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Ronald Pickup
Ronald Alfred Pickup (7 June 1940 – 24 February 2021) was an English actor. He was active in television, film, and theatre, beginning with a 1964 appearance in Doctor Who. Theatre critic Michael Billington described him as "a terrific stage star and an essential member of Laurence Olivier's National Theatre company". His major screen roles included the title role in The Life of Verdi and Prince Yakimov in Fortunes of War (1987).
Pickup was born in Chester on 7 June 1940. His father, Eric, worked as a lecturer; his mother was Daisy (née Williams). Pickup attended the King's School, Chester, and went on to study English at the University of Leeds, graduating in 1962. He then trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London, receiving the annual Bancroft Medal (silver) on graduation in 1964. He met his wife at RADA and later became a member of the RADA Academy.
Pickup's television work began with an episode during the first series of Doctor Who (as a physician in part 4 of The Reign of Terror) in 1964. He was paid £30, in what is regarded as the breakthrough in his acting career. He went on to star in the BBC drama series The Dragon's Opponent in 1973, playing Charles Howard, 20th Earl of Suffolk, a World War II bomb disposal expert. In 1976, he appeared in the Thames Television serial Jennie: Lady Randolph Churchill playing Lord Randolph Churchill to Lee Remick's Jennie. The same year he appeared in an adaptation of Jilly Cooper's romance Emily. Almost a decade later, Pickup had the starring role as composer Giuseppe Verdi in the acclaimed The Life of Verdi, written and directed by Renato Castellani.
Pickup appeared opposite Penelope Keith in Moving and as Friedrich Nietzsche in Wagner in 1983; existing in several versions, Wagner has also been released as a film. The following year, Pickup portrayed Jan Tyranowski in the TV movie Pope John Paul II and Albert Einstein in the TV mini series Einstein. He also acted the part of George Orwell in Crystal Spirit: Orwell on Jura; Pickup later revealed in 2012 that this was his favourite role. For this role and a 1983 BBC One adaptation of the play Waters of the Moon, Pickup was nominated for the British Academy Television Award for Best Actor in 1984. He went on to play Prince Yakimov, a hapless, down-at-heel Russo-British aristocrat, opposite Emma Thompson and Kenneth Branagh in the BBC serial Fortunes of War (1987), based on a novel cycle by Olivia Manning. He was the voice of Aslan in the BBC television serial adaptation of The Chronicles of Narnia (1988–1990), derived from the books by C. S. Lewis. Pickup starred in the short lived sit-com Not with a Bang, broadcast in 1990, and appeared opposite Michael Caine in Jekyll & Hyde the same year. In 1992 he appeared alongside Dervla Kirwan in the television adaptation of Melvyn Bragg's book A Time To Dance, considered by some to be one of his best performances.
Pickup's other roles included parts in Hornblower, The Riff Raff Element, Hustle, Foyle's War, Midsomer Murders, Lovejoy, Waking the Dead, The Bill, Silent Witness, Sherlock Holmes,[failed verification] Doc Martin, Inspector Morse, The Rector's Wife, the 1991 television adaptation of John le Carré's A Murder of Quality, and the BBC's 2004 drama for children, Feather Boy. He also appeared in The Ruth Rendell Mysteries series, playing Chief Inspector Moore in "A Case of Coincidence".
Pickup played a regular part, Fraser Cook in the 2004 BBC sitcom The Worst Week of My Life. He starred opposite Judi Dench in the 1989 Channel 4 serial Behaving Badly. In February 2010, he also appeared as Pegleg in the BBC's period drama Lark Rise to Candleford. He played Fr. Moreno Mancini in “Wild Justice”, S5:E2 of Lewis, which aired April 2011.
Pickup appeared in the fifth series of Young Dracula in early 2014, portraying Morgan, chairman of the vampire high council, who later becomes the host of the Blood Seed, the main antagonist of the series finale. He appeared in Holby City as Charles, Lord Byrne, and in November 2014 appeared on Coronation Street in a cameo role as an OAP arranging a birthday party with Michelle Connor in the Rovers Return. Pickup, in 2015, appeared as Sir Michael Reresby an episode of the 6th season of Downton Abbey. In 2016, he played the role of Geoffrey Fisher, the Archbishop of Canterbury, in four episodes of the Netflix series The Crown.
Pickup was also an accomplished stage actor. His first professional role was in 1964 as Friendly in Virtue in Danger at the Phoenix Theatre, Leicester. His London debut was in November 1964 as Octavius in Julius Caesar, for director Lindsay Anderson at the Royal Court Theatre. He worked with Laurence Olivier at the Royal National Theatre, most notably as Baron Tusenbach in Three Sisters (1967) and Long Day's Journey into Night. His first appearance with the company was a minor part in Michael Elliott's production of Miss Julie (1965 Chichester Festival; 1966 Old Vic). This was followed by a role which brought him to popular attention: again at the Old Vic he was Rosalind in Clifford Williams's all-male production of As You Like It, portraying "serious emotion" in an otherwise "comic" production in 1967. He was nominated for a 1998 Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role for his performance in Amy's View.
