Tim Pigott-Smith (born 13 May 1946) is an English film and television actor and author.

Early life

Pigott-Smith was born in Rugby, Warwickshire, the son of Margaret Muriel (née Goodman) and Harry Thomas Pigott-Smith, who was a journalist. He was educated at Wyggeston Boys' School, Leicester, King Edward VI School, Stratford-upon-Avon and Bristol University. He trained as an actor at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.

Acting career

After a long career in smaller roles, Pigott-Smith got his big break with the leading role of Ronald Merrick in the 1984 television serial The Jewel in the Crown. Other notable appearances include the title role in the crime drama series The Chief (1990–1993), a recurring role in ITV drama The Vice as Ken Stott's nemesis, Vickers, Bloody Sunday and two separate adaptations of North and South. In the 1975 version he played Frederick Hale, while in 2004 he played Frederick's father Richard.

He has appeared twice in Doctor Who: in the stories The Claws of Axos (1971), and The Masque of Mandragora (1976).

His distinctive voice has made him a popular narrator. He narrated notable TV documentaries such as the Battlefield series, which examines pivotal battles of World War II from an operations point of view. More recently, he narrated a series on the British Royal Family, entitled Monarchy: The Royal Family at Work. The series followed Queen Elizabeth II for more than a year, including the 2007 state visit to the United States.

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