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Timothy West

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Timothy Lancaster West (20 October 1934 – 12 November 2024) was an English actor with a long and varied career across theatre, film, and television. He began acting in repertory theatres in the 1950s before making his London stage debut in 1959 moving on to three seasons with the Royal Shakespeare Company during the 1960s. During his life, West played King Lear (four times) and Macbeth (twice) along with other notable roles in The Master Builder and Uncle Vanya. In 1978, West was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award for Actor of the Year in a Revival for his performance in The Homecoming.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

On screen, his breakout role was playing King Edward VII in the television series Edward the Seventh in 1975, earning him his first nomination for the BAFTA Award for Best Actor, with a second following in 1980.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> West appeared in major films such as Nicholas and Alexandra (1971), The Day of the Jackal (1973), and The Thirty Nine Steps (1978). His television highlights included Brass (1982–1990), Bedtime (2001–2003), and Churchill and the Generals for which he won a Royal Television Society award in 1980.

As a director, West led productions at the Forum Theatre in Melbourne, Australia and the Old Vic in London. He was also known for his collaborations with his second wife, actress Prunella Scales, in both acting and personal projects.

Early life and educationEdit

Timothy Lancaster West was born on 20 October 1934 in Bradford, West Riding of Yorkshire, the only son of Olive (née Carleton-Crowe; 1902–1985) and actor Lockwood West (1905–1989).<ref name = Times>Template:Cite news</ref> He had a sister Patricia who was five years younger than he. He was educated at the John Lyon School, Harrow on the Hill, at Bristol Grammar School,<ref>A Moment Towards the End of the Play, p 14</ref> where he was a classmate of Julian Glover, and at Regent Street Polytechnic (now the University of Westminster).<ref>Who's Who in the Theatre, 16th edition (1977), Template:ISBN.</ref>

CareerEdit

West worked as an office furniture salesman and as a recording technician before becoming an assistant stage manager at the Wimbledon Theatre in 1956.<ref>A Moment Towards the End of the Play, p 27</ref>

StageEdit

West played repertory seasons in Newquay, Hull, Northampton, Worthing and Salisbury before making his London debut at the Piccadilly Theatre in 1959 in the farce Caught Napping. He was a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company for three seasons: the 1962 Arts Theatre Experimental season (Nil Carborundum and Afore Night Come), the 1964 'Dirty Plays' season (Victor, the premiere production of Marat/Sade and the revival of Afore Night Come) and the 1965 season at Stratford and later at the Aldwych Theatre appearing in The Comedy of Errors, Timon of Athens, The Jew of Malta, Love's Labour's Lost and Peter Hall's production of The Government Inspector, in a company which included Paul Scofield, Eric Porter, Janet Suzman, Paul Rogers, Ian Richardson, Glenda Jackson and Peter McEnery.<ref>A Moment Towards the End of the Play, p 88</ref>

West played Macbeth twice, Uncle Vanya twice, Solness in The Master Builder twice and King Lear four times: in 1971 (aged 36) for the Prospect Theatre Company at the Edinburgh Festival; on a worldwide tour in 1991 in Dublin for Second Age; in 2003 for the English Touring Theatre, on tour in the UK and at the Old Vic; and in 2016 at the Bristol Old Vic.<ref name="lamda"/>

ScreenEdit

Having spent years as a familiar face who never quite became a household name, West's big break came with the major television series Edward the Seventh (1975), in which he played the title role from age 23 until the King's death;<ref>A Moment Towards the End of the Play, p 140.</ref> his real-life sons, Samuel and Joseph, played the sons of the King as children. His father, Lockwood West, also portrayed King Edward VII in 1972 in an episode of the LWT television drama series Upstairs, Downstairs. Other screen appearances included Nicholas and Alexandra (1971), The Day of the Jackal (1973), The Thirty Nine Steps (1978), Masada (1981), Cry Freedom (1987) and Luc Besson's The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc (1999). In Richard Eyre's Iris (2001) he played Maurice and his son Samuel West played Maurice as a young man.<ref name="lamda"/>