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Ronald Pickup
Ronald Alfred Pickup (7 June 1940 – 24 February 2021) was an English actor. He was active in television, film, and theatre, beginning with a 1964 appearance in Doctor Who. Theatre critic Michael Billington described him as "a terrific stage star and an essential member of Laurence Olivier's National Theatre company". His major screen roles included the title role in The Life of Verdi and Prince Yakimov in Fortunes of War (1987).
Pickup was born in Chester on 7 June 1940. His father, Eric, worked as a lecturer; his mother was Daisy (née Williams). Pickup attended the King's School, Chester, and went on to study English at the University of Leeds, graduating in 1962. He then trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London, receiving the annual Bancroft Medal (silver) on graduation in 1964. He met his wife at RADA and later became a member of the RADA Academy.
Pickup's television work began with an episode during the first series of Doctor Who (as a physician in part 4 of The Reign of Terror) in 1964. He was paid £30, in what is regarded as the breakthrough in his acting career. He went on to star in the BBC drama series The Dragon's Opponent in 1973, playing Charles Howard, 20th Earl of Suffolk, a World War II bomb disposal expert. In 1976, he appeared in the Thames Television serial Jennie: Lady Randolph Churchill playing Lord Randolph Churchill to Lee Remick's Jennie. The same year he appeared in an adaptation of Jilly Cooper's romance Emily. Almost a decade later, Pickup had the starring role as composer Giuseppe Verdi in the acclaimed The Life of Verdi, written and directed by Renato Castellani.
Pickup appeared opposite Penelope Keith in Moving and as Friedrich Nietzsche in Wagner in 1983; existing in several versions, Wagner has also been released as a film. The following year, Pickup portrayed Jan Tyranowski in the TV movie Pope John Paul II and Albert Einstein in the TV mini series Einstein. He also acted the part of George Orwell in Crystal Spirit: Orwell on Jura; Pickup later revealed in 2012 that this was his favourite role. For this role and a 1983 BBC One adaptation of the play Waters of the Moon, Pickup was nominated for the British Academy Television Award for Best Actor in 1984. He went on to play Prince Yakimov, a hapless, down-at-heel Russo-British aristocrat, opposite Emma Thompson and Kenneth Branagh in the BBC serial Fortunes of War (1987), based on a novel cycle by Olivia Manning. He was the voice of Aslan in the BBC television serial adaptation of The Chronicles of Narnia (1988–1990), derived from the books by C. S. Lewis. Pickup starred in the short lived sit-com Not with a Bang, broadcast in 1990, and appeared opposite Michael Caine in Jekyll & Hyde the same year. In 1992 he appeared alongside Dervla Kirwan in the television adaptation of Melvyn Bragg's book A Time To Dance, considered by some to be one of his best performances.
Pickup's other roles included parts in Hornblower, The Riff Raff Element, Hustle, Foyle's War, Midsomer Murders, Lovejoy, Waking the Dead, The Bill, Silent Witness, Sherlock Holmes,[failed verification] Doc Martin, Inspector Morse, The Rector's Wife, the 1991 television adaptation of John le Carré's A Murder of Quality, and the BBC's 2004 drama for children, Feather Boy. He also appeared in The Ruth Rendell Mysteries series, playing Chief Inspector Moore in "A Case of Coincidence".
Pickup played a regular part, Fraser Cook in the 2004 BBC sitcom The Worst Week of My Life. He starred opposite Judi Dench in the 1989 Channel 4 serial Behaving Badly. In February 2010, he also appeared as Pegleg in the BBC's period drama Lark Rise to Candleford. He played Fr. Moreno Mancini in “Wild Justice”, S5:E2 of Lewis, which aired April 2011.
Pickup appeared in the fifth series of Young Dracula in early 2014, portraying Morgan, chairman of the vampire high council, who later becomes the host of the Blood Seed, the main antagonist of the series finale. He appeared in Holby City as Charles, Lord Byrne, and in November 2014 appeared on Coronation Street in a cameo role as an OAP arranging a birthday party with Michelle Connor in the Rovers Return. Pickup, in 2015, appeared as Sir Michael Reresby an episode of the 6th season of Downton Abbey. In 2016, he played the role of Geoffrey Fisher, the Archbishop of Canterbury, in four episodes of the Netflix series The Crown.
Pickup was also an accomplished stage actor. His first professional role was in 1964 as Friendly in Virtue in Danger at the Phoenix Theatre, Leicester. His London debut was in November 1964 as Octavius in Julius Caesar, for director Lindsay Anderson at the Royal Court Theatre. He worked with Laurence Olivier at the Royal National Theatre, most notably as Baron Tusenbach in Three Sisters (1967) and Long Day's Journey into Night. His first appearance with the company was a minor part in Michael Elliott's production of Miss Julie (1965 Chichester Festival; 1966 Old Vic). This was followed by a role which brought him to popular attention: again at the Old Vic he was Rosalind in Clifford Williams's all-male production of As You Like It, portraying "serious emotion" in an otherwise "comic" production in 1967. He was nominated for a 1998 Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role for his performance in Amy's View.