Peter William Postlethwaite,OBE(7 February 1946 – 2 January 2011) was an English actor best known for his work as acharacter actor.[1]
Pete Postlethwaite | |
|---|---|
 Postlethwaite in July 2004 | |
| Born | Peter William Postlethwaite 7 February 1946 Warrington,Cheshire,England |
| Died | 2 January 2011(aged 64) Shrewsbury,Shropshire,England |
| Alma mater | Bristol Old Vic Theatre School |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1975–2011 |
| Spouse |
Jacqueline Morrish
(m.2003) |
| Children | 2, includingBilly |
After minor television appearances includingThe Professionals,Postlethwaite's first major success arose through the BritishautobiographicalfilmDistant Voices, Still Lives(1988). He had a breakthrough in Hollywood when he portrayed David inAlien 3(1992) and his international reputation was further solidified when he was nominated for theAcademy Award for Best Supporting ActorforIn the Name of the Father.Following this role, he portrayed the mysterious lawyer Mr. Kobayashi inThe Usual Suspectsand went on to appear in a wide variety of films.
On television, Postlethwaite playedSergeant Obadiah HakeswillinSharpe(1994) and was nominated for theBAFTA Award for Best Actorfor performances inMartin Chuzzlewit(1994),Lost for Words(1999) andThe Sins(2000).[2]DirectorSteven Spielbergcalled him "the best actor in the world".[3]He was made anOfficer of the Order of the British Empirein the2004 New Year Honourslist. Less than one month after his death, he was nominated for theBAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Rolefor his performance as Fergie Colm inThe Town(2010).
Early life
editPeter William Postlethwaite was born into a working-classCatholicfamily at 101 Norris Street[4]inWarringtonon 7 February 1946,[5][6]the son of Mary Geraldine (née Lawless; 1913–2000) andcooper,wood machinist, and school caretaker William Postlethwaite (1913–1988).[7][8]He had an older brother named Michael (1944–2006) and two older sisters named Patricia and Anne. He would later portrayIrishcharacters on multiple occasions, leading some to mistakenly believe that he was of Irish descent.[9]
Postlethwaite attended St Benedict's RC Junior School and aseminary,then joinedWest Park Grammar SchoolinSt Helens,where he enjoyed sports includingrugby union.He spent an extra year re-sitting some of hisO-levels,and then took fourA-levelsin English, history, geography, and French.[10]Before his acting career, he trained as a teacher atSt Mary's College, Strawberry Hillwhere his chosen subjects were physical education and drama (where he became the first male drama teacher[citation needed]), before training as an actor at theBristol Old Vic Theatre School.
He initially trained to be a Catholic priest,[11]but later settled on a career in acting. He trained as an actor at theBristol Old Vic Theatre Schoolin 1970.[12]
He was a veteran of theRoyal Shakespeare Companyand other acting companies. On 13 January 1981, he took the leading role in aBBCTVblack comedybyAlan Bleasdale,The Muscle Market,which was a spin-off fromBoys from the Blackstuff;it was part of thePlay for Todayseries.[citation needed]
After other early appearances in small parts for television programmes such asThe Professionals,Postlethwaite's first film success came with the filmDistant Voices, Still Livesin 1988. He received anAcademy Awardnomination for his role inIn the Name of the Fatherin 1993. He is well known for his role as mysterious lawyer Mr. Kobayashi inThe Usual Suspects.He made appearances in several other successful films, includingAlien 3,Amistad,Brassed Off,The Shipping News,The Constant Gardener,Inception,James and the Giant Peachand as Friar Lawrence in Baz Luhrmann'sRomeo + Juliet.[citation needed]
Career
editEarly in his career, Postlethwaite was advised to adopt a new surname for his acting work by his first agent and by peers who quipped that his name "would never be put up inlights outside theatresbecause they couldn't afford the electricity ". He rejected the advice.[13]He started his career at theEveryman TheatreinLiverpool,where his colleagues includedBill Nighy,Jonathan Pryce,Antony Sher,Matthew Kelly,andJulie Walters,having an intimate relationship with the last during the mid-to-late 1970s.[14]
In 2003, he touredAustraliaandNew Zealandin a 90-minute one-man play,Scaramouche Jones,in which he played a clown trying to find out who he is before he dies at midnight, receiving a nomination for theTMA Awardfor Best Actor and winning theTheatregoers' Choice Awardfor Best Solo Performance.[15]This was directed by Rupert Goold, who would also direct hisLearin 2008, in which Postlethwaite played every character. As well as Australia, the play toured Canada, New Zealand and the UK to great acclaim.[14]
InThe Art of Discworld(2004),Terry Pratchettwrote that he had always imaginedSam Vimesas "a younger, slightly bulkier version of Pete Postlethwaite".[16]
Steven Spielberg,who directed Postlethwaite in 1997'sThe Lost World: Jurassic Park,called him "the best actor in the world".[17]Postlethwaite quipped: "I'm sure what Spielberg actually said was, 'The thing about Pete is that he thinks he's the best actor in the world.'"[18]Postlethwaite next starred in a Liverpool stage production ofKing Learin 2008 at the Everyman Theatre, Liverpool, and at the Young Vic, London. He appeared in theclimate change-themed filmThe Age of Stupid,which premiered in March 2009.