West starred as patriarch Bradley Hardacre in Granada TV's satirical Northern super-soap Brass over three seasons (1982–1990). He appeared in the series Miss Marple in 1985 (in "A Pocket Full of Rye" as the notorious Rex Fortescue) and made an appearance as Professor Furie in A Very Peculiar Practice in 1986. In 1997, he played Gloucester in the BBC television production of King Lear, with Ian Holm as Lear. From 2001 to 2003, he played the grumpy and frequently volatile Andrew in the BBC drama series Bedtime.<ref name="lamda"/>

In 1989, West played Nigel in the Thames Television sitcom After Henry alongside his real-life wife, Prunella Scales, who played Sarah France. They appeared together in the episode 'Upstagers', shown on 21 March 1989.<ref name="lamda"/>

At Christmas 2007, he joined Not Going Out as Geoffrey Adams. He reprised the role in two episodes of series three; Geoffrey Whitehead played the role in later seasons. In 2011, he appeared alongside John Simm and Jim Broadbent in the BBC series Exile, written by BAFTA-winning Danny Brocklehurst.<ref name="lamda"/>

In February 2013, West joined the cast of ITV soap Coronation Street, playing Eric Babbage.<ref>Coronation Street: Timothy West makes his debut, RadioTimes.com, 16 February 2013; accessed 20 June 2015.</ref> He joined the cast of EastEnders in 2013, playing Stan Carter from January 2014.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He filmed his final scenes for EastEnders in February 2015.<ref name="lamda"/>

In 2019, West played Private Godfrey in Dad's Army: The Lost Episodes, a recreation of three missing episodes of the BBC comedy Dad's Army.<ref name="lamda"/>

His final acting role was in the penultimate episode of the BBC daytime series Doctors, which was screened the day after his death.<ref name="BBCO" />

DirectingEdit

West was artistic director of the Forum Theatre, Billingham, in 1973,<ref>A Moment Towards the End of the Play, p. 131.</ref> where he directed We Bombed in New Haven by Joseph Heller, The Oz Obscenity Trial by David Livingstone and The National Health by Peter Nichols. He was co-artistic director of the Prospect Theatre Company at the Old Vic from 1980 to 1981,<ref>A Moment Towards the End of the Play, p 194</ref> where he directed Trelawny of the 'Wells' and The Merchant of Venice. He was director-in-residence at the University of Western Australia in 1982.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 2004, West toured Australia with the Carl Rosa Opera Company as director of a production of H.M.S. Pinafore, also singing the role of Sir Joseph Porter.<ref name="lamda"/>

Personal life and deathEdit

From 1956 to 1961, West was married to actress Jacqueline Boyer, with whom he had a daughter, Juliet. In 1963 he married actress Prunella Scales, with whom he had two sons, actor Samuel West and Joseph.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

The Guardian crossword setter Biggles referred to West's 50th wedding anniversary in its prize crossword puzzle (number 26,089) on 26 October 2013.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

West and Scales were patrons of the Lace Market Theatre in Nottingham, The Kings Theatre in Gloucester and of the Conway Hall Sunday Concerts<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> programme in London, the longest-running series of chamber music concerts in Europe. West was an Ambassador of SOS Children's Villages,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> an international orphan charity providing homes and mothers for orphaned and abandoned children. He supported the charity's annual World Orphan Week.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

West was patron of the National Piers Society,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> a charity dedicated to preserving and promoting seaside piers. He and Prunella Scales were patrons of Avon Navigation Trust (ANT), the charity that runs the River Avon from Stratford-upon-Avon to Tewkesbury. They both supported ANT by attending the Stratford River Festival every year.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> West supported Cancer Research UK.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

West was a Patron of Kids for Kids,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> helping children living in remote villages of Darfur, Sudan through sustainable projects. He and his wife supported Kids for Kids for many years and he continued to be a Reader at the annual Candlelit Christmas Concert at St Peter’s Eaton Square where he always chose something he knew the children would love.

