British actor Roy Dotrice, star of film, TV, and stage, has died at the age of 94, The New York Times reports. Born in 1923, Dotrice went on to serve in the Royal Air Force during World War II (he was a German prisoner of war for 3 years) before making his first foray into the arts. He voiced characters in British radio shows like The Men From The Ministry and Know Your Place, then moved on to an extensive career in live theater. Shows like Patrick Garland’s Brief Lives required extensive touring, which is how Dotrice was recognized in the Guinness World Records for greatest number of solo performances. He was nominated twice for a Tony, winning in 2000 for a revival of Eugene O’Neill’s A Moon For The Misbegotten.
Dotrice also enjoyed success in film and television, with roles in movies like Amadeus, The Cutting Edge, Hellboy II: The Golden Army, as well as landing recurring gigs in Picket Fences and Beauty And The Beast. Dotrice, who’d previously played courtly fathers and struggling mentors, won over a new generation of fans with a brief but memorable stint as Wisdom Hallyne, a pyromancer who’d fallen on hard times in Game Of Thrones. Here he is hawking his wares to Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) and Bronn (Jerome Flynn).
But Dotrice’s relationship with A Song Of Ice And Fire began before his onscreen appearances: The actor recorded the audiobooks for George R.R. Martin’s fantasy series. Dotrice voiced 224 characters in the series total, earning him another entry in the Guinness World Records. He is survived by his three daughters and seven grandchildren.
