Roy Dotrice during the shooting of Mister Lincoln

Roy Dotrice (26 May 1923 – 16 October 2017) was a British actor famed for his portrayal of the antiquarian

John Aubrey John Aubrey (12 March 1626 – 7 June 1697) was an English antiquarian, antiquary, Natural philosophy, natural philosopher and writer. He is perhaps best known as the author of the ''Brief Lives'', his collection of short biographical pieces. ...

in the record-breaking solo play '' Brief Lives''. Abroad, he won a

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...

for his performance in the 2000 Broadway revival of '' A Moon for the Misbegotten'', also appearing as

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 17565 December 1791), baptised as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition r ...

's father Leopold in '' Amadeus'' (1984),

Charles Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian e ...

in ''

Dickens of London ''Dickens of London'' is a 1976 television miniseries from ITV Yorkshire, Yorkshire Television based on the life of English novelist Charles Dickens. Both Dickens and his father John Dickens, John were played by British actor Roy Dotrice. The se ...

'' (1984), and Jacob Wells/Father in ''

Beauty and the Beast ''Beauty and the Beast'' (french: La Belle et la Bête) is a fairy tale written by French novelist Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve and published in 1740 in ''La Jeune Américaine et les contes marins'' (''The Young American and Marine T ...

''. Late in life, he narrated a series of

audiobook An audiobook (or a talking book) is a recording of a book or other work being read out loud. A reading of the complete text is described as "unabridged", while readings of shorter versions are abridgements. Spoken audio has been available in sch ...

s for George R. R. Martin's

epic fantasy High fantasy, or epic fantasy, is a subgenre of fantasy defined by the epic nature of its setting or by the epic stature of its characters, themes, or plot. Brian Stableford, ''The A to Z of Fantasy Literature'', (p. 198), Scarecrow Press, ...

series ''

A Song of Ice and Fire ''A Song of Ice and Fire'' is a series of epic fantasy novels by the American novelist and screenwriter George R. R. Martin. He began the first volume of the series, '' A Game of Thrones'', in 1991, and it was published in 1996. Martin, who in ...

'', for which he held the

Guinness World Record ''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...

for the most character voices for an audiobook by an individual.

Life and career

Dotrice was born in Guernsey,

Bailiwick of Guernsey The Bailiwick of Guernsey (french: Bailliage de Guernesey; Guernésiais: ''Bailliage dé Guernési'') is an island country off the coast of France as one of the three Crown Dependencies. Separated from the Duchy of Normandy by and under the ...

on 26 May 1923 to Neva (née Wilton; 1897–1984) and Louis Dotrice (1896–1991). He served as a wireless operator/air gunner with the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...

during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, and was imprisoned in a German

prisoner of war A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold prisoners of ...

camp from 1942 to 1945, after being shot down in Avro Manchester R5840 of No.106 Squadron based at Coningsby, all seven airmen of the crew being taken Prisoner of War.

Radio

Dotrice was the voice of "Permanent Under-Secretary Sir Gregory Pitkin" in the early episodes of BBC Radio's long-running comedy '' The Men from the Ministry''. He was succeeded by Ronald Baddiley in the role. He also played the caretaker Ramsay alongside

Patricia Hayes Patricia Lawlor Hayes (22 December 1909 – 19 September 1998) was an English character actress. Early life Patricia Hayes OBE was born in Streatham,Dennis Barker, "Hayes, Patricia Lawlor (1909–1998)", ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biog ...

in the Radio 2 sitcom Know Your Place.

Theatre

Roy Dotrice was a distinguished member of the Royal Shakespeare Company and in the early 1960s played a variety of roles, including Caliban in The Tempest, opposite Tom Fleming's Propero (dir: Peter Brook) John of Gaunt and Hotspur opposite David Warner's Richard II, and Justice Shallow opposite Hugh Griffith as Falstaff in Henry IV, and then Edward IV in the Hall/Barton adapted Shakespeare cycle The Wars of the Roses, later broadcast by the BBC. Dotrice played the part of John Aubrey in ''Brief Lives'', a one-man play devised and directed by Patrick Garland that saw Dotrice hold the stage for more than two-and-a-half hours (including the interval, during which he would feign sleep). Premiering in 1967 at the

Hampstead Theatre Hampstead Theatre is a theatre in South Hampstead in the London Borough of Camden. It specialises in commissioning and producing new writing, supporting and developing the work of new writers. Roxana Silbert has been the artistic director sin ...

in London, the play later toured England, before two successful productions on Broadway. In 1968 it moved to the

Criterion Theatre The Criterion Theatre is a West End theatre at Piccadilly Circus in the City of Westminster, and is a Grade II* listed building. It has a seating capacity of 588. Building the theatre In 1870, the caterers Spiers and Pond began developmen ...

in the

West End West End most commonly refers to: * West End of London, an area of central London, England * West End theatre, a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London, England West End may also refer to: Pl ...

