Patrick Geoffrey Ryecart (born 9 May 1952) is an English actor.
Early life and career Ryecart was born in Warwick, Warwickshire.
His first West End appearance was in Bernard Shaw's Candida at the Albery Theatre, playing the young poet Marchbanks opposite Deborah Kerr, directed by Michael Blakemore. Among a string of fine reviews, Bernard Levin in the Sunday Times described his performance as "supernova" and that he had not seen "such a talent in embryo since the young Richard Burton". Ryecart has continued working in theatre, television and film (his last film role Lord Wigram in The King's Speech) with lead roles in the classics of Shaw, Sheridan, and Shakespeare to light comedies, TV situation comedy, thrillers and musicals. Among his notable credits in London are Jack Absolute in The Rivals, with Michael Hordern as his father and Geraldine McEwan as Mrs Malaprop, and Lord Goring in Peter Hall's An Ideal Husband. He has acted on many British television shows since the mid-1970s including Lillie, Romeo and Juliet, The Professionals, Minder (Series 7 episode 5), Rumpole of the Bailey, Lovejoy, Coming Home and Holby City. In 1986 he appeared in the Doctor Who serial The Trial of a Time Lord in the Mindwarp segment. He was one of the lead characters in the BBC TV comedy series The High Life playing Captain Hilary Duff. He played Hugo Latimer in the BBC series Trainer. In 1996 he appeared in Agatha Christie's Poirot episode, "Dumb Witness" as Charles, returning to the series in 2013 as Sir Anthony Morgan in "The Labours of Hercules". In 1996 he worked for the BBC in My Son My Son and in 1997 was in the Dalziel & Pascoe episode Ruling Passion. He played Mr. Crane-Bolder in Catherine Cookson’s Rag Nymph a TV Mini-Series (1997). He appeared in Midsomer Murders "The Night of the Stag" as Anthony Devereux (2011). He has appeared in many mini series for the U.S. He played Sir Hugh Bodrugan in the 2015 BBC series of Poldark. In 2016, he played the role of the Duke of Norfolk in the Netflix series The Crown.
His extensive theatre credits include The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B by J P Donleavy in London's West End, which he also produced, first playing Balthazar to Simon Callow's playing Beefy, (who was later replaced by Billy Connolly). Numerous tours include "Donkeys Years", "Rebecca", "Tunes of Glory" and "The Millionairess" opposite Raquel Welch. He also produced, at the Garrick Theatre London (and later redirected for tour and the Edinburgh Festival 2011) "Jus' like That!" the highly successful affectionate tribute to the great Tommy Cooper, written by John Fisher.
His film credits include A Bridge Too Far (1977), Silver Dream Racer (1980), Arthur the King (1985), Prisoner of Honor (1991), Parting Shots (1999) and The King's Speech (2010).
Personal life Ryecart was married to English actress Marsha Fitzalan, the third daughter of 17th Duke of Norfolk, from 4 July 1977 until their divorce in 1995. The couple met at the drama school, The Webber Douglas Academy. They have three children. Ryecart lives in London.
