TV and Theater Legend Gawn Grainger Dead at 87

Gawn Grainger, the Scottish actor known for his roles on the screen and stage, has died. He was 87.

His acting career spanned over 70 years, and was always a reliable character actor in any role. He rose to fame after being mentored by Laurence Olivier starting in 1972, in his theatre company located in Britain’s National Theatre.

He was ubiquitous on the West End, with frequent roles in Britain’s biggest plays. Over time, he became one of Laurence Olivier’s closest friends, with Grainger considering him like a surrogate father. He went on to ghost-write Olivier’s book On Acting, and was present when Olivier was on his deathbed.

During his theatre career in the early 60s, he became friends with and acted alongside several other big names, like Vanessa Redgrave and Ian McKellen.

He was well-known for supporting roles in some of the biggest British television series, like Doctor Who and Midsomer Murders. In the late 70s, he transitioned to script-writing. He had several plays performed on the West End, including Four to One, Jubilee and Vamp Till Ready. He also wrote many episodes of television, including the creation of BBC One’s Clowns.

Grainger is survived by his wife, Zoe, and his two children.