---
name: "Richard Griffiths"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/richard-griffiths"
fi1m_id: "richard-griffiths"
imdb_id: "nm0341743"
tmdb_id: 10983
wikidata_id: "Q314831"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "31 July 1947"
died: "28 March 2013"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 19
average_fi1m_score: 71
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 18
updated: "2026-10-07T16:14:13.594399+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Richard Griffiths

## Identity

Richard Griffiths

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/richard-griffiths
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** richard-griffiths
- **IMDb ID:** nm0341743
- **TMDB ID:** 10983
- **Wikidata ID:** Q314831
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Griffiths, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q314831, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0341743/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/10983

Actor. Born 31 July 1947 in Thornaby-on-Tees, North Yorkshire, England, UK. Died 28 March 2013.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 31 July 1947, Thornaby-on-Tees, North Yorkshire, England, UK
- **Died:** 28 March 2013
- **Active:** 1980–2011
- **Also known as:** Річард Гріффітс
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 19: 18 acting, 1 other
- **Frequently works with:** [Johnny Depp](https://film.one/person/johnny-depp.md), [Kevin Loader](https://film.one/person/kevin-loader.md)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 71, as actor, over 18 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1980s 76 (5), 1990s 75 (2), 2000s 70 (7), 2010s 65 (5)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 72 to 67 across 15 titles
- **Score spread:** 2 at 80+, 15 at 60–79, 1 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 1 of 11 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Adventure 9, Drama 8, Fantasy 7, Comedy 4, Action 2, History 2
- **Screen time:** 35 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $6,633m across 15 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Griffiths, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q314831, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0341743/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/10983

## Streaming the US now

- **HBO Max:** [*Withnail & I*](https://film.one/film/withnail-and-i.md) (88), [*Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix*](https://film.one/film/harry-potter-and-the-order-of-the-phoenix.md) (68), [*Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone*](https://film.one/film/harry-potter-and-the-philosophers-stone.md) (68), [*Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*](https://film.one/film/harry-potter-and-the-chamber-of-secrets.md) (65)
- **Apple TV:** [*Sleepy Hollow*](https://film.one/film/sleepy-hollow.md) (78)
- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Hugo*](https://film.one/film/hugo.md) (76)
- **Hulu:** [*The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear*](https://film.one/film/the-naked-gun-212-the-smell-of-fear.md) (72)
- **The Roku Channel:** [*Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes*](https://film.one/film/greystoke-the-legend-of-tarzan-lord-of-the-apes.md) (65)
- **Disney+:** [*Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides*](https://film.one/film/pirates-of-the-caribbean-on-stranger-tides.md) (45)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Richard Griffiths

> Richard Griffiths had a big frame and a beautiful voice and he spent them on Englishmen who thought too well of themselves, making nearly all of them funny and a few of them sad. Monty in *Withnail & I* is the one to see.

Watch Monty enter a room in *Withnail & I* (1987). Before he has said anything of consequence, Richard Griffiths has already told us who this man is: the pause before he speaks, the way the voice comes up from somewhere deep and settles on each word as if it were worth the wait. We said in our review that he gives Monty a luxuriant sense of his own importance that makes him funny before the writing has finished the job, and that is the whole trick. Most actors wait for the line. Griffiths had the laugh in hand before the line arrived.

He came to it the slow way. After drama school he joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in the mid-1970s and played the clowns and the supporting parts, and film work in the late 1970s and 1980s did little for him until Bruce Robinson cast him as Monty. That performance is still the one people mean when they say his name. The BBC gave him a lead in *Pie in the Sky* (1994 to 1997), a detective who would sooner be running his restaurant, and then a decade as Vernon Dursley across five Harry Potter films (2001 to 2010) made him the tyrannical uncle for a generation of children who had never heard of Camden. On stage, *The History Boys* (2004 to 2006) gave him Hector, a teacher, and the film version followed in 2006. Nicholas Hytner directed him twice on film and understood that the bulk and the voice could carry authority as easily as they carried bluster.

The parts were nearly always the same man: pompous, bumbling, or predatory, middle-aged, English, in a period coat or a cardigan. Griffiths knew this, and the interesting thing is how much he found inside it. Monty is a comic monster for an hour and then, in a stretch we will not describe, something else, and we laughed at him and then felt for him more than we expected to, because he never once played the loneliness; he let it show through the appetite. Petulance, melancholy and a rather alarming sensuality sit together in that performance and none of them cancels the others out.

