RIP Baron

November 21, 2011 12:57 PM

John Neville, best known for an array of theatre roles, with legions of fans for his portrayal of Baron Munchausen in Terry Gilliam's movie and "the well-manicured man" in the X-Files, has died.
posted by Mike D (67 comments total)

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posted by Iridic at 12:59 PM on November 21, 2011

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Props, too, for his brief yet funky role in Fifth Element.
posted by darkstar at 1:00 PM on November 21, 2011 [3 favorites]

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Baron Von Munchausen was absolutely required viewing in my household growing up.
posted by WidgetAlley at 1:03 PM on November 21, 2011 [3 favorites]

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posted by oonh at 1:03 PM on November 21, 2011

And this was only one of the many occasions on which he met his death, an experience which he doesn't hesitate strongly to recommend.

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posted by delfin at 1:05 PM on November 21, 2011 [28 favorites]

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posted by Faint of Butt at 1:07 PM on November 21, 2011

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posted by Sticherbeast at 1:07 PM on November 21, 2011

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posted by longsleeves at 1:08 PM on November 21, 2011

No last words. Not yet.

Godspeed, sir.
posted by Capt. Renault at 1:08 PM on November 21, 2011 [1 favorite]

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posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 1:13 PM on November 21, 2011

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posted by fimbulvetr at 1:13 PM on November 21, 2011

.........or has he? (cue "X-Files" theme music).
posted by Larry Duke at 1:13 PM on November 21, 2011 [1 favorite]

One of our greatest Shakespearian actors, who starred in one of Gilliam's best movies, and one of the greatest directors of Edmonton's Citadel Theatre. Truly a man of immense talent, who will be terribly missed.

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posted by Kevin Street at 1:14 PM on November 21, 2011 [4 favorites]

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posted by shakespeherian at 1:18 PM on November 21, 2011

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posted by EmpressCallipygos at 1:22 PM on November 21, 2011

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I feel like I've been posting a lot of these lately.
posted by jquinby at 1:23 PM on November 21, 2011

Sultan: Have you any famous last words?
Baron Munchausen: Not yet.

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posted by joinks at 1:32 PM on November 21, 2011 [7 favorites]

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Like WidgetAlley, Munchausen can probably be recited from end to end by some members of my family, me included.
posted by phong3d at 1:46 PM on November 21, 2011

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posted by Thorzdad at 1:52 PM on November 21, 2011

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posted by ducktape at 1:54 PM on November 21, 2011

Props, too, for his brief yet funky role in Fifth Element.

Also for his Sir Isaac Newton on Star Trek: TNG.
posted by Capt. Renault at 1:56 PM on November 21, 2011 [1 favorite]

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posted by cazoo at 2:07 PM on November 21, 2011

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posted by Hactar at 2:15 PM on November 21, 2011

I watched (at the age of 33) Baron Munchausen for the first time(!) just last week.

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posted by dmd at 2:19 PM on November 21, 2011

I ... have a modicum of snuff in my eye.
posted by Pallas Athena at 2:21 PM on November 21, 2011 [4 favorites]

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posted by Madamina at 2:31 PM on November 21, 2011

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posted by The Great Big Mulp at 2:32 PM on November 21, 2011

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posted by Renoroc at 2:33 PM on November 21, 2011

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posted by lucien_reeve at 2:33 PM on November 21, 2011

My god, look at Judi Dench in that picture from the first link. Baron Munchausen was a surreal and sublime joy of a picture. Thank you, Mr. Neville.
posted by emjaybee at 2:40 PM on November 21, 2011 [1 favorite]

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posted by Halloween Jack at 2:45 PM on November 21, 2011

An elegant, charming and gifted man who will be missed.

I have a copy of Munchausen on my iPod which I watch often. Thanks so much, Mr. Neville, for making me smile, again and again and again.

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posted by kinnakeet at 2:46 PM on November 21, 2011

I always thought he would have been good for Gilliam's attempt at Don Quixote.