West was a supporter of the Talyllyn Railway in mid Wales, the first preserved railway in the world. He visited on a number of occasions, the last being the summer of 2015 to attend the railway's 150th anniversary.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He was a patron of the Inland Waterways Association.<ref name = Times/>

West was president of the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (being succeeded by Benedict Cumberbatch in January 2018) and was president of the Society for Theatre Research. He was also patron of London-based drama school Associated Studios.<ref>Associated Studios website: http://www.associatedstudios.co.uk</ref>

After a fall, West's health declined throughout his final months, and he died at a care home in Wandsworth on 12 November 2024, aged 90.<ref name="BBCO">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

HonoursEdit

In 1984, West was appointed CBE for his services to drama.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He was accepted as a fellow to the Royal Society of Arts in 1992.<ref name="WhosWho"/>

During his life, West was awarded eight honorary doctorates: University of Bradford (1993), University of the West of England (1994), University of East Anglia (1996), University of Westminster (1999), University of London (2004), University of Hull (2004), Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (2004), and University of Kent (2018)<ref name="WhosWho">Template:Who's Who</ref> He also received an honorary degree from the University of Bristol in 2017.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Selected theatre appearancesEdit

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  • The Homecoming, as Max, Garrick Theatre, Dir Kevin Billington, 1978.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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FilmographyEdit

FilmEdit

Year Title Role Notes
1966 The Deadly Affair<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Matrevis Uncredited
1968 Twisted Nerve<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Superintendent Dakin
1969 The Looking Glass War<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Taylor
1971 Nicholas and Alexandra<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Dr. Botkin
1973 Hitler: The Last Ten Days<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Prof. Karl Gebhardt
The Day of the Jackal<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Commissioner Berthier
1974 Soft Beds, Hard Battles<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Convent Chaplain
1975 Hedda<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Judge Brack
1977 Joseph Andrews<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Mr. Tow-Wouse
The Devil's Advocate<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Father Anselmo
1978 News From Nowhere<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> William Morris
The Thirty Nine Steps<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Porton
1979 Agatha<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Kenward
1980 Rough Cut<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Nigel Lawton
1987 Cry Freedom<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Captain De Wet
1988 Consuming Passions<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Dr Rees
1998 Ever After<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> King Francis
1999 The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Cauchon
2000 102 Dalmatians<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Judge
2001 The Fourth Angel<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Jones
Iris<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Older Maurice
2002 Villa des Roses<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Hugh Burrell
2003 Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> King Dymas Voice
Beyond Borders<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Lawrence Bauford
2009 Endgame<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> P.W. Botha
2016 Delirium College Bursar

TelevisionEdit

Year Title Role Notes
1960 Persuasion<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Charles Hayter
1961 Deadline Midnight<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Ambulance Man 1 episode
1969 Big Breadwinner Hog<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Lennox dir Mike Newell/Michael Apted
1970 Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Sam Grimes Series 1 Episode 24 "Vendetta for a Dead Man"
1972 The Edwardians<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Horatio Bottomley Episode "Horatio Bottomley"
1975 Edward the Seventh<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> King Edward VII
1977 Hard Times<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Josiah Bounderby
1979 Crime and Punishment<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Porfiry Petrovich
Henry VIII<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Cardinal Wolsey Part of the BBC Television Shakespeare
Churchill and the Generals<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Winston Churchill
1980 Tales of the Unexpected: Royal Jelly<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Albert Taylor
1981 Masada<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Emperor Vespasian
1982 Murder Is Easy<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Gordon, Lord Easterfield
1983–1990 Brass<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Bradley Hardacre Three series
1984 The Last Bastion<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Winston Churchill
1985 Miss Marple<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Rex Fortescue Episode: "A Pocket Full of Rye"
1986 A Very Peculiar Practice<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Professor Furie
The Good Doctor Bodkin Adams<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> John Bodkin Adams A drama based on the 1957 trial of the doctor
The Monocled Mutineer<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Brigadier General Thompson
1987 When We Are Married<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Councillor Albert Parker
What the Butler Saw<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Dr Rance
1988 The Contractor<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Frank Ewbank By David Storey
1989 Campion: Police at the Funeral<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Uncle William Faraday
Blore, M.P.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Derek Blore A drama loosely based on the Profumo affair
1990 Beecham<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Sir Thomas Beecham Adapted from the play about the conductor
The Tragedy of Flight 103: The Inside Story<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Colonel Wilfred Wood
1992 Shakespeare: The Animated Tales: The Tempest<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Prospero Voice
Framed<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> DCI Jimmy McKinnes
1994 Smokescreen<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Frank Sheringham
1996 Over Here Archie Bunting (elderly) An elder version of main protagonist Archie Bunting, played by West's son, Samuel
1998 King Lear<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Gloucester
Goodnight Sweetheart<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> MI5 agent Tufty MacDuff
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presenter BBC TV documentary about the end of the Great War
2000 Midsomer Murders<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Marcus Devere Episode: "Judgement Day"
2000–2008 Water World<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> presenter Eight series
2001 Murder in Mind<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Dr William Collins Episode: "Mercy"
2001–2003 Bedtime<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Andrew Oldfield Three series
2002 Martin Luther<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Martin Luther PBS Empires series
2004 Waking the Dead<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