Filmography +YearTitleRoleNotes1977A Bridge Too Far German Lieutenant1980Silver Dream Racer Benson1985Silas MarnerGodfrey Cass1986Tai-Pan Captain Glessing1991Twenty-One Jack1999Parting Shots Cleverly2010The King's Speech Lord Wigram2016The ContractGreg
Television +YearTitleRoleNotes1975The GoodiesCowboy (uncredited)Episode: "Movies"1976-77The Cedar TreeKlaus von Heynig 4 episodes1978LillieCrown Prince RudolfEpisode: "Let Them Say"BBC Television ShakespeareRomeoEpisode: Romeo and Juliet1979My Son, My Son Oliver Essex6 episodes1981Dick TurpinFyttonSerial: "Dick Turpin's Greatest Adventure"1982The Professionals WilliamsEpisode: "Spy Probe"1985Jenny's WarSteinhardt4 episodes1986Doctor WhoCrozierSerial: "Mindwarp"1988South of the Border Jonathan Crashaw1 episodeRockliffe's FollyAndrew ReynoldsEpisode: "The Greenhorn"Minder NigelEpisode: "The Last Video Show"1988-89Theatre NightCaptain Absolute/Sergius Seranoff2 episodes1989Goldeneye: The Secret Life of Ian FlemingIvar BryceTV movie1991Prisoner of HonorMajor EsterhazyA Perfect HeroTim Holland4 episodes1991-92Trainer Hugo Latimer1992The Young Indiana Jones ChroniclesEmperor Karl I of AustriaEpisode: "Austria, March 1917"Rumpole of the BaileyLord Richard SackbuttEpisode: "Rumpole and the Family Pride"1993Heart of Darkness De GriffeTV movie1994LovejoyLord DunwichEpisode: "The Last of the Uzoks"1994-95The High Life Captain Hilary Duff1995Rik Mayall PresentsGreen KnightEpisode: "Claire de Lune"1996-2013Agatha Christie's PoirotSir Anthony Morgan/Charles2 episodes1997Dalziel and PascoeAnton DavenentEpisode: "Ruling Passion"1998Coming HomeTommy Mortimer2 episodes2000Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased) Posh ManEpisode: "A Blast from the Past"2000-01Holby CityEwan Littlewood3 episodes2002Believe NothingDr. Newell-PostEpisode: "Just a Minute"2004Doctors and Nurses Mr. BarryEpisode: "Go West"2005Jericho Lord MasefieldEpisode: "A Pair of Ragged Claws"ShakespeaRe-ToldKeithEpisode: Much Ado About NothingEgyptHudson GurneyEpisode: "The Mystery of the Rosetta Stone"2010HustleSir Edmund "Piggy" RichardsonEpisode: "And This Little Piggy Had Money"2011Midsomer MurdersAnthony DeverauxEpisode: "The Night of the Stag"2013The Escape Artist Gavin De Souza2 episodes2015-16Poldark Sir Hugh Bodregun5 episodes2016-19The Crown Duke of Norfolk6 episodes
Theatre +YearTitleRoleNotes1975Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor DreamcoatJoseph Queen’s Theatre, HornchurchThe Piggy Bank SpreeFelix Renaudier Havering on the RidiculousCompany MemberMy Fat FriendJames Forty Years OnThe Lectern ReaderDeath of a SalesmanStanley She Stoops to ConquerMarlow1977CandidaEugene MarchbanksAlbery Theatre1977-78Grand Theatre & Opera House, Leeds1979A Life in the TheatreJohnOpen Space Theatre1981-82The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar BBalthazarDuke of York's Theatre1983The RivalsCaptain Jack AbsoluteNational Theatre, London1984Noel, A Theatrical CelebrationTheatre Royal, Drury LaneThe ImportanceJohn WorthingAmbassadors Theatre, London1985A Midsummer Night's DreamOberon/TheseusRegent’s Park Open Air Theatre, LondonRing Round the MoonHugo/Frederic1986-88High SocietyDexterVictoria Palace Theatre and Haymarket Theatre1994-95The MillionairessAdrian BlenderblandTheatre Royal, Bath and Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford1996That Good NightMichaelYvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford, New Theatre, Cardiff, and other locations2001Another CountryVaughan CunninghamArts Theatre, London and Oxford Playhouse2002Naked JusticeRoddyBirmingham Repertory Theatre, Cambridge Arts Theatre, and other locations2003-04See U Next TuesdayJust Leblanc Albery Theatre2004DinnerLarsCambridge Arts Theatre, Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford, and other locations2006Charley's AuntColonel ChesneyOxford Playhouse2009UntitledDouglas the Butler/Edward VIIIFinborough Theatre2010Prescription: MurderDr. Roy FlemmingConnaught Theatre, Worthing, New Theatre, Cardiff, and other locations2010-11 Me and My GirlSir John TremayneCrucible Theatre, Sheffield2016The Dover RoadMr. LatimerJermyn Street Theatre2018MonogamyMikePark Theatre, London, Festival Theatre, Malvern, and other locations2026 The High Life Captain Hilary Duff musical by Johnny McKnight, National Theatre of Scotland / Dundee Rep
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