, where it ran for 400 performances before transferring to the Mayfair Theatre. He revived the role in 2008, again under Patrick Garland's direction. These runs, combined with extensive international touring, earned Dotrice a place in the

Guinness World Records ''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...

for the greatest number of solo performances (1,782). In 1984 he starred opposite

Rosemary Harris Rosemary Ann Harris (born 19 September 1927) is an English actress. She is the recipient of such accolades as a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Tony Award, in addition to nominations for an Academy Award and a BAFTA Award. In ...

in a production of

Noël Coward Sir Noël Peirce Coward (16 December 189926 March 1973) was an English playwright, composer, director, actor, and singer, known for his wit, flamboyance, and what ''Time (magazine), Time'' magazine called "a sense of personal style, a combina ...

's ''

Hay Fever Allergic rhinitis, of which the seasonal type is called hay fever, is a type of inflammation in the nose that occurs when the immune system overreacts to allergens in the air. Signs and symptoms include a runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, red ...

''. He appeared in the stage production of

Irving Berlin Irving Berlin (born Israel Beilin; yi, ישראל ביילין; May 11, 1888 – September 22, 1989) was a Russian-American composer, songwriter and lyricist. His music forms a large part of the Great American Songbook. Born in Imperial Russ ...

's ''

White Christmas White Christmas most commonly refers to: * White Christmas (weather), snowfall or snow-covered ground on Christmas Day * "White Christmas" (song), a 1942 song written by Irving Berlin White Christmas may also refer to: Film, television, and the ...

'' at

The Lowry The Lowry is a theatre and gallery complex at Salford Quays, Salford, Greater Manchester, England. It is named after the early 20th-century painter L. S. Lowry, known for his paintings of industrial scenes in North West England. The complex ope ...

theatre in

Salford Salford () is a city and the largest settlement in the City of Salford metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. In 2011, Salford had a population of 103,886. It is also the second and only other city in the metropolitan county afte ...

from November 2009 to January 2010.

Television

In the 1970s Dotrice played the

title role The title character in a narrative work is one who is named or referred to in the title of the work. In a performed work such as a play or film, the performer who plays the title character is said to have the title role of the piece. The title of ...

in the television mini-series ''

''. He also appeared as Albert Haddock in the BBC television adaptation of A. P. Herbert's '' Misleading Cases'' in 1971. In 1972 he played the Curé Ponosse in the BBC2 TV adaptation of ''

Clochemerle ''Clochemerle'', published in the United States as ''The Scandals of Clochemerle'', is a French satirical novel by Gabriel Chevallier (1895–1969) first published in 1934. It centres on personal rivalries and local politics in the fictional vi ...

'' (1972). However, Dotrice was known to North American audiences as "Father" in the 1980s American TV series ''

'' and Father Gary Barrett, a Catholic priest, in the 1990s series '' Picket Fences''. His acting career dates from 1945 in a revue called ''Back Home'', performed by ex-POWs in aid of the

Red Cross The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is a Humanitarianism, humanitarian movement with approximately 97 million Volunteering, volunteers, members and staff worldwide. It was founded to protect human life and health, to ensure re ...

. In an episode of ''

Angel In various theistic religious traditions an angel is a supernatural spiritual being who serves God. Abrahamic religions often depict angels as benevolent celestial intermediaries between God (or Heaven) and humanity. Other roles inc ...

'' (1999), part of the

Buffyverse The Buffyverse or Slayerverse is a media franchise created by Joss Whedon. The term also refers to the shared fictional universe in which the TV series ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' and ''Angel'' are set. This term, originally coined by fans of t ...

, he played the role of Roger Wyndam-Pryce, the overbearing father of the character Wesley Wyndam-Pryce. An earlier science-fiction role was Commissioner Simmonds in two episodes of the 1970s series '' Space: 1999''. In 1998 Dotrice appeared in three episodes of the series '' Hercules: The Legendary Journeys'' as

Zeus Zeus or , , ; grc, Δῐός, ''Diós'', label=genitive Boeotian Aeolic and Laconian grc-dor, Δεύς, Deús ; grc, Δέος, ''Déos'', label=genitive el, Δίας, ''Días'' () is the sky and thunder god in ancient Greek religion, ...

