Trivia

June 2005: he ordered a man out of the National Theatre, London, when his mobile phone went off for the sixth time during a performance of Alan Bennett's "The History Boys". The actor stopped in the middle of his lines, fixed the offender with an icy stare and said: "I am asking you to stand up, leave this auditorium and never, ever come back". Other members of the audience applauded as the man left the theatre.

May 2006: When a mobile rang out for the third time during his performance as Hector, a teacher, in Alan Bennett's The History Boys at the Broadhurst Theatre in New York, Griffiths rounded on the theatregoer and thundered: "I am not going to compete with these electronic devices. You were told to turn them off by the stage manager; you were told it was against the law. If we hear one more phone go off, we'll quit this performance. You have been warned."

November 2005: Was performing in the stage play "Heroes" in London's Wyndham Theatre when a lady's mobile phone kept ringing in the audience. After it rang a third time, he stopped the play and - to loud applause - had her ejected from the theatre.

Was considered by producers for the role of "The Doctor" in Doctor Who (1963), had the series' original run continued past 1989.

He was made an O.B.E. (Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) in the 2008 Queen's New Years Honours List for services to drama.

Both of his parents were deaf, which made him a native speaker of the British Sign Language.

Son of Jane Griffiths (born Jane Ann Denmark on 8 December 1899) and Thomas Griffiths (born 22 July 1915) who married in 1946. Both were deaf. Both died in 1976.

The eleventh Harry Potter film series cast member to die.

As a boy he was so skinny that he was given radiation treatment on his pituitary gland to stimulate his growth. His metabolism was permanently slowed and he struggled with obesity for the rest of his life.

He appeared in two Best Picture Academy Award winners in consecutive years: Chariots of Fire (1981) and Gandhi (1982). John Gielgud and Ian Charleson also appeared in both films.

London, England: Acting in the play "Equus" with Daniel Radcliffe, who he also acted with in the Harry Potter films. (February 2007)

Was Godfather to comedian Jack Whitehall.

Won the 2006 Antoinette Perry (Tony) Award for Best Actor in A Leading Role in a Play for "The History Boys". The presenter of the award to Griffiths was Julia Roberts.

Gave the commencement speech to the Oxford University Class of 2008.

He was awarded the 2006 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for his performance as "Hector" in Alan Bennett's "The History Boys.".

If it hadn't been for the theatre his career choice would have involved painting and drawing.

While working at Littlewoods store in Stockton on Tees he was offered a managerial course and was sent to college to get 4 o levels. He went but did an arts course instead.

Replaced the late Richard Vernon as Slartibartfast in the new "Tertiary Phase" episodes of "The Hitch Hiker's Guide To The Galaxy" BBC4 radio series, adapted from the late Douglas Adams' books 3-5 of the "trilogy". Phase 4 ("Quandary") is slated for 2005, with phase 5 ("Quintessential") to follow. (September 2004)

Has, at least twice, played a dual role, once in Whoops Apocalypse (1982) as a replacement "Premier Dubienkin" (as well as the original), and in The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear (1991) as "Dr. Meinheimer" and impersonator "Earl Hacker".

He was made an an Honorary Doctor of Letters by Stockton University on 1st July 1998.

London, England: Appearing as Fitz and W.H. Auden in the world premiere of "The Habit of Art" by 'Alan Bennett' at the Lyttleton Theatre in the National Theatre. (November 2009)

2004 - Won the Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Hector in "The History Boys" at the National Theatre (Lyttleton) (London).

He was educated at a catholic school which later became Manchester Polytechnic.

He took a drama course at university.

His acting career took off in 1977 when he had a big success as Bottom in A Midsummerr Nights Dream,.