Timothy West, ‘Gentleman Jack’ & ‘The Day of the Jackal’ Actor, Dies at 90
Veteran British actor and Gentleman Jack star Timothy West has died, his family confirmed on social media on Wednesday, November 13. The 90-year-old was married to Fawlty Towers actress Prunella Scales.
“After a long and extraordinary life on and off the stage, our darling father, Timothy West, died peacefully in his sleep yesterday evening,” his children Juliet, Samuel, and Joseph West wrote in a joint statement shared on X.
The statement continued, “Tim was with friends and family at the end. He leaves his wife, Prunella Scales, to whom he was married for 61 years, a sister, a daughter, two sons, seven grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. All of us will miss him terribly.”
“We would like to thank the incredible NHS staff at St George’s hospital, Tooting, and at Avery Wandsworth for their loving care during his last days,” the statement concluded.
— Samuel West (@exitthelemming) November 13, 2024
Born on October 20, 1934, in Bradford, England, West began his acting career on the stage, making his London debut at the Piccadilly Theatre in 1959 in the farce Caught Napping. He would go on to be a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company for three seasons, appearing in the likes of The Comedy of Errors, Timon of Athens, The Jew of Malta, and Love’s Labour’s Lost. He played Macbeth twice and King Lear four times.
His on-screen debut came in the British mini-series Persuasion in 1960, though his big break didn’t come until 1975 when he starred in the titular role of the major television series Edward the Seventh. On the big screen, he appeared in Fred Zinnemann’s 1973 political thriller The Day of the Jackal and Michael Apted’s 1979 British thriller Agatha.
West was a regular on British television productions over the past five decades, including memorable roles in the long-running soap operas Coronation Street and EastEnders and the BBC sitcom Not Going Out. More recently, he portrayed Jeremy Lister in the joint BBC and HBO production Gentlemen Jack from 2019 to 2022.
His final on-screen role came in the BritBox cozy mystery drama Sister Boniface Mysteries, where he played Charles Usher in the episode “The Star of the Orient.”
Check out some of the tributes to West below.
A happy picture of Timothy West taken earlier this year when he came to Lamb House in Rye with HM Queen Camilla & members of @fotilling to celebrate E F Benson. With great style he read to us from “Mapp & Lucia” in which of course his brilliant wife had starred on TV. pic.twitter.com/25IduwLMZW
— Gyles Brandreth (@GylesB1) November 13, 2024
Adieu, Timothy West. pic.twitter.com/5Un7TAcR6b
— Catherine Curzon (@MadameGilflurt) November 13, 2024
For years, every time Timothy West popped up in something I was watching, I’d always recognise him, but not know where from.
Although I never figured out why I initially recognised him, his incredibly long career means, now, I know him for an abundance of different roles. RIP. pic.twitter.com/qQ6aMk8kn6
— Stuart Beck (@StuartBeckMP) November 13, 2024
We are extremely saddened to hear that Timothy West has passed away. Timothy joined EastEnders as Stan and his presence as the patriarch of the Carter family was immediately felt. He will forever be in our hearts. We send all our love and thoughts to Timothy’s family and friends. pic.twitter.com/3rOUpzu1AH
— BBC EastEnders (@bbceastenders) November 13, 2024
Marvellous actor. A constant in many of our lives. He shall be much missed. My thoughts with his family.
RIP Timothy West. https://t.co/F53FnCSzUw
— James Dreyfus (@DreyfusJames) November 13, 2024
Very sorry to hear of the passing of Timothy West. I only had the privilege to meet him briefly as a platoon member in the remaking of ‘Dad’s Army: The Lost Episodes’ but he was always polite, professional and very funny. A real gentleman. https://t.co/5nWuXVlaeT pic.twitter.com/LzH8H5Cgk5
— Mark Forsdike (@Mark_Forsdike) November 13, 2024
Very sad news about the passing of Timothy West, one of the ones you want to live forever. pic.twitter.com/gfV0L0WcR7
— jojubs (@jojubs) November 13, 2024
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