Actor Corin Redgrave dies aged 70

[dutchman]

Actor Corin Redgrave, a member of the Redgrave acting dynasty, has died aged 70, his family has announced.

Son of Sir Michael, brother of Vanessa and Lynn and uncle of the late Natasha Richardson, he was taken ill at home in the early hours of Sunday morning.

"We will miss him so very much," said his widow Kika Markham.

Redgrave was also known for his political activism and was part of a 2004 bid to impeach Tony Blair over the invasion of Iraq.

As a film actor he is perhaps best known for his role in Four Weddings and a Funeral, in which he played Andie McDowell's husband Hamish.

Stage debut

Born in London in 1939, Redgrave entered the "family business" while studying at Cambridge University.

His first stage appearance was at the Royal Court in 1961, playing Lysander in a production of A Midsummer Night's Dream.

His first major screen role came in 1966 when he appeared in Oscar-winning historical drama A Man for All Seasons.

In 1998 he won a Laurence Olivier award for his work in Tennessee Williams's play Not About Nightingales.

Redgrave was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2000 and suffered a heart attack at a political meeting in Essex in 2005.

He was recently seen on stage in a two-man play based on the writings of blacklisted Hollywood screenwriter Dalton Trumbo.

A statement issued by Markham said Redgrave died on Tuesday "very peacefully [and] surrounded by his family."

He is survived by his actress daughter Jemma and his sons Luke, Harvey and Arden.