'Never Say Never Again' actor Ronald Pickup dies aged 80
03-Mar-2021 • Actor News
British actor Donal Pickup, who played government official 'Elliot' in the 1983 rogue James Bond production , has died at the age of 80.
He was active in television, film, and theatre, beginning with a 1964 appearance in Doctor Who. In the 1970s, he had roles in classic films 'The Day of the Jackal' and 'The Thirty Nine Steps.' His other major screen roles included Prince Yakimov in Fortunes of War (1987) and opposite future 007 Pierce Brosnan in 'The Fourth Protocol' (1987).
He enjoyed global fame after playing Norman in 'The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel' (2012). He reprised the role in the sequel, 'The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel' (2015). In the 2017 film 'Darkest Hour', Pickup portrayed Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain as he cedes power to Winston Churchill in the early months of World War II.
Pickup died on 24 February 2021 following a long illness, aged 80. He is survived by his wife Lans Traverse and their two children: Rachel Pickup, an actress, and Simon Pickup.
