Nickolas Andrew Halliwell Grace (born 21 November 1947) is an English actor known for his roles on television, including Anthony Blanche in the acclaimed ITV adaptation of Brideshead Revisited, and the Sheriff of Nottingham in the 1980s series Robin of Sherwood. Grace also played Dorien Green's husband Marcus Green in the 1990s British comedy series Birds of a Feather.
Nickolas Grace | |
|---|---|
| Born | Nickolas Andrew Halliwell Grace 21 November 1947 West Kirby, Cheshire, England |
| Alma mater | Royal Central School of Speech and Drama |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1960–present |
| Known for | Brideshead Revisited (1981) Robin of Sherwood (1984-86) |
Early life and career
editGrace was educated at the King's School, Chester[1] and Forest School, Walthamstow. He trained as an actor at the Central School of Speech and Drama,[2] where he still teaches.
He made his theatrical debut in weekly rep in Frinton-on-Sea, Essex in 1969, and appeared in Trevor Peacock's Erb later that year, which transferred to the Strand Theatre in spring 1970, his first appearance in the West End. He joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1972,[3] and in 1973 played Aumerle there in the Ian Richardson/Richard Pasco Richard II, which transferred to Broadway.
Grace then played Hamlet for the opening of the Playhouse, Derby in 1975.[3] Back at the RSC, from 1976 to 1978 he appeared as Dromio of Ephesus in Trevor Nunn's first ever musical, The Comedy of Errors[3] (with Judi Dench, Michael Williams and Roger Rees), Hitler in Schweik and Witwoud in The Way of the World, directed by John Barton.[4]
Brideshead Revisited
editGrace secured the part of the flamboyant aesthete Anthony Blanche in Brideshead Revisited,[3][2] which filmed off and on from 1979 to 1981. Following the success of Brideshead Revisited on television, he played Richard II at the Young Vic in 1981, and Mozart in Amadeus[2] with Frank Finlay at Her Majesty's Theatre in 1982. He then began working in operetta, playing Koko in The Mikado[2] and Joseph Porter in HMS Pinafore for Sadler's Wells Opera in repertoire from 1982 until 1986.
Grace was Harry Hamilton-Paul in the film Heat and Dust (1983).[3][2] It was around this time that he took the role of Robert de Rainault, the Sheriff of Nottingham, in ITV's Robin of Sherwood (1984–86).[3][2][5][6]
Grace's theatre work in the late 1980s and early 1990s included Jenkins' Ear by Dusty Hughes at the Royal Court in 1986, Bernstein's Candide (Old Vic/Scottish Opera/BBC) in 1988–89[7] and The Mystery of Irma Vep at the Haymarket Theatre, Leicester (1990), which transferred to the Ambassadors Theatre.[7] He played Cole Porter in A Swell Party[2] at the Vaudeville in 1991–92 and appeared as King Gama in Ken Russell's production of Princess Ida for ENO at the Coliseum Theatre in 1992.[8]
1993–present
editFollowing a recurring role in 1993 as the unnamed 'Consultant' on Victor Lewis-Smith's loosely hospital-based sketch show Inside Victor Lewis-Smith, Grace played Marcus Green, the long-suffering husband of Dorien in Birds of a Feather,[9] in a couple of episodes between 1989 and 1997. He has also appeared three times as Mr Casey in the BBC Sitcom My Family.[10][11][12]
Grace played Underling the Butler in The Drowsy Chaperone with Elaine Paige at the Novello Theatre,[13] which ended its run on 4 August 2007.[7] On 29 July 2009 he appeared on the UK version of Dragons Den as the proposed director of a new touring musical based around the life of Dusty Springfield.
He had a recurring role in some Doctor Who audio stories, produced by Big Finish as a Time Lord ally; Straxus, of the Eighth Doctor and Lucie Miller, (Paul McGann and Sheridan Smith) in the stories Human Resources, Sisters of the Flame and Vengeance of Morbius.[14]
He portrayed Albert Einstein in the Doctor Who short "Death is the Only Answer".
In 2012, Grace starred in Chariots of Fire,[3] the stage adaptation of the film of the same title. In it he played the Master of Trinity College[3][13] at Cambridge University, the role originated on screen by John Gielgud.
