Editing Jonathan Pryce (section)

===1972–1984: Rise to prominence ===
Despite finding RADA "strait-laced"<ref name="popstar"/> and being told by his tutor that he could never aspire to do more than playing villains on ''[[Z-Cars]]'',<ref>(10 July 2001). "[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2001/07/24/btpryc24.xml&page=2 Life with lots of Doolittles]{{dead link|date=July 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}". ''The Daily Telegraph''. Retrieved 15 June 2008.</ref> Pryce joined the [[Everyman Theatre, Liverpool|Everyman Theatre]] in [[Liverpool]] upon graduation and eventually became its artistic director. He performed with the [[Royal Shakespeare Company]] and the [[Nottingham Playhouse]].<ref name="bbc1">(6 March 2007). "[http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2007/03_march/06/sherlock_pryce.shtml Jonathan Pryce is Sherlock Holmes]". ''BBC.co.uk''. Retrieved 28 October 2007.</ref><ref>"[https://web.archive.org/web/20111002194447/http://www.onsayfa.com/oyuncu/jonathan-pryce-t518.html Jonathan Pryce Mini Biography]". ''Ön Sayfa''. Retrieved 28 October 2007.</ref> To gain his Equity card, he made his first screen appearance in a minor role in "Fire & Brimstone", a 1972 episode of the science fiction drama series ''[[Doomwatch]]''. He then starred in two television films directed by [[Stephen Frears]]: ''Daft as a Brush'' and ''Playthings''.

After leaving Everyman, Pryce joined Sir [[Richard Eyre]] at the Nottingham Playhouse and starred in [[Trevor Griffiths]]' play ''[[Comedians (play)|Comedians]]'', in a role specially written for him. The production moved to the [[Old Vic Theatre]] in London. Pryce reprised the role on Broadway in 1976, this time directed by [[Mike Nichols]], and for which Pryce won the 1977 [[Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play]]. It was around this time that he appeared in his first film role, playing the character Joseph Manasse in the drama ''[[Voyage of the Damned]]'', starring [[Faye Dunaway]]. He did not, however, abandon the stage, appearing from 1978 to 1979 in the [[Royal Shakespeare Company]]'s productions of ''[[The Taming of the Shrew]]'' as [[Petruchio]], and ''[[Antony and Cleopatra]]'' as [[Augustus|Octavius Caesar]].<ref>[http://www.rscshakespeare.co.uk/tamingOfTheShrew.html The RSC Shakespeare – Plot summaries, The Taming of the Shrew] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100822062746/http://www.rscshakespeare.co.uk/tamingOfTheShrew.html |date=22 August 2010 }}. Retrieved 18 June 2008.</ref><ref>[http://www.rscshakespeare.co.uk/antonyAndCleopatra.html The RSC Shakespeare – Plot summaries, Antony and Cleopatra] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081203131926/http://www.rscshakespeare.co.uk/antonyAndCleopatra.html |date= 3 December 2008 }}. Retrieved 18 June 2008.</ref>

In 1980, his performance in the [[Prince Hamlet|title role]] of ''[[Hamlet]]'' at the [[Royal Court Theatre]] won him an [[Olivier Award]], and was acclaimed by some critics as the definitive Hamlet of his generation.<ref>"[http://www.rsc.org.uk/hamlet/about/stage.html Performance history of Hamlet] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071118125408/http://www.rsc.org.uk/hamlet/about/stage.html |date=18 November 2007 }}". ''Royal Shakespeare Company''. Retrieved 6 November 2007</ref><ref>"[http://www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk/awards/winners/ Laurence Olivier Awards: Past winners] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031212214818/http://www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk/awards/winners |date=12 December 2003 }}". ''The Society of London Theatre''. Retrieved 6 November 2007.</ref> That year, Pryce had a small but pivotal role as [[Zarniwoop]] in the 12th episode of the ''[[The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (radio series)|Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy]]'' radio series, one that he reprised for the ''[[The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Tertiary to Quintessential Phases#The Quintessential Phase|Quintessential Phase]]'' which was broadcast in 2005. In his original role as Zarniwoop, Pryce's character questions the "ruler of the Universe", a [[solipsism|solipsist]] who has been chosen to rule arguably because of either his inherent manipulability, or immunity therefrom, on his philosophical opinions. Around the same time, in 1980, he also appeared in the film ''[[Breaking Glass (film)|Breaking Glass]]''. In 1983, Pryce played the role of the sinister Mr Dark in ''[[Something Wicked This Way Comes (film)|Something Wicked This Way Comes]]'', based on the [[Ray Bradbury]] [[Something Wicked This Way Comes (novel)|novel of the same title]]. Afterward, he began appearing mostly in films, such as the [[Ian McEwan]]-scripted ''[[The Ploughman's Lunch]]'', and ''[[Martin Luther, Heretic (1983 film)|Martin Luther, Heretic]]'' (both also 1983).