In Memoriam: Timothy West CBE
LAMDA acknowledges the passing of Timothy West CBE after a remarkable life as an actor, mentor, LAMDA Board Trustee and past President.
The LAMDA community send their fondest wishes to the family and friends of Timothy West upon the news of his passing. He had a long and cherished relationship with LAMDA spanning several decades, first as a Board Trustee from 1980, and then as LAMDA’s President, a role he held for over 30 years. Current President and alumnus, Benedict Cumberbatch CBE, who took on the Presidency from Timothy at the beginning of 2018, having first been a student at LAMDA during Timothy’s long-held period as its President, reflected on the influence of Timothy at LAMDA and in the world.
“We have lost a giant of stage and screen. An inspiring, iconic, and wonderful actor. He was also someone with a true passion for the people of our profession and the institutions that hold them. That passion took his life’s work beyond acting and benefited many institutions at various times in his distinguished life and career, including LAMDA, where he was a Board Trustee and President. I was humbled to be asked to succeed him in this role. All of us at LAMDA are extremely grateful to him for his time and generous support of the School. We hope to contribute to his legacy by maintaining and building on his many successes here. We would also like to extend our love, gratitude, and condolences to his family at this time.”
“I have been privileged to have served LAMDA throughout Tim West’s three decades as President of LAMDA, 1988-2018. Under his aegis the Drama School moved from being a somewhat sleepy backwater to becoming a world-leading Academy.
Tim was always there to offer support, advice, and encouragement. He was an active President and would spend hours with me in his home creating and revising drafts of the first documents that would eventually give LAMDA degree status. He led discussions that resulted in screen and audio training becoming a more prominent part of the curriculum, whilst still encouraging exploration of the classical canon. But there was more than artistic vision; Tim was hands-on. When we were rehearsing Julius Caesar to take to Paris, he spent time with the cast working scenes and giving the actors the benefit of his extraordinary insight. They loved and respected him for his care, wit, and humility.
Tim would find time to meet students privately to listen to them and seek to find solutions to their problems. Above all, we knew he was there for us. Tim and Pru were familiar faces throughout the years at every rep season as well as the less formal and more raucous occasions involving the whole school: The Winter Concert, Poetry Night, Fight Night, Dance Night and other student celebrations, always finding the time to engage with the students and the staff. They knew our names!
Tim’s generosity was not limited to the time he freely gave us. Many students would not have been able to train with us without the scholarship awarded them by his Snipe Charitable Trust. Even after he stood down, handing over the reins to Benedict Cumberbatch, he still found time to be a presence at LAMDA events. To feel that continued embrace is special. And rare.
Tim, God bless you. And thank you.”
LAMDA’s Principal & CEO, Mark O’Thomas, has spoken of the extraordinary and generous contribution Timothy made to staff and students of LAMDA spanning generations.
"We are deeply saddened by the passing of Timothy West, a remarkable actor whose commitment to the stage and screen, alongside his dedication to LAMDA, has left an indelible mark on our institution and on British theatre. His warmth, generosity, and wisdom were qualities that touched many, both in the rehearsal room and in his role as a longstanding Trustee. Tim’s contributions to LAMDA, particularly during his time as President, were invaluable, and his legacy will continue to inspire future generations of artists. Our thoughts are with his family and all who loved him."