Grace is President of the Vic-Wells Association.[15]
TV and filmography
edit| Genre | Year | Title | Episode | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Film | 1960 | The City of the Dead | uncredited | ||
| TV series | 1970 | Z-Cars | "A Couple of Comic Turns: Part 2" | Private Jefferson | |
| TV series | 1971 | The Fenn Street Gang | "A Fair Swap" | Bernard | |
| TV series | 1971 | Kate | "A Good Meddle" | David Burwood | |
| TV series | 1971 | The Onedin Line | "When My Ship Comes Home" | Arab | |
| TV series | 1972 | Z-Cars | "Sweet Girl" | Boy | |
| TV series | 1975 | Churchill's People | "True Patriots All" | James Loveless | historical drama series |
| TV series | 1975 | The Love School | "The Brotherhood" | William Rossetti | |
| TV series | 1975 | Survivors | "Gone to the Angels" | Matthew | |
| TV series | 1975 | Ten from the Twenties | "The Anarchist" | Joe Manders | |
| Documentary film | 1978 | Europe After the Rain | Tristan Tzara | ||
| TV series | 1978 | BBC Television Shakespeare | "The Comedy of Errors" | Dromio of Ephesus | |
| TV series | 1978 | The Pink Medicine Show | |||
| TV miniseries | 1979 | Oresteia | "Agamemnon" | Messenger | |
| TV series | 1980 | The Professionals | "Mixed Doubles" | Joe | |
| TV film | 1981 | BBC Television Shakespeare | "All's Well That Ends Well" | The Soldier | |
| TV miniseries | 1981 | Brideshead Revisited | Anthony Blanche | ||
| TV series | 1983 | Bergerac | "Prime Target" | Inspector Chazottes | |
| Film | 1983 | Heat and Dust | Harry Hamilton-Paul | ||
| TV film | 1984 | Lace | Sir Christopher Swann | ||
| TV film | 1984 | The Master of Ballantrae | Secundra Dass | part of the Hallmark Hall of Fame | |
| TV film | 1984 | Morte d'Arthur | Sir Mordred | ||
| TV series | 1984 | Robin of Sherwood | "Robin Hood and the Sorcerer" "The Witch of Elsdon" "The King's Fool" "Seven Poor Knights from Acre" "Alan a Dale" "The Children of Israel" "The Betrayal" |
Robert de Rainault, Sheriff of Nottingham | 17 episodes total |
| TV miniseries | 1985 | The Last Place on Earth | Lord Howard De Walden | ||
| TV film | 1985 | Max Headroom: 20 Minutes into the Future | Grossman | ||
| TV series | 1985 | Robin of Sherwood | "The Enchantment" "The Greatest Enemy" |
Robert de Rainault, Sheriff of Nottingham | 17 episodes total |
| TV play | 1985 | Vicious Circle | The Waiter | [16] | |
| TV series | 1986 | C.A.T.S. Eyes | "Powerline" | Jamie Leydon | |
| TV series | 1986 | Robin of Sherwood | "Herne's Son: Part 1" "Herne's Son: Part 2" "The Power of Albion" "The Sheriff of Nottingham" "The Betrayal" "Adam Bell" "The Pretender" "The Time of the Wolf: Part 1" "The Time of the Wolf: Part 2" |
Robert de Rainault, Sheriff of Nottingham | 17 episodes total |
| TV miniseries | 1987 | Lorca, muerte de un poeta | "Impresiones y paisajes (1903–1918)" "La residencia (1918–1923)" "El amor oscuro (1925–1928)" "El llanto (1929–1935)" "Una guerra civil (1935–1936)" |
Federico García Lorca | 6 episodes total |
| TV miniseries | 1987 | Napoleon and Josephine: A Love Story | Lord Nelson | ||
| Film | 1988 | Dream Demon | Jenny's Father | ||
| Film | 1988 | Just Ask for Diamond | Himmell | ||
| TV miniseries | 1988 | Lorca, muerte de un poeta | "La muerte (1936)" | Federico García Lorca | 6 episodes total |
| Film | 1988 | Salome's Last Dance | Oscar Wilde | ||
| TV series | 1989 | Birds of a Feather | "Cheat!" | Marcus Green | 3 episodes total |
| TV film | 1989 | The Man in the Brown Suit | Guy Underhill | ||