The cinema did not always know what to do with him. *Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides* (2011) gives him a wig and one scene as King George and then gets on with the chase. It is a film we scored 45, and he is one of the few things in it we can remember. That is roughly the shape of his late film career: a big supporting turn dropped into something that did not deserve it.

He died in 2013. Asked about the people who still quote *Withnail & I* at him, he said, "They know the lines, the dialogue, it's all a bit scary." They know the lines because of how he said them. Start there, and forgive the films that only wanted him for a scene.

## Biography

Richard Griffiths (31 July 1947 – 28 March 2013) was an English actor of film, television and stage. He trained at Manchester Polytechnic School of Drama and began his career in the 1970s.

Griffiths was known for his role as Uncle Monty in *Withnail & I* (1987) and as Vernon Dursley in the *Harry Potter* film series (2001–2010). On television he played Henry Crabbe in *Pie in the Sky* (1994–1997). For his performance as Hector in the stage play *The History Boys* he won a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play, a Laurence Olivier Award, the Drama Desk Award and the Outer Critics Circle Award; the 2006 film adaptation earned him a BAFTA nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2008.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, bbc.com, themoviedb.org.*

## On Fi1m (19)

### Performed in (18) — the average rests on these

- *Episodes* (2011), Fi1m 72, as Julian Bullard — [page](https://film.one/tv/episodes.md)
- *Hugo* (2011), Fi1m 76, as Monsieur Frick — [page](https://film.one/film/hugo.md)
- *Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides* (2011), Fi1m 45, as King George — [page](https://film.one/film/pirates-of-the-caribbean-on-stranger-tides.md)
- *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1* (2010), Fi1m 67, as Vernon Dursley — [page](https://film.one/film/harry-potter-and-the-deathly-hallows-part-1.md)
- *Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix* (2007), Fi1m 68, as Vernon Dursley — [page](https://film.one/film/harry-potter-and-the-order-of-the-phoenix.md)
- *The History Boys* (2006), Fi1m 67, as Hector — [page](https://film.one/film/the-history-boys.md)
- *Venus* (2006), Fi1m 72, as Donald — [page](https://film.one/film/venus.md)
- *Bleak House* (2005), Fi1m 65, as Mr. Bayham Badger — [page](https://film.one/tv/bleak-house.md)
- *Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban* (2004), Fi1m 82, as Vernon Dursley — [page](https://film.one/film/harry-potter-and-the-prisoner-of-azkaban.md)
- *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets* (2002), Fi1m 65, as Vernon Dursley — [page](https://film.one/film/harry-potter-and-the-chamber-of-secrets.md)
- *Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone* (2001), Fi1m 68, as Uncle Vernon Dursley — [page](https://film.one/film/harry-potter-and-the-philosophers-stone.md)
- *Sleepy Hollow* (1999), Fi1m 78, as Bürgermeister Phillipse — [page](https://film.one/film/sleepy-hollow.md)
- *The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear* (1991), Fi1m 72, as Dr. Meinheimer / Earl Hacker — [page](https://film.one/film/the-naked-gun-212-the-smell-of-fear.md)
- *Withnail & I* (1987), Fi1m 88, as Monty — [page](https://film.one/film/withnail-and-i.md)
- *Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes* (1984), Fi1m 65, as Captain Billings — [page](https://film.one/film/greystoke-the-legend-of-tarzan-lord-of-the-apes.md)
- *Gandhi* (1982), Fi1m 73, as Collins — [page](https://film.one/film/gandhi.md)
- *Chariots of Fire* (1981), Fi1m 78, as Head Porter - Caius College — [page](https://film.one/film/chariots-of-fire.md)
- *Superman II* (1980), Fi1m 74, as Terrorist — [page](https://film.one/film/superman-ii.md)

### Also credited (1) — thanks, archive footage, uncredited

- *About Time* (2013), Fi1m 66, as Lawyer in Play (uncredited) — [page](https://film.one/film/about-time.md)

