Patrick Godfrey, the British character actor whose seven-decade career took him from BBC radio dramas to Broadway stages to blockbuster films, died Thursday at his home surrounded by his family. He was 93.
His London-based agency Markham, Froggatt & Irwin confirmed the death, describing him as “an exceptionally talented actor and a remarkable individual.” No cause of death was given.
Godfrey was perhaps best known to international audiences for playing Leonardo da Vinci in the 1998 fantasy film Ever After: A Cinderella Story, opposite Drew Barrymore. The role — da Vinci as a witty, world-weary sage who sweeps into the Cinderella story with a knowing wink — gave Godfrey one of his most quoted screen moments. A tribute circulating online recalled his line from the film: “I shall go down in history as the man who opened a door,” a wry summation of a character who embodied the film’s playful relationship with history.
Born February 13, 1933 in London, Godfrey won a Carleton Hobbs Bursary Award in 1956, which earned him a six-month contract with the BBC’s Radio Drama Company — the traditional launching pad for British actors of his generation. His screen debut followed three years later.
The breadth of his film work reflects a career built on quality over marquee billing. His credits span A Room with a View (1986), Maurice (1987), The Remains of the Day (1993), The Count of Monte Cristo (2002), and Tom Hooper’s Les Misérables (2012). Television brought him roles in Doctor Who, Midsomer Murders, Doc Martin, and His Dark Materials, while his stage work included Broadway’s The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby in 1981 and West End productions as recently as 2021.
Tributes from fans noted his role in The Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby in particular — one recalled paying the then-steep sum of $50 for standing-room tickets, calling it “the best play I ever saw.” Godfrey also left an unexpected mark on gaming: he provided voices for BioShock 2, Red Dead Redemption, and Red Dead Redemption 2.
He is survived by his wife, actress Amanda Walker, and their two children.