One of his more notable roles wasSergeant Obadiah Hakeswillin ITV'sSharpeseries. The actor said this was one of his favourite roles and that he and fellow actorSean Beanplayed well off each other because of their mutual love and respect.Bernard Cornwell,the author and creator of theSharpeseries, specifically wrote Hakeswill's character in later novels to reflect Postlethwaite's performance as the character in the TV series. Postlethwaite co-starred with Bean inWhen Saturday Comes.[citation needed]
Terminally ill, Postlethwaite made a return to Hollywood in three 2010 films, first as Spyros inClash of the Titans.He next appeared in the blockbuster hitInceptionas Maurice Fischer, an industrialist who is slowly dying. Lastly, his performance inThe Townas florist and crime Boss Fergus "Fergie" Colm was well received by critics, which would earn him a posthumous nomination forBAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role,and making several publications' lists of Oscar predictions for Best Supporting Actor.[19][20][21]His final appearance on screen was inNick Hamm's filmKilling Bono,based on the memoir of Neil McCormick. The role was written specially for Postlethwaite to accommodate his illness.[22]The film was released on 1 April 2011. He was scheduled to be in the BBC seriesExile,but had to pull out because of ill health and was replaced byJim Broadbent.[23]
Activism
editPostlethwaite appeared as a taxi driver in apolitical broadcastfor theLabour Partyduring the1997 general election,[24]and marched in London against theIraq Warin 2003.[25]
In his later years, Postlethwaite was vocal in calling for action onclimate change,and installed awind turbinein his garden; he wrote inThe Sun,"The stakes [of climate change] are very, very high. They're through the roof. How could we willingly know that we're going into extinction... and let it happen?"[26][27]At the UK premiere ofThe Age of Stupidin 2009, he told then-Secretary of State for Energy and Climate ChangeEd Milibandthat he would return hisOBEand vote for any party other than Labour if theKingsnorth coal-fired power stationwas given the go-ahead by the Labour government.[28]
Personal life
editPostlethwaite lived inWest Itchenorbefore moving nearBishop's Castle.He was a lifelong supporter ofLiverpool FC.[29]He began a relationship with formerBBCproducer Jacqueline Morrish in 1987, and they were married in 2003 atSt Nicholas' Churchin West Itchenor. They had a son, actorBilly Postlethwaite(born 1989),[14]and a daughter, Lily Postlethwaite (born 1996).
Health issues and death
editPostlethwaite was diagnosed withtesticular cancerin 1990, andhad his right testicle removed.[30][31]A life-long smoker since he was 10,[32]he said during a 2009 interview withScotland on Sunday,"We've got to hope the next generation will do things differently. I'm sure that in 20 years' time the kids will say: 'Can you believe that people actually used to smoke – put these funny little things in their mouths, lit them and sucked all that crap into their lungs?"[33]
Postlethwaite was diagnosed withpancreatic cancerin March 2009,[34]and continued acting for the next year and a half, showing clear signs of weight loss during his last performances.[35]On 2 January 2011, at the age of 64, he died at theRoyal Shrewsbury HospitalinShrewsbury.[36][37][38][39]In his final two years, he worked on his memoirA Spectacle of Dustwith writerAndy Richardson,which was published in June 2011.[10][40]
Awards
editPostlethwaite was made anOfficer of the Order of the British Empirein the 2004 New Year Honours list and received an Honorary Fellowship in recognition of outstanding contribution to the dramatic arts byLiverpool John Moores Universityin 2005 and an honorary degree from theUniversity of Liverpoolin 2006. He received anAcademy Awardnomination for his roleIn the Name of the Fatherand was posthumously nominated for aBAFTA Awardfor his performance inThe Town.
