Richard Attenborough
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| Richard Attenborough | |||||||||||||||
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 Attenborough in 1983 |
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| Born | Richard Samuel Attenborough 29 August 1923 Cambridge, England |
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| Spouse(s) | Sheila Sim (1945-) | ||||||||||||||
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Sir Richard Samuel Attenborough, Baron Attenborough, CBE (born 29 August 1923) is an English actor, director, producer, and entrepreneur. Attenborough has won two Academy Awards, four BAFTA Awards and three Golden Globes. He is the elder brother of naturalist and wildlife filmmaker, Sir David Attenborough.
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[edit] Biography
[edit] Early life
Attenborough was born in Cambridge, England, the son of Mary (née Clegg), a founding member of the Marriage Guidance Council, and Frederick Levi Attenborough, a scholar and academic administrator who was a don at Emmanuel College and wrote a standard text on Anglo-Saxon law.[1][2] Attenborough was educated at Wyggeston Grammar School for Boys in Leicester and at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). During World War II Attenborough served in the Royal Air Force.
[edit] Acting career
Attenborough's film career began in 1942 as a deserting sailor in In Which We Serve, a role which would help to type-cast him for many years as spivs or cowards in films like London Belongs to Me (1948), Morning Departure (1950), and his breakthrough role as a psychopathic young gangster in the film of Graham Greene's novel Brighton Rock (1947). Attenborough worked prolifically in British films for the next thirty years, and in the 1950s appeared in several successful comedies for John and Roy Boulting, including Private's Progress (1956) and I'm All Right Jack (1959). Early in his stage career, Attenborough starred in the London West End production of Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap, which went on to become one of the world's longest running stage productions. Both he and his wife were among the original cast members of the production, which opened in 1952 and as of 2008 is still running.
In the 1960s, he expanded his range of character roles in films such as Seance on a Wet Afternoon (1964) and Guns at Batasi (1964), for which he won the BAFTA Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of the Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM). In 1963 he appeared in the ensemble cast of The Great Escape, as Squadron Leader Roger Bartlett ("Big X"), the head of the escape committee.
In 1967 and 1968, he won back-to-back Golden Globe Awards in the category of Best Supporting Actor, the first time for The Sand Pebbles starring Steve McQueen, and the second time for Doctor Dolittle starring Rex Harrison. He would win another Golden Globe for Best Director, for Gandhi, in 1983. Six years prior to Gandhi he played the ruthless General Outram in Indian director Satyajit Ray's period piece The Chess Players. He has never been nominated for an Academy Award in an acting category.
He took no acting roles following his appearance in Otto Preminger's version of The Human Factor in 1979, until his appearance as the eccentric developer John Hammond in Steven Spielberg's Jurassic Park in 1993. The following year he starred in the remake of Miracle on 34th Street as Kris Kringle. Since then he has made occasional appearances in supporting roles including the 1998 historical drama Elizabeth as Sir William Cecil.
[edit] Producer and director
In the late 1950s, Attenborough formed a production company, Beaver Films, with Bryan Forbes and began to build a profile as a producer on projects including The League of Gentlemen (1959), The Angry Silence (1960) and Whistle Down the Wind (1961), also appearing in the first two of these as an actor.
His feature film directorial debut was the all-star screen version of the hit musical Oh! What a Lovely War (1969), and his acting appearances became more sporadic - the most notable being his portrayal of serial killer John Christie in 10 Rillington Place (1971). He later directed two epic period films: Young Winston (1972), based on the early life of Winston Churchill, and A Bridge Too Far (1977), an all-star account of Operation Market Garden in World War II. He won the 1982 Academy Award for Directing for his historical epic, Gandhi, a project he had been attempting to get made for many years. As the film's producer, he also won the Academy Award for Best Picture. His most recent films as director and producer include Chaplin (1992) starring Robert Downey, Jr. as Charlie Chaplin and Shadowlands (1993), based on the relationship between C. S. Lewis and Joy Gresham. The star of the latter was Anthony Hopkins, who also appeared in three other films for Attenborough: Young Winston, A Bridge Too Far and the thriller Magic (1978).
Attenborough also directed the screen version of the musical A Chorus Line (1985); and the apartheid drama Cry Freedom based on the experiences of Donald Woods. He was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Director for both films.
