Nicol Williamson, EXCALIBUR Star Dies At 73

The Telegraph is reporting that actor Nicol Williamson (EXCALIBUR, ROBIN AND MARIAN) has sadly passed away.

Barely three months after Inadmissible Evidence, the John Osborne play that made his name, was revived in London, Nicol Williamson has died, aged 73, in Holland.

The colourful Scot – who was described by Osborne as the greatest actor since Marlon Brando, and, by Samuel Beckett, as “touched by genius”  had not made a film since 1997’s superhero picture Spawn. He had, in recent years, been concentrating on music.

His son, Luke, by his former wife Jill Townsend, tells Mandrake that he died just before Christmas after a two-year fight with oesophageal cancer and was eager that no fuss should be made about his passing. To modern filmgoers, he is probably best known for The Exorcist III and for playing Merlin in Excalibur.

I’ve always held a soft spot for this actor. Loved him as Little John to Sean Connery’s Robin in ROBIN AND MARIAN, was scared and fascinated at the same time by his powerful Merlin in the majestic EXCALIBUR and was floored by his turn as the quintessential Sherlock Holmes in THE SEVEN-PER-CENT SOLUTION. It’s no wonder that I was totally delighted by his cameo in THE GOODBYE GIRL as producer Oliver Fry.

THE GOODBYE GIRL

EXCALIBUR