. Dotrice was the subject of ''

This Is Your Life This Is Your Life may refer to: Television * ''This Is Your Life'' (American franchise), an American radio and television documentary biography series hosted by Ralph Edwards * ''This Is Your Life'' (Australian TV series), the Australian versio ...

'' in 1974 when he was surprised by

Eamonn Andrews Eamonn Andrews, (19 December 1922 – 5 November 1987) was an Irish radio and television presenter, employed primarily in the United Kingdom from the 1950s to the 1980s. From 1960 to 1964 he chaired the Radio Éireann Authority (now the RTÉ A ...

Pinewood Studios Pinewood Studios is a British film and television studio located in the village of Iver Heath, England. It is approximately west of central London. The studio has been the base for many productions over the years from large-scale films to ...

''Game of Thrones''

In June 2010 it was announced that Dotrice would be playing the role of Grand Maester Pycelle in the HBO television series ''

Game of Thrones ''Game of Thrones'' is an American fantasy drama television series created by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss for HBO. It is an adaptation of ''A Song of Ice and Fire'', a series of fantasy novels by George R. R. Martin, the firs ...

'', an adaptation of George R. R. Martin's ''

'' books. Dotrice later withdrew from the part for medical reasons and

Julian Glover Julian Wyatt Glover (born 27 March 1935) is an English classical actor with many stage, television, and film roles since commencing his career in the 1950s. He is a recipient of the Laurence Olivier Award and has performed many times for the ...

was cast in his place. Shortly after filming for the second season commenced it was confirmed that Dotrice would be returning to play "Wisdom Hallyne the Pyromancer", who is featured in the installments "

The Ghost of Harrenhal "The Ghost of Harrenhal" is the fifth episode of the second season of HBO's medieval fantasy television series '' Game of Thrones''. It was written by series co-creators David Benioff and D. B. Weiss and directed by David Petrarca, his second ep ...

" and "

Blackwater Blackwater or Black Water may refer to: Health and ecology * Blackwater (coal), liquid waste from coal preparation * Blackwater (waste), wastewater containing feces, urine, and flushwater from flush toilets * Blackwater fever, an acute kidney disea ...

Radio and audiobooks

In 1982

BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC that replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. It broadcasts a wide variety of Talk radio, spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history fro ...

broadcast Dotrice's reading of fellow Guernseyman G.B. Edwards' classic novel '' The Book of Ebenezer Le Page'' in twenty-eight 15-minute parts on its ''

Woman's Hour ''Woman's Hour'' is a radio magazine programme broadcast in the United Kingdom on the BBC Light Programme, BBC Radio 2, and later BBC Radio 4. It has been on the air since 1946. History Created by Norman Collins and originally presented by ...

'' segment. The producer subsequently wrote that the serialisation was "without question the most popular serial I have ever done in the 500 or so I have produced in the last 21 years ...".

Edward Chaney Edward Chaney (born 1951) is a British cultural historian. He is Professor Emeritus at Solent University and Honorary Professor at University College London (School of European Languages, Culture and Society (SELCS) – Centre for Early Modern ...

, ''Genius Friend: G.B. Edwards and The Book of Ebenezer Le Page'',
Blue Ormer Publishing
2015) He subsequently performed "The Islander", a stage version of ''The Book of Ebenezer Le Page'', to critical success at the Theatre Royal Lincoln. In 2012

AudioGO AudioGO (formerly BBC Audiobooks) was a publisher of audiobooks and a range of spoken word and large-print titles. It was majority owned by AudioGO Ltd, and minority owned by BBC Worldwide. It was formed in 2010, when AudioGO purchased a major ...

produced a complete and unabridged recording of ''Ebenezer Le Page'', which is available on Audible. Dotrice recorded audiobooks for each book in George R. R. Martin's series ''

''. In 2011 he was awarded the world record for most character voices in an audiobook for his recording of ''A Game of Thrones'', which contained 224. Dotrice also narrated many storybook adaptations for Disney Records, including '' The Little Mermaid'' and ''Pooh's Heffalump'', for which he was nominated for a

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pre ...

Personal life and death

Dotrice was married to Kay Newman (1929–2007), a television and stage actress, from 1947 until her death in 2007.Passings
''The Los Angeles Times'', 2007-08-09. Retrieved 2014-01-07. They had three daughters— Michele, Yvette and Karen—all of whom have acted at various times in their lives. He was the father-in-law of actors

Edward Woodward Edward Albert Arthur Woodward, OBE (1 June 1930 – 16 November 2009) was an English actor and singer. After graduating from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, he began his career on stage. Throughout his career, he appeared in productions ...

