Nicol Williamson dies at 75

Nicol Williamson, the British actor most widely known for his role because the wizard Merlin within the 1981 film "Excalibur" so that as A Virtual Detective in 1976's "The Seven-Per-Cent Solution," died of esophageal cancer on 12 ,. 16 in Amsterdam, where had resided in excess of 2 decades. He was 75.Williamson had a large number of film credits to his title but won more plaudits for his stage acting. Playwright John Osborne once referred to him as "the finest actor since Marlon Brando."He was nominated for any Tony Award in 1966 for his role in Osborne's "Inadmissible Evidence" and again in 1974 for Chekhov's "Uncle Vanya." Younger crowd was nominated three occasions for acting honors in the British Academy Film Honours, Britain's same as the Academy awards.In films, he was an acclaimed wizard Merlin in John Boorman's "Excalibur" as well as performed Little John to Sean Connery's Robin Hood and Audrey Hepburn's Lady Marian within the 1976 movie "Robin and Marian."Luke Williamson referred to his father as multitalented and multifaceted. "He could do all of it,Inch Williamson stated inside a telephone interview. "He could sing, he authored poetry, he authored prose, he authored a magazine ... He was focusing on a Compact disc around prior to his illness, and that he finished it as they was dealing with chemotherapy."Because he left the theater behind, he gravitated more toward musical projects, such as the Compact disc, which Luke stated would eventually become launched on his father's website.Luke Williamson stated his father seemed to be made it by his wife, Jill Townsend. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com