Paul Geoffrey, Excalibur and Better Call Saul Actor, Dies at 68

Jun 10, 2023

Veteran actor Paul Geoffrey has died. According to an obituary for the Excalibur star, Geoffrey passed away following a cancer battle on June 3. He was 68 years old.

Born and raised in England, Geoffrey had been living in Santa Fe after relocating there with his family in the early 90s. Through his work with Santa Fe Properties, he became known in the area as a “genuine and kind community member,” per the obituary.

“A thespian to the core, Paul continued to act for the remainder of his life,” it continues. “He loved French wine and food, had a stunning grasp of history, was a life-long Arsenal fan, and excelled at being the sweetest guy in the world.”

Geoffrey is known for his role as the knight Perceval in the medieval fantasy movie Excalibur. Released in 1981, the film is based on the story of King Arthur and the knights of the round table. Geoffrey’s Perceval was a key character in the film, appearing at the very end for a scene with Arthur (Nigel Terry) and the titular weapon. The film, which also features Patrick Stewart and Liam Neeson, won Best Artistic Contribution at Cannes and was nominated for an Oscar for Best Cinematography.

Paul Geoffrey can also be recognized for his memorable role as Lord John “Jack” Clayton in the 1984 movie Greystroke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes. Some of his other film roles include Wuthering Heights, At the Fountainhead (of German Strength), A Flame to the Phoenix, Zina, Resurrected, Anna Karenina, Spells, and The Thomas Crown Affair.

The longtime performer also made a mark on the small screen. He appeared in the hit AMC drama series Better Call Saul, portraying a tailor who takes measurements for Jimmy McGill’s (Bob Odenkirk) new attorney suit. In a 2014 interview with the Santa Fe New Mexican, before the episode had aired in 2015, Geoffrey recalled how he was pleasantly surprised when that part was offered to him.

“I was in LA for two weeks at the end of [2013] to see if I could sort of drum up some acting, but I’ve been out of it for too long so no one really knows who I am, so it’s kind of depressing,” Geoffrey is quoted as saying. “Then I was back here and I got a call early one morning and I said, It’s not to play a dead guy, is it? But no, there were lines and I drove to Albuquerque learning my lines as I drove. I got the part and it was a nice little bit on Better Call Saul, the sequel/prequel to Breaking Bad. It was a lot of fun and I never would have got that if I was in LA.”

Geoffrey has also appeared in the TV shows The Jewel in the Crown, The Man from Moscow, Napoloeon and Josephine: A Love Story, Inspector Morse, Poirot, Birds of a Feather, The Good Guys, Acapulco H.E.A.T., and Get Shorty. His final acting credit was as a prison warden for Perpetual Grace, LTD in 2019.

Geoffrey’s survivors include his wife, Sue Taylor, along with three children, Alex, Oliver, and Daisy. Our condolences go out to them during their time of grief. Rest in peace, Paul Geoffrey.