Timothy west, actor from 'the day of the jackal' and more, dies at 90

Timothy west, actor from 'the day of the jackal' and more, dies at 90

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Timothy West, an acclaimed British actor known for his work on _The Day of the Jackal_, has died at age 90, according to his family. A statement shared on X (formerly Twitter) by his


children Juliet, Samuel, and Joseph West on social media confirmed that he died on Tuesday, Nov. 12, surrounded by his loved ones. "After a long and extraordinary life on and off the


stage, our darling father Timothy West died peacefully in his sleep yesterday evening," the family wrote. "He was 90 years old." "Tim was with friends and family at the


end. He leaves his wife Prunella Scales, to whom he was married for 61 years, a daughter, two sons, seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. All of us will miss him terribly,"


the statement continued.  They expressed their gratitude to "the incredible NHS staff at St George’s hospital, Tooting and at Avery Wandsworth for their loving care during his last


days." Several actors and public figures have paid their respects to West in light of the tragic news. Sports commentator Keith Olbermann wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter),


"It can be of little comfort, Sam, but your father's work was so authentic and empathetic that though I did not in reality know him - he made me feel as if I did. My sincere


condolences." _EastEnders_ alum Tracy-Ann Oberman called him "the most wonderful actor and human being." English broadcaster Piers Morgan wrote, "RIP Timothy West, 90. A


wonderful actor, and delightful man. My Life Stories interview with him, as the love of his life Prunella Scales sat in the audience, was so moving. They were married 61yrs, and his devotion


to her after she developed Alzheimer’s was profoundly touching." West was born in West Yorkshire, England on Oct. 20, 1934. He had his first screen appearance in the 1960 BBC One


miniseries adaptation of Jane Austen's novel _Persuasion_. Throughout his career, he starred in several iconic, long-running British television shows, including _EastEnders_,


_Coronation Street_, and _Not Going Out_.  The actor also held roles in a variety of movies, including the hit 1973 political thriller _The Day of the Jackal_ – which was nominated for one


Academy Award and three Golden Globe awards. Other big screen credits are Luc Besson’s 1999 French epic _The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc_, also starring Milla Jovovich, John


Malkovich, Faye Dunaway and Dustin Hoffman, and the 2003 romantic drama _Beyond Borders_ with Angelina Jolie and Clive Owen. More recently, West starred in the BBC One and HBO television


series _Gentlemen Jack_ for its two seasons that aired between 2019 and 2022.  His last screen credit is the Nov. 13 episode "Go Out Dancing" of the British medical soap opera


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STORIES. West also frequented the theater scene and was a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company in the United Kingdom. His popular stage roles include playing the title roles in multiple


productions of Shakespeare’s _Macbeth_ and _King Lear_ and Chekhov's’s _Uncle Vanya_. The actor was married to _Fawlty Towers_ star Prunella Scales, 92, with whom he presented the


Channel Four documentary series _Great Canal Journeys_ from 2014 to 2019.  He is survived by Scales and his three children Juliet, Samuel and Joseph.