businessmen".
5.
Faithfull later stated in her autobiography Faithfull that she and Nicol Williamson had an affair while filming Hamlet.
6.
Nicol Williamson's most celebrated film role was as Merlin the magician in the King Arthur epic Excalibur in 1981.
7.
Nicol Williamson gained recognition from a much wider fanbase for his performance as Merlin.
8.
In 1994, Nicol Williamson wrote a play for solo actor on the life of actor John Barrymore.
9.
Nicol Williamson made a major contribution to the documentary John Osborne and the Gift of Friendship, recalling episodes from his long professional relationship with Osborne.
10.
Nicol Williamson was known for throwing onset tantrums and onstage antics.
11.
In 1974, Nicol Williamson recorded an abridged reading of The Hobbit for Argo Records, authorisation for the abridgement having been provided by JRR.
12.
In 1978, Nicol Williamson portrayed a murderous behaviour expert in the Columbo episode "How to Dial a Murder".
13.
Nicol Williamson's character was one of the few suspects who attempted to kill Columbo.
14.
In 1971, Nicol Williamson married actress Jill Townsend, who had played his daughter in the Broadway production of Inadmissible Evidence.
15.
Nicol Williamson died on 16 December 2011 in Amsterdam, aged 75, two years after being diagnosed with esophageal cancer.
16.
Nicol Williamson was nominated for three BAFTA Awards, a Saturn Award, two Tony Awards, and won the Silver Shell for the Best Actor from the San Sebastian International Film Festival in 1969 for his performance in Laughter in the Dark.