Nickolas Grace

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Nickolas Grace
Born
Nickolas Andrew Halliwell Grace

(1947-11-21) 21 November 1947 (age 76)
West Kirby, Cheshire, England
Alma mater Royal Central School of Speech and Drama
OccupationActor
Years active1960–present
Known for Brideshead Revisited (1981)
Robin of Sherwood (1984-86)

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 .

Contents

Early life and career

Grace 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

Grace 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

Following 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

GenreYearTitleEpisodeRoleNotes
Film1960uncredited
TV series1970 Z-Cars Private Jefferson
TV series1971Bernard
TV series1971 Kate David Burwood
TV series1971"When My Ship Comes Home"Arab
TV series1972 Z-Cars "Sweet Girl"Boy
TV series1975 Churchill's People "True Patriots All"James Lovelesshistorical drama series
TV series1975William Rossetti
TV series1975 Survivors "Gone to the Angels"Matthew
TV series1975Ten from the TwentiesJoe Manders
Documentary film1978Europe After the Rain Tristan Tzara
TV series1978 BBC Television Shakespeare Dromio of Ephesus
TV series1978
TV miniseries1979Oresteia"Agamemnon"Messenger
TV series1980"Mixed Doubles"Joe
TV film1981 BBC Television Shakespeare "All's Well That Ends Well"
TV miniseries1981 Brideshead Revisited Anthony Blanche
TV series1983 Bergerac "Prime Target"Inspector Chazottes
Film1983 Heat and Dust Harry Hamilton-Paul
TV film1984 Lace Sir Christopher Swann
TV film1984Secundra Dasspart of the Hallmark Hall of Fame
TV film1984Morte d'Arthur Sir Mordred
TV series1984 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"
Robert de Rainault, Sheriff of Nottingham 17 episodes total
TV miniseries1985Lord Howard De Walden
TV film1985 Max Headroom: 20 Minutes into the Future Grossman
TV series1985 Robin of Sherwood Robert de Rainault, Sheriff of Nottingham 17 episodes total
TV play1985 Vicious Circle The Waiter [16]
TV series1986 C.A.T.S. Eyes "Powerline"Jamie Leydon
TV series1986 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 miniseries1987Lorca, 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
TV miniseries1987 Napoleon and Josephine: A Love Story Lord Nelson
Film1988 Dream Demon Jenny's Father
Film1988 Just Ask for Diamond Himmell
TV miniseries1988Lorca, muerte de un poeta"La muerte (1936)" Federico García Lorca
Film1988 Salome's Last Dance Oscar Wilde
TV series1989 Birds of a Feather "Cheat!"Marcus Green
TV film1989Guy Underhill
TV miniseries1989Twist of FateWolf
TV series1990 Cluedo "Going, Going, Goner"Peregrine Talbot-Wheeler
TV serial1990Rev. Tommy Sonnenscheim
TV film1990 Hands of a Murderer Oberstein
TV series1990"The Final Cut"Geoffrey Booza-Pitt
TV series1991Tonight at 8.30"Hands Across the Sea"Bogie Gosling
TV series1992 Absolutely Fabulous "Fashion"Jonny
TV series1992 Alas Smith and Jones "Episode #7.4"
TV series1992Bertrand
TV series1992 Lovejoy "Angel Trousers"Jeremy Prince
TV series1993 Birds of a Feather "Suspicious Minds"Marcus Green
TV series1993Inside Victor Lewis-Smith
TV series1993Dr. Hans Hoffner
TV series1993"Prague, August 1917"
TV series1994"Episode #4.8"Sir Oliver Creighton
Short film1994Ole31 minutes; directed by Dennis Iliadis
TV film1994 Sharpe's Honour Father Hacha
TV series1994 Space Precinct "Double Duty"Oturi Nissim
Film1994 Tom & Viv Bertrand Russell
TV series1995 Bugs "Hot Metal"Raymond Charlesworth
TV serial1995Geoffrey Booza Pitt
Animated film 1995Pocahontas voice actor
TV film1995 Solomon & Sheba Jeroboam
Film1995 Two Deaths Marius Vernescu
TV series1996 Delta Wave Stump
Film1996 Evita Tailorcameo
TV series1996 Tales from the Crypt "Escape"Albert Frye/Lieutenant Forsyth
Video1997 Absolutely Fabulous "Absolutely Not!"Jonny
TV series1997 Birds of a Feather "Rising Damp"Marcus Green
Video1997Caught in the ActMelvin (Ventriloquist)produced by Barrie Goulding
TV film1997Gauchére
Film1997 Shooting Fish Mr. Stratton-Luce
TV series1998Britain's Richest PeopleNarrator
TV miniseries1998 Merlin Sir Egbert
Film1999Vicomte de Nanjac
TV film2000 Cinderella First Minister
Film2000Lecturer
TV series2000 Midsomer Murders "Judgement Day"Frank Mannion
Video game2001 In Cold Blood John Cord / Technicians voice actor
TV series2001 My Family "Driving Miss Crazy"Mr. Casey
TV serial2002 Daniel Deronda Vandernoodt
Film2002 Puckoon Foggerty
Short film2002Putting Down the King
TV film2006 Agatha Christie's Marple "Sleeping Murder"Lionel LuffAgatha Christie's Marple TV series
TV serial2005 Casanova French Chancellor
TV series2005 Egypt Anton Badrutt
TV film2005 Ian Fleming: Bondmaker William Plomer docudrama about Ian Fleming
Film2005SplinterGlasses
TV film2006"Blacklight"Reginald AitkenThe Commander TV series
Film2006 Confetti Judge
TV film2006Mundy
Film2006 These Foolish Things Nathaniel Meadowsweet
Short film2007Mr Thornton's Change of Heart Cupid 12 minutes
Film2008 Affinity Mr. Hither
TV series2008"Body of Evidence"Richard Stirling
TV series2008 My Family "Neighbour Wars"Mr. Casey
TV series2009 Minder Tasty Tim
TV series2009 Casual+y Dennis
TV series2010 Midsomer Murders Hugo Greening
Short film2010Victor14 minutes
TV series2010 My Family "Mary Christmas"Mr. Casey
TV series2010 Piers Morgan's Life Stories "Joan Collins"Himself
TV series2011 Doctor Who "Death Is the Only Answer" Albert Einstein
TV series2011 Doctor Who Confidential "About a Boy"
"Heartbreak Hotel"
Himself / Albert Einstein documentary series
TV series2017 Decline and Fall Episode 1ProstlethwaiteBBC1 TV drama
TV series2019 Killing Eve "The Hungry Caterpillar"LarryBBC America drama

