Excalibur Star Nigel Terry Dies At 69

Nigel Terry in ‘Excalibur’ (Photo: Everett Collection)

Actor Nigel Terry, best known for his performance as King Arthur in John Boorman’s 1981 film Excalibur, has died of emphysema, according to the Guardian. He was 69.

Terry’s first major appearance came in 1968 in Anthony Harvey’s Lion in Winter, where he played Prince John alongside Peter O’Toole and Katharine Hepburn. The British actor went years without another big film role until Excalibur came along, which also starred Helen Mirren as Morgana and Nicol Williamson as Merlin.

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Terry played the titular Italian painter in the 1986 Caravaggio, directed by Derek Jarman. He and Jarman worked together on four more films: The Last of England (1988), War Requiem (1989), Edward II (1991) and Blue (1993).

He was born in Bristol and studied at London’s Central School of Speech and Drama. He worked extensively in theater, including productions at the Royal Shakespeare Company (including leads in The Duchess of Malfi and the title role in Pericles, Prince of Tyre), the Royal Court, National Theatre, Bristol Old Vic and the Oxford Playhouse.

He played a Trojan priest and adviser to O’Toole’s King Priam in the Wolfgang Petersen-directed Troy, his last major big screen role. Terry’s other film credits include Deja Vu in 1985 and the 2002 horror movie Feardotcom.

He worked extensively in television, including the British series “Covington Cross” in the ’90s as Sir Thomas Grey. ABC aired the show in the U.S. Other TV appearances in the past decade include Foyle’s War, MI-5, Agatha Christie’s Marple and Dr. Who.