## Complete filmography (91)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *About Time* (2013), as Lawyer in Play (uncredited) — Fi1m 66, [page](https://film.one/film/about-time.md)
- *Private Peaceful* (2012), as The Colonel
- *The Hollow Crown* (2012), series, as Duke of Burgundy — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-hollow-crown.md)
- *Hugo* (2011), as Monsieur Frick — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/film/hugo.md)
- *Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides* (2011), as King George — Fi1m 45, [page](https://film.one/film/pirates-of-the-caribbean-on-stranger-tides.md)
- *Episodes* (2011), series, as Julian Bullard — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/tv/episodes.md)
- *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1* (2010), as Vernon Dursley — Fi1m 67, [page](https://film.one/film/harry-potter-and-the-deathly-hallows-part-1.md)
- *Jackboots on Whitehall* (2010), as Hermann Goering (voice)
- *National Theatre Live: The Habit of Art* (2010), as Fitz / W. H. Auden
- *Bedtime Stories* (2008), as Barry Nottingham
- *A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa* (2008), as Santa Claus
- *Ballet Shoes* (2008), as Great Uncle Matthew
- *Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix* (2007), as Vernon Dursley — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/film/harry-potter-and-the-order-of-the-phoenix.md)
- *The History Boys* (2006), as Hector — Fi1m 67, [page](https://film.one/film/the-history-boys.md)
- *Venus* (2006), as Donald — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/film/venus.md)
- *The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends* (2006), as Mr. Alderman Ptolomy Tortoise/Mr. Jackson/Sir Isaac Newton
- *Opa!* (2005), as Tierrney
- *Bleak House* (2005), series, as Mr. Bayham Badger — Fi1m 65, [page](https://film.one/tv/bleak-house.md)
- *The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy* (2005), as Jeltz (voice)
- *Princes in the Tower* (2005), as Thomas More  voice
- *Stage Beauty* (2004), as Sir Charles Sedley
- *Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban* (2004), as Vernon Dursley — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/harry-potter-and-the-prisoner-of-azkaban.md)
- *The Brides in the Bath* (2003), as Sir Edward Marshall-Hall
- *Jeffrey Archer: The Truth* (2002), as Willie Whitelaw
- *tlc* (2002), series, as Mr Benedict Ron
- *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets* (2002), as Vernon Dursley — Fi1m 65, [page](https://film.one/film/harry-potter-and-the-chamber-of-secrets.md)
- *Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone* (2001), as Uncle Vernon Dursley — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/film/harry-potter-and-the-philosophers-stone.md)
- *Vatel* (2000), as Dr. Bourdelot
- *Gormenghast* (2000), series, as Swelter
- *Sleepy Hollow* (1999), as Bürgermeister Phillipse — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/film/sleepy-hollow.md)
- *Hope and Glory* (1999), series, as Leo Wheeldon
- *Ted & Ralph* (1998), as Landowner at Party
- *The Animal Train* (1998), as Elephant
- *In the Red* (1998), series, as Geoffrey Crichton Potter
- *The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends: The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies and Mrs. Tittlemouse* (1996), as Mr. Jackson (voice)
- *TFI Friday* (1996), series, Actor
- *Funny Bones* (1995), as Jim Minty
- *A Breed of Heroes* (1994), as Brian Beasely
- *Pie in the Sky* (1994), series, as Henry Crabbe
- *Guarding Tess* (1994), as Frederick
- *The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends* (1992), series, as Mr. Jackson (voice)
- *Mr. Wakefield's Crusade* (1992), as Porter
- *Blame It on the Bellboy* (1992), as Maurice Horton
- *The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear* (1991), as Dr. Meinheimer / Earl Hacker — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/film/the-naked-gun-212-the-smell-of-fear.md)
- *King Ralph* (1991), as Phipps
- *Perfect Scoundrels* (1990), series, as Phil Kirby
- *El C.I.D.* (1990), series, as Weatherby
- *Screen One* (1989), series, as Brian Beazely
- *Goldeneye* (1989), as Second Admiral
- *A Kind of Living* (1988), series, as Trevor Beasley
- *The Marksman* (1987), series, as Brown
- *Ffizz* (1987), series, as Jack Mowbray
- *Withnail & I* (1987), as Monty — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/film/withnail-and-i.md)
- *Casanova* (1987), as Cardinal
- *Inspector Morse* (1987), series, as Canon Humphrey Appleton — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/inspector-morse.md)
- *Shanghai Surprise* (1986), as Willie Tuttle
- *Boon* (1986), series, Actor
- *Lovejoy* (1986), series, as Hans Koopman
- *A Private Function* (1984), as Allardyce
- *Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes* (1984), as Captain Billings — Fi1m 65, [page](https://film.one/film/greystoke-the-legend-of-tarzan-lord-of-the-apes.md)
- *Gorky Park* (1983), as Anton
- *The Cleopatras* (1983), series, as Pot Belly
- *The Merry Wives of Windsor* (1982), as Sir John Falstaff
- *Gandhi* (1982), as Collins — Fi1m 73, [page](https://film.one/film/gandhi.md)
- *A Light Snack* (1982), as The Window Cleaner
- *The World Cup: A Captain's Tale* (1982), as Sidney Barron
- *Britannia Hospital* (1982), as Cheerful Bernie
- *Bird of Prey* (1982), series, as Henry Jay
- *Whoops Apocalypse* (1982), series, as Premier Dubienkin
- *Ragtime* (1981), as Delmas' Assistant No. 1
- *Bergerac* (1981), series, as Jean-Pierre
- *Prisoners of Conscience* (1981), series, as William Beausire
- *The French Lieutenant's Woman* (1981), as Sir Tom
- *Chariots of Fire* (1981), as Head Porter - Caius College — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/film/chariots-of-fire.md)
- *Superman II* (1980), as Terrorist — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/film/superman-ii.md)
- *Breaking Glass* (1980), as Studio Engineer
- *Minder* (1979), series, as Derek Farrow — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/minder.md)
- *Afternoon Off* (1979), as Factory Boss
- *The BBC Television Shakespeare* (1978), series, as Sir John Falstaff
- *The Comedy of Errors* (1978), as Officer
- *It's Only Rock 'n' Roll* (1977), as Board Member
- *Twelve Off the Belt* (1977), as Bedworth Hogg
- *It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet* (1976), as Sam Broadbent
- *Well Thank You, Thursday* (1976), as Window Cleaner
- *Red Letter Day* (1976), series, as Window Cleaner
- *The Sweeney* (1975), series, as Ronnie Harries — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-sweeney.md)
- *Norma* (1974), as Park Keeper
- *Village Hall* (1974), series, as Mr. Ridealgh
- *Second City Firsts* (1973), series, as Bedworth Hog
- *Crown Court* (1972), series, as Interpreter
- *ITV Playhouse* (1967), series, as Park keeper, Board member

