Happy Birthday, Brian Blessed!
Here's wishing a Happy Birthday to English actor Brian Blessed! He turns 88 years old today.
One of the great, emotive actors of his time, Brian Blessed is an actor, explorer, and lovely gentleman. He is known for his distinctive bushy beard, booming voice, and exuberant personality and performances. He portrayed PC "Fancy" Smith in Z-Cars, Augustus Caesar in the 1976 BBC television production of I, Claudius, King Richard IV in the first series of Blackadder, Prince Vultan in Flash Gordon, Bustopher Jones and Old Deuteronomy in the 1981 original London production of Cats at the New London Theatre, Thomas Beaufort, Duke of Exeter, in Henry V, and a host of roles in various media.
Love him or hate him, there is no role that Brian Blessed couldn't play, and he brought everything to the various he portrayed, whether they were humourous or serious and everything in between. For me, Brian Blessed's quintessential role is that in I, Claudius. He can be funny, acerbic, quiet when he needs to be. He is the central point around which Rome turns. Brilliant performance.
Happy Birthday, good sir! :)