[edit] Corporate appointments
- Chairman of Capital Radio
- Director of Chelsea Football Club (1969-1982)
- Life Vice President of Chelsea Football Club (1993-Present)
- Deputy Chairman of Channel Four Television (1982-1987)
- Chairman of Channel Four (1987-1992)
- Chairman of Goldcrest Films
- President of RADA
- President of BAFTA
- President of the Gandhi Foundation
- President of the British National Film and Television School
- Vice Patron of the Cinema and Television Benevolent Fund
Lord Attenborough also heads a committee awarding the eponymous Attenborough Prize, a £2000 annual arts prize celebrating creativity by emerging artists. The Attenborough Prize is awarded to the best contemporary visual artist among a shortlist of six artists presented to Lord Attenborough. The most recent (2007) Prize was awarded to Choterina Freer.
[edit] Current projects
Attenborough has been in Belfast, Northern Ireland filming his latest film, Closing the Ring, set in Belfast during the Second World War.
Attenborough is the President of RADA, Chairman of Capital Radio, President of BAFTA, President of the Gandhi Foundation, and President of the British National Film and Television School. He is also a vice patron of the Cinema and Television Benevolent Fund.
Attenborough is also the patron of the UWC movement (United World Colleges) wherby he continually contributes greatly to the colleges that are part of the organisation. He has frequented the United World College of Southern Africa (UWCSA) Waterford Kamhlaba. His wife and he founded the Richard and Sheila Attenborough Visual Arts Centre. He also founded the Jane Holland Creative Centre for Learning at Waterford Kamhlaba in Swaziland in memory of his daughter who died in the tsunami on Boxing Day (26th December), 2004. He passionately believes in education, primarily education that does not judge upon colour, race, creed or religion. His attachment to Waterford is his passion for non-racial education, which were the grounds on which Waterford Kamhlaba was founded. Waterford was one of his inspirations for directing the Cry Freedom motion picture based on the life of Steve Biko.
He was elected to the post of Chancellor of the University of Sussex on 20 March 1998, replacing the Duke of Richmond and Gordon. A lifelong supporter of Chelsea Football Club, Attenborough served as a director of the club from 1969-1982 and since 1993 has held the honorary position of Life Vice President.
He is also the head of the consortium "Dragon International", which are currently constructing a film and television studio complex in Llanilid, Wales, often referred to as "Valleywood".
[edit] Honours
In 1967, he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). He was knighted in 1976 and in 1993 he was made a life peer as Baron Attenborough, of Richmond upon Thames in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames.[3]
On 13 July 2006, Attenborough, along with his brother David, were awarded the titles of Distinguished Honorary Fellows of the University of Leicester "in recognition of a record of continuing distinguished service to the University".[4][5]
Lord Attenborough is also listed as an Honorary Fellow of Bangor University for his continued efforts to film making.[6]
[edit] Personal life
Attenborough has been married to English actress Sheila Sim since 1945. They had three children. On the 26th of December (Boxing Day), 2004 his elder daughter, Jane Holland, as well as her daughter, Lucy, and her mother-in-law, also named Jane, were killed in the tsunami caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake.[7] A memorial service was held on 8 March 2005, and Attenborough read a lesson at the national memorial service on 11 May 2005. His grandson Samuel Holland and granddaughter Alice Holland also read in the service.
Attenborough's father was principal of University College, Leicester, now the city's university. This has resulted in a long association with the university, with Lord Attenborough a patron. A commemorative plaque was placed in the floor of Richmond Parish Church. The university's Richard Attenborough Centre for Disability and the Arts, which opened in 1997, is named in his honour.
His son, Michael Attenborough, is also a director. He has two younger brothers, the world famous naturalist Sir David Attenborough; and John Attenborough, who has made a career in the motor trade.
