A CORONATION Street star has died at the age of 84, after a great five-decade career that included the first gay kiss scene on TV with Ian McKellen.
James Laurenson worked in theater, TV, and movies after moving to Britain from New Zealand in the early 1960s.
In 1969, he had his first movie role in Ken Russell’s Women in Love.
For the first time on TV, he made history in 1970 when he kissed Sir Ian McKellen as Piers Gaveston in Christopher Marlowe’s Edward II.
Sir Ian said that kissing James, who wasn’t gay, “was a bonus all the way through the run.”
A lot of people have taken to social media to honor their favorite actor.
“I’m very sorry to hear that great actor James Laurenson has died,” wrote one. I saw him on stage a lot of times over the years. If his name was on the cast list, I always bought a ticket, even if I didn’t really like the play. I never felt let down.”
“Very sad to hear that James Laurenson has died,” said someone else. I feel lucky to have seen him perform at the RSC more than once. He seemed like a kind person. He had an amazing way with words that made almost every script he worked on feel real and powerful. Rest in peace.”
Geoff Leesley, another actor, said, “Farewell to my friend and fine, fine actor #Jameslaurenson. I’m heartbroken.”
Someone else said, “He really was a beautiful and lovely man.” “So funny, so nice, and such a great actor.”
In May 1968, James played the Reverend Peter Hope of St. Mary’s Church on Coronation Street.
THE CROWN
He played Doctor Weir in The Crown. Doctor Weir was a Scottish doctor and homeopath who was the Physician Royal.
When the Peter Hall Company was founded in 1998, James started to appear in many of their shows.
Hall told him, “He was a great actor because he was like everyone else.” This is something that all great actors do: when they walk on stage, they do it for us.
In 2011, he was up for an Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his roles as the Ghost and the Player King in Hamlet by Nicholas Hytner.
He was a great actor because he seemed like a normal person. This is something that all great actors do: when they walk on stage, they do it for us.
Peter Hall: Launched the Peter Hall Company
One reviewer said James helped turn “the play-within-a-play into a moving tragedy-within-the-tragedy,” which is usually a role with a lot of talking.
Stephen Sondheim also sent a happy email praising James’ performance.
He wrote, “When I started to cry during the Ghost scene, I knew something important was happening to me (Mr. Laurenson gets my gold medal)”.
EARLY LIFE
James was born on February 17, 1940, in Marton, which is on New Zealand’s North Island.
“Seeing a Lockheed Hudson flying over our house and being told that my father was in it” was the first thing he remembered, he said.
His dad loved acting and did it on the side.
James said, “The first thing I learned is that it is really hard to find work and be offered scripts.” This was after going to Canterbury University College in Christchurch.
He also said, “You have to really want to be an actor. Hollywood might come calling, but you might also be out of work for a long time.”
James moved from London to Frome in Somerset in the late 1990s. He was very busy for many years as a regular in Peter Hall Company summer festival shows at the Theatre Royal in Bath and on tour.
He calmed down by “walking our dog, Maisie, down by the River Mells.” He told the Western Daily Press in 2012 that he was happiest “tucked up with my lady listening to Oscar Peterson and Dizzie Gillespie play If I Were a Bell.”
He split up with actress Carol Macready after their first marriage in 1997. Son Jamie from his first marriage and his second wife Cari Haysom will miss him.