Barbara and I are currently watching Sir Derek Jacobi in the four-episode presentation of The Jury on "Masterpiece Theatre." We first became acquainted with him in I, Claudius, saw him in a performance of Hamlet, and watched the Brother Cadfael series regularly.

I don't recall ever seeing him in a comedy role, except for a guest appearance on one episode of Frasier, where he played a Shakespearean actor whom Frasier greatly admired. Frasier wanted to sponsor him in a one-man show. And then he saw him in action. He may have been great at one time, but by the time Frasier met him, he was past it—both over the hill and over the top. Wild gestures, moaning, clawing his chest, etc. Sir Derek has a real flair for comedy and spoof.

Don Firth