1. Richard Griffiths was known for his portrayals of Vernon Dursley in the Harry Potter films, Uncle Monty in Withnail and I, and Henry Crabbe in Pie in the Sky.
26 Facts About Richard Griffiths
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Richard Griffiths was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II in 2008.
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Richard Griffiths is known for his performances at the National Theatre including Equus, The Habit of Art, and The Sunshine Boys.
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Richard Griffiths had supporting roles in such critically acclaimed films as Chariots of Fire, The French Lieutenant's Woman, Gandhi, A Private Function, Venus, Ballet Shoes, and Hugo.
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Richard Thomas Griffiths was born in Thornaby-on-Tees, North Riding of Yorkshire, to Jane and Thomas Griffiths.
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Richard Griffiths's father was a steelworker who fought in pubs for money, while his mother's occupation was described as "bagger".
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Richard Griffiths had an elder sister and two brothers, all of whom died in infancy before he was born.
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Richard Griffiths's parents were both deaf and he became fluent in British Sign Language at an early age.
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Richard Griffiths continued his education in drama at Manchester Polytechnic School of Theatre at the same time as Bernard Hill.
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Richard Griffiths worked in small theatres, sometimes acting and sometimes managing.
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Richard Griffiths built up an early reputation as a Shakespearean clown with portrayals of Pompey in Measure for Measure and Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream with the Royal Shakespeare Company and went on to play the Kings in Love's Labour's Lost and in Henry VIII.
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Richard Griffiths eventually settled in Manchester and began to get lead roles in plays.
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Richard Griffiths went on to supporting roles in a number of major films, including The French Lieutenant's Woman, Chariots of Fire and Gandhi.
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Richard Griffiths appeared in The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends.
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Richard Griffiths appeared as Inspector Henry Crabbe, disillusioned policeman and pie chef extraordinaire, in Pie in the Sky, a role which was created for him.
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Richard Griffiths made an extended appearance in the 2005 version of Charles Dickens' Bleak House.
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Richard Griffiths reprised his role in the film version, which was released in October 2006.
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Richard Griffiths was considered for the part of The Doctor in Doctor Who, following Tom Baker's departure in 1981, but was unavailable.
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Richard Griffiths was strongly considered to take on the role of the Eighth Doctor, had the series continued past 1989.
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Richard Griffiths performed in adaptations of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, providing the voice for Slartibartfast for the radio adaptation of Life, the Universe and Everything and playing the Vogon Jeltz in the film version of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
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Richard Griffiths appeared in Bedtime Stories with Adam Sandler and as a special guest in A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa.
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Richard Griffiths appeared in a cameo as King George II in Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.
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Richard Griffiths appeared in the first episode of the television series Episodes as Julian Bullard.
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Richard Griffiths met Heather Gibson in 1973 and they married in 1980.
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Richard Griffiths was awarded an honorary degree from Teesside University in 2006 and was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 2008 New Year Honours.
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Richard Griffiths died aged 65 at University Hospital Coventry on 28 March 2013 after complications following heart surgery.