Richard Griffiths

Born in North Riding, Yorkshire on July 31, 1947, Griffiths was brought up in a council flat in less than prosperous conditions, the son of deaf and volatile parents in a dysfunctional family setting. According to an article in the Telegraph newspaper, his father Thomas was a steelworker 'who fought in pubs for prize money' . Like most children, Richard's "mother tongue" was the same as his parents, in this case sign language. Like many kids in the 50s, his world did not include television. He had to explain sounds to his parents, for example music. Griffiths made a career out of language. For example, he developed a talent for dialects which later allowed him to shine in a number of ethnic portrayals. He attended the Manchester Polytechnic School Of Drama and then began his career in radio drama and repertory theater. He subsequently became a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company. In a 2007 interview, Griffiths said "I like playing Vernon Dursley in Harry Potter because that gives