Here is a nice obit:

Actor Ian Richardson dies in his sleep
AURA SABADUS (link)

THE Scots-born actor Ian Richardson, remembered particularly for his universally hailed portrayal of the devious Francis Urquhart in the political thriller House of Cards, has died suddenly at the age of 72. His agent, Jean Diamond, confirmed that the stage and TV veteran had died in his sleep at his Victorian family home in south London early yesterday.

A female relative said his widow, Maroussia, wanted to be left to grieve in private with close friends and family. "It was very sudden. He died in his sleep in the early hours of the morning," Ms Diamond said.

His death came as a shock as he had not been ill and was looking to start filming his next role in ITV show Midsomer Murders next week. "He did his make-up and wig sittings only yesterday and was due to start filming at the end of next week," Ms Diamond said.

"House of Cards was just so much his own," Ms Diamond said, reflecting on Richardson's role as the epitome of elegant evil in the BBC parliamentary trilogy.

Born in Edinburgh in 1934 and educated at George Heriot's School in the city he studied at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. He subsequently appeared on the British stage, mostly with the Royal Shakespeare Company, of which he was a founder member. He first gained nationwide fame in the TV spy drama Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy based on the John le Carré espionage classic.

He also worked in American theatre, appearing in Peter Brook's Marat/Sade on Broadway in the Sixties and receiving a Tony nomination for his part as Professor Henry Higgins in a revival of My Fair Lady.

In 1981 he performed on Broadway in the original production of Edward Albee's theatre adaptation of Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita. He was also familiar to American television viewers as the man in the Rolls-Royce who asks "Pardon me, would you have any Grey Poupon?" in commercials for Grey Poupon Dijon mustard.

Among his most memorable TV performances were the roles of Sir Godber Evans in Porterhouse Blue and as Lord Groan in Gormenghast.

Richardson won the BAFTA Best Television Actor Award for House of Cards, and was nominated for the two sequels To Play the King and The Final Cut as well as for the 1992 film An Ungentlemanly Act.

Famous for his sonorous voice and stern demeanour, Richardson was made a CBE in 1989.

Other TV roles included Sherlock Holmes and more recently he was in the BBC adaptation of Charles Dickens' Bleak House as well as the voice of Death in Sky One's Hogfather.

His many film roles included Terry Gilliam's Brazil and the Jane Austen biopic Becoming Jane, due for release next month.

But it is for the devious Urquhart - a character he based on Richard III in the BBC political drama House of Cards - that he remains best known.

The Tory politician's famous line - "You may very well think that; I couldn't possibly comment" - has passed into Westminster parlance.

Speaking in 2005, Richardson said: "I'm grateful for the part as it put me on the map. The only trouble is getting rid of it. So many people seem to think that I am like him."

However, before House of Cards, Richardson was renowned as one of the great Shakespearean actors of his day, bearing comparison with Sir John Gielgud and Sir Ralph Richardson, a generation earlier.

Author Michael Dobbs, who wrote the novel on which House of Cards was based, described Richardson as "a superb actor" who was "very careful not to let the fame get in the way of his personal integrity."

Richardson is survived by his wife and two sons.

This article: http://news.scotsman.com/entertainment.cfm?id=218762007