Peter Nigel Terry (15 August 1945 – 30 April 2015) was an English stage and film actor probably best known by film audiences for his portrayal of King Arthur in John Boorman's Excalibur (1981). He had a long career in classical theatre.

Biography

Terry was born Peter Nigel Terry on 15 August 1945 in Bristol, England, the son of Doreen (Such) and Frank Albert Terry OBE, DFC, a pilot in the Royal Air Force. He was the first baby born in Bristol after the end of World War II. The family soon moved to Truro, Cornwall where his father worked as a probation officer. 'Nigs' attended Truro School in Truro, where he developed an interest in acting and became skilled at drawing and painting. His parents encouraged him to go on the stage and after working briefly in forestry and as a petrol pump attendant he joined the National Youth Theatre. In 1963 he enrolled at London’s Central School of Speech and Drama, working both on stage and behind the scenes. He joined the Oxford Meadow Players in 1966, working initially as assistant stage manager. After thirty years of living in London he returned to reside in Cornwall in 1993.

He died in Cornwall of emphysema on 30 April 2015. In the absence of any surviving close family, his 'final act' was organized by his close friends Maggie Steed and David Horovitch in Truro on 19 May 2015, attended by other fellow thespians and personal friends.

Best films