Filmography
editThis sectionneeds additional citations forverification.(March 2021) |
Film
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | The Racer | Ecco | Short film |
| 1977 | The Duellists | Man Shaving General Treillard | Credited as Peter Postlethwaite |
| 1978 | Doris and Doreen | Mr. Lomax | Television film |
| 1983 | Fords on Water | Winston's Boss | Credited as Peter Postlethwaite |
| 1984 | A Private Function | Douglas J. Nuttal | |
| 1985 | King David | Isai | |
| Cyrano de Bergerac | Ragueneau | Television film | |
| 1987 | Coast to Coast | Kecks McGuinness | Television film |
| 1988 | Distant Voices, Still Lives | Father | |
| Tumbledown | Major at Rehabilitation Centre | Television film | |
| To Kill a Priest | Josef | Credited as Peter Postlethwaite | |
| The Dressmaker | Jack | Credited as Peter Postlethwaite | |
| Number 27 | Becket | ||
| 1990 | Hamlet | Player King | |
| Treasure Island | George Merry | Television film Credited as Peter Postlethwaite | |
| 1991 | The Grass Arena | The Dipper | Television film |
| A Child from the South | Harry | Television film | |
| They Never Slept | Panter | Television film | |
| 1992 | Split Second | Paulsen | |
| Alien 3 | David | ||
| Waterland | Henry Crick | Credited as Peter Postlethwaite | |
| The Last of the Mohicans | Captain Beams | ||
| 1993 | Anchoress | William Carpenter | |
| In the Name of the Father | Giuseppe Conlon | Nominated –Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor | |
| 1994 | Suite 16 | Glover | |
| Sin Bin | Mitch | Television film | |
| Sharpe's Company | Sergeant Obadiah Hakeswill | Television film | |
| Sharpe's Enemy | Sergeant Obadiah Hakeswill | Television film | |
| 1995 | The Usual Suspects | Mr. Kobayashi | National Board of Review Award for Best Cast |
| 1996 | When Saturday Comes | Ken Jackson | |
| James and the Giant Peach | Magic Man Narrator |
||
| Dragonheart | Brother Gilbert of Glockenspur | ||
| Crimetime | Sidney | ||
| Romeo + Juliet | Friar Lawrence | ||
| Brassed Off | Danny | ||
| 1997 | The Serpent's Kiss | Thomas Smithers | |
| The Lost World: Jurassic Park | Roland Tembo | Nominated –Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor | |
| Bastard | Sincai | ||
| Amistad | William S. Holabird | ||
| 1998 | Among Giants | Ray | |
| 1999 | Lost for Words | Deric Longden | Television film Nominated –British Academy Television Award for Best Actor |
| Alice in Wonderland | The Carpenter | Television film | |
| Butterfly Collectors | John McKeown | Television film | |
| Wayward Son | Ben Alexander | ||
| The Divine Ryans | Uncle Reg Ryan | ||
| Animal Farm | Farmer Jones Benjamin |
Television film | |
| 2000 | When the Sky Falls | Martin Shaughnessy | |
| Rat | Hubert Flynn | ||
| 2001 | Cowboy Up | Reid Braxton | |
| The Shipping News | Tert Card | ||
| 2002 | Triggermen | Ben Cutler | |
| Between Strangers | John | ||
| 2003 | The Selfish Giant | Arthur | Short film |
| 2004 | The Limit | Gale | |
| Strange Bedfellows | Russell McKenzie | ||
| 2005 | Dark Water | Veeck | |
| The Constant Gardener | Dr. Lorbeer / Dr. Brandt | ||
| Red Mercury | Gold Commander | ||
| Æon Flux | Keeper | ||
| 2006 | Valley of the Heart's Delight | Albion Munson | |
| The Omen | Father Brennan | ||
| 2007 | Ghost Son | Doc | |
| Closing the Ring | Quinlan | ||
| Liyarn Ngarn | Narrator[41] | Documentary | |
| 2008 | Player | Colin | Short film |
| 2009 | The Age of Stupid | The Archivist | Documentary |
| Solomon Kane | William Crowthorn | ||
| Waving at Trains | Douglas | Short film | |
| 2010 | Clash of the Titans | Spyros | |
| Inception | Maurice Fischer | Nominated – Central Ohio Film Critics' Association Award for Best Ensemble Nominated – Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Cast Nominated –Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Ensemble | |
