{"id":9038,"date":"2012-01-26T10:26:49","date_gmt":"2012-01-26T18:26:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/wildhunt\/?p=9038"},"modified":"2012-01-26T10:36:11","modified_gmt":"2012-01-26T18:36:11","slug":"nicol-williamson-1936-2011","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/wildhunt\/2012\/01\/nicol-williamson-1936-2011.html","title":{"rendered":"Nicol Williamson 1936 – 2011"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

It has been announced to the public<\/a> that actor Nicol Williamson<\/a> died on December 16th, 2011, from esophageal cancer. Williamson was a mercurial actor who brought a tempestuous fearlessness and unpredictability to his many roles. While he starred in high-profile films like Robin and Marian<\/a><\/em>,\u00a0The Seven-Per-Cent Solution<\/a>,<\/em> and\u00a0The Exorcist III<\/a>, <\/em>he is perhaps best known for playing Merlin in John Boorman\u2019s Excalibur<\/a><\/em>. A retelling of Malory\u2019s\u00a0Le Morte d\u2019Arthur<\/a><\/em>, the film was praised for its visuals, was a modest box-office hit, and went on to become a cult favorite in the decades since. For many, Williamson as the mischievous (and dangerous) magician Merlin and Dame Helen Mirren<\/a> as the ambitious power-hungry Morgana<\/a> served as the true creative and emotional heart of the film.<\/p>\n

\n
Nicol Williamson as Merlin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cHe was the most honest, funny and intelligent man I have ever had the pleasure of knowing; he was my father and words cannot adequately express how proud I am of him. [\u2026] \u00a0If anyone would like to express their love or appreciation of Nicol, I would ask them to make a donation in his name -however small- to a charity for children suffering from cancer or other life threatening illnesses. [\u2026] \u00a0Dad will live in the memory of all those who knew him, all those who were affected by a performance of his they saw, and all those he made laugh until they couldn\u2019t breathe.\u00a0I love you Dad. Good game, sir, good game.\u201d<\/em> \u2013\u00a0Luke Williamson<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

It is no overstatement to say that Williamson shaped our conceptions of Merlin for an entire generation, and shaped the consciousnesses of more than a few modern Pagans. The performances of Williamson and Mirren, coupled with Boorman\u2019s symphonic direction, had a huge impression on me as a kid watching and rewatching the film on VHS and cable television. He became for me, and I suspect for others, the image of Merlin in their minds.<\/p>\n

httpv:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=U8mJwgPiarg<\/p>\n

Farewell Mr. Williamson, you, and your Merlin,\u00a0live on in our dreams<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It has been announced to the public that actor Nicol Williamson died on December 16th, 2011, from esophageal cancer. Williamson was a mercurial actor who brought a tempestuous fearlessness and unpredictability to his many roles. While he starred in high-profile films like Robin and Marian,\u00a0The Seven-Per-Cent Solution, and\u00a0The Exorcist III, he is perhaps best known […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,6],"tags":[3158,790,1475,1541,3157,1770],"class_list":["post-9038","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-paganism","category-religion","tag-excalibur","tag-film","tag-merlin","tag-movies","tag-nicol-williamson","tag-passings"],"yoast_head":"\nNicol Williamson 1936 - 2011<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"It has been announced to the public that actor Nicol Williamson died on December 16th, 2011, from esophageal cancer. 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