Richard E. Grant

Richard E. Grant (born Richard Grant Esterhuysen on May 5, 1957) is a British actor, born in Mbabane, Swaziland, and educated in Waterford Kamhlaba School.

At the age of nine, Grant witnessed an adulterous relationship between his mother and another man which subsequently led to the break-up of his parents' marriage. He studied English and Drama at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, and moved to London in 1982. He married Joan Washington in 1986 and has one daughter with her, Olivia, and a step-son, Tom.

Among his best-known roles are the world-weary, drug-crazed Withnail in Withnail & I and the Spice Girls' manager in Spiceworld, their sole 1997 foray into cinema.

Grant is also a successful author, with works such as By Design, calling on his Hollywood experience. He was also for a time the face of the Argos TV commercials.

Trivia

Grant is a teetotaler. After being cast as the alcoholic Withnail the director Bruce Robinson made Grant drink a bottle of vodka in one sitting in order to have experienced the sensation.

Selected filmography

Films

• Penelope (2006)
• Wah-Wah (2005) - writer, director
• Colour Me Kubrick (2005) as Jasper
• Corpse Bride (2005) as Lord Barkis Bittern (voice)
• Bright Young Things (2003) as Father Rothschild
• Monsieur N. (2003) as Hudson Lowe
• Gosford Park (2003) as George
• The Little Vampire (2001) as Frederick Sackville-Bagg
• Spiceworld (1997) as Clifford
• Keep the Aspidistra Flying (1997) (aka A Merry War) as Gordon Comstock
• The Serpent's Kiss (1997) as James Fitzmaurice
• The Portrait of a Lady (1996) as Lord Warburton
• Jack and Sarah (1995) as Jack
• Prêt-à-Porter (1994) as Cort Romney
• The Age of Innocence (1993) as Larry Lefferts
• Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992) as Dr. Jack Seward
• L.A. Story (1991) as Roland Mackey
• Hudson Hawk (1991) as Darwin Mayflower
• Mountains of the Moon (1990) as Larry Oliphant
• How to Get Ahead in Advertising (1989) as Denis Dimbleby Bagley
• Warlock (1989) as Giles Redferne
• Withnail and I (1987) as Withnail

Television

• Above and Beyond (mini series) (2004)
• 90 Days in Hollywood (2004) narrator
• Frasier in episode Goodnight, Seattle (2004) as Stephen Moon
• Posh Nosh (2004) as Simon Marchmont
• The Hound of the Baskervilles (2002) as Jack Stapleton
• Doctor Who and the Curse of Fatal Death (1999) as The Conceited Doctor
• Let Them Eat Cake in episode The Portrait (1999) as Monsieur Vigée-Lebrun
• The Scarlet Pimpernel (1998) as Sir Percy Blakeney
• Captain Star (1997) as Captain Jim Star

Voice acting

• Corpse Bride (2005) - a stop-motion feature
• The Miracle Maker - stop-motion story of Jesus Christ
• Doctor Who: Scream of the Shalka (online)

Bibliography

• With Nails: The Film Diaries of Richard E. Grant
• By Design: A Hollywood Novel

External links

• The REG Temple - The official website of Richard E. Grant.
• Memories of Mischief - The Guardian, August 6, 2005
  • Interview and profile around the release of his film Wah-Wah.