(Michele) and Alex Hyde-White (Karen). He particularly enjoyed baseball, fishing and football, and was a stalwart member of the Garrick Club. He was appointed

Officer of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

(OBE) in 2008. Dotrice died at the age of 94 on 16 October 2017 in London; no cause was given. His body was cremated.

Select filmography

Film and television

*''The Adventure'' (TV film,1957) - Sailor *''Treasure Island'' (TV miniserie, 1957) - Abe Gray * ''

A Midsummer Night's Dream ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' is a comedy written by William Shakespeare 1595 or 1596. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One subplot involves a conflict ...

'' (TV film, 1959) - Egeus * '' The Heroes of Telemark'' (1965) – Jensen * A.P. Herbert's 'Misleading Cases' TV sitcom BBC One 1967 - 1971 19 episodes (3 series) * '' A Twist of Sand'' (1968) – David Garland * '' Lock Up Your Daughters'' (1969) – Gossip * '' Toomorrow'' (1970) – John Williams * '' The Buttercup Chain'' (1970) – Martin Carr-Gibbons * ''

Nicholas and Alexandra ''Nicholas and Alexandra'' is a 1971 British epic historical drama film directed by Franklin J. Schaffner, from a screenplay written by James Goldman and Edward Bond, based on Robert K. Massie's 1967 book of the same name, which is a partia ...

'' (1971) – General Alexeiev * '' Tales From The Crypt'' (1972) – Charles Gregory (segment 4 "Wish You Were Here") * '' Hide and Seek'' (1972) – Mr Grimes * ''

'' (1972) - Curé Ponosse * '' Space: 1999'' (1975, TV series) – Commissioner Simmonds * ''

'' (1976, TV series) – Charles Dickens/Mr John Dickens * '' Sykes'' (1976, TV series, Squatters) – The Tramp * '' Saturn 3'' (1980, voice overdub of

Harvey Keitel Harvey Keitel ( ; born May 13, 1939) is an American actor. He is known for his portrayal of morally ambiguous and "tough guy" characters. He first rose to prominence during the New Hollywood movement, and has held a long-running association wit ...

) – Benson (voice, uncredited) * '' Magnum, P.I.'' (1981, Tropical Madness) - Harcourt * ''

Family Reunion A family reunion is an occasion when many members of an extended family congregate. Sometimes reunions are held regularly, for example on the same date of every year. A typical family reunion will assemble for a meal, some recreation and discuss ...

'' (1981) – Lester Frye * ''

Cheech & Chong's The Corsican Brothers ''Cheech & Chong's The Corsican Brothers'' is an American film released in 1984, the sixth feature-length film starring the comedy duo Cheech and Chong. Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong star as the two twin brothers in a parody of various film adaptat ...

'' (1984) – The Evil Fuckaire/Ye Old Jailer * '' Amadeus'' (1984) –

Leopold Mozart Johann Georg Leopold Mozart (November 14, 1719 – May 28, 1787) was a German composer, violinist and theorist. He is best known today as the father and teacher of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and for his violin textbook '' Versuch einer gründliche ...

* '' Eliminators'' (1986) – Abbott Reeves * ''

Shaka Zulu Shaka kaSenzangakhona ( – 22 September 1828), also known as Shaka Zulu () and Sigidi kaSenzangakhona, was the king of the Zulu Kingdom from 1816 to 1828. One of the most influential monarchs of the Zulu, he ordered wide-reaching reforms that ...

'' (1986, TV series) * '' The Wizard'' (1986, TV series) – Troyan * '' Faerie Tale Theatre'': "The Dancing Princesses" and "Rip Van Winkle" (1987, TV series) – The King/Peter Vanderdonk * ''

'' (1987–90, TV series) – Jacob "Father" * '' Suburban Commando'' (1991) – Zanuck * ''

The Cutting Edge ''The Cutting Edge'' is a 1992 American sports-romantic comedy film directed by Paul Michael Glaser and written by Tony Gilroy. The plot is about a wealthy, spoiled figure skater (played by Moira Kelly) who is paired with an injury-sidelined ice ...

