Ronald Pickup

Biography

Ronald Pickup was born in Chester, England, to Daisy (née Williams) and Eric Pickup, a lecturer. He attended The King's School in Chester before furthering his education at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London, where he eventually became an Associate Member.

His television career kicked off with a role in an episode of Doctor Who during its second season in 1964, earning him £30. Pickup's stage work included collaborations with Laurence Olivier at the Royal National Theatre, with standout performances in plays like Three Sisters and Long Day's Journey Into Night. In 1973, he featured in the BBC drama The Dragon's Opponent, portraying a WWII bomb disposal expert, and later appeared in The Day of the Jackal. His film credits include playing Lt. Harford in Zulu Dawn (1979), Igor Stravinsky in Nijinsky (1980), and Prince John in Ivanhoe (1982). He also starred with Penelope Keith in Moving (1983), voiced Aslan in the BBC's adaptation of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (1988), and appeared in the short-lived sitcom Not with a Bang (1990). More recent television roles included parts in Hornblower, Foyle's War, and Sherlock Holmes, along with a regular role in the sitcom The Worst Week of My Life. His last television appearance was as Lord Charles Byrne in Holby City.

Pickup is noted for his acclaimed portrayal of a decaying Russian aristocrat in the BBC series Fortunes of War and received a Laurence Olivier Theatre Award nomination in 1998 for his supporting role in Amy's View. He played the lead role as composer Giuseppe Verdi in The Life of Verdi and starred in the family film The Adventures of Greyfriars Bobby in 2005. Additionally, he played Lucky in Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot during a successful tour in 2009, alongside notable actors like Sir Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart