Nick Courtney has passed away.

[ceebee_eebee]

I haven't posted here in a million years but this is where my Doctor Who friends live and I need to be with you all right now. Taking it a little hard, as I'm sure many of you are as well. I always held out hope I'd get a chance to meet him someday but apparently that wasn't meant to be. At least he went peacefully. He's going to be sorely missed.

By way of memorial, I want to share a clip from the Big Finish audio Old Soldiers. It's particularly poignant right now.

Old Soldiers

RIP Nick.

Comments

[airie-fairy.livejournal.com]

Oh...

This was always going to be a bit of a Moment, but your post is the first thing I saw when I just loaded my friends page, and I just started playing "At Least It Was Here," too, so...it's like the moment got groomed for me. I can't really think of much response beyond dumbly noting such details, but I'm going to listen to that clip.

[elyssadc.livejournal.com]

I suppose we all should have been ready for it given his age and how he was looking, but I don't think you can ever really prepare for losing someone so beloved by so many for so long.

[airie-fairy.livejournal.com]

He's younger than my grandma, who's looking like she should've been dead for a number of years now -- meaning basically that I don't really think preparation comes that easy.

Right now, I'm very taken by surprise. :/

[elyssadc.livejournal.com]

So was I. I didn't believe it at first. The one bright spot is that his name was actually trending in the US on twitter. I expected it in the UK, but that so many Americans loved him too is actually kind of awesome. Ugh. I've given myself a headache with the crying.

[airie-fairy.livejournal.com]

Oh man, every time I see the name of an older person I'm a fan of trending (I don't use twitter, so I'm going by yahoo), I freak out and automatically assume they're dead, since I'm a fan of a lot of people who aren't at peak current popularity and I worry. Luckily, I haven't usually been right. *sigh*

[elyssadc.livejournal.com]

Believe me, I do the same thing. I'm dreading losing more Classic Who people and Classic Trek people. I try to get out to meet as many of them as I can at cons because I know I might not get the chance again. I'm so pissed at myself for never making the trip over to see Nick in the UK. Missed opportunities really sting.

[airie-fairy.livejournal.com]

We'll always have episodes, at least. The vast majority of his haven't been burned, so that's good.

[elyssadc.livejournal.com]

And he's done some of my favorite audios. Oh, his voice. So much love.

[ravenskyewalker.livejournal.com]

Yes, this hurts. Yes, he was 81, and I'm sure it was expected, but damn, I was terribly fond of him. *cries a little*

[elyssadc.livejournal.com]

I'm shocked at how upset I am, to be honest. Especially since he lived a long life. But I think he was one of those people who just seemed like they'd be around forever.

[ravenskyewalker.livejournal.com]

It's getting to me a bit that he and my father died at the same age.

[elyssadc.livejournal.com]

I'm so sorry, hun. ::hugs::

[rainshaded]

Thank you for sharing that clip.

[elyssadc.livejournal.com]

My pleasure. ::hugs::

[rainshaded]

*hugs*

[livii.livejournal.com]

Big hugs. This is such sad news.

[elyssadc.livejournal.com]

::hugs:: A huge loss. Never heard a single bad word about the man. He really was a splendid chap.

[brewsternorth.livejournal.com]

RIP indeed. I've just tumbled off a plane back from Los Angeles to hear this news all over my friendslist and Twitter feed. Downloaded that clip because, beyond the wonderful Briggishness, and the poignancy, it bears repeating.
May he rest in peace, and may his legacy forever speak to us. ;_;

[elyssadc.livejournal.com]

Beautifully stated. So much love.

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

I woke up to the news and haven't stopped crying yet...

I knew he'd been ill, but I'd hoped he would recover and go on... It hurts my heart to know there's no more Brigadier Lethbridge Stewart to come.

[elyssadc.livejournal.com]

I feel the same. He just seemed so eternal somehow. It never occurred to me how deeply this would effect me, but honestly? Gutted. Totally gutted. ::hugs::

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

*clings* He really did...

I'm just finishing relistening to 'The Spectre of Lanyon Moor'...

[elyssadc.livejournal.com]

I was going to try and listen to Zagreus last night but it was too soon. I think maybe I'll give it another go tonight. God, such a fantastic actor and such a fantastic man.

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

I relistened to 'Old Soldiers' his CC this morning - that was esp heartbreaking, yet so poignant.

I've got the two Unbounds to listen to, Zagreus, and also the five 'The Scarifyers' audios he did with Terry 'Davros' Malloy for Cosmic Hobo. (His Inspector Lionheart is a more acerbic and sceptical version of the Brig, set in the 1930s. Thinking about it, The Scarifyers is Cosmic Hobo's answer to Jago & Litefoot.)

[elyssadc.livejournal.com]

Add in "Oh No It Isn't" and you've got yourself a Nick-a-thon of epic proportions.

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

I don't have 'Oh No' (nor Minuet in Hell, his Eighth Doctor appearance), alas. I'll be buying both though.

[elyssadc.livejournal.com]

ONII is one of my favorites. His foul mouth as Wolsey is magnificent. Minuet in Hell, however...not so much. But definitely worth a listen if you haven't heard it.

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

I have heard them both - Brig!Wolsley is hilarious in Oh No. I can't say I rate Minuet very highly, but I'll buy it again for the sake of the Brig.

[elyssadc.livejournal.com]

The dick jokes are magnificent. I support your reasoning on MiH. It's pretty awful, but I'm glad to own it for the sake of completeness. And the Brig.

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

Yes they are! How any of them managed to get through their lines with those jokes is a marvel - in their shoes, I'd have been rolling around the floor choking with laughter and crying hysterically!

[elyssadc.livejournal.com]

Seriously. I would pay good money to hear the outtakes.

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

Oh yes!

[fantom-fan.livejournal.com]

There are no words for something like this. *cries*

[elyssadc.livejournal.com]

None. ::hugs::

[rhia-starsong.livejournal.com]

NO!! RIP, Brig. Now I need to go rewatch all the episodes the Brig was in. That mustache was hot.

[usuallyhats]

Oh, now I'm crying again. *hugs*

[elyssadc.livejournal.com]

All the hugs, babe. I think this one is gonna take a while to really sink in.

[prof-pangaea.livejournal.com]

i wish you were here right now. or i was with you. i need hugs.

[elyssadc.livejournal.com]

I'll hug you through the gchat. <3