'' (1992) – Anton Pamchenko * '' Picket Fences'' (1992–1995, TV series) – Father Gary Barrett * '' Going to Extremes'' (1992, TV series) – Doctor Croft * ''

Children of the Dark , also known as ''Children of Darkness'', is a 2008 Japanese crime film written and directed by Junji Sakamoto based upon the book by the same name by Yang Sok-il. The film premiered on August 2, 2008 in Japan and stars Yōsuke Eguchi, Aoi Miyaza ...

'' (1994, TV) – Dr Burnham * '' Swimming with Sharks'' (1994) – Cyrus Miles * ''

Babylon 5 ''Babylon 5'' is an American space opera television series created by writer and producer J. Michael Straczynski, under the Babylonian Productions label, in association with Straczynski's Synthetic Worlds Ltd. and Warner Bros. Domestic Televi ...

'': "

The Fall of Night ''Babylon 5'' is an American science fiction television series created, produced and largely written by J. Michael Straczynski. The show centers on the Babylon 5 space station: a focal point for politics, diplomacy, and conflict during the ye ...

" (1995, TV) – Frederick Lantz * ''

The Scarlet Letter ''The Scarlet Letter: A Romance'' is a work of historical fiction by American author Nathaniel Hawthorne, published in 1850. Set in the Puritan Massachusetts Bay Colony during the years 1642 to 1649, the novel tells the story of Hester Prynne, w ...

'' (1995) – Rev Thomas Cheever * '' Mr. & Mrs. Smith'' (1996; TV series) – Mr Big * '' Like Father, Like Santa'' (1998 TV series) – Ambrose Booth * '' Sliders'' (1999, TV series) – Marc LeBeau/The Seer/Archibald Chandler * '' Madigan Men'' (2000, TV series) – Seamus Madigan * '' Alien Hunter'' (2003) – Dr John Bachman * ''

'' (2003, TV series) – Roger Wyndam-Pryce * ''

Life Begins Life Begins may refer to: * ''Life Begins'' (TV series), a British TV series broadcast on ITV between February 2004 and October 2006 * ''Life Begins'' (1932 film), a film directed by James Flood and co-directed by Elliott Nugent *Life Begins (2009 ...

'' (2004; TV series) * '' La Femme Musketeer'' (2004, TV mini-series) – Commander Finot * '' These Foolish Things'' (2006) – Lord Carter * '' Played'' (2006) – Jack Rawlings * '' Go Go Tales'' (2007) – Jay * '' Hellboy II: The Golden Army'' (2008) – King Balor * ''

'' (2012, TV series) – Hallyne *Sources:

Voice acting

* ''

Watership Down ''Watership Down'' is an adventure novel by English author Richard Adams, published by Rex Collings Ltd of London in 1972. Set in Berkshire in southern England, the story features a small group of rabbits. Although they live in their natural w ...

'' (

) * ''

Robin Hood Robin Hood is a legendary heroic outlaw originally depicted in English folklore and subsequently featured in literature and film. According to legend, he was a highly skilled archer and swordsman. In some versions of the legend, he is de ...

'' (TV series) * ''

The Prince and the Pauper ''The Prince and the Pauper'' is a novel by American author Mark Twain. It was first published in 1881 in Canada, before its 1882 publication in the United States. The novel represents Twain's first attempt at historical fiction. Set in 1547, ...

'' (audio book) * '' Batman: The Animated Series'': "The Lion and the Unicorn" as Frederick * '' Spider-Man'' (TV series) as Keene Marlow/The Destroyer * '' The Book of Ebenezer Le Page'' (audio book) * '' The Death Gate Cycle Vol. 4: Serpent Mage'' (audio book) * ''

'' series (audio books) *Sources:

Honours

He was appointed an

(OBE) in the

2008 New Year Honours The New Year Honours 2008 for the Commonwealth realms were announced on 29 December 2007, to celebrate the year passed and mark the beginning of 2008. The recipients of honours are displayed here as they were styled before their new honour, and ...

References

External links

*
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Roy Dotrice
* * * * *
Selected Performances at the Theatre Archive, University of Bristol

Two Old Stagers Find Vigour in ''Brief Lives''

Roy Dotrice
Aveleyman) {{DEFAULTSORT:Dotrice, Roy 1923 births 2017 deaths 20th-century British male actors 21st-century British male actors Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art Audiobook narrators Best Actor BAFTA Award (television) winners British male film actors British male radio actors British male stage actors British male television actors British male voice actors British World War II prisoners of war Drama Desk Award winners Guernsey male actors Officers of the Order of the British Empire Royal Air Force airmen Royal Air Force personnel of World War II Royal Shakespeare Company members Shot-down aviators Tony Award winners World War II prisoners of war held by Germany