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Joe Doyle Episodes #4.3 and #4.4 ("False Flag")
2005 New Tricks Professor Ian Mears Episode #2.8
Bleak House<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Sir Leicester Dedlock
2007–2009 Not Going Out<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

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Geoffrey Series 2 and 3
2010 Terry Pratchett's Going Postal<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

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Mustrum Ridcully 2 episodes
Agatha Christie's Poirot<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Reverend Cottrell Episode: "Hallowe'en Party"
Lewis Professor Donald Terry Series 4, Episode 3: "Your Sudden Death Question"
2011 Exile<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Don Metzler 2 episodes
2012 Titanic<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

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Lord Pirrie
2013 Coronation Street<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Eric Babbage 7 episodes
2013, 2020 Last Tango in Halifax<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

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Ted Buttershaw 4 episodes
2014 Inside No. 9<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Andrew Episode 1, "Sardines"
2014–2015 EastEnders<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Stan Carter 104 episodes
2014–2019 Great Canal Journeys<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Presenter Channel 4 television series with wife, Prunella Scales
2015 Toast of London<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

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Ormond Sacker Episode: "Man of Sex"
2016 Comedy Playhouse<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

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Milton Episode: "Broken Biscuits"
2018 Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

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Johnnie Falstaff Episode 2
2019–2022 Gentleman Jack<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Jeremy Lister Main cast
2019 Dad's Army: The Lost Episodes<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

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Private Godfrey Three episodes
2023 Sister Boniface Mysteries<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

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Charles Usher Episode: "The Star of the Orient"
2024 Doctors<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

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Artie Simkins Episode: "Go Out Dancing", final acting role, broadcast posthumously

Selected radioEdit

Timothy West was a member of the BBC Radio Drama Repertory Company in 1962<ref>A Moment Towards the End of the Play, p 72</ref> and took part in over 500 radio broadcasts.<ref name="lamda">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 1959, he wrote and produced a short audio play, This Gun That I Have in My Right Hand Is Loaded, satirising typical mistakes of radio drama, including over-explanatory dialogue and misuse of sound cues.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

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  • Seasons by Gareth Parker, as Harold. Independent drama by the Wireless Theatre Company, 2010<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Dear Countess by Elizabeth Morgan 1983<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • The Monument by David Cregan, as Dr. James Short, BBC Radio 3, 1978<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Where Are They Now? by Tom Stoppard, as an Old Boy, 1971<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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AudiobooksEdit

Timothy West recorded many unabridged audiobooks, including the complete Barchester Chronicles and the complete Palliser novels by Anthony Trollope, and seven of George MacDonald Fraser's The Flashman Papers books. He received four AudioFile Earphones Awards for his narration.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

BooksEdit

  • I'm Here I Think, Where Are You? Letters from a Touring Actor, 1994, Template:ISBN.
  • A Moment Towards the End of the Play (autobiography), 2001, Template:ISBN.
  • So You Want to Be an Actor (with Prunella Scales), 2005, Template:ISBN.
  • Great Canal Journeys: A Lifetime of Memories on Britain's Most Beautiful Waterways, 2017, Template:ISBN.
  • Pru and Me: The Amazing Marriage of Prunella Scales and Timothy West, 2023, Template:ISBN.

ReferencesEdit

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External linksEdit

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