Antony Sher – a life in pictures

An actor, painter and writer, Antony Sher – who has died aged 72 – was one of British theatre’s most revered stage icons. Look back at his celebrated career

Antony Sher on acting: ‘You have simply got to be honest’

Main image: Antony Sher in the title role of Kean at the Apollo Theatre, London, 2007. Photograph: Robbie Jack/Corbis/Getty Images

  • Antony Sher playing Prospero in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s 2009 production of The Tempest, directed by Janice Honeyman at the Courtyard theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon. Sher was born in Cape Town, South Africa, on 14 June 1949.
    Antony Sher, pictured here playing Prospero in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s 2009 production of The Tempest at the Courtyard Theatre, Stratford upon Avon, was born in Cape Town, South Africa on 14 June 1949

  • A rehearsal of the musical John, Paul, George, Ringo ... and Bert by Willy Russell, directed by Alan Dossor, which tells a fictionalised life story of the Beatles, at the Lyric theatre, London, in 1974. From left, Phillip Joseph as George Harrison, Antony Sher as Ringo Starr, Trevor Eve as Paul McCartney and Bernard Hill as John Lennon.
    A rehearsal of the musical play John, Paul, George, Ringo ... and Bert by Willy Russell, which tells a fictionalised life story of the Beatles, at the Lyric Theatre in London, 1974. From left to right, Phillip Joseph as George Harrison, Antony Sher as Ringo Starr, Trevor Eve as Paul McCartney and Bernard Hill as John Lennon

  • Caroline Embling as Lorraine and Antony Sher as Sherman in American Days by Stephen Poliakoff at the ICA, London, in 1979.
    Caroline Embling (Lorraine) and Antony Sher (Sherman) in American Days by Stephen Poliakoff at the ICA, London, 1979

  • Sher, right, as Howard Kirk with Michael Hordern as Professor Marvin in the BBC drama The History Man (1981), based on Malcolm Bradbury’s 1975 novel.
    Playing Howard Kirk alongside Michael Hordern (Professor Marvin) in the acclaimed BBC drama, The History Man, 1981 based on Malcolm Bradbury’s 1975 novel

  • Sher as Tartuffe in Molière’s play at the The Pit, Barbican Centre, London, in 1983 directed by Bill Alexander.
    Antony Sher as the titular Tartuffe by Molière at the The Pit, Barbican Centre, London 1983

  • Sher as Martin Glass in Maydays by David Edgar, directed by Ron Daniels, at the Barbican, London, 1983.
    As Martin Glass in Maydays by David Edgar, Barbican Theatre, London. 1983

  • With Estelle Kohler in an RSC production of Hello and Goodbye, directed by Janice Honeyman, at the Almeida, London, in 1988.
    Antony Sher and Estelle Kohler in an RSC production of Hello and Goodbye, directed by Janice Honeyman, Almeida Theatre, 1988

  • Starring as Genghis Cohn in Elijah Moshinsky’s film of the same name in 1993.
    Starring as Genghis Cohn in the film of the same name, 1994

  • Playing the Chief Weasel with Robert Bathurst, left, and Michael Palin, right, in Terry Jones’s 1996 film of The Wind in the Willows.
    Playing the Chief Weasel with Robert Bathurst (left) and Michael Palin (right) in The Wind in the Willows, 1996

  • Sher as Benjamin Disraeli and Judi Dench as Queen Victoria in John Madden’s 1997 film Mrs Brown.
    As prime minister Benjamin Disraeli opposite Judi Dench’s Queen Victoria in Mrs Brown, 1997

  • A press call for the RSC’s Cyrano de Bergerac, starring Sher and directed by Gregory Doran, at the Lyric theatre, London, in 1997.
    A press call for the RSC’s Cyrano de Bergerac, starring Sher and directed by Gregory Doran, at the Lyric theatre, London, in 1997.

  • Sher as Macbeth with Harriet Walter as Lady Macbeth in Gregory Doran’s RSC production in Stratford in 1999.
    Sher as Macbeth with Harriet Walter as Lady Macbeth in Gregory Doran’s RSC production in Stratford in 1999.

  • Sher receiving his knighthood for services to theatre in 2000.
    Sher receiving his knighthood for services to theatre in 2000

  • The RSC president, Prince Charles, with Sher at an event for the company’s Complete Works festival in London in 2006.
    Prince Charles, president of the Royal Shakespeare Company, talks to Sher at a gala celebration event for the RSC’s Complete Works Festival at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office May 17, 2006

  • Sher in his studio at his home in Islington, London, in 2009.
    Antony Sher, actor and artist, in his studio at his home in Islington, London, 2009

  • As Sir John Falstaff in Henry IV Part I and II, directed by Doran, at the Royal Shakespeare theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, in 2014
    As Sir John Falstaff in Henry IV Part I & II at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, 2014

  • Harriet Walter as Linda Loman and Sher as Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, directed by Doran at the Royal Shakespeare theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, in 2015.
    Harriet Walter (Linda Loman) and Antony Sher (Willy Loman) in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-Upon-Avon, 2015

  • As well as having been one of British theatre’s most revered stage actors since the 1980s and a respected novelist and playwright, Sher was also a painter whose work often drew on his life on stage.
    Sir Antony Sher (Actor, Painter & Writer)1949 -As well as being one of British theatre’s most revered stage actors since the 1980s and a respected novelist and playwright, Sir Antony Sher is also a painter – his work, often drawing on his activity in the theatre
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