Game Of Thrones actor John Stahl has died at the age of 68, his agent has confirmed.
The Scottish actor played the role of Rickard Karstark in two series of the popular HBO fantasy show.
He was also well known for playing Inveradarroch in the long-running soap opera Take The High Road from 1982 until it ceased production in 2003.
A statement from his agent Amanda Fitzalan Howard described him as “an actor of remarkable skill and a stalwart of Scottish theatre”.
It added: “He died on the Isle of Lewis on March 2nd 2022 and is survived by his wife, Jane Paton.”
John Stahl
HBO
Stahl also appeared in numerous theatre productions during his career, including performances at The Royal Shakespeare Company and The National Theatre.
His fellow Take The High Road actor Derek Lord paid tribute to Stahl, recalling their time on set together.
Lord wrote on Twitter: “Sorry to hear my old High Road colleague John Stahl has passed.
“I remember him being upset when some idiot in production decided to drop his character’s name Inverdarroch and use Tom Kerr instead.
“He’ll always be Inverdarroch to me, the only man to best Sneddon in a fair fight.”
Scottish screenwriter Peter May also remembered the actor and recalled how he had recently attended his online wedding.
He said: “Terribly sad to hear that my old friend, John Stahl, has passed. I wrote so many scenes for the character of Inverdarroch that he portrayed in Take The High Road.
Sorry to hear my old High Road colleague John Stahl has passed.I remember him being upset when some idiot in production decided to drop his character's name Inverdarroch and use Tom Kerr instead. He'll always be Inverdarroch to me, the only man to best Sneddon in a fair fight.
— derek lord (@DekeLord) March 3, 2022
“Only recently attended his online wedding. Saw him last in Adelaide Australia for a fun reunion. RIP John.”
Writer Ian Rankin, best known for his Inspector Rebus novels, said he had hoped to work with the actor again after he featured in his play Long Shadows, describing his portrayal as “terrifying and charismatic”.
Scottish playwright and theatre director David Greig described him as a “truly great actor” and noted that the Scottish theatre world will miss him.
He added that he was a “beloved company member” in many Scottish shows, recalling his roles in The Winter’s Tale, Gagarin Way and his own play The Architect.
The National Theatre of Scotland also paid tribute, saying they were “deeply saddened” to hear the news.
They shared a photo of the actor to their Twitter and added: “We were fortunate to work with John on Mary Stuart and The James Plays.
“His passing is a huge loss to the industry, and he will be sorely missed. Our thoughts are with his loved ones.”