| The Town | Fergus "Fergie" Colm | National Board of Review Award for Best Cast Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Ensemble Nominated –BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role(posthumous) Nominated –Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Cast | |
| 2011 | Killing Bono | Karl | Posthumous release |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Second City Firsts | Episode: "Thwum" Credited as Peter Postlethwaite | |
| 1976 | Plays for Britain | Soldier | Episode: "The Paradise Run" Credited as Peter Postlethwaite |
| 1978 | Last of the Summer Wine | Customer in Sid's Cafe | Episode: "A Merry Heatwave" Credited as Peter Postlethwaite |
| 1978 | Going Straight | Thomas Clifford Crowther | Episode: "Going Going Gone" Credited as Peter Postlethwaite |
| 1979 | Afternoon Off | Gallery Attendant | |
| 1979 | Horse in the House | Uncle Doug | 6 episodes |
| 1981 | Play for Today | Danny Duggan | Episode: "The Muscle Market" Credited as Peter Postlethwaite |
| 1981 | Coronation Street | Detective Sergeant Cross | Episode 2061 |
| 1981 | Crown Court | Episode: "The Merry Widow: Part 1" | |
| 1982–1993 | Minder | Jack "Oily" Wragg Eric "Logie" Lawson |
2 episodes Credited as Peter Postlethwaite |
| 1984 | Mitch | Jack Frost | Episode: "Squealer" Credited as Peter Postlethwaite |
| 1985 | Victoria Wood: As Seen on TV | Barry | Episode 1.6 Credited as Peter Postlethwaite |
| 1985 | Summer Season | Episode: "A Crack in the Ice" Credited as Peter Postlethwaite | |
| 1987–1994 | Screen Two | ||
| 1989 | Tales of Sherwood Forest | Eric | 7 episodes |
| 1990 | Screenplay | Paula's Father | Episode: "Needle" |
| 1990 | Debut on Two | Tony Keef |
2 episodes |
| 1990 | Boon | Steve McLaughlin | Episode: "Undercover" |
| 1990 | Zorro | Episode: "The Marked Man" | |
| 1990–1993 | Casualty | Ralph Peters Hank |
2 episodes |
| 1992 | El C.I.D. | Vince | Episode 3.1: "Making Amends" |
| 1992 | Between the Lines | Chief Superintendent Jameson | Episode: "Out of the Game" |
| 1992 | Shakespeare: The Animated Tales | Quince | Episode: "A Midsummer Night's Dream" Credited as Peter Postlethwaite |
| 1992 | The Bill | Ray Goller | Episode: "Principled Negotiation" |
| 1993 | Lovejoy | Terence Sullivan | Episode: "Goose Bumps" |
| 1994 | Sharpe | Sgt. Obadiah Hakeswill | Episode: "Sharpe's Enemy"
Episode:"Sharpe's Company" |
| 1994 | Pie in the Sky | Kevin Tasker | Episode 1.8: "A Matter of Taste" |
| 1994 | Martin Chuzzlewit | Montague Tigg/Tigg Montague | 5 episodes Nominated –British Academy Television Award for Best Actor |
| 2000 | The Sins | Len Green | Miniseries Nominated –British Academy Television Award for Best Actor |
| 2003 | Shattered City: The Halifax Explosion | Charles Burchell | Miniseries |
| 2008 | Criminal Justice | Hooch | Miniseries |
References
edit- ^Shapiro, T. Rees (4 January 2011)."Pete Postlethwaite, brilliant character actor of 'Usual Suspects,' 'Name of the Father'".The Washington Post.
- ^"Actor".Bafta.Retrieved8 February2025.
- ^Bradshaw, Peter (4 January 2011)."Pete Postlethwaite: A face we won't forget".The Guardian.
- ^Postlethwaite, Pete (23 June 2011).A Spectacle of Dust: The Autobiography.Orion.ISBN978-0-297-86494-3.
- ^Weber, Bruce (3 January 2011)."Pete Postlethwaite, British Actor, Dies at 64".The New York Times.
- ^"Pete Postlethwaite Biography".
- ^"Pete Postlethwaite".The Daily Telegraph.London, UK. 3 January 2011.Retrieved4 January2011.
- ^Tim O'Sullivan (January 2015)."Postlethwaite, Peter William [Pete] (1946–2011)".Oxford Dictionary of National Biography(online ed.). Oxford University Press.doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/103537.(Subscription orUK public library membershiprequired.)
- ^"Review: Autobiography Pete Postlethwaite: A Spectacle of Dust".Irish Independent.1 December 2012.
