Patrick Godfrey, 'Ever After' Actor, Dies at 93
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- Patrick Godfrey, the English actor who played Leonardo da Vinci in the 1998 Drew Barrymore film 'Ever After: A Cinderella Story,' died at 93, his talent agency Markham, Froggatt & Irwin announced on June 5
- Godfrey died peacefully at home surrounded by his family, according to the agency's statement, which called him 'an exceptionally talented actor and a remarkable individual'
- Godfrey's film credits spanned decades and included 'A Room with a View,' 'Clockwise,' 'Maurice,' 'The Count of Monte Cristo,' 'Oliver Twist,' 'Les Misérables,' and 'Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle'
- Godfrey's television work was equally extensive, with appearances in 'Doctor Who,' 'Z Cars,' 'Dixon of Dock Green,' 'Blott on the Landscape,' 'The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby,' and 'Dandelion Dead,' among dozens of other productions
- Godfrey was born in February 1933 in Finsbury Park, England, and launched his career in 1956 by joining the BBC's Radio Drama Company
- Godfrey's film debut came in 1972, playing a house servant in a televised Royal Shakespeare Company production of 'Miss Julie' directed by John Glenister and Robin Phillips
- 'Ever After' co-stars alongside Godfrey included Anjelica Huston, Dougray Scott, Megan Dodds, Melanie Lynskey, Timothy West, and Judy Parfitt
Why it matters: Godfrey's seven-decade career, stretching from BBC radio drama in 1956 to a late-career role in Netflix's 'Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle,' illustrates the breadth of British character acting across stage, television, and film — a body of work that touched Merchant Ivory classics, BBC institution 'Doctor Who,' and Hollywood blockbusters alike.
