Sir Robert Stephens (July 14 1931 – November 12 1995) was a leading actor in the early years of Britain's Royal National Theatre.

Stephens was born in Bristol, and rose to become one of the most respected actors of his generation. By the 1960s he was regarded as the natural successor to Laurence Olivier. In 1967 he married his third wife, actress Maggie Smith. They appeared together on stage and in film together, notably in the film version of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969). However, following his departure from the National Theatre in 1970 and the breakup of his marriage in 1973 he suffered a career slump, not helped by heavy drinking.

Although he continued to work on stage and television, it wasn't until the 1990s that he re-established himself at the forefront of his profession, when the Royal Shakespeare Company invited him to play Falstaff in Henry IV, part 1 and then the title role in King Lear. He was awarded the Laurence Olivier Theatre Award in 1993 for Best Actor, for his performance in Henry V with the Royal Shakespeare Company. He was knighted in 1995.

Stephens was married four times in all: to Nora Ann Simmonds in 1951 and to Tarn Bassett from 1956 to 1967 — he had a child with each. His two sons with Maggie Smith, Toby and Chris , also became actors. He remarried in January 1995, to Patricia Quinn , who has appeared with him in Fortunes of War. He died later that year.

Stephens was one of eight actors profiled in Roger Lewis ' 1989 book Stage People.

External links

• Robert Stephens at screenonline
• Portraits of Stephens