| TV miniseries | 1989 | Twist of Fate | Wolf | ||
| TV series | 1990 | Cluedo | "Going, Going, Goner" | Peregrine Talbot-Wheeler | |
| TV serial | 1990 | The Green Man | Rev. Tommy Sonnenscheim | ||
| TV film | 1990 | Hands of a Murderer | Oberstein | ||
| TV series | 1990 | House of Cards | "The Final Cut" | Geoffrey Booza-Pitt | |
| TV series | 1991 | Tonight at 8.30 | "Hands Across the Sea" | Bogie Gosling | |
| TV series | 1992 | Absolutely Fabulous | "Fashion" | Jonny | |
| TV series | 1992 | Alas Smith and Jones | "Episode #7.4" | ||
| TV series | 1992 | The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes | "The Master Blackmailer" | Bertrand | |
| TV series | 1992 | Lovejoy | "Angel Trousers" | Jeremy Prince | |
| TV series | 1993 | Birds of a Feather | "Suspicious Minds" | Marcus Green | 3 episodes total |
| TV series | 1993 | Inside Victor Lewis-Smith | The Consultant | ||
| TV series | 1993 | The Inspector Alleyn Mysteries | "A Man Lay Dead" | Dr. Hans Hoffner | |
| TV series | 1993 | The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles | "Prague, August 1917" | The Prague Spy/Clouseau | |
| TV series | 1994 | The Chief | "Episode #4.8" | Sir Oliver Creighton | |
| Short film | 1994 | Ole | 31 minutes; directed by Dennis Iliadis | ||
| TV film | 1994 | Sharpe's Honour | Father Hacha | ||
| TV series | 1994 | Space Precinct | "Double Duty" | Oturi Nissim | |
| Film | 1994 | Tom & Viv | Bertrand Russell | ||
| TV series | 1995 | Bugs | "Hot Metal" | Raymond Charlesworth | |
| TV serial | 1995 | The Final Cut | Geoffrey Booza Pitt | ||
| Animated film | 1995 | Pocahontas | voice actor | ||
| TV film | 1995 | Solomon & Sheba | Jeroboam | ||
| Film | 1995 | Two Deaths | Marius Vernescu | ||
| TV series | 1996 | Delta Wave | "A Glitch in Time: Part 1" "A Glitch in Time: Part 2" "Dodgy Jammers: Part 1" "Dodgy Jammers: Part 2" |
Stump | 4 episodes |
| Film | 1996 | Evita | Tailor | cameo | |
| TV series | 1996 | Tales from the Crypt | "Escape" | Albert Frye/Lieutenant Forsyth | |
| Video | 1997 | Absolutely Fabulous | "Absolutely Not!" | Jonny | |
| TV series | 1997 | Birds of a Feather | "Rising Damp" | Marcus Green | 3 episodes total |
| Video | 1997 | Caught in the Act | Melvin (Ventriloquist) | produced by Barrie Goulding | |
| TV film | 1997 | The Hunchback | Gauchére | ||
| Film | 1997 | Shooting Fish | Mr. Stratton-Luce | ||
| TV series | 1998 | Britain's Richest People | Narrator | ||
| TV miniseries | 1998 | Merlin | Sir Egbert | ||
| Film | 1999 | An Ideal Husband | Vicomte de Nanjac | ||
| TV film | 2000 | Cinderella | First Minister | ||
| Film | 2000 | The Golden Bowl | Lecturer | ||
| TV series | 2000 | Midsomer Murders | "Judgement Day" | Frank Mannion | 2 episodes total |
| Video game | 2001 | In Cold Blood | John Cord / Technicians | voice actor | |
| TV series | 2001 | My Family | "Driving Miss Crazy" | Mr. Casey | 3 episodes total |
| TV serial | 2002 | Daniel Deronda | Vandernoodt | ||
| Film | 2002 | Puckoon | Foggerty | ||
| Short film | 2002 | Putting Down the King | |||
| TV film | 2006 | Agatha Christie's Marple | "Sleeping Murder" | Lionel Luff | Agatha Christie's Marple TV series |
| TV serial | 2005 | Casanova | French Chancellor | ||
| TV series | 2005 | Egypt | "The Search for Tutankhamun" | Anton Badrutt | |
| TV film | 2005 | Ian Fleming: Bondmaker | William Plomer | docudrama about Ian Fleming | |
| Film | 2005 | Splinter | Glasses | ||
| TV film | 2006 | The Commander | "Blacklight" | Reginald Aitken | The Commander TV series |