- ^abPostlethwaite, Pete;Richardson, Andy(1 June 2011).A Spectacle of Dust: The Autobiography(Hardcover ed.).Orion Publishing.ISBN978-0297864936.
- ^"Australia's soul singer".The Guardian.20 June 2008.
- ^"Famous alumni from Bristol's Old Vic Theatre School".ITV.7 January 2016.Retrieved7 January2016.
- ^McLellan, Dennis (4 January 2011)."Pete Postlethwaite dies at 64; actor was nominated for an Oscar for 'In the Name of the Father'".Los Angeles Times.Retrieved25 June2013.
- ^abcWheatley, Jane (27 October 2008)."The Coronation of Pete Postlethwaite".The Times.Retrieved28 August2019.
- ^"ENOUGH ROPE with Andrew Denton – episode 12: Pete Postlethwaite".Australia: ABC. 2 June 2003. Archived fromthe originalon 7 January 2011.Retrieved3 January2011.
- ^Pratchett, Terry andKidby, Paul.The Art of Discworld,Victor Gollancz Ltd, 2004;ISBN0-575-07511-2
- ^"Pete's progress".The Observer.London. 1 October 2000.Retrieved25 April2007.
- ^Cavendish, Dominic (25 April 2007)."The poet in Pete's soul".The Telegraph.London, UK. Archived fromthe originalon 2 December 2008.Retrieved25 April2007.
- ^Knegt, Peter (24 January 2011)."For Your Consideration: Final 2011 Oscar Predictions".
- ^"Oscar predictions: Final pre-nomination rankings".Entertainment Weekly.
- ^"CRAVE Online Predicts the 2011 Oscar Nominations! – CraveOnline".24 January 2011. Archived fromthe originalon 23 September 2015.
- ^"Killing Bono premier – meg".
- ^"Jim Broadbent takes Pete Postlethwaite part in drama",BBC.co.uk; accessed 24 January 2014.
- ^Walker, Michael (3 January 2011)."Country Standard: Pete Postlethwaite – 1997 PPB Taxicab Angel".Country-standard.blogspot.Retrieved29 January2011.
- ^Weaver, Matthew (3 January 2011)."Actor Pete Postlethwaite dies".The Guardian.London.
- ^"Reactions: Spanner Films".Ageofstupid.net.Retrieved3 January2011.
- ^"Press: Stupid on Channel 4 News".Ageofstupid.net. 16 February 2008.Retrieved3 January2011.
- ^Siegle, Lucy (16 March 2009)."The night Miliband said 'I'm with Stupid, but...'".The Guardian.UK.Retrieved29 January2011.
- ^Lusher, Tim (3 January 2011)."Pete Postlethwaite remembered".The Guardian.
- ^"Sean Martella's Testicular Cancer Update Blog: Cancer Survivors Part 1 – Pete Postlethwaite".Seanmartella.blogspot. 17 January 2008.Retrieved3 January2011.
- ^"Pete's progress".The Observer.London. 1 October 2000.Retrieved22 May2010.
- ^"Pete Postlethwaite".The Telegraph.London. 16 February 1945.Retrieved4 January2011.
- ^Smith, Aidan (8 March 2009)."Pete Postlethwaite interview: For the love of Pete".Scotland on Sunday.Retrieved26 December2010.
- ^"Film of the Day: 2 January – the Usual Suspects (1995)".29 October 2023.
- ^"Five years on: Celebrating Pete Postlethwaite's legacy".7 January 2017.Archivedfrom the original on 25 May 2022.Retrieved19 June2018.
- ^Lesnik, Tim (17 February 2011)."Daniel Day Lewis Pays Tribute to Pete Postlethwaite".Archived fromthe originalon 4 March 2011.Retrieved17 February2011.
- ^"Oscar-nominated actor Pete Postlethwaite dies aged 64".BBC.3 January 2011.Retrieved4 January2011.
- ^Actor Pete Postlethwaite dies age 64The Independent(London) 3 January 2011
- ^Bradshaw, Peter(1 January 2011)."Pete Postlethwaite: A face we won't forget".The Guardian.London.Retrieved4 January2011.
- ^"Pete Postlethwaite's book serialised in the Shropshire Star".Shropshire Star.20 June 2011.Retrieved13 December2013.
- ^"Bryan Dawe Presents Liyarn Ngarn".Archived fromthe originalon 28 March 2012.Retrieved10 August2012.
External links
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