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References

  1. "Inspirational Alumni Members". The King's School Chester. Archived from the original on 15 December 2011. Retrieved 2 December 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Nickolas Grace". npg.org.uk. National Portrait Gallery. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Our Team". vic-wells.co.uk. Vic-Wells Association. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  4. "The Way of the World". michaelpennington.me.uk. Michael Pennington. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  5. Stuart Jeffries (28 November 2013). "Lewis Collins obituary". The Guardian . Retrieved 3 February 2023. Robert de Rainault, the longstanding sheriff played by Nickolas Grace.
  6. 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.
  7. 1 2 3 "Nickolas Grace". theatricalia.com. Theatricalia. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  8. Jacobs, Arthur. Princess Ida - English National Opera at the London Coliseum, November 14. Opera , January 1993, Vol.44 No.1, p107-110.
  9. "Birds of a Feather". bbc.co.uk. BBC. 28 October 2014. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  10. "My Family, Series 8, Neighbour Wars". bbc.co.uk. BBC One . Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  11. "My Family Episode Guides Series Two Episode Six". bbc.co.uk. BBC . Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  12. "My Family, Series 8, Can't Get No Satisfaction". bbc.co.uk. BBC One . Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  13. 1 2 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.
  14. "Nickolas Grace Contributions". bigfinish.com. Big Finish . Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  15. "Vic-Wells Association".
  16. Vicious Circle – BBC – Radio Times