He has collected Picasso ceramics since the 1950s. More than 100 items went on display at the New Walk Museum and Art Gallery in Leicester in 2007; the exhibition is dedicated to his family members lost in the tsunami.[8][9]
[edit] Filmography
[edit] As an actor
- In Which We Serve (1942)
- A Matter of Life and Death (1946)
- Brighton Rock (1947)
- London Belongs to Me (1948)
- The Guinea Pig (1948)
- Morning Departure (1950)
- The Magic Box (1951)
- Hell Is Sold Out (1951)
- Father’s Doing Fine (1952)
- Eight O’Clock Walk (1952)
- Gift Horse (1952)
- The Ship That Died of Shame (1955)
- Private's Progress (1956)
- The Baby and the Battleship (1956)
- The Scamp (1957)
- Brothers in Law (1957)
- Dunkirk (1958)
- The Man Upstairs (1958)
- Sea of Sand (1958)
- The League of Gentlemen (1959)
- I'm All Right Jack (1959)
- Danger Within (1959)
- Jet Storm (1959)
- SOS Pacific (1959)
- The Angry Silence (1960)
- The Great Escape (1963)
- Seance on a Wet Afternoon (1964)
- Guns at Batasi (1964)
- The Flight of the Phoenix (1965)
- The Sand Pebbles (1966)
- Doctor Dolittle (1967)
- Only When I Larf (1968)
- The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom (1968)
- Loot (1970)
- The Last Grenade (1970)
- A Severed Head (1970)
- 10 Rillington Place (1971)
- Cup Glory (1972) (as narrator)
- And Then There Were None (1974)
- Rosebud (1975)
- Brannigan (1975)
- Conduct Unbecoming (1975)
- Shatranj Ke Khiladi (1977)
- The Human Factor (1979)
- Jurassic Park (1993)
- Miracle on 34th Street (1994)
- Hamlet (1996)
- The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)
- Jurassic Park: Trespasser (1998) (video game)
- Elizabeth (1998)
- Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (1999)
- The Railway Children (2000)
- Jack and the Beanstalk: The Real Story (2001)
- Puckoon (2002)
- Jurassic Park IV(rumored) (2009)
[edit] As director
- Oh! What A Lovely War (1969)
- Young Winston (1972)
- A Bridge Too Far (1977)
- Magic (1978)
- Gandhi (1982) (also producer)
- A Chorus Line (1985)
- Cry Freedom (1987) (also producer)
- Chaplin (1992) (also producer)
- Shadowlands (1993) (also producer)
- In Love and War (1996)
- Grey Owl (1999)
- Closing the Ring (2007)
[edit] References
- ^ Richard Attenborough Biography (1923-)
- ^ Richard Attenborough Biography - Yahoo! Movies
- ^ Burke's Peerage - Preview Family Record
- ^ University of Leicester - Honorary Degrees and Distinguished Honorary Fellowships Announced by University of Leicester
- ^ News from India
- ^ Lord Attenborough, Honorary Fellow, Bangor University
- ^ http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=3936825
- ^ Leicester City Council
- ^ Richard Attenborough's Picasso ceramics - Times Online
[edit] External links
- Richard Attenborough at the Internet Movie Database
- Richard Attenborough Archive on the BAFTA website
- University of Sussex media release about Lord Attenborough's election as Chancellor, dated Friday, March 20, 1998
- Lord Richard Attenborough at the British Film Institute's Screenonline
- Richard Attenborough Stills & Posters Gallery from the British Film Institute
- Richard Attenborough Centre for Disability and the Arts
- A Gift For Dickie a project to raise a multi-million pound film budget and give it away to Richard “Dickie” Attenborough so he can make the film he always dreamed of
| Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Dirk Bogarde for The Servant |
BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role 1964 for Guns at Batasi & Seance on a Wet Afternoon |
Succeeded by Dirk Bogarde for Darling |
| Preceded by Oskar Werner for The Spy Who Came in from the Cold |
Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture 1967 for The Sand Pebbles 1968 for Doctor Dolittle |
Succeeded by Daniel Massey for Star! |
| Preceded by Warren Beatty for Reds |
Academy Award for Best Director 1982 for Gandhi |
Succeeded by James L. Brooks for Terms of Endearment |
| Preceded by Louis Malle for Atlantic City |
BAFTA Award for Best Direction 1982 for Gandhi |
Succeeded by Bill Forsyth for Local Hero |
| Preceded by Warren Beatty for Reds |
Golden Globe Award for Best Director - Motion Picture 1983 for Gandhi |
Succeeded by Barbra Streisand for Yentl |
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| Persondata | |
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| NAME | Attenborough, Lord |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Attenborough, Richard Samuel |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | Actor, film director |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 1923-8-29 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Cambridge, England |
| DATE OF DEATH | |
| PLACE OF DEATH | |
