- published: 27 May 2016
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Ian William Richardson, CBE (7 April 1934 – 9 February 2007) was a Scottish actor of film, stage and television.
He is well known for his portrayal of the Machiavellian Tory politician Francis Urquhart in the BBC's House of Cards (1990-1995) television trilogy. Richardson was also a leading Shakespearean stage actor. Richardson was also familiar to American television viewers as the man in the Rolls-Royce who asks, "Pardon me, would you have any Grey Poupon?" in commercials for this Dijon mustard.
Richardson was born in Edinburgh, the son of Margaret (née Drummond) and John Richardson. He was educated in the city, at Balgreen Primary School, Tynecastle High School and George Heriot's School. He first appeared on stage at the age of fourteen, in an amateur production of A Tale of Two Cities. The director encouraged his talent but warned that he would need to lose his Scottish accent to progress as an actor. His mother arranged elocution lessons, and he became a stage manager with the semi-professional Edinburgh People's Theatre.