C16 Saturday, February 4, 2012 THE PRESS, Christchurch OBITUARIES Family Notices Engagements Births ADAMS—ALLAN: BUTLER MAXWELL — Tim, Tammy Stafford and Sarah, and big brother Riley are along with their parents, thrilled to announce the Fiona Watson and the late speedy arrival of Stewart Bell and Keith and Chris Adams, are happy Nik and Amanda and big Zoe Elizabeth Menacing unpredictability brother Cameron are to announce to family and (8lb 3oz), on Monday friends their engagement. pleased to announce the January 23, 2012. arrival of Annie Isabel Special thanks to our (6lb 4oz) on January 31, midwife Roy Finn and the 2012. BLACK—HUNTER: David team at Christchurch and Margaret Black Women’s Hospital. (Christchurch), and Keith and Noeline Hunter (Pakawau), are thrilled to marred fine actor’s career announce the METCALFE — Paul and engagement of Hamish Julia (nee Macfarlane) and and Wendy in Ashburton. proud big brother George icol Williamson, group of writers who had once With thanks to the are thrilled to announce Canterbury Spring Ball. the arrival of Benjamin heralded as one of the propelled him to the top of his James, (8lbs 3oz), on finest actors of his profession. CHIDGEY — Russ and January 26, 2012. Sarah (nee Rowe), are generation but whose The son of a foundry worker, CLARK—O’MALLEY: Sheila delighted to announce the menacing Nicol Williamson was born on and Jeff Clark are pleased arrival of Joe Richard to announce the unpredictability onstage and off September 14, 1936, in the Scottish Chidgey, our adorable OSBORNE — Jenny and N engagement of their little boy. Joe was born on Graham are pleased to diminished his career, died on mining town of Hamilton and daughter, Rebecca, to January 17, 2012, at Blake, son of Andrea announce the safe arrival December 16 in Amsterdam of raised in Birmingham, England. 4.09 p.m. (6lb 15oz). A of their precious wee boy Johnson and Ashley Read huge thank you to the oesophageal cancer. He was 75. He appeared in repertory theatre and Ian and Karen staff at Christchurch Thomas Stephen James O’Malley. His son, Luke Williamson, before joining London’s Royal Women’s Hospital and our On January 23, 2012. confirmed the death. Williamson Shakespeare Company in 1962. amazing midwife Adrienne Many thanks to Joy Dixon, Hill, what would we do Mary Campbell and the had lived in the Netherlands for He dazzled audiences with his CLARK—TRITT: Sheila and without you! staff at Christchurch more than 20 years. News of his versatility and his ability to play Jeff Clark are pleased Women’s Hospital. to announce the death was reportedly delayed at much older characters engagement of their COUZINS — Karyn and his wish to die anonymously – an convincingly. He was frequently daughter, Georgina, Scott are pleased to understated ending to a stormy mentioned as a leader among a to Karl, son of Sue and announce the arrival of SUTHERLAND — John and Ed Tritt. their son Cooper Taylor, Olivia (nee Roughan), are life. crop of promising talent that born on February 2, thrilled to announce the Williamson was a galvanic included Albert Finney, Anthony 2012, at Christchurch arrival of their beautiful COPLAND—SOMERVILLE: Women’s Hospital. A wee girl Sophia Theresia, born presence in dozens of stage and Hopkins and Ian McKellen. David and Nikki Copland brother Zac. Tuesday, January 24, film roles and drew favourable The performance that sealed of Ashburton, together 2012, at 4.44 p.m., (5lb with Gerald and Flora 10oz). Special thanks to comparisons with Sir Laurence Williamson’s prominence was the Somerville of Dunedin, are DILL-RUSSELL — HOOPER our amazing midwife Olivier and Charles Laughton. alcoholic, morally disintegrating delighted to announce the Juliet Thorpe, and our Author Samuel Beckett lawyer Bill Maitland in Osborne’s engagement of Kate Graeme and Kathryn are support team. Lorimer to James thrilled to announce the pronounced him ‘‘touched by Inadmissible Evidence (1964). Montgomery (Jimmy) on arrival of Maxim Kiefer January 30, 2012. (7lb 10oz), on January genius’’. British playwright John Critic Ronald Bryden wrote in 10, 2012, at Taihape. A Osborne, who made Williamson a the New Statesman that little brother for Elise. WHITBURN — GROUFSKY leading name in the 1964 drama Williamson, not yet 30, ‘‘fills every FLEMING—MacKENZIE: Stormy life: Alan and Judy Fleming Inadmissible Evidence, considered Nicol Williamson was a galvanic presence in dozens of stage and film roles and drew favourable comparisons with cranny of Maitland’s portrait with FERGUSON — COWIE Sir Laurence Olivier and Charles Laughton. Photo: WASHINGTON POST (Sefton) and Rod and him ‘‘the greatest actor since knowledge: the nervous sweating, Diane MacKenzie (Loburn) Marlon Brando’’. the lurching jocularity, the sick have much pleasure Andrew and Leigh are With his nasally twang, policeman in apartheid South quipped, ‘‘The funny thing was ghost of John Barrymore, the waves, tangible as nausea, of self- in announcing the excited to announce the engagement of Daniel and arrival of receding ginger hair, despairing Africa in The Wilby Conspiracy that nobody in his entourage tried gifted, randy and alcoholic actor of disgust.’’ April. eyes and hangdog face, Williamson (1975) and the wizard Merlin in to attack me or help him.’’ the early 20th century. The show reached Broadway in Max Ross Whitburn had little of the young Brando’s director John Boorman’s violent Williamson’s notoriety for During a sword fight with 1965 and earned Williamson a Ross and Deanna are on Monday, January 30, KING—SIMPSON: Morry delighted to announce the beauty and raw physical power. retelling of the King Arthur legend turbulent antics resurfaced while Handler, Williamson appeared to Tony nomination. 2012. Many thanks to and Kay wish to announce arrival of their gorgeous Helen Fraser and the He compensated with a in Excalibur (1981). he starred as King Henry VIII in improvise lines: ‘‘Put some life From the 1970s till the 1990s, the engagement, in Perth, daughter Caitlyn Elizabeth wonderful staff of demeanour that conveyed Willfully or not, Williamson the 1976 Broadway musical Rex.It into it! Use your head! Give it more Williamson alternated among of their daughter, on January 23, 2012. A Christchurch Women’s Gabrielle, to Neville, son big thank you to our Hospital. cunning, an explosive seemed determined to torpedo his ran 48 performances and was best life!’’ Handler walked off stage, and film, television and stage roles. He of Brent and Marie. midwife Julie Cairns and staff at Christchurch temperament and a general aura reputation through heavy remembered for Williamson Williamson broke the awkward portrayed Little John to Sean Women’s and Rangiora of sweaty self-loathing. drinking and erratic, often abusive slapping another actor for talking silence by turning to the audience Connery’s Robin Hood and Audrey Hospitals. MARTIN—VERCOE: Penny YARDLEY — Tim and These traits were on display in behaviour. when Williamson was taking his and asking, ‘‘Well, should I sing?’’ Hepburn’s Lady Marian in Robin and Graeme Martin Astrid (nee Hanna) wish to Mike Nichols’ 1974 staging of Coming to the defence of a stage bow during a curtain call. In the remaining few months of and Marian( 1976), and had the together with Roy and announce the safe arrival Christine Vercoe, are of Alex Lonsdale, (7lb Anton Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya,for director, Williamson threw beer The two incidents might have the show, Williamson continued title role in the television thrilled to announce the 12oz), on January 29, which Williamson in the title role on the notoriously cruel theatre been written off had Williamson ab-libbing to the audience. One miniseries Lord Mountbatten: The engagement of Kirsty and 2012. All well. Brendan and share their won the Tony Award for best impresario David Merrick and not whacked the actor Evan night, he told them, according to Last Viceroy (1986). happiness. actor. On screen, he excelled as a then punched him. Other stories, Handler with a sword when they Rudnick, ‘‘Head home and enjoy a His marriage to actress Jill cocaine-addicted Sherlock Holmes perhaps embellishing the incident, were starring on Broadway in nice juicy slice of sexual Townsend ended in divorce. SHEILD—CHAMBERS: The Deaths in The Seven-Per-Cent Solution have Williamson tossing Merrick Paul Rudnick’s 1991 comedy I Hate intercourse.’’ Other nights he Survivors include their son. engagement is announced (1976), a ruthless Afrikaaner in the trash. Williamson later Hamlet. Williamson played the denigrated the critics, the same Washington Post of Beau, son of Paul and Susan Sheild (Cheviot) and Annabel daughter of Mason Andrew Deaths John and Leonie Chambers (Dunsandel). Gardiner Batley, Joyce Born 19 January 2012 Benjamin, John 9lbs (4.070 kgs) 55cms Chambers, Mary (Molly) STEWART—KOSTER: Julie Andrew and Amy Gardiner Chapman, Joyce Consul in the thick of Cold War are proud to announce the Debenham, Margaret and Wayne Stewart Talented acting together with Lynne and birth of their third child. Dow, Shirley Steve Koster are pleased Mason came safely and Glanville, Thelma (Jean) to announce the mother and baby are doing Green, Ella (Molly) very well. We wish to thank engagement of Danielle Greenwood, Janice and Daniel. friends and family for the power plays and Oswald affair lovely gifts and support. Kuiti, Loma Lachmi, Sami ♥♥♥ Maguire, Gerard career ended McElwee, Hazel he man who handled the his American citizenship. He had US Embassy in July 1961, he told Wedding attempted defection of recently separated from the US Snyder he had ‘‘learned a hard Mitchell, Trevor Porter, Eric Anniversaries GORMAN — future presidential Marine Corps and had travelled to lesson the hard way’’. Snyder Nicholas and Ramsay, Kenneth (Ken) assassin Lee Harvey the Soviet Union inspired by his returned Oswald’s passport and Annabel are thrilled to Renowden, John th announce the arrival of TOswald to the Soviet Union has professed belief in Marxism.