Jan 26 2012
Nicol Williamson, the greatest Merlin ever, passes from us
![]() Nicol Williamson Pic: Aintitcool |
It is with incredible sadness yesterday that we heard that the great Nicol Williamson, multi-talented actor and musician, whose portrayal of Merlin in the genre-breaking Excalibur broke the mould for many of us, had passed away. His Merlin’s wisdom, link to the earth energies and intense, and spark-filled relationship with Helen Mirren as Morgana added a whole new dimension to our perception of the Merlin archetype. As an actor, he has always remained as one of what my family considers, The Classics – those actors whose work is always powerful and innovative. |
Every film I’ve seen him in, from Robin and Marian (as Little John), his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes in the 7% Solution to Father Morning in Exorcist III. I’m still looking forward to finding Wind in the Willows with him portraying Badger and his role as Cagliostro in Spawn (1997) has been memorable. We are thinking of his family in this hour of their grief and of Luke, in particular, who maintained his father’s website and has told us of Nicol’s sad passing and hidden fight with Cancer. Having fought some of that fight myself, I feel particularly empathy for him in his struggles.
Nicol now walks with his ancestors and we pray for his peace, but mostly for the peace and love that those who are left behind sadly need. Our love and admiration goes with him.
His Son, Luke’s, Statement
It’s with great sadness, and yet with a heart full of pride and love for a man who was a tremendous father, friend, actor, poet, writer and singer, that I must bring news of Nicol’s passing. Dad died peacefully in the early hours of the 16th of December after a two year all out, balls to the wall struggle against esophageal cancer. He gave it all he had: never gave up, never complained, maintained his wicked sense of humor to the end. His last words were ‘I love you’. I was with him, he was not alone, he was not in pain.
He leaves behind him an immense body of work: movies, stage performances, music, book narration, poetry and prose. When you saw “Jack, A Night On The Town With John Barrymore” you realised as he sang Nessun Dorma that this man could have been anything, done anything, and been one of the best. The mould is broken, we will never see his like again in the world.
He was the most honest, funny and intelligent man I have ever had the pleasure of knowing; he was my father and words cannot adequately express how proud I am of him. Before he died Nicol was able to finish the CD he had been working on, albeit slightly shorter than it might have been. In the coming month i hope to have it up here on his website.
If anyone would like to express their love or appreciation of Nicol, I would ask them to make a donation in his name -however small- to a charity for children suffering from cancer or other life threatening illnesses.
Nicol was a very private man, he didn’t want people to know that he was ill, he was hoping very much to come out the other side of his battle with “Seamus the Squamous” and bring some awareness to the plight of children suffering from the horrors of cancer in all its various forms.
Dad will live in the memory of all those who knew him, all those who were affected by a performance of his they saw, and all those he made laugh until they couldn’t breathe.
Read about his life and work on his website at nicolwilliamson.com and, if you can, make that donation to such a worthy cause.
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