Britain is no longer a country for and says "Goodbye" to an old welsh actor called Philip Madoc now gone into 'that good night'

The actor Philip Madoc died today at the age of 77 .
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-17255287

Things you possible didn't know about Philip, that he :

* attended Cyfarthfa Castle Grammar School and read classics and modern languages at Cardiff University, a natural linguist, went to the University of Vienna to train as an interpreter, became proficient in Russian which he thought the most beautiful of languages, apart from Welsh.

* joined the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art at the age of 24, started in repertory theatre in 1959 on a salary of £8 a week then moved into television, making his screen debut in the 1961 as a German Officer in the BBC Sunday Night play, 'Cross of Iron'.

* first gained widespread recognition in two tv serials, first as the relentless SS Officer, Lutzig, in the World War Two serial, 'Manhunt ' in 1969 and then as the vicious Huron warrior, Magua, in a serialisation of 'The Last of the Mohicans' in 1971.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyVXBbdFo-M




* reprised the character of Lutzig in an episode of the comedy 'Dad's Army', where he played a U-boat Captain held prisoner by the Walmington-on-Sea platoon of the Home Guard.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0V3SqxUomwk


* will be best remembered for playing the title role of the First World War Prime Minister in 'The Life and Times of David Lloyd George', a 1981 BBC Wales drama serial broadcast which featured the haunting music 'Chi Mai', by Ennio Morricone.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gF-qs_jxrH0



* starred in the 1990's detective series, 'A Mind to Kill' as DCI Noel Bain.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cTZfR7o7Rw

* has had various film and tv roles including in 2007 appearing as 'Y Llywydd', The President in S4C gangster series 'Y Pris', where he acts and speaks in his native Welsh.

Here he uses his beautiful Welsh voice to read the Dylan Thomas poem :

Do Not Go Gentle Into That Dark Night
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kF-4ynZIgs8


Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rage at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

P.S. The real Lloyd George speaking in 1932
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6k8-GV69no