by Richard Gibson
To the frustration of his agents over the years, John Nolan, who has died aged 87, did not go into acting to become a “star”.
And although he did not enjoy a high level of status for most of his career, most actors would be grateful for such a varied and fulfilling life. Consistently delivering intelligent and expressive performances, Nolan was hardly unemployable as an actor, but he also found time to work as a theater director and a motivational teacher on his courses at Stratford College.
One of the first students of London’s pioneering Drama Centre, he was cast as Romeo opposite Francesca Annis at the Richmond Theater soon after leaving, before joining the Royal Shakespeare Company in leading parts.
His athletic stage presence and powerful baritone speaking voice made his Claudio in Measure for Measure at the Barbican and Marc Anthony in Julius Caesar particularly memorable. Despite 1980 delivering the wettest July on record, the weather did nothing to spoil the magic of his Oberon in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Regent’s Park.
Born in Kent to professional Irish parents, Nolan’s attractive looks and bright blue eyes meant he soon began landing leading roles in film and television.
Following his charismatic portrayal of Daniel Deronda for the BBC, he appeared regularly in the series Doomwatch, and created excitement amongst millions as Nick Flaunt in the Granada series Shabby Tiger.
In the following years, he made guest appearances in most of the television series, including The Sweeney, The Saint, Enemy at the Door and more.
Nolan’s classical skills were also in demand in Ireland, where he played Hamlet and Richard II for RTÉ television, and he was awarded Best Actor at the Dublin Festival as the eponymous hero in The Night Thoreau Spent in Prison. Gracing the vast Olivier stage at the Royal National Theatre, he gave notable performances in Troilus and Cressida, The Merchant of Venice and Tom Stoppard’s The Coast of Utopia.
He also appeared at Littleton in David Edgar’s Albert Spear and at Cottesloe in Rita Dove’s verse play The Darker Face of the Earth. Substantial roles in major repertory companies – too numerous to mention in full – include Tom in The Glass Menagerie, McCann in Harold Pinter’s The Birthday Party and the defending officer in For King and Country at the Mermaid Theatre.
During his second Romeo at the Bristol Old Vic, he met and married his fellow actor Kim Hartman – who survives him, as well as their children Tom and Miranda, who both follow their parents in the profession.
Nolan’s distinctive velvety voice can be heard in numerous television and radio commercials, as well as narrating several documentaries.
Nancy Banks-Smith, the Guardian’s often useless television critic, gave him a glowing praise for his appearance in Silent Witness: “An elderly Irishman who, by merely being asked to take off his hat and head to the morgue, created a small atmosphere of excitement that causes the sudden lighting of lighters in cinemas as programs are searched for a name. That was John Nolan.”
This quality of his supported him even in the last phase of his career. After being cast in an episode of the American television series Person of Interest, producers decided to develop her character, Greer, into a regular character.
This led to him developing a passionate fan base, which overlapped with his portrayal of the gravel-voiced Fredericks in the massive hit films Batman Begins and The Dark Knight Rises. His cameo as a blind man in Dunkirk remains a standout moment, and he gave his final performance at the age of 85 as the Chairman of the Hall in The Dune Prophecy for Sky Atlantic.
Nolan has been described by his wife as “a free spirit who always knew what she wanted and acted on her own terms; I think she is the only truly original thinker I ever knew. Outspoken, intelligent, and with a chaotic intellect, she was always willing to see both sides of an argument.”
He was the kindest person I ever knew – and the animals loved him too!
“John was a popular and talented teacher, whether explaining Shakespeare’s speeches or how to swing a golf club, and was devoted to his family.” Nolan is also survived by his grandchildren, Dylan and Kara. Written by Richard Gibson