Actor Terence Rigby dies aged 71

Tributes were today being paid to renowned Smethwick-born actor, Terence Rigby, who has died at the age of 71.

He passed away at his London home last night after suffering from lung cancer. The star was involved in high profile films such as Mona Lisa Smile in 2003, Bond movie Tomorrow Never Dies in 1997, The Dogs of War in 1980, Get Carter in 1971, and Scandal in 1989.

On TV he was best known for his role as PC Snow in the TV series Softly, Softly: Task Force which ran throughout the 1960s and 1970s.

More recently, he appeared on the small screen in Our Friends in the North, Midsomer Murders, Holby City, Heartbeat and Doctors.

Catherine Sparks, the star's sister, today spoke on behalf of the actor's family about their loss.

She said: "We are so proud of Terry and are going to miss him terribly. He was true to his art and respected by all the industry – he was the actor's actor." And the actor's spokesman Peter Charlesworth added: "He will be sorely missed. There are not so many like him anymore.

"He was a very powerful character actor, able to play villains and nice roles with ease. He was particularly good at playing Pinter roles, which were very difficult."

As well as his stage and screen credits Terence Rigby also appeared in several National Theatre productions, including No Man's Land, directed by Harold Pinter, which featured John Gielgud and Ralph Richardson.

Other television credits from the 1970s include Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, and in the 1980s The Beiderbecke Affair.

Also in the theatre, he appeared in The Cherry Orchard and Waiting for Godot at the National Theatre.

He appeared in Royal Shakespeare Company productions of Pinter's The Homecoming and 1977 play State of Revolution, in which he was cast as Stalin.

And he was also cast in several theatre productions in the US.

His last work there was in February this year in the Oscar Wilde play A Woman of No Importance.

The actor, who studied at Rada, had been living in London and New York since February.