Richard Briers

[julian_craster]

One does not usually think of Richard Briers as a young film leading man, so I was quite surprised to see him on Film Four last week in FATHOM (UK/US 1968), a bit of mindless fluff with Racquel Welch, and the wonderful Ronald Fraser (he and Briers were the villains)



This was a British film made at Shepperton and on the Spanish coast in the Malaga and Torremolenos area. The scenery was great in FATHOM, only spoilt by some dodgy process work (which would not be present if there was a remake....hint....) .



The VERY catchy and VERY smooth 1960s music theme was by none other than John Dankworth....



And young Racquel (bless her well-protected heart!) was very easy on the eye - I could see Anjelia Jolie in a 2007 remake......



Richard Briers also had a leading role in THE GIRL ON THE BOAT bur never really became a film star, as such...

[AndrewLA]

One does not usually think of Richard Briers as a young film leading man...

I'm afraid some of us only think of him as a young -- and youngish -- man!



That's why it's always bit of shock to see him in MONARCH OF THE GLEN and the interview segment of THE GOOD LIFE DVD.



Fortunately, the years only pass for him and not the rest of us...

[Marky B]

A national treasure is our Richard Briers - always bright and breezy,full of optimism like his character Tom Good. I remember Fathom - featured Tom Adams (as another villain) and US based character actor Clive Revill.

Ta Ta

Marky B

[Focus 2]

Who remembers Richard's superb performance as Godfrey Spry in the 1993 controversial comedy "If You See God, Tell Him".? Surprising it seemes the chemistry between him and Ade Edmondson was fantastic.



Indeed I was surprised he participated in the series which goes to show just how underrated he is.



Long may he continue to entertain!

[Steve Crook]

Loved his work in The Good Life and Ever Decreasing Circles. But if you want to see him really acting superbly, try to find a copy of Skalagrigg or maybe in Branagh's Frankenstein.



Steve

[billy farmer]

The front cover of the January 4th - 10th 1986 issue of TV Times featuring Richard Briers (one of the stars of the ITV Comedy series All in Good Faith).

[billy farmer]

A TV Times article about Richard Briers from the January 4th - 10th 1986 issue of TV Times (same issue as previous post).

[mrs_emma_peel]

I agree, Richard Briers is a national treasure ... brilliant in The Good Life and perhaps even better in the under-rated Ever Decreasing Circles ... he was superb as the duplicitously slimey Sir Clixby Bream in Inspector Morse - Death Is Now My Neighbour.

Richard is the much-loved patron of the Friends of the Theatre Royal - Newcastle upon Tyne ...
BBC News - Richard Briers celebrates Newcastle's Theatre Royal
I remember him recalling a critics review of his performance as Hamlet ...
'Richard Briers' Hamlet may not have been the best ... but it was certainly the fastest.'
Emma

[harryfielder]

Protecting the vicar......

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4..._1872957_n.jpg

Aitch,

[Windyridge]

His daughter Lucy could have been another Penelope Keith, (although Lucy had better comedy timing) as she was a very good, funny actress. I read somewhere that she's given up acting, possibly because she wasn't getting enough work. Shame, very talented girl.

[waldo_lydecker]

I loved him, too, in The Other One - he worked really well with Michael Gambon.

[GRAEME]

I cant wait for his latest film!

[Nick Dando]

He played a real monster in A Respectable Trade.

A Respectable Trade (TV mini-series 1998) - IMDb

Nick

[ADMIRAL]

Many years ago it was my very good fortune to talk with Richard Briers on the phone. I had written ask him if he would narrate a son et lumiere I was producing. An absolutely charming, lovely man, no "side" to him whatsover, he chatted away as if he'd known me for ages. Among other things, he's a great enthusiast for ancient churches and has written a book on the subject - "English Country Churches" (Robson Books). Lives at Chiswick, west London, or at least did when I was last in contact with him.

[Richard_in_wales]

Always such a nice chap, I think the last time I saw him on TV was when he talked about his cousin Terry Thomas with nothing but kind words.

[didi-5]

One of the great Malvolios on the screen; Bardolph too and both for Kenneth Branagh. I used to think of him just as a comedy actor but he has much more to him.

[icetorch]

Richard Briers also played a vicar in "The Aerodrome", a one-off 1983 BBC drama based on the 1941 novel of the same name by Rex Warner.

http://www.britmovie.co.uk/forums/br...ma-1983-a.html

---

See also:

http://www.britmovie.co.uk/forums/br...ml#post1964737

---

A day out at the village fair.

---

He looks like Tony Benn here. What are those aeroplanes doing in the sky? Ominous.






A few minutes later the vicar lies dead.

[film fun]

We went to see Richard Briers at the NEC in Birmingham and talked to him personally about the programmes he was in. We think 'ever decreasing circles' to be the best one. We just had to buy the DVD's collection of this show and still laugh each time we watch it. He was so nice to talk too, a real gentleman and saying that it was the writers that was to be praised for the show. I am so very glad to have met him, a memory I shall treasure.

[billy farmer]

[billy farmer]

Here are some screencaps of Richard Briers as Tom Good in the episode Plough Your Own Furrow (1975) from the classic Comedy series The Good Life.