## Gallery

- ![Richard Griffiths](https://film.one/media/person/59698/gallery-254de46ec839.jpg) Richard Griffiths — S Pakhrin from DC, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/Richard_Griffiths_at_BAFTA_2007_%28387023768%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Vernon Dursley, as he appears in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2024)](https://film.one/media/person/59698/gallery-b8cc2eb6317c.jpg) Vernon Dursley, as he appears in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2024) — Harry Potter, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/78/Vernon_Dursley_in_Harry_Potter_and_the_Order_of_the_Phoenix.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Richard Griffiths](https://film.one/media/person/59698/gallery-be9136013634.jpg) Richard Griffiths — Image via TMDB
- ![Richard Griffiths](https://film.one/media/person/59698/gallery-5df5f0231f65.jpg) Richard Griffiths — Image via TMDB
- ![Richard Griffiths](https://film.one/media/person/59698/gallery-05358727e71a.jpg) Richard Griffiths — Image via TMDB
- ![Richard Griffiths](https://film.one/media/person/59698/gallery-ee11b87fbe98.jpg) Richard Griffiths — Image via TMDB
- ![Richard Griffiths](https://film.one/media/person/59698/gallery-b78c218eb66c.jpg) Richard Griffiths — Image via TMDB
- ![Richard Griffiths](https://film.one/media/person/59698/gallery-35fadba97906.jpg) Richard Griffiths — Image via TMDB

## Awards

### Other awards — 2 won

- Theatre World Award 2006: Theatre World Award (won)
- Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play 2006: Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play (won)

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/richard-griffiths