No doctors.. no doctors
posted by edgeways at 3:01 PM on November 21, 2011 [2 favorites]

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posted by facetious at 3:15 PM on November 21, 2011

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I am not sure I can watch Baron Munchausen for a long, long time now.
posted by lesbiassparrow at 3:34 PM on November 21, 2011

edgeways: "I always thought he would have been good for Gilliam's attempt at Don Quixote."

Have you seen Lost in La Mancha? Neville was Don Quixote, for a short while, before his bad back and horrible floods destroyed the production. Among other disasters. Anyone interested in how movies are made should run, not walk, to the video store (remote?) and watch it immediately. It's fascinating and heartbreaking.
posted by zardoz at 3:41 PM on November 21, 2011 [2 favorites]

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He was every bit as good as Ralph Fiennes in Spider.
posted by hnnrs at 3:42 PM on November 21, 2011 [2 favorites]

May the charming Baron sky waltz among the clouds of Heaven, forever.
posted by cenoxo at 3:43 PM on November 21, 2011

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posted by New England Cultist at 3:48 PM on November 21, 2011

And that was only one of the many occasions on which I met my death, an experience which I don't hesitate strongly to recommend.

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posted by KingEdRa at 4:38 PM on November 21, 2011

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posted by vibrotronica at 4:41 PM on November 21, 2011

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posted by h00py at 4:45 PM on November 21, 2011

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posted by MythMaker at 4:46 PM on November 21, 2011

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(Adds Spider to his Lovefilm rental queue; it has been too long since I watched it.)
posted by acb at 4:55 PM on November 21, 2011

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posted by impishoptimist at 5:02 PM on November 21, 2011

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posted by condour75 at 5:08 PM on November 21, 2011

Have you seen Lost in La Mancha? Neville was Don Quixote, for a short while, before his bad back and horrible floods destroyed the production. Among other disasters. Anyone interested in how movies are made should run, not walk, to the video store (remote?) and watch it immediately. It's fascinating and heartbreaking.

Actually, Jean Rochefort's back that was the issue. Still, a neat documentary about Gilliam's bad luck.
posted by hoboynow at 5:09 PM on November 21, 2011 [1 favorite]

back that was the issue.
posted by hoboynow at 5:10 PM on November 21, 2011

Lost in La Mancha is available on streaming netflix.

And .
posted by Huck500 at 5:25 PM on November 21, 2011

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posted by Songdog at 5:33 PM on November 21, 2011

"Survival is the ultimate ideology."
-WMM

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posted by hal_c_on at 5:36 PM on November 21, 2011

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posted by pointystick at 5:41 PM on November 21, 2011

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posted by Lukenlogs at 5:43 PM on November 21, 2011

Baron Munchausen *was* sublime.
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posted by estherbester at 7:46 PM on November 21, 2011

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posted by koucha at 7:55 PM on November 21, 2011

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posted by Soulfather at 8:03 PM on November 21, 2011

So glad to see so much Baron Munchausen love here. I've heard it hated on for too many years.

So long, Mr. Neville. You will be missed.

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posted by hippybear at 8:04 PM on November 21, 2011

aw shit.
posted by clarknova at 8:04 PM on November 21, 2011

President Lindberg: Steadert.
General Staedert: Yes Sir!
President Lindberg: I have a doubt.
General Staedert: I don't, Mr. President.

From Fifth Element. RIP, General.
posted by allthegoodnamesweretaken at 9:59 PM on November 21, 2011 [1 favorite]

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posted by Smart Dalek at 2:21 AM on November 22, 2011

Count me among the fantastically disappointed.

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posted by Mike Mongo at 4:12 AM on November 22, 2011

Nooooooooooooooooooooooo! Can't the death angel just take a break?
posted by Lynsey at 9:19 AM on November 22, 2011

There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Mr Mulder.

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posted by marienbad at 11:28 AM on November 22, 2011

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posted by Joey Michaels at 2:31 PM on November 22, 2011

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posted by monopas at 2:53 PM on November 22, 2011

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posted by supercoiled at 5:55 PM on November 22, 2011

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posted by ilovemytoaster at 6:42 PM on November 22, 2011