You may not have known his name, but if you’re a connoisseur of British television, then you will recognize the acclaimed actor Ian Richardson, who suddenly passed away on Friday.
His intimidating, powerful, brooding presence has been used in countless television productions, from Hogfather to Gormenghast to the adventures of Sherlock Holmes’ forerunner, Dr. Joseph Bell, in Murder Rooms. Indeed, such was his talent that most Doctor Who fans had nominated him as a perfect future candidate to play an older, darker Doctor.
But the role he will forever be identified with is the machiavellian politician and fictional Prime Minister, Francis Urquhart (F.U. for short!). Across three of the most acclaimed miniseries in history (House of Cards, To Play the King, & The Final Cut), he brought to life one of the most astonishing, evil, & treacherous men politics could have ever produced. It was Richard III for the modern age, and even Shakespeare would have fallen to his knees after watching Richardson’s extraordinary performance as Urquhart.
He is gone before his time, depriving us forever of one of television’s great master crafstmen. If you don’t believe me, rush out and immediately rent a copy of House of Cards. You will be mesmerized, you will be appalled…and you will be completely captivated by Ian Richardson’s screen presence. He is a man deserving of such television immortality.