| Film | 2006 | Confetti | Judge | ||
| TV film | 2006 | The Shell Seekers | Mundy | ||
| Film | 2006 | These Foolish Things | Nathaniel Meadowsweet | ||
| Short film | 2007 | Mr Thornton's Change of Heart | Cupid | 12 minutes | |
| Film | 2008 | Affinity | Mr. Hither | ||
| TV series | 2008 | The Bill | "Body of Evidence" | Richard Stirling | |
| TV series | 2008 | My Family | "Neighbour Wars" | Mr. Casey | 3 episodes total |
| TV series | 2009 | Minder | "The Art of the Matter" | Tasty Tim | |
| TV series | 2009 | Casual y | "The Trap" | Dennis | |
| TV series | 2010 | Midsomer Murders | "The Creeper" | Hugo Greening | 2 episodes total |
| Short film | 2010 | The Hardest Part | Victor | 14 minutes | |
| TV series | 2010 | My Family | "Mary Christmas" | Mr. Casey | 3 episodes total |
| TV series | 2010 | Piers Morgan's Life Stories | "Joan Collins" | Himself | |
| TV series | 2011 | Doctor Who | "Death Is the Only Answer" | Albert Einstein | |
| TV series | 2011 | Doctor Who Confidential | "About a Boy" "Heartbreak Hotel" |
Himself / Albert Einstein | documentary series |
| TV series | 2017 | Decline and Fall | Episode 1 | Prostlethwaite | BBC1 TV drama |
| TV series | 2019 | Killing Eve | "The Hungry Caterpillar" | Larry | BBC America drama |
References
edit- ^ "Inspirational Alumni Members". The King's School Chester. Archived from the original on 15 December 2011. Retrieved 2 December 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Nickolas Grace". npg.org.uk. National Portrait Gallery. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Our Team". vic-wells.co.uk. Vic-Wells Association. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
- ^ "The Way of the World". michaelpennington.me.uk. Michael Pennington. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
- ^ Stuart Jeffries (28 November 2013). "Lewis Collins obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
Robert de Rainault, the longstanding sheriff played by Nickolas Grace.
- ^ Patrick Mulkern (6 September 2014). "Doctor Who: Robot of Sherwood". radiotimes.com. Radio Times. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
For me, the definitive Sheriff will always be Robin of Sherwood's lascivious, blackly camp Nickolas Grace.
- ^ a b c "Nickolas Grace". theatricalia.com. Theatricalia. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
- ^ Jacobs, Arthur. Princess Ida - English National Opera at the London Coliseum, November 14. Opera, January 1993, Vol.44 No.1, p107-110.
- ^ "Birds of a Feather". bbc.co.uk. BBC. 28 October 2014. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
- ^ "My Family, Series 8, Neighbour Wars". bbc.co.uk. BBC One. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
- ^ "My Family Episode Guides Series Two Episode Six". bbc.co.uk. BBC. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
- ^ "My Family, Series 8, Can't Get No Satisfaction". bbc.co.uk. BBC One. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
- ^ a b Steve Stubbs (2012). "Edward Hall's Hampstead Theatre production of CHARIOTS OF FIRE will transfer to the Gielgud Theatre from 22 June 2012". backstagepass.biz. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
- ^ "Nickolas Grace Contributions". bigfinish.com. Big Finish. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
- ^ "Vic-Wells Association".
- ^ Vicious Circle – BBC – Radio Times
External links
edit- Nickolas Grace at IMDb
- Nickolas Grace at Theatricalia