Squire Hamley Michael Gambon Squire Hamley is the fiery patriarch of the oldest family in Hollingford and proprietor of its estate, Hamley Hall. He becomes distraught when his favored son and heir, Osborne, fails his exams at Cambridge while running up sizeable debts. Molly is visiting when Roger brings home the news, and the squire and Mrs. Hamley find great comfort in her company. Michael Gambon, who has enjoyed such theatrical hits as View from the Bridge and The Life of Galileo, won a British Academy Award (BAFTA) for his portrayal of the squire. Wives and Daughters producer Sue Birtwistle says that Gambon was her ideal squire: "He's a brilliant actor, and perfect for the Squire because there's a hugeness about him. He fills the space, which is exactly what the squire does. Michael plays him as a man who wears his emotions on his sleeve and is not slow to cry, but you see in this character that terrible male inability to talk to his son; to say the things that really matter before it's too late. We're all going to recognize that. Even though he adores them, he's so misunderstood by his children. Nick [Director Nicholas Renton] and I called it 'the King Lear part'. There are many similarities and we knew we needed an actor who could carry all that."